Raise the Hammer

How are you being prevented? My Councillor took the data collected from concerned Ward residents, created a meeting so that other people in the area could add their two cents, did all the mailings about the meeting from her office, advertised it on her social media platforms and through the local free paper and then chaired the meeting. She then took all the data and got a few simple solutions in place to try to impact it (some plastic poles near the park to make the road feel 'smaller' and another 4-Way stop sign). From start to finish this was an entirely community generated process where impacted locals liaised with our councillor who did what was in her powers within the scope of the budget (so no larger capital projects like a street light or concrete medians) to address the issue as best as she could. And I'm sure in 6 months I'll have another letter from her office about another meeting following up with those people impacted to see what if any progress has been made and if at that point it needs to be escalated into the city wide process that controls these things.

I am pretty positive Matthew Green did not need to be involved in the measures that were taken nor would Judi Partridge need to be involved in Ward 3. And if Matthew Green is not addressing the issues that are important to your Ward in a matter that satisfies you, then by all means next time elect somebody who will.

I like the fact my Councillor lives in my Ward and her life is impacted by the same things that impact my life. She is active in our community and has a good understanding of what is working and what isn't. I do not agree with all her positions (namely transit where she is myopic) but the point is she represents us because she is us, the same way I would hope all councillors represent their Wards.

The Ward system acts as a buffer to protect the interest of citizens whose best interests are not always represented by the mayor's office or the inner city. You can look at me with contempt for that statement or judge me based on where I choose to raise my family but ultimately I deserve, just live every resident of this city to have somebody looking out for me.

This isn't to say I do not see the bigger picture and understand that the key to a strong healthy Hamilton lies in our lower city, but that should not come at the expense of completely abandoning my own neighborhoods to at large councillors who have no connection or obligation to the voters in their area.