Tag Archives: Ald. Tom Johnston

02.02.13
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Six-year saga of skating sculptures, and other stories


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We’ve all heard the expression, “spending money like a drunken sailor.” That’s the common theme this week in City Scope, whether it’s questionable requests for taxpayer dollars, accountability, or “who made this financial commitment anyway?”

It all comes together like the wind and the water this Monday in the council chamber at city hall, starting with the whereabouts of two wayward sculptures.

Seems when the Timken Centre opened, the fundraising committee, under the leadership of Hilary Vaughan, commissioned $60,000 to create a donor recognition wall and fashion a pair of sculptures — a hockey player and a figure skater.

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12.29.12
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A quotation for everything: the past year in review


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It’s been a City Scope tradition to greet the incoming year by surveying the past 365 days to savor the wit and wisdom of our elected representatives.

As a collector of quotes from a variety of sources, it lends credence to the words of wisdom from British author Dorothy L. Sayers: “I always have a quotation for everything – it saves original thinking.”

Of course, when media scribes document a response or comment to the pages for posterity, we must be prepared for the inevitable charge of being taken out of context.

Or, as one anonymous wag noted, “You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say will be misquoted, then used against you.”

With the preamble out of the way, let’s glean through a year’s worth of columns to fully appreciate what transpired in 2012.
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12.08.12
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New skate park on the horizon, but it comes with a hefty price tag


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Listen up skateboarders, city council will be dealing with a proposed new park when it sits Monday at city hall. At that time it will receive the findings of the select skate board park committee, authorized by council in April and which held its first meeting in July.
The committee is proposing three locations for consideration: Joanne Brooks Memorial Park on the former site of Northside Arena; Jonas Park on Jonas Street; and a one-acre parcel of land northeast of the Timken Centre.
Let’s look closer at these sites.
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12.01.12
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A case of the health minister calling the kettle black


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Now that the St. Thomas-Elgin General Hospital Foundation has made its financial pitch to St. Thomas and Elgin county, both councils – via membership on the municipal joint committee – have compiled a list of questions designed to shake loose answers from the less-than-accommodating hospital administration.
And, the joint committee has invited – no, make that requested – Paul Bode, chairman of the STEGH board of governors, and Susan O’Brien, foundation president and chairman, attend their next meeting on Wednesday.

STEGH redevelopment sketch

STEGH redevelopment sketch


In a letter to Bode and O’Brien, dated Nov. 22, the joint committee acknowledges the hospital is a valuable community resource.
However, “we are confident that you are aware of our own municipal budgetary challenges and the fact that we must be fully accountable for taxation expenditures to those we serve,” the communication advises.
As such, the committee would like answers and information that includes:
■ Specific project costs for the redevelopment costs.
■ Is there a written, binding commitment from the province to finance the re-scoped project?
■ The province is requiring 100% of the equipment for the mental health component, representing $2.5 million, be funded locally. Why has the onus for this component of the project shifted from the province to the local jurisdiction, and where in policy or regulation is this new requirement contained?
■ The total cost of the re-scoped project is $70 million (City Scope still believes it is less than $50 million) – a reduction of about 25%, so why is the amount to be raised by the city and council still pegged at $9 million? The committee would like specific rationale why the municipal contribution is not adjusted relevant to the reduction of the overall costs.
■ And, what about infrastructure costs (roads, sewers, watermains etc.) associated with redevelopment of the hospital? Has any allowance been made for these costs?
All good questions, the answers to some of these we have previously championed in this corner.
It all comes down to transparency and jettisoning the attitude the city and county should endorse the cheques and then just go away.

DUELING DIPLOMATICOS
Elgin-Middlesex-London MPP Jeff Yurek has valid concerns about how much the community must contribute to the hospital redevelopment fund and is seeking a meeting with the health ministry to sort things out.
Health Minister Deb Matthews fires back it’s time Yurek got on board with the project, and for good measure adds, “I know his party would not be building it.”
Whoa there Deb, let’s hit the pause button.
Who camped out on the front steps of the hospital just weeks in advance of the 2011 provincial vote and promised the Cadillac version of redevelopment for the facility.
And then insisted this announcement was politically transparent, in spite of the timing.
However, when Liberal candidate Lori Baldwin-Sands couldn’t keep up her end of the bargain and failed to deliver the riding, somehow the project becomes the subject of a re-scoping process.
The result – we get a stripped-down compact model and the community is saddled with the Cadillac sticker price.
So, who really needs to wholeheartedly get behind the project? More so in light of the questions listed and information sought in the opening item of this week’s column.
Talk about the pot calling the kettle black.
Sheesh.

DWINDLING DIVIDEND
Up near the front of Monday’s city council agenda is treasurer Bill Day’s budget monitoring report up to Sept. 30 of this year. Day is predicting a budget surplus of $300,000, which is not bad, but a far cry from the $1 million-plus years.
Of interest, however, is the notation from Day the 2012 dividend from Ascent Group Inc. (formerly St. Thomas Energy Inc.) has been cut in half to $250,000.
What’s the deal here?
For an operation touted in the past by former CEO Brian Hollywood and former board chairman Ald. Tom Johnston as having such a rosy future, this is rather disturbing news for the real shareholders – city ratepayers.
Sheds a little more light, perhaps, on why neither of the above individuals remains in place.
With a seemingly bleak financial picture this year at Ascent, it casts further doubt on the rationale behind greasing Ald. Johnston’s palm with Red Wings’ season tickets.
In addition to the small matter such compensation is in violation of a city bylaw.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK
“It’s time for Jeff Yurek to get behind the project. I know that his party would not be building it. They have been very clear that this is not the time to be investing in capital projects, but we are.”
In their on-going war of words, health minister Deb Matthews says its time for Elgin-Middlesex-London MPP Jeff Yurek to get behind the St. Thomas-Elgin General Hospital redevelopment project instead of peppering her with questions.

City Scope appears Saturday in the Times-Journal. Questions and comments may be emailed to ian.mccallum@sunmedia.ca.

11.24.12
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Wrong time and place for Ald. Yusuf to editorialize


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While his message of outrage and disgust may have been well aimed, Ald. Sam Yusuf’s diatribe on the Israeli/Palestinian conflict was totally out of place Monday in the council chamber.
The complex Gaza turmoil is far outside the realm of council’s mandate and to take this time to editorialize in front of a large group of army cadets shows poor judgment on the part of Yusuf.
He would do well to channel his energy into municipal matters like attending hospital board meetings, from which he has been missing in action for months.
It is no secret he does not intend to seek re-election. Put the last two years of this term to good use. Represent the interests of constituents who voted for you – and those who didn’t.
After all, Ald. Yusuf, you were not elected to office to broker Middle East peace.

HOSPITAL STAFF WANT TO RAZ YOU
A week ago in this corner, we engaged in dialogue with St. Thomas-Elgin General Hospital president and CEO Paul Collins following announcement the facility had been recognized for its efforts in trimming ER wait times which you can read here.
We pick up the conversation this week with an explanation from Collins on the rapid assessment zone (RAZ) and its role in the ER which will further help clarify wait times.
“We’ll have people who come in,” explains Collins, detailing visits to the ER from individuals who will undergo assessment, treatment and then be released, “and rather than clogging up the emergency department specifically, they go this rapid assessment zone where they can get a quick assessment and then they are released.
“Generally, these are patients who are not admitted. So, one of the problems we experience is in how people experience this. If you are someone who wouldn’t be appropriate in going to the RAZ because your situation is a little more concerning, then you may be in the waiting room waiting to get into emergency proper while you see someone come into emergency who may not look very serious but they are taken in the other way (through RAZ) right away.”
It can result in the perception those with less of an issue are getting attended to faster, Collins points out.
“In the end,” Collins continues, “it keeps those folks out of emergency proper and clogging it up even further. We certainly have had people comment on that. In the moment, in can be pretty disconcerting.”
In other words, movement through ER is not a care of first in, first out.
“The RAZ has certainly helped ensure the waiting room is not clogging up and folks are getting seen relatively quickly and on their way. In most cases the issues they come in with are not that complicated.”
As he is acutely aware, there will always be grumbling about wait times, however Collins and his front-line staff are putting time and thought into making life in the ER more bearable.
They’ve got the recognition from their peers to back that up.

WHO IS LOOKING OUT FOR RATEPAYERS?
One of the charges laid by the RCMP this week against London Mayor Joe Fontana is breach of trust by a public official, in relation to a cheque issued as a deposit on a wedding reception.
Here in St. Thomas, Ald. Tom Johnston received Detroit Red Wings’ season tickets valued at a similar amount as compensation for serving as board chairman of St. Thomas Energy/Ascent, in direct contravention of a city bylaw prohibiting remuneration of any sort.
Is that not a breach of trust by a public official who continues to sit and vote on city business?
Ald. Johnston has so far refused to publicly acknowledge this under-the-table compensation he orchestrated with former Ascent CEO Brian Hollywood.
Likewise, he has steadfastly refused to pay back the monetary value of the tickets.
As frustrating as that is, equally baffling is the fact no member of council has challenged Johnston in open session to account for this transgression and have him commit to a repayment schedule.
Who exactly is looking out for city ratepayers here?
Or as one T-J reader, chubby 7880, succinctly posted on our website: “City council members and the Mayor should keep in mind – tick the people of St. Thomas off … you only get 1 term. We voted you IN!!!…. we can vote you OUT!!!!!”

OUR LOSS, LONDON’S GAIN
A month ago, we speculated on the appearance of a toxic atmosphere in the environmental services department at city hall, similar to the cancerous environment nine years ago in the treasury department involving harassment of staff.
Is that the root cause behind the departure last month of operations and compliance manager Edward Soldo for greener pastures in London as director of roads and transportation?
That’s the loss of another huge city asset and if it was prompted by a philosophical clash in the bowels of city hall, then we definitely are regressing back in time.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK
 “(The bus) is picking the individual up two hours or three hours before their actual appointment and dropping them off so that poor individual is left sitting three hours in a doctor’s office waiting for their appointment so there’s something wrong, there’s something wrong here right now in the present system.”
Ald. Dave Warden on deficiencies in the city’s paratransit system that are again dogging city council and staff.

City Scope appears Saturday in the Times-Journal. Questions and comments may be emailed to ian.mccallum@sunmedia.ca.

11.17.12
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What right does Ald. Johnston have to judge others?


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The folks up in London have the Joe Fontana fiasco to live with while we are saddled with the Tom Johnston tango – a two-step marrying entitlement with denial.
To recap, Johnston received compensation as St. Thomas Energy/Ascent board chairman in the form of Detroit Red Wing season tickets over a three-year period, in clear violation of a city policy prohibiting such remuneration.


Johnston has neither fessed up in public to the under-the-table palm greasing nor has he offered to pay back the value of the hockey ducats.
All of which prompted a scathing letter to the editor from reader Bill Sandison which questions the role of mayor and council in all of this.

“Any reasonable mayor might have asked the RCMP to investigate, but instead Mayor Heather Jackson takes comfort that ‘It’s stopped and it absolutely will not happen again . . . Now you need to repay this, you need to make amends and admit you made a mistake.’”
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11.10.12
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More questions than answers as hospital puts out hand


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Monday night’s presentation to council from the St. Thomas-Elgin General Hospital Foundation provided little in the way of insight and generated a gurney load of troubling questions.
 For instance, isn’t a partnership a two-way street?
 So, if the hospital wants the city and county to each write cheques in the amount of $4.5 million, then it should be open to financial disclosure. Let’s see some accounting.
 After all, a partnership is more than just cutting a cheque.
 Who is determining the final amount to be raised and the term of payment?
 Let’s see the documentation from the province to the hospital to validate this.
 Has anyone at city hall seen paperwork on what is required at the municipal level?
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09.15.12
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Surely a finance chairman would have greater priorities


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I guess it must be the good Liberal thing to do. Ald. Lori Baldwin-Sands will stand in council chamber Monday and present a motion to change the title of city alderman to that of councillor.
We can only presume Baldwin-Sands is a close personal friend of Heather Jackson and is doing the mayor a favour by continuing on with her battle of 2005.
Do you remember in June of that year when a previous edition of city council debated the very same point?
Well, gather round and let City Scope dust off a reporter’s notepad and recount the tale.
You see history prevailed over innovation on June 20, 2005, when members of council agreed to continue with tradition.
This followed an impassioned history lesson delivered by Ald. Cliff Barwick, which resulted in members defeating a motion to adopt the title “councillor” instead of the currently recognized term “alderman.”
The motion, tabled by then-alderman Heather Jackson-Chapman, was defeated 6-2 with Ald. Bill Aarts the only voice of support.
Gender equality was the driving force behind her request, advised Jackson-Chapman at the time.
“Gender neutrality in titles is important when we say we are a progressive, forward-thinking community,” she stressed. “Some will argue that we should maintain and respect the history of the title, but I believe that changing the term (alderman) is a matter of gender equality, leadership and inclusion.”
Increasing numbers of men and women are offended by language they consider sexist, noted Jackson-Chapman, “believing that such language creates images that are inappropriate today.”
Aware that Barwick was waiting in the wings to argue on the side of tradition, she acknowledged, “I look forward to the history lesson.”
And Barwick didn’t disappoint as he condensed 1,200 years of history into a few short minutes.
“Our traditions are fundamental concepts of British Parliament,” he began. “And the assumption change is good and beneficial is not necessarily true.”
He proceeded to trace the roots of “alderman” back to the ninth century, when it referred to the elder men of the community who were consulted on matters.
“I’m not saying it’s good or bad,” stressed Barwick, “but it’s a fact of history.”
He noted the terms “alderman” and “councillor” are not necessarily interchangeable.
“An alderman is the person next in authority to the mayor,” he advised. “To change to councillor is a loss because my title goes back 1,200 years and I am proud of that connection.”
Barwick insisted the matter was not about “sexist language.”
“Remember not only who you are … but what you represent. This goes far beyond sexist language.”
What a history lesson that was.
So, what does the retired Barwick think about re-visiting the past once again?
“To spend our time on this stuff is not really a good use of a politician’s time,” Barwick told this corner on Friday.
“It’s a lot of time and a lot of energy and for what?”
Barwick continued: “To have council get all wrapped up and its attention diverted for something like this when they should be doing other things really is a waste of time and energy. I just throw up my hands and say ‘here we go again.’”
As finance chairman, you would think Baldwin-Sands would have enough on her plate, like balancing budgets and lowering taxes.

OUR VERSION OF THE SENATE?
Former St. Thomas mayor Peter Ostojic now has company over at St. Thomas Energy/Ascent as he is joined by former alderman Bill Aarts. Ostojic sits on the Ascent board of directors while Aarts was quietly installed on the St. Thomas Energy Inc. board back in January.
Wonder how St. Thomas ratepayers, the ultimate shareholders in St. Thomas Energy/Ascent, feel about paying Aarts, a resident of Southwold, $3,000 for attending five meetings over the course of a year.
Surely there must be worthy city residents who could have filled this position. Otherwise cronyism appears to be alive and well over on Edward Street.

ON A RELATED TOPIC
Former Ascent board chairman, Ald. Tom Johnston, took an oath of office after city residents entrusted him with their vote in the municipal election.
Subsequently, Johnston has not only thumbed his nose at that oath for personal financial gain, but has so far declined to explain his actions to his peers and made no offer to pay back compensation he has received from St. Thomas Energy/Ascent over the past three years in spite of a city bylaw that forbids such remuneration.
We understand he was also approached to resign from council and steadfastly refused.
Voters have long memories, what are the chances trust will be forthcoming in the next municipal vote on Oct. 27, 2014?
Or, is the plan to once again share election signs with a mayoral candidate?

QUOTE OF THE WEEK
“It’s a project you discuss as to what lenses you’re going to use on the street bulbs and what shape lanterns we need downtown. That’s the kind of things you discuss along with this.”
Former mayor Cliff Barwick on the weight of importance attached to discussing the merits of “alderman” versus “councillor”, as will be the case Monday at city hall.

City Scope will now pause for a short break to trek the highlands of Scotland in search of distilleries. We will return refreshed and invigorated in October.

09.08.12
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If you don’t endorse a bylaw, do you still have to abide?


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Ald. Tom Johnston appears to have dug in his heels on the matter of receiving compensation for serving as chairman of the Ascent board of directors, in spite of a city bylaw to the contrary, as first brought to light in this corner last week. Read here.
Johnston voted against the motion when it was adopted in 2009 and he appears now to have adopted the stance that is justification for thumbing his nose at the bylaw today in accepting season hockey tickets as compensation or a bonus from Ascent.
Unfortunately, under the Ontario Municipal Act, there is little recourse for the city and we talked Friday with Mayor Heather Jackson on that very matter. Continue reading →