The Keith Hobbs era has officially begun in Thunder?Bay.
And ironically enough, after months of campaigning by all candidates on transparency, it began behind closed doors.
So much for promises.
With the public and media awaiting Tuesday night, council spent the first two scheduled hours of its committee of the whole meeting locked in an in-camera session.
The issue at hand were appointments to various committees.
Fair enough.
A short while after emerging from their cloister, council collectively shuffled out of council chambers and back into seclusion.
They returned, only to leave for a third time.
This isn’t a condemnation of Hobbs and company. In fact council had no choice.
Property, legal and personnel matters have to be discussed behind closed doors.
But this is a public that wants to be part of the decision-making process. Too often in the past, and the Horizon Wind Inc. kerfuffle is a shining example, decisions were made with little or no consideration to the mood of the taxpayers.
The city could well have avoided a?$126-million lawsuit had changes to that deal been more publicly dealt with, or rubber-stamped before Neebing residents knew what hit them.
Openness is the only way the city can move forward.
And ironically enough, after months of campaigning by all candidates on transparency, it began behind closed doors.
So much for promises.
With the public and media awaiting Tuesday night, council spent the first two scheduled hours of its committee of the whole meeting locked in an in-camera session.
The issue at hand were appointments to various committees.
Fair enough.
A short while after emerging from their cloister, council collectively shuffled out of council chambers and back into seclusion.
They returned, only to leave for a third time.
This isn’t a condemnation of Hobbs and company. In fact council had no choice.
Property, legal and personnel matters have to be discussed behind closed doors.
But this is a public that wants to be part of the decision-making process. Too often in the past, and the Horizon Wind Inc. kerfuffle is a shining example, decisions were made with little or no consideration to the mood of the taxpayers.
The city could well have avoided a?$126-million lawsuit had changes to that deal been more publicly dealt with, or rubber-stamped before Neebing residents knew what hit them.
Openness is the only way the city can move forward.
