To the editor:
With reference to a letter to the editor, titled "New city manager, please", dated Feb. 23, 2012, I am submiiting the following response. As I can appreciate the author's frustration about the current medai reports regarding civic administration, in my opinion the issue of replacing the city manager is a simplistic resolution.
I am a former colleague of Tim Commisso, and this is not a rebuttal to the letter but rather an explanation, Firstly, Tim is a from this community returning after years of service in municipal service in southern Ontario and has a respect and understanding of the community. And as in any organization, there are both competent and inept administration in their ranks.
I have and still do not agree with certain decisions put forth by administration such as the multiplex now downsized to a events centre and the potential closure the Centennial Conservatory. The Centennial Conservatory is a legacy project of Canada's 100th birthday, there is historical significance of this facility.
In my old-school opinion, civic administration serves at the pleasure of city council, thus administration may put forth recommendations, but the bottom line is council either responses with a nay or yea.
Therefore take one step back and look at the political epic emanating from city hall, this council is esseniatly a mirror image of the previous two. These prior councils have been in my assesment been enamoured and engrossed in mega projects such as the waterfront development and the proposition of delivering Thunder Bay from the economic desert and the over the top re-vitalization and extravagant of city hall and DSSAB facility amid the towering provincial courthouse.
Thus we find ourselves in 2012, facing deteriorating civic infrastructure manifesting in roads and facilities, higher taxes and water rates, uncollected fines and unprofitable golf course operations.
Political oversight has been best at minimal, our hobby politicans have left administration to their own agenda.
To recitfy the situation the removal of one individual will not resolve it, we the public must make our elected officials accountable and our opportunity is at not only at election time but as well as being adovcates of responsible and responsive civic government.
Emil Pohler,
Thunder Bay
