I made this strip a few days before the Sept 17 Springwater Township council meeting, even though I promised myself that I was done with time-sensitive material. Oops.
In Springwater, we have issues with the quality of our elected representatives. Rick Webster, Councillor Ward 3, announced his intent to submit a disturbing motion, seconded by Deputy Mayor Dan McLean. In cases of perceived slander or libel against a council member, it would obligate taxpayers to pay for the lawyer(s) hired to sue constituent(s) on behalf of that elected council member. I know a local lawyer who worked on a recent libel case that billed roughly a million dollars. Funny, we trust our reps to spend our money with wisdom–like it was their own–yet Webster is unwilling to spend his.
That’s one problem.
He had the vocal support of nearly half the council, including the Mayor Linda Collins & Deputy Mayor McLean; one vote short of passing.
That’s another problem.
So, Webster et al are cowards with their money. After public outcry, like a champion of the people’s interest (eyeroll), Councillor Webster withdrew the motion so it couldn’t go to vote.
That’s a third.
Shall I mention the Midhurst Secondary Plan? I don’t know enough about MSP to critique it, but here are links. My understanding is that our elected officials refuse to consider another course–one that doesn’t add tens of thousands of residents to the community (can we say ‘increased tax base,’ quickly followed by ‘pay raise’?) and place unrealistic strain on local natural resources–especially given the views of residents. The province recognises local growth as poorly planned, & its mandate is to limit growth. The talking head lawyer (rather than an elected representative) claims the opposite, that the province has mandated the area’s growth & expected population (approaching 30,000), essentially an order to pave wetlands. At some point in the future, council members will get to say, “We didn’t say that.”
As addressed in the comic strip, certain members of the Springwater Township council are bullshit artists who would dare quash dissent, like the temporary dictators they imagine themselves to be, but we force them to wear their adult pants & suffer the indignity of ignoring criticism.
We little people are cruel that way.
B/c ignoring the wishes of the electorate is a smart move for those who will campaign for reelection a year from now </sarcasm>.
RoosterTree 