Fred Crockett wants to ensure that Council doesn't try to micromanage everything during the first 100 days.

100 daysWith a new municipal government getting ready to assume power the question is – what will they do first?

What are the big issues?

We asked the readers of the Gazette what they thought the new council should attempt to get done in its first hundred days.

Here are some of their thoughts.

By Fred Crockett
November 9th, 2018
BURLINGTON, ON

Residents want their municipal authority to take care of day to day services on a responsible budget, prudently set aside reserve funds for major capital works, handle emergency services, establish a reasonable planning structure, and to do so in a manner that is respectful to those residents, staff, fellow Councillors, and the broader public.

They do not want a Council that seeks to micromanage everything, and views activities as ego-boosting shenanigans so as to foster perpetual re-election. This past vote showed that some 60% of the electorate was jaundiced by the previous structure, and the rest chose to bounce most of the incumbents.

City hall - older picCouncil is not measured by the individual accomplishments or goals of its members, but rather by the quality of its collective judgement. Competent and properly paid staff exist to perform the necessary tasks, to provide advice to Council, and to support the policy decisions made by elected representatives.

Within its first 100 days, the new council should reinforce a meaningful code of conduct, pass a responsible budget, support a functional transit system, and revise the pending planning conundrum, all in the interests of the residents.

Fred Crockett is a Burlington based real estate broker.

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3 comments to Fred Crockett wants to ensure that Council doesn’t try to micromanage everything during the first 100 days.

  • LoverofLiberty

    I love the responses on this already. I was going to write something similar to both responses. Absolutely the new council SHOULD micromanage the city staff. Staff is reckless, rude, and not held accountable for anything. And I do agree that a change in the way citizens are treated is indeed a priority as it will set the tone for the rest of the heavy agenda this new council will have to deal with.

  • Hans

    Re: “Competent and properly paid staff exist…” – unfortunately my experience on several occasions (with respect to “competent”) has demonstrated that this is not the case. And IMO an incompetent worker is overpaid by definition.

  • Phillip Wooster

    Fred, I might add the necessity of implementing an EFFECTIVE engagement process with the residents of Burlington and the necessity of changing the culture at City Hall (for too long, the political leadership and bureaucracy have believed that residents are there to serve them, rather than the other way round). I believe both of these changes are pre-conditions to any of the other priorities that Council seeks to address.