"Cowardice asks the question...is it safe? Expediency asks the question...is it politic? Vanity asks the question...is it popular? But conscience asks the question...is it right? And there comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular but one must take it because it is right." ~Dr. Martin Luther King

Saturday 19 January 2013

Is The Slope Slippery? Maybe. Is there a way round?.Should be.

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Customer Service":

If I were you, I would discount this call immediately with a "duly noted". This is a one-sided commented with no confirmation. A slippery slope.

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Well.no, it's not.
I know the person who  made the observation. I am in regular communication about town affairs. He is a conscientious citizen.
Pays close attention to the town's business and is far from satisfied. 
He calls me because he expects me to take his concerns seriously. 
 I do. 
There is a process to deal with such matters. It has not been functioning successfully My observer did not relate  Councillor Pirri was with the coffee klatsch.
I've  previously received  information about the large presence, including Councillor Pirri on occasion,  of town work force from  all levels at Tim Horton shop.
It was never  enough to trigger a comment. 
If a coffee break is due and Tim's  handy. I have no concern . 
But if people are leaving the town hall in a group , to walk to Tim's wait to be served ,stay to enjoy coffee and walk back, I  think   that would obviously take longer than a normal coffee break.  
Maybe they stay at  the office to make up the time.Maybe they take it as lieu time. 
The point is, they should not need to be reminded they are recognizable public figures, the public weary and angry with constant tax increases, pay attention If Councillor Pirri is with them that makes the group  that much more noticeable. 
It's  the first time anyone has taken note of  time  of leaving and returning to the Town Hall.
They were not on hand for that purpose . They were just on hand.
It's not my function  to spy on town hall employees to ensure residents  receive full value for  tax dollars.
It's not my place to hang around the town hall ,distracting officials from their function.
I feel guilty if I have to make a call and take up time with requests for explanations.  
My presence at the town hall , is required  for no other purpose except  my duties as a Councillor.
The town hall is not my base. 
.    

3 comments:

Anonymous said...


Why don't you get Tim's to open a sub-branch in the Town Hall?

Everyone wins!

Anonymous said...

When I was a kid, we called them tattle-tales.

Anonymous said...

This is how business was run at the turn of last century. Why not install a punchj clock and everyone punchj in ans out? Then stand back a wait for these. Same staff tell you to get stuffed when you ask them to work extra time.

Sometimes the public has too much time on their hands.