Councillors Gaertner and Ballard Against Neighbourhood Network
Posted by auroracitizen on February 5, 2011
Aurora Council finally voted to formally partner with Neighbourhood Network. That is, with the exception of Councillors Ballard and Gaertner.
The always insightful Councillor Gaertner summarized her position with the comment “I don’t really like the idea of sending volunteers to Newmarket”. Possibly one of the dumbest comments we will hear this term.
Imagine, until Neighbourhood Network started, no one from Aurora had anything to do with Newmarket. And heaven forbid someone from Newmarket dared set foot in Aurora to help.
Maybe she thinks we need a big fence around our community so people can’t cross boundaries.
The basis of the concern seems to be that since Neighbourhood Network is supported by Magna, she was concerned that this would create a conflict.
Magna has been a generous contributor to our community and many others. Whether supporting youth soccer with use of fields, supporting the new Rec Centre, supporting the kitchen in the Seniors Centre or organizing the Magna Hoedown, Magna has been a contributing corporate citizen. Based Councillor Gaertner’s rational, should Aurora have declined all of these offers of support?
Many organizations in town, not just Magna, provide support for community groups, whether supporting local teams through sponsorship or financial contributions — or supporting town organized activities like the Santa Claus Parade — and even the Jazz in the Park. Should we also decline their contributions.
As Bart Simpson would say, “Duh!”
Another poorly thought out stance on an issue intended simply to create issues at the Council table.
If these 2 Councillors spent as much time focused on working with Council as they spend trying to hinder Council, we might get somewhere.
It seems in spite of best efforts to sweep the dysfunction out from last term, some remnants remain.
It’s interesting to see who is creating the issues — and who they supported during the last election campaign.
A coincident? We think not.
Aurora Citizen 
An observation said
In the second line of AC’s new post you have effectively mentioned “issues” together with “personalities”
It is very difficult to avoid doing this, sometimes impossible.
I hope that you will not be too stringent on those of us when we find the inevitable mingling of the two essential to our opinion.
Broderick Epps said
“Possibly one of the dumbest comments we will hear this term”
Next council meeting is Feb 8, 2011. If Wendy is there she will most likely top it!
Anonymous said
If I did not dislike her so much I might almost feel sorry for Gaertner for being so dumb. If she weren’t so pathetic, she would make me laugh and shake my head. I thought that after Granger’s departure there would be nothing much to entertain us this term but perhaps I was wrong. We may be witnessing a resurrection of Monty Python after all these years.
On a serious note though, it is so sad that the best interests of citizens who might need assistance from a volunteer, does not figure in the rationale that generated a ‘no’ vote from these 2 councillors. Tapping into this network is in ALL our interests. This Newmarket vs Aurora is such nonsense. I heard it before when the previous council was talking about the 2C lands. There were several knickers in twists then at the very mention of roads that linked Aurora and Newmarket. Wendy and Chris, we live in a global village now. Get with the program and, in case you haven’t heard, people are free to either go,or refuse to go, wherever they want… in Canada at least.
After watching and reading about Gaertner’s shenanigans so far, I really do think that she should do the honorable thing and resign and let us elect someone with half a brain or more.
Neighborhood Net Work Prevails said
What continues to be her trade mark is the absolute distain she has for any one and everyone who has anything to do with this fine organization , She simply cannot get past her loyalty and pledge of allegiance to the twins and all the resentment they too had for Neighborhood NW , These cooked up excuses about conflict of interest and sending volunteers to Newmarket are so limp its worse than pathetic,The only volunteers that were sent packing were the ones Mormac would not permit to plant trees in Aurora last spring, Ah but the best part of all is that her voice has all but withered into the dark and dreary past just like the GOS, Gone and not soon enough forgotten
Wisely said
What drives me crazy about Gaetner’s comments is the notion that the town is somehow sending anybody anywhere. Agreeing to partner with a organization bend on doing good things is a complete no-brainer. How one could even think it needed discussion is beyond me.
Anybody who signs up with neighbourhood network reserves the right to decide which volunteer opportunities they are interested in taking on and where. It’s that simple, how Wendy (and AuroraGuy) could think otherwise is really troubling…
It forces me to really question your basic level of cognition.
Brickbat Returns said
I think you meant “Music in the Park”.
Jazz in the park was the event that looked like the G20.
JOHN H SARGENT said
RE Neighborhood Network ..I think council dealt with this issue,did they not, so why do we want to hash it out here..I not hear these 2 against N N — just not in favor, do to their concern, which in turn was voted down *DONE*.. Over all there can be issues with so many different charity’s and self help groups etc popping up aiming for the same piece of the pie to get recognition, thou i think not in this case.. In some of other cases they are created to enhance full time employment for ones self and or even getting grant money to do it…like getting 100,000 dollars to teach( selected) kids about the environment or 140,000 dollars to hire a executive director for a charity((re employment do to people in need) and there are many,many more,To me in some cases government gives out money to silence the lambs ..That turns into millions of dollars in grants throughout the region etc , that is wasted on internal materials, rather than on actual helping out of the needy so YOU DO THE MATH and check it out..there are many such instances that should be looked at for the best social money value.Where is it going to end there are new groups popping up weekly all claiming to be the next best thing for the environment or those who need help..yet how much actual help is materialized out for the dollar value..Most of this is tax dollars whether it comes from Trillium Foundation or not ..My view with out prejudice…Their are bigger issues than what these 2 counselors are or are not doing ..Neighborhood Network have a good reputation to date so not need, approval of what they are attempting to do or improve on just partners