‘Clearly, serious changes must be made’

Letter to the editor New Tecumseth Free Press December 13, 2012

Your article regarding the Legal fees for Freedom of Information and the lack of reporting expenditures to Council is interesting but only the tip of the iceberg.

Lawyers only do and say as they are instructed, within reason. The question is why is over $5,000 of taxpayers’ moneywas spent to hide something for a public body.

If Council is not aware of expenditures and they admit that they are not involved in staffing it begs the question why are we paying them.

Further, I was a member of the Committee of Adjustment from 1989 to 2010, and Chair for many years. First for Tecumseth Township, then the Amalgamated Town and finally New Tecumseth.

During later years the CAO and I exchanged sharp comments over the lack of proper Minutes of the meetings. I have a letter on file from her on the matter. The meetings were recorded but then the printed product contained only what the Administration wanted to appear.

Several times I checked with the former Town Clerk for details days after meetings but many details were deleted. If an application went to the OMB we would get a copy of the findings. I noticed that the OMB Officer sometimes noted that “the Committee made no comment”. This was absolutely false. The Officer saw no comment because it was not forwarded to him.

Three or four pages of what the Administration said but not a single word from the Committee. The former Clerk told me all documents must be forwarded to the OMB but the Administration controlled what those documents contained.

These are only a few on the contentious matters that have come to light recently such as major contract changes made without apprising Council according to at least one reputable Councillor. Then we have the inappropriate staff dismissals, one not proven the other settled at a cost of more than $150,000 of taxpayers’ money.

Clearly, serious changes must be made, It is said some councillors privately feel that way but no one wants to “bell the cat” so to speak. Council must start forthwith doing the job that they are paid for.

Frank Prothero