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The Goderich Signal-Star, 1981-09-30, Page 5LE TERS Elsa H Dear Editor: I wish to thank Coun. Jim Searls for providing an occa- sion for expressing a few facts and opinions which need to be said. Although you headline Mr. Searls' last week's letter as "Searls seeks answers", it does not appear that seeking answers was his intention, as neither you nor your readers in general can supply the necessary information on the particular subject. Coun. Searls was silent on the sub- ject at the Council table. Perhaps he did not wish to be confused by facts which may have taken the wind out of the sails of his public lamen- tations. Let us be honest. Coun. Searls comes across as one who wants all of you to know that he alone has a sense of responsibility, that he alone represents your best in- terests, that he alone cares about the municipal finances and workings, whilst the rest of us are having an orgy of spending public money left and right, without a thought or consideration in our heads! So now you know. So now let us look at some facts. As to the Ontario Parks Association - last year was not its first golf tournament; it had nothing to do with Haydon, and it was not held in Goderich. The O.P.A. Fall Field Day is an annual tradition of many years' standing. Last year it was held in St. Catharines, this year in Brampton and next year it will take place in Burlington. The event was held in Goderich two years ago. The arrangements are always made directly with the facilities in question - in our case, the Maitland Country Club who was paid by the association. Participants are not "in- vited" by anybody. In the municipality where the event is held the Mayor and spouse are invited to the ban- quet. The member municipalities send in ap- plication forms with fees to cover the expenses. It is a good .public relations and experience -sharing occasion that brings parks, works and administrative people;. together from across the province. For his comings and go- ings (invited or uninvited) the Deputy -Reeve is not under Court. Searls' control. Nor is anyone else. Mr. Allen does not need me to defend frim and I apologize to him for doing so, but it does in- volve a principle. The time Deputy -Reeve Allen takes for furthering the Town'q cause either at a directly ap- plicable learning and work- ing conference- or for an equally important and valuable public relations oc- casion, comes out of his holidays. Not a bad example to follow, Mr. Searls. Many others do. As to some other points in Court: Searls' public enquiry - the fee for this year's ydon responds to C Brampton Field Day of the O.P.A. was $17. per person. I presume that the usual travel expense was col- lected. The cheque for four persons' participation was passed 'at the Council meeting the week before. Coun. Searls voted in favour of the accounts, without any of these . questions or com- ments. I apologize for boring you with these (to most people) unimportant and uninteresting details of a minor event. My reason for responding at all goes beyond an isolated case; it addresses itself to a much more basic situation. Most Council members give much of their time and energy to perform their duties with . intelligence, open mind, fairness and businesslike attitude and manners, with goodwill and understanding for the work and the responsibilities shared in a constructive way by elected and appointed of- ficials. However, there have been simmering signs of a small element of unproductive negativism, disruptive vin- dictiveness, relentless suspi- cion and plain meanness, with rather desperate at- tempts to discredit everyone else on the scene. It is an at- titude in which the forest cannot be seen for the trees and where paranoid mistrust keeps the smoke of suspicion and tension around those who do good work with pride, dedication and pleasure. All Council members took the same oath; all have equal rights and respon- sibilities; each member has one vote. A self-appointed "super -member" who in- dividually and singlehanded- ly -wants to control everything and everyone in sight, . wastes a lot of everyone's time .while he fights imaginarywindmills at the expense of, a simple reality in which a number of decent, honest and hard- \ working persons do 'their • best with pride and dedica- tion. In the latter group are the Town employees of whatever title and work level. Town of Goderich is a cor- poration. The Council is the Board of Directors. Can you imagine any. company or organization working: effi- ciently, productively and • with anything resembling order and sanity, if nine directors were to go around in all departments,. dishing out individual orders, in= GUARANTEED INVESTMENT CERTIFICATES BRUCE ERSKINE be North 524-9555 SHOWER CURTAINS SPECIAL All shower curtains in stock! 20° off LbWER LEVEL 1 0% off "ENTIRE STOCK" 8 THE SQUARE GODERICH OECORATIvE ,. ACCESSORIES structions, likes and dislikes, with an added measure of vicious and illfounded public criticism? Besides, the nine directors themselves come and go, depending on elec- tions. Thepublic can and does expect a stable, sane and -businesslike atmosphere in their municipal organiza- tion. Most Council members have no difficulty in understanding and respec- ting this. Our employees show a steady maturity, pro- fessional stability and businesslike attitude in deal- ing with the "tempest in the teacup" turmoil periodically created by a small number of members who find it easier to "kill the messenger" instead of pull- ing up their own socks in the work for which the Council is responsible. I am bewildered and uneasy as I am repeatedly made to witness Coun. Searls' steadily apparent belief that everybody else is uncillor Ji dishonest, goes around try- ing to cheat, avoids working properly, does most other things wrong and is only in- terested in "free meals". Court. Searls' •favourite topic of "free meals" creates funny little visions of free meal tickets being hand- ed out at street corners. In reality there is nothing free about a meal one has to in- clude in the day's activities from time to time, simply because there is no other time left for a meeting or GODERICH SIGNAL,STAR, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, *961—PAGE 5 Searles' leiter there are several meetings in a row or because there are civilized norms of behaviour which include inviting cer- tain people who come to town for our benefit. I take this opportunity to apologize to the department heads to whom Court. Searls referred in his little diatribe. We are fortunate to have ex- cellent people working with us and for us, even more im- portantly in the top posi- tions. It strikes meas totally unreasonable, unacceptable and unproductive to treat such persons as simple 9 to 5 mechanisms or as personal servants may have been -treated many years ago by cheap and irresponsible masters. It bothers me a lot that we find it difficult to recognize and respect ability and dedication and that some of us feel it is necessary to -try to dampen every spark of pride a responsible person brings to his job. There have been many oo- casions of work far beyond duty and "regular" hours, but one particular event comes to mind at once. Just recently both Mr. McCabe and Mr. Hunter attended a meeting with the Optimists to discuss the many, necessary details of the pro- posed park. 0 yes, and Deputy -Reeve Allen was there. That meeting took place on a Saturday morn- ing. There was no complaint, no overtime paid or ex- pected; it was simply a co- operative effort to create - something positive. I wish to place this example beside the one of Coun. Searls' choice. For all of us there is much to learn and much to do, with honesty and dedication. There are many ways of do- ing it, but we should be able to differ in a civilized end businesslike manner on the substance of fair delibera- tions. It is such a pity to use good time ,and energy on anything less. Elsa Haydon ELL -AFF Starting Today: It all mus t go! ! d eblazers, skirts, shirts,belts,Denims, cords, ladies'dress pants,vfarmoObusweaters.VAllbrandnewn! Aoll *A small quantity of new arrivals is not included in this sale. THURSDAY ONLY! 10 m 11 am Assorted men's & ladies' Tops, Sweaters, Shirts, Blouses A99 reg. to '30 100 only! Out they go R CRASHER SPECIALS -- FRIDAY FRIDAY ONLY! -10 - 11 am Assorted men's & ladies' Name Brand'`.eans 99 4 100 only! Out they go red. to '30 Sandy's guarantees satisfaction or money refunded with pr .:o f of purchase. 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