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The latest twitch in the community centre-Adriane Carr-Penny Ballem-whatever schmozzle: Mayor tries to calm things down

February 19th, 2013 · 76 Comments

Chapter 43.

BTW, I hear that the park board and associations have selected a mediator and were starting talks yesterday.

Mayor Gregor Robertson appears to be trying to defuse a storm that blew up last week after Councillor Adriane Carr publicly suggested the city manager had bullied her and acted politically.

Another councillor, Vision Vancouver’s Geoff Meggs, filed an official complaint that Ms. Carr had violated the city’s Code of Conduct, which prohibits staff or politicians from criticizing each other publicly, even though Ms. Carr later apologized for her personal remarks.

But Mr. Robertson said he would like to avoid an investigation into that complaint.

“The mayor’s preference is to resolve the matter more informally and without the need to involve a third party,” said a brief statement from the mayor’s office Monday. “He is very hopeful that they can arrive at a sensible resolution and put the matter to rest.”

That conciliatory statement is the latest chapter in a brawl over the city’s community centres that has been dominating public conversation in recent weeks.

Some community-centre associations, which run the city’s centres jointly with the city-funded but independently elected park board, have been complaining that they were being pressured by the board to sign a new agreement.

They said the agreement would give the board total control over the revenues and programming the associations now have.

Those complaints spiralled into a series of messy public meetings.

That has propelled Vision Vancouver, which controls city council and the park board, into defensive manoeuvres, while both right- and left-wing opposition groups have looked for ways to press the issue.

Ms. Carr, the city’s only Green Party councillor, tried to get a motion onto the council agenda last week, asking the city to calculate how much it would cost the parks system if association volunteers were replaced by paid park-board employees.

City manager Penny Ballem advised Ms. Carr before the meeting that she was not going to allow that motion since it would compromise the negotiations going on between the board and the community-centre associations over their legal agreement.

Ms. Carr then went out to the media to complain about Ms. Ballem’s interference, saying that she “felt bullied” and implied that the city manager was politically motivated.

She apologized later for anything she said that appeared to be personal.

But Mr. Meggs filed an official complaint anyway, saying it was important to clarify the line politicians need to be aware of when it comes to criticizing staff.

“My objective was not to inflict any punishment or star chamber proceedings, but to get a better idea of what the boundaries are.”

Ms. Carr, while pleased that the mayor seems to be trying to defuse the situation, said the whole complaint is just an example of Vision “trying to divert attention from their own behaviour and trying to put attention on me.”

She said she won’t be silenced, as she tries to raise the issue of whether her motion should be heard by council and whether the city manager overstepped her authority by unilaterally deciding the motion shouldn’t be allowed on the agenda.

Mr. Meggs says Ms. Carr is welcome to raise those issues all she likes, but that she shouldn’t be calling the city manager names while she does it or suggesting that the manager is partisan.

What’s confusing for many in the public is understanding what the role of senior city staff is in highly political debates like this.

Many municipal politicians say that they rely on their staff – managers, clerks, lawyers – to advise them whether their motions are properly worded or appropriate for a public meeting.

But they also say that it’s typically left to the elected politicians, not the staff, to make the ultimate decision on whether a motion on a highly charged issue should be brought to council.

In Vancouver, the most politicized council in the province, relationships between councillors and the city manager have been strained on more than one occasion.

The current Vision councillors often complained behind the scenes about whose side previous city manager Judy Rogers was really on. None of them, however, made those kinds of criticisms publicly.

Categories: Uncategorized

  • Ned

    Waltyss the political critic…
    Affleck not good, Ball not visible, Garossino (the newest Vision gal) smart… LOL!
    How about, in 2014 you and “Glissy my troll” put your names on the ballot. See who wins!? BTW you two should only go after Gregor’s job, as his worship, after more than four years could not manage to get rid of his marionette strings.
    Well?

  • InsiderDoug

    As I tweeted from @InsiderDoug, does anyone really think that C. Meggs was allowed to raise the issue, without the Mayor and Mike Magee’s approval or even direction in the first place?

    Thats how the party system works…

    So the Mayor and Magee were ok with going after Carr. Might have actually directed Meggs to do it. Then, when things were looking bad, the Mayor changes his mind, calls for calmness, and looks good, leaving Meggs out to dry.

    Political theatre, nothing more.

  • waltyss

    @Ned. I’m a lover not a politician so no thanks. However if I did run, I would beat the troll in a walk. Just quoting some of his statements about how stupid the voters of Vancouver would do it, never mind the never ceasing, always boring gulag references.
    Insider Doug: you are doubtless right in your analysis. I only differ with you with regard to your position that it was different with the NPA. Maybe when they started to war with each other.
    But otherwise the only different was that the ox being gored had a different colour.

  • Glissando Remmy

    Thought of The Day

    “Do not do unto others what you do not want others to do unto you.”

    And here it is in His Splendid Hypocrisy, Cllor. Kerr Jang choking on his own Vision fur ball:

    http://www.news1130.com/2013/02/21/vancouver-city-councillor-kerry-jang-speaks-live-on-news1130-after-learning-a-new-coast-guard-station-will-be-constructed-in-newfoundland/

    Oh, my…

    “… and here they are (the Feds) are diverting funds away… it makes no sense…”

    “… we’re in shock, and it’s just unbelievable they are diverting funds away…”

    “it clearly says to me that there is money in the system… and for some reason we don’t know they decided to divert those funds to some other port… it’s just unbelievable…”

    “… the way they closed it, they already have made up their mind, they had no intention of telling the City (aka. Vision & Gregor & Ballem)… was again a surprise…”

    “… it is unbelievable…”

    Yeah… beyond belief!
    I am curios to find out if Jang is aware (of course he is) that this, is the exact same way, action for action, in which Vision Vancouver, City Hall’s Penny Ballem and Mayor Robertson are conducting their business. Business affecting all citizens of Vancouver.
    Not fun for the City Hall bullies when the bullies are bullied by the Ottawa bullies, eh?

    “Beyond Belief…”
    What most Vancouverites think about Vision & gang.
    But don’t bring that to Jang & company’s attention, or they’ll put a kibosh on you!

    We live in Vancouver and this keeps us busy.

    PS.

    Waltyss…

    “I understand…”

    Also, so you won’t have to look too far for a quote, here:
    Vancouver Vision Voters + Stupid =
    “ICH BIN EIN STUPIDER”

  • boohoo

    “What most Vancouverites think about Vision & gang.”

    No, most Vancouverites probably don’t care about the coast guard station, the park board issue, etc if election turn out is any indicator. There’s always some issue every election cycle that the blog commenters think will bring out the masses in outrage and it never happens.

    Stop trying to pretend you speak on behalf of, or know anything about people you know nothing about.

  • waltyss

    Glissy my beloved NPA troll. You never disappoint, swill from end to end.
    But thank you for finding the quote. Your comments showing contempt for the citizens of Vancouver are not hard to find; in fact they are so pervasive I could have found them without your kind assistance.

  • gman

    Waltyss I’m still waiting for you to post some evidence that shows Hasiuk was either wrong or not telling the truth.Now that you guys have had a chance to let off a little steam maybe you could provide us with that.

  • waltyss

    gman, At #17, I asked to see your letter to the premier complaining about ferries being built in Europe. Haven’t received one, but then I didn’t expect to.
    I did respond to your questions, see post #23.
    By the way, who is “us”, you and the troll?

  • gman

    So let me get this straight Waltyss,your answer to a request for evidence to an accusation you made is to refer to a comment you made #23 in which you further accuse him of “innuendo”……mmmm…..sounds like innuendo to me.
    Ferries…letter….premier…..huh.

  • waltyss

    okay, gman let’s do a paint by number for you. If you are upset by the Park Board getting rock for the seawall from China (as apparently you are), then you should be even more upset by BC Ferries building its ferries in Europe. With me, so far?
    Since you were in a dither about the seawall, I simply assumed that you would have written a letter to the premier to complain about that. On the same principal as to why you are in a dither about the seawall.
    Now gman, I was giving you the benefit of the doubt and not simply assuming that you were only a Vision hater. Was I wrong/
    However I must say that taking a look a roadkill radio, the collection of fruitcakes and nut bars makes me wonder. Chaque a son gout, I guess.
    As for evidence that Hasiuk doesn’t know what he is talking about, well, he doesn’t know what a conflict of interest is.
    Now about that letter/

  • teririch

    @Waltyss #60

    Two different arms of the government.

    As for the ferries – we currently do not have the trained staff to build here. Yes, there are some individuals that have the abilities, but not a fully trained staff – I think I read it would take 2 years to train people (again, will have to go back and look but now into something like my 56th hour of work this week so…..)

    The NDP killed the ship building industry with the Fast Ferry fiascon – $350+ M over budget and 3 years over the time-line. People lost confidence.

    With that said, this is another one of the trades that needs to be addressed so that in the future, we can keep contracts like this at home and for local employment.

    I heard on the news this mornng that the trucking industry is also now facing a huge shortage of drivers.

  • gman

    Waltyss 60
    So you got nothin just more hot air and deflection.Thats ok waltyss I didn’t really expect you to have any evidence.

  • Terry M

    By far, the only one on this thread calling people names is… Waltyss!
    Git yer a life buster!

  • waltyss

    teririch@#61
    That it couldn’t be built here is a canard ( to avoid using the word lie)! And the fast ferry fiasco at least developed skills that were otherwise not here.
    The Liberals in over 10 years in power have done nothing (as in zilch) to address the issue of an aging population of trades people.
    And let’s not get into the farce calledHD Mining and both the federal and provincial governments cravenly responses.
    As for different branches of government, well, yes they are. But how is that relevant? Because its the province, going offshore when it can be done locally is okay? But not if you are the city?
    And TerryM, the only one on this thread calling people names is me? I guess you can’t get through the troll’s posts. (Frankly, neither can I, so we agree there). Or maybe they are not insults because…. you agree with them.
    Chaque a son gout, I say.

  • gman

    Waltyss this might help to refine your insults or at least make them a little more entertaining to read.
    http://www.pangloss.com/seidel/Shaker/index.html

  • gman

    Thou gleeking rump-fed giglet! is one of my favorites.

  • waltyss

    thank you gman:
    So, Terry M, methink’st thou art a general offence and every man should beat thee.

    Look it up in All’s Well That Ends Well

  • gman

    oops,I may have created a monster…..on second thought naaa he already was one.

  • Higgins

    What a bull artist!
    waltyss… #64
    You responded to Terry:
    “And TerryM, the only one on this thread calling people names is me? I guess you can’t get through the troll’s posts.”
    waltyss,
    The only one you refer as “troll(s)” on this post and many others… is mostly Monsieur Glissando Remmy & whoever agrees with him.
    I checked ALL his comments in here, and I couldn’t find, not even ONE insult addressed to YOU or anyone commenting in here.
    Ranting about Vision, Robertson, Ballem etc, etc… is not of your concern (unless you delegated yourself as their spokesperson) and it does not affect you personally, though what those clowns in City Hall are doing to this city, affects a great deal of people. Check the latest bullying tactics… you should be concerned about that!
    OK, Vision’s shoeshine boy ?

  • waltyss

    Ah, they are all piling on. Who was it who said that it’s hard to tell the players without a programme. May have been the troll himself.
    So Higgins, even by your strange measure that its okay for your and your ilk to insult our city officials with often vile ad hominems but that should not expose you to name calling, you have insulted me.
    While I am entitled to insult you by that measure, you are not worthy of my time, so I will decline.
    And sorry, bud, but crass and often disgusting insults of city officials of whatever political stripe is my concern (it should be everyone’s concerns).
    As for the troll, he and I can handle ourselves in the insult category , thank you very much. You, on the other hand, I am afraid are in the pee wee league and for your own safety, should stay there.

  • Ned

    After a good day of work… there’s nothing like a good laugh with Waltyss! 🙂
    Keep them coming!

  • Glissando Remmy

    LMAO!
    Higgins… ouch, mama sita!
    Apparently, Waltyss wants to go steady… in an exclusive… 🙂
    I’m game… I’m game.
    Ned… you’ve been warned!

  • gman

    Whats telling is I gave Waltyss a tool to help up his game hoping he would stop subjecting everyone to his usual crude and lame insults and he chose one of the few that threaten violence….sheesh.

  • Waltyss

    Ah, gman, as i said, i’m a lover, not a politician ( or fighter). Not that you care but I chose it because it was funny. Well,and because it was appropriate for Terry M.
    For the troll, I offer: If you spend word for word with me, I shall make your wit bankrupt.

  • Higgins

    Waltyss… why so mad? You start to resemble an older version of d’Artagnan, trying hard to start a ruckus at all costs… sad.

  • F.H.Leghorn

    Squawk! I leave town for three weeks and when I return the usual fools (I name no names, but you know who you are, Chris) are, if anything, more trivial and pointless than ever. Who cares how long it takes to ship granite from China? 3 weeks or 3 years, the point is it’s from China, not chopped out of North Vancouver.
    Waltyss’ continuing failure to contribute anything of value to the discussion is becoming tiresome. Any idiot can start a flame war, but why bother? He’s already bored to death everyone in the real world and so must turn to the virtual world. Pathetic.
    Saigon makes Vancouver and it’s little problems seem incredibly small and unimportant. Definitely worth a visit. The Viet Cong tunnels are now a tourist attraction.