Article printed in the Sunday, Nov. 27 issue.
The atmosphere at Tom Davies Square has gone
to the dogs recently, as the fur was flying at the latest
council meeting.
Acting as city staff guard dog, Mayor David
Courtemanche got his back up about Councillor Lynne Reynolds'
criticism that the tail wags the dog at city hall.
In an open letter, Reynolds had unleashed a
critique of some city managers and the mayor for their
bury-the-bones secrecy.
The mayor's angry response indicates that the
tail-waggers resent having their noses rubbed in their mess. In
making her concerns public,
Reynolds prefers to be watchdog, not lapdog,
like two other councillors who sided with the mayor.
Reynolds' inside look into the dog-eat-dog
world of our city council reads like a soap opera.
Will her dogged pursuit of transparency put
her in the Tom Davies Square doghouse? Will she be muzzled, or
kept at bay by the mayor and her fellow councillors? Is this
watchdog's bark worse than her bite? Stay tuned for the next
episode of As the Tail Wags.
Jim Young
Sudbury
Firstly, I applaud Councillor Lynne Reynolds.
I remain of the opinion she did not reveal anything that many
of her constituents and fellow Sudburians weren't already
thinking.
I am surprised at Mayor David Courtemanche's
response at council. For an individual who describes himself as
"the official head of council and as the CEO of this
corporation," I am left somewhat confused. Perhaps there is
someone out there like me who thinks the mayor of our city is
an elected official.
The shenanigans of council over the past year
remind me of a Hans Christian Anderson tale from my youth
entitled The Emperor's New Clothes.
Given, Courtemanche's charged and defending
tone of response to Reynolds, it is so blatantly obvious to
what is going on within our "transparent" council, which
Courtemanche attempts to dismiss the general public for not
pretending otherwise.
If any "political bravado" has been exercised
here it is on the part of Courtemanche and the defending of his
"staff." Really, would such behavior be tolerated from a CEO of
any corporation?
I agree with Reynolds as I too have been
questioning the "confidential" reports, e-mails and decision-
making out of the view of the public eye.
If our council is as transparent and
accountable as described by Courtemanche, why is it necessary
for this council to have a "whistle blower" policy? Why is the
CEO of the Corporation of Greater Sudbury defeating his own
description of "teamwork" by attempting to silence Reynolds
with a public reprimand?
Really, does the Emperor think that we are
"stupid and incompetent" and cannot see through this drama as
played out in council?
Barbara Garon
Sudbury