Derek E. Silva

Working towards better.

Archive for the ‘Government’ Category

My Phone Call with Councillor Henderson

As a follow-up to my original letter to Councillor Henderson, a phone call and voicemail to his office, and then a subsequent phone call and voicemail on his cell phone did get him to call back on April 5, 2013. Here’s how the call went, along with some conclusions.

Councillor Henderson didn’t quite put my name and the letter together, so I refreshed his memory. He let me know he was driving to a meeting somewhere, so I told him I would do my best to keep the call short and not distract him. I cherry-picked a few questions to ask him, instead of going through one-by-one.

Henderson started explaining the whole fiasco by explainging that two years ago, extra money was allocated to councillor’s budgets. Currently there is a ratio of four councillors per secretary, which doesn’t provide much time for each councillor to get the help they need. Some councillors have used that additional funding to hire a secretary, as “we’ve been hobbling along” making do without dedicated staff. The aforementioned budget was increased to $15,000 per year.

Henderson said that in the last six months there’s been so much trouble, they can’t get their work done, and the City decided to hire some students(?). Council agreed they were going to provide an additional $7,500 per year for communication purposes – whether that’s getting training, hiring someone for help, taking out ads in the paper, etc. That money was finally appropriated last fall.

When I switched topics (or rather tried to get him on topic) to the recent video camera debacle, Councillor Henderson then harkened back to the revised smoking ban debate. He said he checked with clerk regarding the expenses, and then went into a rant about increasing the cigarette smoking ban from 2m to 6m, and that he didn’t want that ban approved. Henderson is the Councillor who suggested increasing ban from 2m to 3m, and that measure was approved. Then he mentioned that maybe we should talk about carcinogenics overall, and let’s look at Toronto. I’m not familiar with Toronto’s smoking bylaws at the moment, so I’m not sure what that means.

Henderson began breaking up a lot, but proceeded to talk about the smoking ban debate for two or three more minutes. He finally got around to his point where, because a bunch of different sound bites that went out via the press, he sounded like a nut case, and he know there was no way he was going to get re-elected again if things continued this way. He mentioned that Metro has a far more accurate article, which I’ve found here.

He finally circled back around to the camera and YouTube channel issue, stating that the funds were pre-approved by the City Clerk. He purchased a $1,000 camera, a couple of lights, and got a few good responses (responses to what, he didn’t elaborate). And as a follow-up to the City Council meeting that happened just prior to our conversation, he said that the City Clerk and Mayor have both confirmed that the equipment is Henderson’s to keep, despite the City reimbursing him for the purchases.

I moved onto the issue about comments being disabled on both his blog, and his YouTube channel; I didn’t understand how this was “engagement” when he’s not offering constituents the chance to engage using the very mediums he’s using to communicate with them. At this point Henderson went into a bit of a tirade, saying he receives 65 emails a day, along with phone calls. He said he doesn’t use a Twitter account because he can’t watch it for 10 hours a day. He didn’t address his blog or YouTube channel’s comments functions. But he did say that he uses email and phone only, as that’s all he has time for, meanwhile Councillors do just as much work as the Mayor.

I asked him about the ad distribution program with YouTube, to which Henderson responded that he didn’t know anything about the ad program initially, but that he saw the option for ads about a week after starting DaleTV. He said he’s going to keep any money sent his way from YouTube because it costs money to film, edit, and upload the videos (using equipment the City has paid for). He also went on to say that the City is going to start broadcasting more and more livestreams, bypassing the media, and that the media isn’t happy about it. I’m not quite sure how he reaches that conclusion, but it was very clear that Henderson dislikes most of the City’s press outlets.

The last thing I asked Councillor Henderson about was his comments about a ring road, annexation, and the need for “quietly deciding where road will go.”

He replied saying he wants to annex nearby communities, and get the Planning Department to decide where the best place for the ring road to go would be. It’s quite obvious he didn’t understand the legal implications of his statement. He does, however, think that a ring road north of the city would benefit people who live in the core. I’ve given this some thought, and haven’t been able to come up with any ideas as to how that would happen. Regardless, that’s his opinion.

We concluded our conversation with Councillor Henderson stating that his big focus (with DaleTV) is “definitely getting my ideas out there, no matter how crazy they sound.” And that, “I want to be a leader, and hear people say, ‘Hey, these are new ideas.’” He then attempted to prove his point by introducing me to the idea of a London Film Association, how it was going to kickstart job creation, that it wouldn’t have any membership fees, etc. He invited me to the launch on April 11, but it was scheduled during the day.

Conclusions:

  • The fact that the City Clerk pre-approved the purchase, and then stated the equipment was Henderson’s to keep, is very problematic. If the City pays for it, it ought to belong to the City.
  • Henderson doesn’t seem to understand the point of Twitter, and the fact that he does not need to monitor it for 1 hour a day, let alone 10 hours. The point is to be on there, response to questions/comments/concerns, perhaps provide a bit more insight into his thinking, etc.
  • There are a lot of issues preventing the Planning Department from simply putting a ring road wherever it wants, and doing so “quietly” without expecting any landowners not to ask for a decent sum of money to move them off their land. That issue alone is fraught with risk.
  • Henderson is definitely getting his ideas out there, “no matter how crazy they sound.” I still don’t think they’re helping his chances for re-election in Ward 9.

What do you think?

Letter to Councillor Dale Henderson

Ward 9 Councillor Dale Henderson

Ward 9 Councillor Dale Henderson

Earlier today I sent this letter to City of London Councillor Dale Henderson regarding the recent revelations that he spent over $7,000 on video equipment, a website, and graphics for DaleTV.ca. Additionally, he has explained he will “probably” keep the equipment, despite being reimbursed, once he has completed his career in London municipal politics.

References: The McLeod Report | London Free Press | AM980

From: Derek Silva
To: Dale Henderson
CC: Joe Fontana, Bud Polhill, Joe Swan, Nancy Branscombe, Judy Bryant, Matt Brown
Date: Wed, Mar 20, 2013 at 10:00 AM
Subject: DaleTV

Dear Councillor Henderson,

I am, frankly, rather disappointed with how you have conducted yourself lately. Not only are you embroiled in today’s Open Meetings investigation being conducted by staff of the Ombudsman’s office, but yesterday’s controversy surrounding DaleTV, and it’s related expenses, have begin to shine one very dark light on you.

Personally I have not been very impressed with your tenure thus far as a City Councillor, and I suspect many of your constituents feel the same. In fact, I’m certain they do, as I’m personally in contact with many of them on a frequent basis as friends and acquaintances. I’m going to ask you a few questions that I believe deserve answers, and I’m sure I’m not the only one who’s looking for them.

  • Why was so much money spent on DaleTV? Why did it cost so much for something that could have been achieved for under $500 using a more suitable camera, less expensive video editing equpiment, building a green screen yourself (there are many tutorials online), and buying a stock photo to achieve a similar background?
  • If this is a community engagement activity, why are comments disabled on your YouTube channel and website/blog? It doesn’t seem to encourage much engagement if people cannot communicate with you using the same method you want to communicate with them.
  • Given that you want the City to reimburse you for the money spent on the equipment and production for DaleTV, will you also be sharing revenues derived from the YouTube channel? For example, I had to watch a 15 second advertisement prior to watching Episode 1. I’m also a member of YouTube’s revenue sharing program, and know for a fact that ad revenue will be shared with you from those ads.
  • If the City reimburses you for the money spent on the equipment, how do you justify your statement on “probably” keeping the equipment after you complete your tenure with London municipal politics?
  • You are, seemingly, a fiscal conservative. How do you justify these types of costs under the ideology of attempting to save taxpayers money, reduce City expenses, and lower spending overall? For example, you claim it will be less expensive for many of the communities north of the City if London were to annex them and put in the sewers for them. You have also supported the tax freeze that Mayor Fontana has put forth each year. Clearly you’re interested in reducing taxpayer costs.
  • In episode 2, you talk about a ring road and annexation. How exactly do you propose to, “quietly decide where that [ring] road will go, so we don’t have all the property values go to the moon,” as you put it? I’m fairly confident that would violate several laws related to open meetings, and therefore is simply illegal.

You, Councillor Henderson, have much to answer for. I’m afraid you have many ideas, but want to do many things in secret. That is highly unethical, and I don’t feel any of your ideas don’t result in going to taxpayers and say, “Gimme more, gimme more.” I look forward to your responses.

Oh, and I have also CC’d each member of the Corporate Services Committee. Given that they played a part in approving the DaleTV-related expenses, I felt they should see the questions I’m asking, along with your answers. I hope you don’t mind.

Sincerely,

Derek E. Silva

http://dereksilva.ca/

“My strategy can be reduced to two rules: 1) Find a way to make it fun and 2) If that fails, find a way to do something else.” – Paul Buchheit

Be Open to Changing Your Mind

I just came across a blog entry from Jason Fried, co-founder of 37 Signals (developers of online services Basecamp, Highrise, and Campfire). Apparently Jeff Bezos came to visit, and shared quite the observation about people who are “right a lot.” When I read Mr. Bezos’ observation, I couldn’t help but agree enthusiastically. I’ve blogged about this issue before under a slightly different light, but the result is the same.

In business and politics, you have to be flexible. If the past of business and politics has taught us anything, it’s that a firm ideology yields poor (sometimes mixed) results. Believing the same thing today as you did yesterday, despite evidence to the contrary, will only lead to the worst kind of failure. Failing and learning is fine under normal circumstances, but when you’re dealing with the coffers, lives, and repercussions on a national scale, you must be paying attention to what others are saying about an issue.

Looking at the same issue in a different light inevitably leads to observations you simply hadn’t made before. Whether you’re deciding whether to launch a new product, or making changes to the criminal code, chances are there are people (and research) outside your bubble that will help you make a better decision. Unfortunately, especially in politics, this willingness to take in other people’s opinions and research, from all sides of the spectrum, is sorely lacking.

So please, do yourself, and those around you, a favour. If you’re a business leader, or a politician, listen to the opinions and view the research. You don’t have to take the advice/recommendations, but you may just hear or read something that makes a world of difference.

Hyde Park Was a Quaint Village

I recently read a story in the London Free Press about how the citizens and businesses of Hyde Park are disappointed about the “progress” taking place in Hyde Park. And Monday night the city planner’s recommendations were ignored by the planning committee, obliterating the fact that Hyde Park was once a quaint village. My bus used to go through it everyday when I was in high school, and I got that village vibe then.

Councillor Matt Brown, who represents Hyde Park, knows what used to be, and what was supposed to happen. Beyond the massive plaza at the corner of Hyde Park Rd and Fanshawe Park Rd W (Walmart, HomeSense, Canadian Tire, Future Shop, etc.), I felt the space between Sarnia Rd and Seagull Rd was being used reasonably well. A nice mix of housing types have been built including townhouses, a high-rise condo building, and of course single detached homes. That’s all been well and good, fully introducing the concept of being able to live in the same neighbourhood your entire life.

Unfortunately, the rest of the land that was previously set aside for additional residential use has now been re-zoned for commercial use at the behest of Kenmore Homes.

A lot of people like to say, “Well, we need jobs!” Yes, you’re right, we do. But unless this commercial space is mostly turned into offices, these are not going to be the well-paying jobs that most people need and want. Another retail location is simply another barely-more-than-minimum-wage (if that) job that barely keeps the employee above the poverty line. Strong nations and communities are not built on a strong retail sector.

And while Joe Swan may have recently driven through the area and not felt that “quaint village that they talk about,” that’s because he’s about 10 years too late. It did feel like a quaint village at one point, and many things could have been done to keep that feeling. Instead it’s starting to feel like the corner of Dundas St E and Clarke Rd, where residential and commercial collide in the most heinous way possible.

Dear Councillors, Stop Saying Silly Things

This can be seen as an open letter to all local Councillors, especially those in London since they get far more press for the shear fact that they are Councillors for the largest municipality in Middlesex County. It can also be seen as a call for anyone to simply open a book, read a few research papers, or generally obtain more knowledge before shooting your mouth off. I’ve been guilty of doing that in the past, but I’m also not so prideful that I’m not willing to back away from my comments and apologize when proven wrong.

Dear Councillors,

Stop saying silly things. I’m using “silly” here as a catch-all for all things stupid, overly boastful, demeaning, untruthful, and distasteful. I wish I didn’t feel the urge to write this, but I do. It seems to have gotten particularly bad since the most recent municipal election, but 2012 has proven to be a year just full of gaffs, and therefore plenty of fodder for local press.

Most recently, Councillor Denise Brown said something particularly silly. ”The library has cost jobs in this city. They have first-run movies and Rogers and Blockbuster have gone out of business,” Brown said.

Really, Ms. Brown? I’d like to see facts, figures, and research to back that up. I know it’s very pithy, and made for a good quote in this article, but that sentence makes you sound like a fool. If the library, any library, put Rogers Video and Blockbuster stores out of business, then surely Chapters/Indigo is shortly behind, right? In fact, by your logic, large book store chains should have gone out of business decades ago!

I don’t know if Ms. Brown really meant to say what she did, but if not, then clearly she needs to take the time old wisdom of, “Think before you speak.” I don’t care if there’s a journalist on the other end of the phone line.

And really, this leads us to the larger issue of who we, as constituents, elect. It’s not cute or quaint anymore to have people running our governments that don’t know squat about technology, or about other cultures, or without an iota of vision for how the city/province/country can and should be (even if you disagree with it).

But focusing locally once more, and on the issue at hand, Councillor Brown I have a small list of events/trends/companies that have actually led to the demise of Blockbuster and Rogers Video stores, including…

Piracy, over the Internet, which is fueled by high content acquisition costs. But there has also been a slew of alternative services like Netflix, not to mention the broadcasters putting their content online, making it available for all to see with or without a subscription to cable/satellite services.

In fact, if anyone has destroyed Rogers Video, it was Rogers itself. Rogers’ own video on demand (VOD) service has made it possible for anyone with digital cable to order movies, and also watch past TV episodes, without leaving the house. Perhaps Councillor Brown doesn’t have Rogers cable, and has also been living under a rock for the past five years (thereby avoiding Rogers’ ads), but VOD directly from Rogers has certainly contributed to the decline of its video rental stores in Ontario.

So there you have it. Please Councillors, stop saying silly things. Or at least do your best not to say silly things. Read the London Free Press, or Metro. Listen to CBC Radio One or AM980. Pay attention to what’s happening in the business and technology news, not to mention research on urban planning and sustainability, and I’m willing to bet you’ll sound like the smartest Councillor on council. Up your game for the sake of your city, if at least not for yourself.