Phyllis Morris Still Learning How To “Call The Vote”
Posted by auroracitizen on October 1, 2010
Well folks, as the days of this Council’s term mercifully dwindle down it seems that Morris and company are still having problems with even basic council procedure. So much for Phyllis’ much trumpeted experience when she still doesn’t know basic procedural bylaw.
What are they struggling with now, you might ask? How about HOW TO VOTE! Heaven forbid she needs to explain the difference between a referral and deferral.
For the sake of those council members that read the blog (and we now know that most of you do!) – here’s how you vote:
As per section 5.4 (d) (Procedural by-law) “ …all members present …shall vote”
The process;
- Chair – Calls the question
- Chair asks: All those in favour?
- Chair asks: all those opposed?
- Votes are then tallied up
- Chair declares “Motion i) carried ii) carried unanimously iii) defeated” (section 5.4 (e) Town of Aurora procedural by-law)
Mayoralty Candidate Geoff Dawe was in attendance at the September 14th Council meeting and was there to witness the farce that occurred. He commented on his blog about what happened at the meeting – in particular the fact that the votes on the amendment and then the balance of the minutes were not called.
Well – that did not sit well with the MorMac team. Goodness gracious! We can’t look stupid yet again. We MUST do something about this.
Hmmmm, there weren’t any cameras there. No one will know the difference. Let’s put our own version of reality out there.
So, in an extraordinary move, MacEachern took it upon herself to comment on the public statements of a CANDIDATE’s BLOG – at a COUNCIL MEETING!!
These comments are reflected in the GC minutes of September 21st, where MacEachern states:
“Councillor MacEachern advised that Geoff Dawe had published a commentary stating an amendment and a vote had not been called and carried. She advised that she had confirmed with staff who had reviewed the DVD of the meeting and that three sets of minutes were each called separately: two set with amendments. Councillor MacEachern said that staff confirmed that when the Mayor called the question, there was a show of hands, and the motion carried to adopt those minutes with an amendment regarding and the abstention from the vote. Councillor MacEachern said that immediately after the show of hands, there was discussion regarding this issue, but that it had already been carried.”
Aside from the fact that it is highly inappropriate and frankly out-of-order to comment on a CANDIDATE’s comments – MacEachern was/is WRONG! AGAIN!
We have the DVD of the meeting and have reviewed it a few times to make sure we have it straight. It is a chaotic scene so we can understand why some may have a hard time following along. The relevant portion of the tape to watch is 46:00 – 51:45. The relevant video is below.
Here’s a brief synopsis of what happened during the time in question:
Morris said that she wanted the minutes changed to reflect why MacEachern voted against the two Integrity Commissioner reports – reports based on the two complaints the very same Councillor lodged herself. Councillor Collins-Mrakas pointed out – and the Town Clerk confirmed – that the procedural by-law does not allow for such a special notation, the municipal act requires that all abstentions are counted as a negative vote AND that the municipal act requires that minutes be taken, “…without note or comment”. Thus, as ACM continued, this requires “a special motion to make a special statement” for the benefit of MacEachern.
Yes, it was confirmed by the Clerk. Council was informed that it would require a motion to amend the minutes to include the special language.
So the motion was moved by MacEachern (not Morris as noted in the minutes – she’s still the Chair, and everyone knows the Chair can’t move a motion!)
Morris then says “all in favour”. The GOS begin to feebly lift their hands. At the same time, Councillor Buck interjects to ask just what the heck it is they voting are on.
At this point the vote – on the amendment – has been halted.
Morris asks Buck if she wants the “minutes to stand down” and “do you want a recorded vote”
A 3 minute back and forth ensues. Morris, Gaertner and Buck all add to the “debate”.
Of course Phyllis can’t help herself from talking to members of Council like they are a complete group of morons.
At 49:46, Morris says, “I am calling the question”
At 51:00, ACM interjects with a “point of information” to which Morris responds with a ridiculous out of context babble about the “seriousness of conflict of interest”
Then at around 51:30 Morris says, “the matter has been dealt with, let’s move on”
Well, with all due respect to our procedurally challenged outgoing mayor, oh no it wasn’t
The vote never happened.
It’s right there on the tape for all to see.
Were all members of the table given the opportunity to vote? NO
Were those opposed asked to vote? NO
Were ALL votes counted? NO
Was the vote declared to be carried, carried unanimously or defeated? NO
Was the main motion, to approve the minutes, moved? NO; seconded? NO; question called? NO or voted upon? NO
So, to put in very simple terms – the vote did not happen.
Once again, we have a situation where the minutes do not accurately reflect the proceedings of Council. Councillor MacEachern is, to be polite, providing wrong information to the community. The public is left to stand, mouth agape, in horror at what has transpired.
Don’t take our word for it, watch the tape yourselves.
Ask yourself: Did Morris halt the vote? Did she ask for anyone opposed? Did she declare the vote to have carried? Did she call the minutes or just the amendment?
And then we encourage you to send emails to Ms. MacEachern (emaceachern@e-aurora.ca) demanding she retract her clearly wrong statements. And, for good measure, apologize to Mr. Dawe.
Possibly they can amend the minutes at their next meeting 🙂
A person of class and integrity can admit when they are wrong.
Let’s see what happens…
Aurora Citizen 
Anna said
Well I think I heard enough about our mayor, lol, in the last days.
It would be nice to see more reviews like that about other candidates here (it is possible that they don’t have that extensive background as our current mayor). When people talk about themselves most likely they will never mention their weaknesses.
Well the bottom line is that I know where my vote is not going, at the same time I am still undecided. Either way I am going to do my homework, and hopefully pitch my vote into the right bucket :).
Anna
Living in Aurora
annoymous said
From what I have seen of Nigel from the past council,I am really not sure we will see a lot of different from him. He was in there with Phylis and they agreed on a lot of the same things. Let me remind you of who lead the crusade of the Town hall address change and succeeded. I have watched him and I am not convinced that he is the change we are looking for.
fed up said
democracy was not served here–the NAYS were not allowed to voice their vote–motion was not declared CARRIED or DEFEATED by the mayor–the truth was not served here–what is more important than the truth and the democracy which we as Canadians cherish–another example of the farce of this council and the obvious conclusion that the mayor and her cohorts to do deserve the priviledge of serving the citizens of this town–I was present at both the meeting on the DVD and the meeting where truth and democracy was ignored so that they could move on to “more important items”–as stated in past posts–there is nothing more important than the truth–something the Mormac regime has continually ignored
enough is enough said
This is a gross obscenity!
Richard Johnson said
This is “typical”.
I found another example worth noting the other day. There are lots of “interesting” things going on at this meeting, but check out what happens at 30:30 on the tape.
Sept 15, 2009 Council Meeting LINK: http://www.rogerstv.com/page.aspx?lid=237&rid=69&sid=3186&gid=58214
The Mayor calls a vote and then looks to her left. He counts those in support and states “its unanimous from the votes I saw”. She did not even bother to look right and count the votes of those to her right, because those votes apparently don’t matter after all.
Phyllis has played the game of not seeing things before, but there it is for all the world to see on camera. If it was anyone else you might chalk it up as an innocent mistake. The problem with this Mayor is that there are a great number of these type of “innocent” mistakes.
fed up said
This is “the golden standard of deocracy”–her own words from the rogers debate–give me strength–the woman is living in a fool’s paradise and is overwhelmed with her own self importance and delusions of grandeur
Richard Johnson said
Type-o free version of my above comment — it’s never too late to correct a spelling mistake after all:
The Mayor calls a vote and then looks to her left. SHE counts those in support and states “its unanimous from the votes I saw”. She did not even bother to look right and count the votes of those to her right…