Re: Council was elected on a mandate of change, April 25 .
The recent letter by Mayor Ted Adlem in response to Dennis Clark follows a similar path taken by several other writers that seeks to exacerbate a situation, out of context or perspective, to exaggerated realities.
We are dealing with the careers of dedicated people, and the effectiveness of running a progressive and cost-effective municipality within the taxpayers' ability to pay.
This council's plans and their execution have gone off the rails by a dysfunctional council. Thus, the first crucial steps are to get everyone on the same page.
The objective to create and manage effective change is commendable. Sadly, change is a state of mind and bad changes or mishandled process is detrimental to success. Hence, a mishandled or frivolous change, as alluded to by Mayor Adlem, is neither wise nor desirable.
Vain attempts to demean opponents, such as by claiming they did not avail themselves of an “open door” or holding public forums only to find little public response ought to herald a lack of confidence or trust in council. I wonder if this sense has permeated staff levels at the municipal hall?
Much of the published dialogue is perceived as political rhetoric and unenlightened self-interests skirting around issues. Coun. Nelson Tilbury is correct though as he worries that staffing exist will affect business, and he alludes to some concerns about productivity and knowledge being lost.
Leadership is sadly wanting. This sometimes leads to micromanaging to desperately seek to grasp and stem the growing discontent, which has, as being experienced, the opposite results.
The District of Mission has a mayor who by nearly every action seeks unwittingly to exacerbate the dilemma he has created by lacking sensitivity and management. This has resulted in a lack of confidence and essentially a lame-duck mayor.
Historically, councils could rely upon knowledgeable staff, so a crucial step is to recruit two or three competent civic administrators, those who are human-relations oriented leaders.
Taxpayers thank the Citizens for Responsible Municipal Government (CRMG) political slate for ridding Mission of annual tax increases, and the horrific Public Safety Inspection Team fostered by a former misguided council. Sadly, desperately lacking leadership and conviction to work together caused an implosion of CRMG, but out of the ashes a new opportunity emerges.
Adlem alludes to the Nov. 15 election, but has council already decided its fate? Four left CRMG out of non-confidence. Replacements promised by the mayor during April, have not materialized. So, might the outcome of the election be self-fulfilling prophecy, as the mayor drags the slate down to defeat? Can the public have confidence in the mayor that those elected will not repeat the same process?
George F. Evens
Mission