You guys! It’s Wednesday, hump day, midweek and the day we name after Woden or Mercury, depending on which flavour of bilingualism you favour. So it’s time to talk about local government, be still your beating hearts.
That’s right - it’s me, here with a City Hall Notes update and no idea what I’m on about, while also seeking to suggest that I’d planned all along to do this on a Wednesday. This is my slot, though probably earlier in the day, and I have some pals in the background ready to take on other days. And - I’ll be back with more in your super soaraway Friday ROUNDUP. It’ll make sense soon, honest.
And this is London, Ontario, the fabulous city where there’s always something on fire somewhere1 and it’s not necessarily someone’s scandalous behaviour2. As I keep telling you, it’s in everyone’s interest for community leaders (you) to pay attention to local government, even if you need a bit of support (from me).
So here’s your probably-weekly update about City Hall, with a bit of School Board news thrown in where needed.
How this works
This article gives you the following:
A reflection on this week in local government
Four interesting stories you might read
A porch chat with a former councillor who’s running again
Stories from next week’s agendas
An update on the race to City Hall and the public and Catholic school boards
A partridge in a pear tree3
And off we go.
How fast can council meet? This fast
The Full Council meeting was over in less than two hours, including a lengthy off-stage ‘in camera’ session, and the agenda sped along at such a lick that council members repeatedly mentioned it.
It was certainly efficient, and meant quick agreement on pretty much everything in last week’s City Hall Notes, and the added parts in the ROUNDUP on Friday.
So that’s:
Dogs in hot cars
That conflict on running public transit
Noting the report on the failed attempt to replace City Hall
The billion-dollar community housing upgrade
Various planning applications, tenders, contracts and so many other instruments of government, goodness me
And off they all went. From 0 to 60 in no time flat. All four standing committees made decisions that were approved by council and turned into bylaws within days.
But that doesn’t mean council failed to discuss anything. Oh no, there were moments, and you’d better believe it, and some are reflected in the following shares, such as a remarkable contribution by a lawyer to the BRT debate. But, overall, they sped through the agenda and the usual habit among some of talky talky talky might get quoted talky was mostly absent.
I know when minds are on the summer. It’s too late to achieve much more this term, and it’s palpable. And, if they’re already talking to constituents - as they bloody well should be - these folks know what’s really on minds, and it’s probably not what someone might say in the council chamber in the June of an election year.
Time to get out and about. All the signs are there.
Four stories from local government this week
I think these are all worth a look:
Legal ‘threat’ leaves council unfazed
In my favourite story of the week, CTV London’s Daryl Newcombe reports here on the astonishing moment when a lawyer told council members his clients might sue the City of London for $12 million for changing a road layout.
He spoke on behalf of the company that owns the McDonalds/Metro/Mandarin plaza on Wellington, suggesting changes - coming as part of Bus Rapid Transit’s Wellington Gateway - would cost them such an amount, and that it would be recoverable in a lawsuit.
He picked the wrong crowd. Western University law professor4 Councillor Sam Trosow expressed distaste thus:
“I think it’s fair to say we’re being threatened with litigation if we don’t back down from something that, in the opinion of our staff, is a standard safety feature.” (From CTV London)
The lawyer denied it was a threat.
And, it’s important to note that everyone at the horseshoe was completing a four-year term and quite prepared to follow the advice of city staff who do not need to get themselves re-elected to remain in post. Quite a moment, also highlighting the odd situation of an online participant remaining very visible on-screen during the conversation, and reacting on camera. Anyway.
Opinion alert: Anybody with a working nervous system knows quite well that current roads arrangements at that plaza are far from ideal. I’m admitting nothing about Big Mac consumption but, yeah. I’m delighted to see the City adding some safety measures; we can fully expect people to complain about the change, but change is clearly needed. That’s humans for you. Not sure how it costs anybody $12 million, though.
Teachers join Kernaghan in special ed funding call
Another impactful story, this time in the under-reported area of education. Local MPP Terence Kernaghan is making a stand on special education funding, and these teachers agree. That’s another CTV London story, this time from Bryan Bicknell.
Mayor Morgan expresses optimism on dev charges cut
This is a big deal - the feds and province teaming up to cut the fees paid by developers when they apply for permits. The reporting, again from CTV London, and of course Daryl, covers it well and gives us an insight into Mayor Josh Morgan’s approach as he says he likes the idea.
Community housing Q&A - billion with a B
I’ve mentioned this a few times recently and want to highlight this further piece by Jack Moulton of the London Free Press. It’s one of the Freeps’ usual Q&A features, this time with Paul Chisholm, who heads up London Middlesex Community Housing. It’s important to note that we, as taxpayers, ultimately own that billion bucks, being spent over the next 15 years, so it’s worth understanding what’s happening there and why it matters to our community.
And there’s still… backyard chickens
Did you know that Ward 4 candidate and former councillor Stephen Orser has actual chickens on his new signs? I found him on his porch today and we had a good chat. Orser, of course, was the brains behind a whole bunch of proposed initiatives, including the failed attempt to allow said poultry, back when he was a councillor - and he assures me he has new policy initiatives about to be announced.
He supports Councillor Susan Stevenson’s run for mayor and says he’s hearing significant support for her as he campaigns.
Anyway, here’s Orser’s car:
And, for fairness, here are all the Ward 4 candidates, as listed on the City website.
Coming up next - CAPS and Planning
The business of local government continues without pause.
Am I wrong? Is there still more impact to be made this council term? Perhaps, if next week’s agendas are anything to go by. The agendas for Community and Protective Services and Planning have dropped, and a quick glance shows:
A Legion’s $300,000 donation of a statue in Springbank Park
Plans for the City’s own tree nursery
More about rat infestations
The return of that six-storey development on Cheapside Street, with these changes:
Down from 105 to 79 units
Nine extra parking spaces (now 55)
Adding parking for 39 bicycles
And more, of course. I’ll keep an eye out.
The City Hall Steeplechase
Want to catch up with who’s running in your local elections? Well, you lucky people, you know the MEGAPOST is here and it’s your detailed guide to all of this. There are still lots of gaps and spots to develop, but it’s a ward-by-ward resource you can use, if you like.
The MEGAPOST has had a few updates this week, as listed in there. We’ve welcomed a total of five new candidates in the last week, perhaps suggesting that the flow is slowing now. It takes us to a total of 575 people prepared to stand up for their community on council or as school board trustees. Best wishes to them all6.
Enough
That’s how this works. Skimmable, consumable, hopefully readable and all valuable - that’s your briefing from City Hall Notes. Like the ROUNDUP, I’ll develop a standardized approach quickly, and that will likely include a noon deadline, so look out for more. I enjoy doing this and think it’s good content - lmk your view, and send me feedback.
It’s usually crickets when I say that but it’s worth a try.
Really enough - let’s get out and enjoy the sunshine. Have a fab rest-of-yer-week. I’ll be back on Friday.
- Mike
CBC London’s Andrew Lupton with what we know about the smoke from Monday’s rail yard fire.
Nah
Just a joke. I’m not pining for Christmas, honest.
If there’s anybody who can’t be intimidated by lawyers, it’s Sam Trosow.
Insert Heinz reference here, or just keep buying French’s because of what Heinz did to Leamington, I dunno.
They can’t all win, obviously. I’m just being nice.
This was very helpful!
Thanks for a valuable contribution toward better informed municipal voters!