Came home Wednesday night to a steak dinner and was all ready to enjoy the evening. Lo and behold sitting beside the dinner plate was......no, not a cold beer, but rather Bill Hill’s notification that he has filed papers to run for Mayor of Melancthon and is looking for my vote.
(NOTE: THE TWO PAGE FLIER IS TOO DETAILED TO OFFER A REBUTTAL ON EVERY STATEMENT HE MAKES SO I AM PICKING OUT THE ONES I FIND THE MOST OFFENSIVE/PUZZLING/TROUBLING)
Where to start? Where NOT to start?
Firstly he makes a statement in bold, advising the activities in his life are driven by three very basic beliefs:
Knowledge is power – I would have to agree
If you don’t tell lies you don’t need a good memory – well I would also have to agree with that
What goes around comes around –WHAT??? Hold on.... What the hell does that mean? Is he out for vengeance against anyone who has crossed him or spoke out against his decisions (or lack of them) on Council this term?
But wait, the next statement he makes sounds promising: “Some residents have been critical of the decisions that Council has made this term. In some instances the criticism could be justified."
Well there you go. Sounds like perhaps he has learned something over the past few months about humility, grace and respecting ratepayers.
Oh, but wait, the next statement clears up THAT misconception because he states: “As with anything there are two sides to every story”.
Right. I would presume that would be the ratepayer’s version and then the CORRECT version being that of Mr. Hill.
He is going to offer a travelling road show beginning in March to LISTEN to VOTERS, I mean ratepayers concerns. Wow, that will be a change.
This is the same Deputy Mayor who, when challenged by any ratepayer on inaction by this Council in taking steps IN ADVANCE of an aggregate application to better position Council in fighting this mine, would make statements like, "I am personally offended by (fill in the blank)"....or better still take the time to put his offended feelings in writing, telling the ratepayer(s) over and over again why he couldn’t do anything about anything, because well, EVERYTHING was the fault of the province and local Councils had no authority.
Well then, what do we need a local Council for?
In fact I have personally heard Mr. Hill state on numerous occasions in Council meetings that ratepayers should be writing to the provincial government to object to what they are doing.
I am sorry, but I thought it was a politicians role to actually do some politicking. The Deputy Mayor had the opportunity at OGRA/ROMA in Feb 2009 and AMO in August 2009 to request meetings with all Ministers in all Ministries to bring the issue of the open pit mine and what Highlands is doing to the community and applying pressure to the provincial government to change their aggregate policies. Did he do this – NO HE DID NOT.
Finally he states: “I can apply effective leadership”. I guess he can only do that if he is elected as Mayor of Melancthon, which would mean he can’t provide effective leadership until December 2010.
Why do I think he has to wait? Well he has been on Council for term after term after term and has done NOTHING to support ratepayers in their concern with what Highlands is doing.
EXAMPLES??? Let me give you three:
Nine proven violations of the County tree cutting bylaw by Highlands in Melancthon Township and Mayor Hill did not move a resolution at County Council to fine Highlands. Well, to be fair, he wasn’t even actually at the meeting, skipped out. He refused to support ratepayers requests for a local tree cutting byaw.
Took the position in January 2009 that he would NOT be attending the meeting in Honeywood that was organized by concerned ratepayers and farmers to discuss the issue of Highlands because he was not PERSONALLY invited. He had only received a notice in his mailbox, like every one else. It was ONLY after raising public pressure and anger by ratepayers that he decided to attend what turned out to be a meeting attended by more than 400 concerned citizens.
He refused to support ratepayers requests for a demolition control bylaw to stop Highlands destruction of the community in Melancthon. In fact he stated the ratepayer who suggested this solution was WRONG. Finally after 20 permits were issued to Highlands for demolition of century homesteads, THEN he decides to do something. Coincidentally it was at the beginning of an election year.
CAMPAIGN SLOGAN?
He should use the same catchphrase for his campaign slogan that he utters in Council ad nauseum which is: – we can’t say no to anything or else we will have to go to the OMB.
His biggest success this term??
I would have to say it is a tie between belitting and shutting down ratepayers who ask questions at Council meetings OR voting to protect Melancthon from the invasive species, Giant Hogsweed.
I just can't decide.
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