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From the Desk of Al Nelman Open letter to Mayor Francis It is now a little over four years since you were elected as Mayor of this city. Despite much fan fare and your promise of a new era, what has followed is a record of confrontation and secrecy that clearly indicates a profound disrespect for the citizens who elected you. Your lack of leadership has resulted in a bickering, dysfunctional and self- serving City Council that plays follow my leader to the detriment of taxpayers at large. Largely due to your example, taxpayers’ initiatives to obtain information to which they are properly entitled have been thwarted. You have used procedural Bylaws to disenfranchise taxpayers wishing to make presentations at public council meetings. You have conducted far too much public business behind closed doors. You have spent millions of tax dollars on legal and consulting fees while failing to co-operate with those who could help us through these very troubling times. You have lost control of the Border file by initiating a vendetta against the Ambassador Bridge Company. As an unintended consequence, West End Citizens are being badly treated while suffering unnecessary interference in their daily lives. You continue to fight totally inappropriate battles with all levels of government and our neighbours in Essex County. You have operated under a cloak of secrecy that is exemplified by your refusal to allow concerned citizens the benefit of a forensic audit of both the publicly owned Enwin Group and the WUC. The most glaring
failure to act as a reliable steward of taxpayers’ dollars
was the pre-election unplanned and non-budgeted Arena. This $65
million plus boondoggle raises far too many unanswered questions
for comfort. For example: You have used
confidentiality clauses, to hide information that is rightfully
in the public domain. Typical examples being; You have initiated
secret meetings with Detroit’s Mayor that involve undisclosed
and no doubt substantial legal fees while you are attempting to
take control of Detroit’s half of the Tunnel. The cost that
you have not denied is an unbelievable $75 million tax dollars.
There have not been any ongoing public reports or meetings to discuss
the current status of this fiscal madness. The reasons given to
taxpayers are; You mistakenly seem to feel that your position as Mayor entitles you to dispose of taxpayers’ assets without maintaining their tax producing potential. The decision to donate the Cleary Auditorium to St. Clair College under the guise of downtown revitalisation is an example. The Armouries Building has not been put on sale but just stands there year after year, a non-tax producing entity. Already, a “Not for Profit” organization is salivating around that building as they asked for and received financial support from a far too generous council. Not to be forgotten is the Riverfront property used in the arena land swap. Looking at the way you have handled The Enwin Group, Candarel, WUC, The Detroit Tunnel, The Capitol Theatre and The Border File, is to see a dangerous precedent of circumventing the public’s right to fully participate in the management of their assets and the tax dollars involved. It also reveals an attitude that points to a lack of understanding of the words “Elected Representative”. You have not set real priorities and have failed to grasp the necessity of spending every available dollar in re-building infrastructure. Neither do you feel the need to reduce the very high cost of city services that coupled with lower taxes would be the magnet to encourage new businesses to invest in this city. You have failed to pass the test of Fiscal prudence, transparency and leadership in municipal affairs. All the above leads to one very obvious conclusion and that is you should not remain as leader of this City. What is needed is an experienced steady hand on the tiller to steer us through the economic storm that is impacting us all. It is time for you to consider the future of this city and resign. Al Nelman Presentation to City Council -Good Evening Mayor Francis & Members of Council The very limited public input into budget deliberations exemplifies council’s minimal respect for Windsor’s taxpayers. Too little time to study it makes a five minute critique of the 2008 budget impossible. This is a frustrated taxpayer’s overview. This spendthrift council continues to tax, spend and conceal as is confirmed by an additional 1% capital levy and a new 1% Community Strategic Plan levy. These levies are a deceitful way to amass huge cash reserves while avoiding the words “tax increase”. Your refusal to appoint an adequate number of public board members, coupled with a reckless 10% reduction in funding to the already hard-pressed Windsor Public Library is a slap in the face to the thousands of its regular users and calls for an independent investigation. How many of the departments in city hall were forced to reduce their budgets by 10%. None! The general public will certainly understand that by eliminating those two new additional levies and reinstating the Library’s necessary funding, they could be enjoying a tax decrease coupled with a full library service. This is not the
time to increase taxation without explaining the need in plain
English. Come clean and tell us what you have in mind for the considerable
cash accumulation that will result from this & previous budgets.
You have already squirreled away more than adequate cash reserves
from the incorrectly named Debt Reduction fund that in reality
is a surplus cash accumulation fund. An honest explanation is due
to taxpayers as to why you went to such lengths to hide the real
purpose of that fund. Explain to all the retirees on fixed incomes, the jobless and business owners why, at this time, they have to suffer increased taxes inevitably leading to hardship and negative job creation. This budget contains no enhancements to already over priced essential services and no real priority in increasing infrastructure replacement. The scandal of the $65 million dollar arena highlights this council’s mis-management of tax dollars. For too many years taxpayers have paid for services that have not been delivered. Adding insult to injury, successive councils have found no problem imposing levies and surcharges to pay again for those undelivered services. Where has all that money gone? The latest deceit is a hike to our hydro rates and a transfer of a $4 million so called dividend from Enwin to the City’s general fund. Why not a credit to the individuals who pay the bills and create the profit. Better yet reduce the delivery charge for hydro. Despite your spokesman’s denial, it is a glaring case of double taxation. Deliberations began with the administration being instructed to reduce expenses by 10% across the board but that call has been ignored. This budget trumpets the failure or unwillingness of council to control a bloated and defiant administration and is an economic black eye for this community. The public interest would be far better served if you set real priorities and exercised fiscal prudence. Remember that the combination of high taxes and utilities coupled with a crumbling infrastructure drive away potential new businesses. A lack of leadership and this budget are a testament to the need for citizens to have the power to recall their elected representatives in such blatant cases of poor representation. Thank you, Presentation to City Council - Good evening Mayor Francis & Members of Council The area involved
in the existing By-law is, although of historical interest, in
reality, just a portion of the West End of this city. It deserves
no more extraordinary treatment than the other towns and townships
that comprise the historic mosaic now known as The City of Windsor.
During the many years that I’ve lived in this city I cannot
recall any significant attempt by municipal government to upgrade
the area designated as Olde Sandwich Towne. Only individual property
owners have attempted to do so. This whole Sandwich
Town exercise has the appearance of being nothing more than a foolish
attempt to delay the construction of a new and vastly superior
replacement for the aging Ambassador Bridge without the need for
any government financing. This is something I and many taxpayers
can really applaud. This contentious By-law serves no useful purpose and is certainly not in the best long-term interest of the citizens of this city. It should not be renewed. Thank you, THE FRANCIS FOLLIES – NEW SEASON The 2007 season
of the Follies ended with a finale that included the systematic
exclusion of citizens from any worthwhile debate and a budget that
could only have been produced by the mirth makers in city hall. January 2008 kicks off the new and improved city hall show. The show is not for the squeamish as it continues to follow the original comedy/horror theme. The story line remains, with the excitement of secret meetings, making enemies, higher and higher legal fees coupled with overpriced services and consultants. All retained for your entertainment. Rumours have
it that the show is hampered by the size of the stage and could
be improved by a smaller cast of players. Meanwhile, patrons
were remembering the 2006 version of the show when the Public Library
was undergoing a similar revamping by the super Star, KPMG, who
left the cast after failing to find improvements to the library
scene. At that time the whole show was supposed to have been subjected
to a rewrite but nothing ever came of it. Whether the addition
of a new star will succeed in bringing a better and less costly
version of this extravaganza is not certain. However, the present
Principals and Cast can breathe a sigh of relief, as they will
not face layoffs similar to those being planned for the Cast members
in the Library scene. Al Nelman Windsor Public Library - Funding Cut I served on the Windsor Public Library Board for Two and a half years till 2007. I am appalled at the obvious bias of the Mayor and Council. During my term, the Board was constantly under pressure to find operational synergies between the administration of the city and the Library. It was suggested that, in fact, the Library should become a department managed by a city appointee. I must admit that at first I agreed that such a change would yield significant savings in costs. After my first year as a board member I was unequivocal in my opposition to that proposition. It became clear to me that changing the status of the library would not yield any real savings. Unfortunately, The Mayor and City Council have decided that if the Library will not agree to be managed from city hall then they will employ bully tactics to try and accomplish their goal. This is really the reason for the ridiculous reduction of $800. 000 in the Library’s funding. Further, they insist that there be no cuts in service. This is entirely unrealistic and they know it. They also know that under the Provincial Public libraries Act they do not have the authority to tell the board how to operate nor can the city appoint the Library’s senior management. The Library is an autonomous entity that operates under the Ontario Public Libraries Act. The city’s role is twofold. First, it has the responsibility to appoint suitable members of the public to the board with a MINORITY of city councilors making up the total. Secondly, they supply the largest portion of the funding required with a supplement from the Provincial Government. The Act stipulates that once the board has been appointed, it is the board that will be responsible for the Library’s day to day operations. It is the board’s responsibility to ensure that the citizens of Windsor receive the best and most economical service possible. To this end, the Library submits its proposed budget to the City’s budget committee each year. The Library’s CEO appears before the committee and has to justify his budget and does so with supporting documents. The committee has to make a judgement as to whether the budget is well founded. During my term, the city remained insistent that there were serious inefficiencies in the Library’s administration. The board was the subject of adverse publicity with the scuttlebut being that not only were we remiss in our duties but there were unspecified financial irregularities. A joint committee was formed to discover and implement the so-called synergies yet the rumours continued. However, after two years it was the city that, without consultation with the library board abruptly disbanded the committee because the magic synergies were never found. However, the volunteer board members were still being subjected to malicious innuendo. At this point, the Library board agreed to an Operational Audit by a professional third party. The accounting firm, KPMG was appointed, and in October of 2006 the audit took place. The result was entirely positive and the Board and management received a clean bill of health and the whispering was finally silenced. During 2007, the board has been reduced from seven to five members. Of that five, two are city councillors, a new setup that favours the City and its never-ending quest to diminish the Library Board’s autonomy. The $800,000 reduction in the Windsor Public Library’s budget is absolutely unconscionable and can only result in reduced services to the public. Any suggestion to the contrary is utter nonsense. The initial call for a 10% cut in all departments was just smoke and mirrors. I want to see the result of that request, department by department. I havn’t yet seen the cuts to non-essential bodies such as the $450,000 for the Art Gallery and $300,000 for the Windsor Symphony. Why are the millions of tax dollars being spent on streetscaping downtown, taking precedence over the funding of The Windsor Public Library. Let us compare the number of regular patrons who visit the Library as compared to both the Art Gallery and the Symphony. Which of these services is essential to the majority of this city’s population? Its about time City Council recognises the need to draw up a list of real priorities that conform to their true mandate. Too many members of the public are suffering from layoffs and permanent job loss. Seniors on modest fixed incomes are finding it difficult to remain solvent and stay in their homes. Increased taxes, 86% increase in water charges, increased hydro charges are playing havoc with the lives of a large numbers of citizens. I refuse to believe that the fat in the city’s administration at all levels has been cut to the bone while the Management Empire in city hall has just grown and grown under this Mayor. Why is it that only the Library has been sorted out in this fashion? Where are the 10% cuts in all departments? The loyal and highly skilled personnel in the library and the taxpaying public deserve better treatment. This city is rudderless and adrift in a raging sea of economic change. In my opinion, what is needed is a Government appointed trustee to take control and steer it to safety. Al Nelman 20th December 2007 Crumbs from the Council Chamber When the Boxing Day edition of the Windsor Star was delivered to my home one headline was so startling that only a supreme effort prevented a regurgitation disaster. However, I feel no pangs for decrying crumbs from the Councillors’ table. These are the same people who imposed a massive increase in the cost of utilities, higher Realty Taxes coupled to various levies (Taxes). They now have the nerve to pontificate on their “grand gesture” of forgoing a $560.00 planned annual cost of living increase. Naturally, they do not publicise their huge Fee increases for sitting on boards and commissions. This crude method of quietly increasing their total compensation needs to be subjected to a public enquiry. The present level of Councillor remuneration begs the question, what ever happened to PUBLIC SERVICE? Who recommended the planned cost of living increase in the first place? It appears to be the Council Support Services Committee. Questions arising are the identity of committee members, who appoints them, do they receive financial compensation and what exactly is the committee’s function? These are important questions, as it must be assumed that they deal not only with councillors’ salary scales but also those of the senior administration executives. Have the growing number of individuals who receive salaries in excess of $100,000 been asked to forgo any planned cost of living increases? Will an official request be made to all unionised city staff to do the same? If not, why not? Since the budget deliberations have become more contentious, Council has been asking what service cuts will the citizens accept in order to avoid tax increases. The real issue is not to cut but to reduce the cost of services that are far too high, when compared to the private sector. Grand gesture! Bah Humbug! Al Nelman 27th December 2007 Self Serving Culture When are the special interest groups in this city finally going to get the message? Many citizens are now jobless, property values are plummeting, infrastructure is rapidly deteriorating, tax increases and excessive service costs are causing hardship to a large segment of the population. When everyone is being adversely affected by the downturn in our base automotive industry, the culture vultures are circling. It is the height of self-serving ignorance when the Conductor of the Windsor Symphony Orchestra comes calling at city hall with a request for $60,000. A contribution towards a feasibility study to convert the Armories building into what he claims will be a world class concert hall. He obviously aced the exam in popular culture studies, “Insensitivity 101”. Those who so enthusiastically support his “Vision” should pull out their own cheque books and stop trying to open ours. His request comes as City Council is labouring over a crucial budget dealing with drastically reduced revenues, a circumstance of no consequence to this gentleman. He wants this blue-collar city to spend tens of millions of tax dollars to go into direct competition with the world class symphony just across the Detroit river. He does not acknowledge that without the hundreds of thousands of tax dollars he now receives, he would have to fold his tent and move on. Let’s be real and send this culture vulture a message. We can’t afford you now, so if you feel that your organisation is worthy of better things, I urge you to seek funding from the private sector. Failing success there, I suggest that you “Go west young man” and participate in the booming oil economy. The majority of Windsorites have far more important things to worry about. Al Nelman, 11th December 2007 Whose fault is it? In recent days
the Mayor has been telling us how wonderful it is to live in the
great City of Windsor and to look
on the bright side
of things. We, the citizens are not doing enough to tell the world
that this is the place to be. Hip! Hip! Hooray! I can’t understand
why we should be so negative. After all, what’s not to like? I’ve come to the conclusion that I can be forgiven if I borrow a few words from the King of Spain and respectfully request both the Mayor and the locally vaunted columnist to PLEASE SHUT UP! Al Nelman November 11th As a veteran of WW2, I attended the Cenotaph ceremony last Sunday 11th November 2007. I was very impressed by the number of citizens who braved a damp chilly morning to come out to remember those who made the supreme sacrifice in the cause of freedom and justice for all. As I stood there with my comrades, I and I’m sure, all of us were overwhelmed with thoughts of our experiences in those times of danger, hardships and tragedy. I listened to members of the three levels of government as they thanked us for our service and promised to ensure that veterans of all wars would never be forgotten. It was then that I couldn’t help thinking about the present difficulties that face this city. The word “Service” kept coming to mind and how local politicians seem unable to comprehend its meaning. Concerned citizens who have been inspired to help their fellows, not for personal gain but as a conscientious act of service, have been thrust aside and ignored by the very people they trusted and elected to be their true representatives. Abe Lincoln’s
closing to his Gettysburg Address comes to mind and I quote: “That
government of the people for the people by the people shall not
perish from this earth”. I have come to the conclusion that
we are being deprived of the freedoms that were bought in blood
on battlefields worldwide. Al Nelman, Windsor, Ontario, Royal Air Force 1942/47 A City In Turmoil - November 4, 2007 With the city’s
revenue in steep decline, and an unrealistic over ambitious Mayor,
the citizens of Windsor have been told to pay up and shut up. The
Mayor believes that he can literally dictate to us without bothering
to listen to our concerns. His clever political manoeuvre that
circumvented the full forensic audit of the finances and business
practices of both the WUC and the Enwin Group of companies is a
disgrace. It begs the question, what is it that evokes such a determination
to keep it from public scrutiny? City councillors with the exception
of Councillor Halberstadt, are no longer representing their constituents
while supporting the Mayor without reservation. We are living in
a virtual dictatorship. Al Nelman |
