66 replies to this topic

[Rob Randall]

A follow-up on my portfolio predictions: portfolios are not the only assignments Councillors get. For example, here are Charlayne Thornton-Joe's:

Portfolios:
Downtown
Heritage
Deputy for Planning

Others:
Tourism Victoria
CRD Alternate for Councillor Young
CRD Water Supply System Alternate for Councillor Fortin
Downtown Advisory Committee
Heritage Advisory Committee
Private Property Maintenance Committee
Victoria Civic Heritage Trust
Victoria Conference Centre Advisory Board
Victoria Heritage Foundation
Clean and Safe Committee
Downtown Service Providers Commitee

At least one Councillor candidate got a lot of mileage out of saying Council "spends 60% of its time on rezonings" during the campaign. That's a misleading statement.

Mayor-elect Fortin was on A-News tonight saying he'd support bringing the train right up to City Hall.

[Coreyburger]

At least one Councillor candidate got a lot of mileage out of saying Council "spends 60% of its time on rezonings" during the campaign. That's a misleading statement.

I am still trying to figure out exactly what is wrong with council spending its time trying to balance the need to keep development moving while being in context with the local community. Especially given most of the buildings that council approves are expected to last at least 75 to 100 years. One size fits all zoning is likely to lead to a lot of pissed off people.

[Rob Randall]

There are many great projects around Victoria that were supported by neighbours and the community that required rezoning. Yes, there are some ridiculous proposals that ask for rezoning but it is your right as a property owner to have your proposal heard by your elected Councillors and Mayor. Other candidates were suggesting these proposals be intercepted and declined by unelected City staff without citizen input. I suppose this is one way to do it but despite being an efficient way of saving Council's time it seems somewhat less democratic.

[Rob Randall]

I didn't want to make a new thread for this but I did want to mention that tomorrow (Tuesday) at 2 pm at City Hall the new Mayor and Council will be sworn in. The portfolios will be handed out too so that will be of interest to some.

[Rob Randall]

So the portfolios are on hold. Word is they are being held back until a thorough review is done of all City Hall boards, committees and Council appointments. This is pretty major.

We knew for a few months that a lot of Committees were under review. For instance, Downtown Advisory Committee was felt to be ineffective and was either going to be scrapped or revamped so it's been dormant for about six months. So it looks like a shakeup is in the works and we might see some portfolios and committees eliminated, split off or combined and maybe some new ones created.

My bet is that a sustainability portfolio or position is created. I know Madoff wasn't happy at Bayview and we might see Dockside-style standards applied to major new developments through some sort of panel or staff position.

[Coreyburger]

Hey, at least your committees met. The Secondary Suites comm. failed to meet for 8 months here in Oak Bay.

[Holden West]

The word "bridge" does not appear in this thread. You all FAIL.

Premier Appoints Local Government Elections Task Force Dream Team

Vancouver Sun
By Kennedy Stewart 4 Dec 2009

On October, 2, 2009, Premier Campbell formed one of the most important task forces in recent provincial history and has just announced its final membership. Prompted by Union of British Columbia Municipality resolutions and a spate of police investigations into municipal election financing irregularities and possible corruption, the Local Government Elections Task Force is set to fundamentally restructure how local elections are conducted in this province and establish the most accountable, transparent and fair local government election process in the country

In the 2008 round of municipal elections, over $5 million dollars was spent campaigning in the City of Vancouver. One individual gave $80,000 to Vision Vancouver mayoral candidate hopeful Raymond Louie, CUPE Local 1004 gave $95,000 to the Coalition of Progressive Electors and CUPE BC gave Vision $145,000. In Surrey, Mayor Watts’ Surrey First Party and its candidates received $600,000 from corporations and small business. And the list goes on and on in municipalities right across the province.
This extravagance will be eliminated when BC adopts laws similar to those found elsewhere. In Quebec, for example, candidates are greatly limited in the amount they can spend during municipal elections. Companies, unions and other associations are completely prohibited from contributing to campaigns and individuals can only donate $1,000 per calendar year to municipal candidates.

[Ms. B. Havin]

That's because we were all looking at the dog, and not at the tail.

We didn't anticipate that we'd have a genuine tail(stimulus funding)-wagging-the-dog(municipal priorities) situation.

I guess we're just not cynical enough - something I also wouldn't have predicted.

[VicHockeyFan]

The TC is out with their Vision 2011 issue today. Lots to read:

http://www.timescolo...aper/index.html

[Bob Fugger]

I see that the TC is ever raising the bar on its crack journalism and analysis, with its Outlook 2011 feature. Check out the opening line of Carla Wilson's article entitled, "Public sector still drives economy."

Greater Victoria has been a government town for generations. If you don't work in the public sector, it's likely you know someone who does.

WOW!!! That incredible insight blew my mind so thoroughly, I don't know if I have any brain cells left to continue reading. Such fascinating stuff!

[sebberry]

Greater Victoria has been a government town for generations. If you don't work in the public sector, it's likely you know someone who does.

Yes, and they all do a hell of a lot less than I do and get paid a hell of a lot more

[spanky123]

I see that the TC is ever raising the bar on its crack journalism and analysis, with its Outlook 2011 feature. Check out the opening line of Carla Wilson's article entitled, "Public sector still drives economy."

WOW!!! That incredible insight blew my mind so thoroughly, I don't know if I have any brain cells left to continue reading. Such fascinating stuff!

In my opinion, Carla is always stretched to the limit of her abilities when she has to write someething that wasn't provided to her in the form of a press release.

I don't blame the TC for corporate puff pieces, they are in business like everyone else and my reading of their articles online isn't paying the bills.

I have an issue when they print things that are untrue to make us all feel better. All you have to do it take a cursory look at their Outlook 2001 feature to prove my point.

[Bingo]

The TC is out with their Vision 2011 issue today. Lots to read:

http://www.timescolo...aper/index.html

I will be saving this edition to look back on in the following year(s) to see if this is just fantasy thinking, or if the CRD can actually come together to pull some of these dreams off.

[Lorne Carnes]

Yes, and they all do a hell of a lot less than I do and get paid a hell of a lot more

I challenge you to substantiate this claim.

[Bob Fugger]

I challenge you to substantiate this claim.

Actually, as a public servant, I too was a bit offended to read what sebbery wrote (although I assume by the smiley, it was a bit tongue-in-cheek). Then I realized that he was right; but for the wrong reasons. Supposing that I do make way more for less effort, one must assume that the quality and/or value of my output must be exponentially higher than sebbery's - because the labour market wouldn't sustain paying someone more than someone else, all things being equal. Bit of a simplistic analysis, but it ought to give sebbery piece of mind that we are all, for the most part, remunerated consummate to the quality/value of our output.

[Nparker]

Another public servant chiming in here (I wonder how many other people have "servant" as part of their job title?). I am paid exactly 10% more now than I made in 1999. If I am over-compensated for my workload, it sure doesn't show in the volume in my inbasket each day, nor the dollars deposited in my account every 2 weeks. I am almost positive the cost of living has gone up by more than 10% in the past 11 years, so I am actually further behind than I used to be. I am sure I will be challenged on this, but I just wanted to have my 2 cents worth; that's about all I can afford to spend on voicing my opinion.

[sebberry]

I challenge you to substantiate this claim.

Actually, as a public servant, I too was a bit offended to read what sebbery wrote (although I assume by the smiley, it was a bit tongue-in-cheek). Then I realized that he was right; but for the wrong reasons. Supposing that I do make way more for less effort, one must assume that the quality and/or value of my output must be exponentially higher than sebbery's - because the labour market wouldn't sustain paying someone more than someone else, all things being equal. Bit of a simplistic analysis, but it ought to give sebbery piece of mind that we are all, for the most part, remunerated consummate to the quality/value of our output.

I've worked my ass off in computer stores, working through lunch, staying late, taking on additional tasks outside my job description, putting out high-quality work, etc.. and was being paid half of what I made as a temp tech at Camosun, sitting around twiddling my thumbs waiting for calls for service to come in.

I am speaking from my experience when I say the workload is lighter and the pay is higher Don't be offended, it's exactly what I have been through.

[Bob Fugger]

I've worked my ass off in computer stores, working through lunch, staying late, taking on additional tasks outside my job description, putting out high-quality work, etc.. and was being paid half of what I made as a temp tech at Camosun, sitting around twiddling my thumbs waiting for calls for service to come in.

I am speaking from my experience when I say the workload is lighter and the pay is higher Don't be offended, it's exactly what I have been through.

Oh no worries - like I said, my knee-jerk reaction was to be offended. Then I thought about it, and essentially, I have to invest less effort than you and get more pay, because the value of my output is higher than yours. There's no one to blame - the (labour) market has spoken.

[LJ]

Actually, as a public servant, I too was a bit offended to read what sebbery wrote (although I assume by the smiley, it was a bit tongue-in-cheek). Then I realized that he was right; but for the wrong reasons. Supposing that I do make way more for less effort, one must assume that the quality and/or value of my output must be exponentially higher than sebbery's - because the labour market wouldn't sustain paying someone more than someone else, all things being equal. Bit of a simplistic analysis, but it ought to give sebbery piece of mind that we are all, for the most part, remunerated consummate to the quality/value of our output.

Did you mean "commensurate", or are you claiming to be the consummate public servant?

[Bob Fugger]

Did you mean "commensurate", or are you claiming to be the consummate public servant?

LOL! Damned iPhone autocorrect strikes again! NB: Only Rex Herring is remunerated by consummation!