Raise the Hammer

Metrolinx did the BCA in 2010 to determine whether the project would have a net benefit, and Hamilton Council decided in 2008 to pursue LRT with full Provincial funding of the capital cost on the basis on a staff report analyzing the project.

City staff did the preliminary work in 2008-2009 before Metrolinx was directly involved. It was at this time that City staff (not Metrolinx) compared the alternatives and decided on the King St alignment because it would be better for automobile traffic flow and provide more economic uplift.

This is not something being "forced" on Hamilton: it is something Hamilton has been working for since 2008! And the basic decisions about the route, and prioritizing the B-line, then A-line were made by city staff not Metrolinx.

McMaster's MITL has also analyzed the project.

If Councillors don't trust City staff or Metrolinx it's going to be a very difficult working relationship on a big complex project like this.

Remember that that City signed an MOA with the Province committing to supporting the project and working with Metrolinx, and part of that surely means not disregarding the advice and expertise of both Metrolinx and City staff!

In any case, the appropriate time for Councillor Whitehead to raise his concerns with staff and have his questions answered was when the decision on the alignment was made, not seven years later after millions has been spent on this design and Council has repeatedly voted to support this alignment. He could have also raised these concerns in 2013 when the Rapid Ready report was adopted by Council.

Is Mr Whitehead going to refuse to accept anything Metrolinx or City staff say about LRT all through the process? That is a recipe for chaos and is goes against Council's code of conduct.

13.2 Under the direction of the City Manager, City employees serve the Council as a whole, and the combined interests of all members of Council as evidenced through the decisions of Council. Accordingly:

(a) members of Council shall be respectful of the role of City employees to advise based on political neutrality and objectivity and without undue influence from any individual member or faction of the Council;

(b) no member of Council shall maliciously, falsely, negligently or recklessly injure the professional or ethical reputation, or the prospects or practice of City employees; and

(c) members of Council shall show respect for the professional capacities of City employees.

Comment edited by kevlahan on 2016-06-21 10:40:43