[Proof Sheet]

http://www.ottawacitizen.com/news/City+taps+private+consulting+company+handle+planning/6890082/story.html

Anybody got an experience or thoughts on this. The optics of it are pretty sketchy as far as I am concerned. For once in my life, I agree with Diane Holmes on some of her points.

[Dr.Z]

The optics depends on what the reader chooses the read. It doesn't help that the Citizen puts a bit of a 'controversial' spin on all planning related matters in Ottawa. Even when the City kicked the he11 out of the developers at the OMB urban boundary hearing was this noted in a positive light by the Citizen? They somehow spun it back into the City losing.

It looks like the 2 FoTenn planners will be working on very minor stuff not related to development approvals.

In addition to 2004 the City also hired FoTenn planners in 2002 for more direct approval related work. Many of these planners then jumped ship from FoTenn and worked for the City when positions opened up.

[McC]

I think the article's fair; it's not a fabulous position that the City has put itself in, remembering that it is the appearance of a conflict of interest that must be avoided. I imagine there are more than a couple of un(der)employed planners in the region that the city could have brought in on short term contract with much less risk of failing the old "sniff test" (though I do hate that expression).

[McC]

then there's this:
http:///www.blogs.ottawacitizen.com/2012/07/05/a-convenient-error/

[adam-machiavelli]

This is more common than you think . I know a planner who works for CIMA+ but works in a City office doing consulting work for the City.