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  #21  
Old Posted Oct 12, 2011, 2:41 PM
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why have a mayor then?
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  #22  
Old Posted Oct 12, 2011, 2:45 PM
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The Mayor is just one member of a 16 member council. No veto power or any other special powers, same powers as a councillor.

If he wants purple grass in Hamilton he'll have to get council's permission, he can't go directly to the Premier's Office or the PMO and request purple grass.
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  #23  
Old Posted Oct 12, 2011, 3:30 PM
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but he has a great deal of popular power, including a direct line to the province and media. Terry Whitehead can't just stand up and cancel LRT, but Bob apparently can. It makes sense for the mayor to have more powers in my opinion, perhaps greater appointing power or authority over an executive committee as in Toronto. He was voted in by the whole electorate after all so he should have some ability to reflect the wishes of the city as a whole.
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  #24  
Old Posted Oct 12, 2011, 4:54 PM
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Bob did not stand up and cancel LRT, nor could he if he wanted to do so.

There has been a lot of silly talk from the hysterical class about Bob secretly meeting with the Premier and changing the city's agenda against the will of council (vis-a-vis GO/LRT in particular), but that is all really just bunk.

I agree the role of mayor gives a great deal of access to the Premier's office. Just as all previous mayors have done in the past, Bratina does (and should) have the ear of the Premier. And it is quite true that he has a mandate from all citizens, while councillors only enjoy the mandate of their ward constituents.

I am in favour of the return to the Board of Control of yesteryear. Since its removal, we have seen a fifedom of local ward reps more driven by what's good for their specific ward rather than what's good for the whole city. A lack of an executive level in council has been the major contributor to the disfunction that has plagued council of late.
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  #25  
Old Posted Oct 12, 2011, 6:12 PM
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Would someone be kind enough to explain the "Board of Control of yesteryear" to a young'un?
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  #26  
Old Posted Oct 12, 2011, 7:23 PM
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Mayor-muzzling motion under review

http://www.thespec.com/news/local/ar...n-under-review

City staffers are reviewing the legality of a controversial council motion designed to limit the lobbying powers of Mayor Bob Bratina.

The surprise motion, passed at Wednesday’s general issues committee meeting, would ban the mayor from formally meeting or negotiating with senior government officials and making financial commitments unless accompanied by the city manager or other councillors.

That motion “is now being scrutinized for its legitimacy,” Bratina told the Bill Kelly radio show Wednesday, adding he considered the last-minute motion “kind of an ambush.”

Bratina also suggested city staff may stop the motion from going forward for ratification at Wednesday’s council meeting.
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  #27  
Old Posted Oct 12, 2011, 8:26 PM
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the goal of the board of control was to separate legislative and executive functions, like a cabinet. Controllers were elected at large. It wasn't much loved because controllers had all the power, and no need to accede to council decisions, just like advisory committees of today.

It might be preferable to allow political parties at the municipal level, and let party discipline create more unity around key issues. Also barriers to what councillors can do in their wards. There should be no way to requisition money for local improvements or to call roads to fix a pothole.
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  #28  
Old Posted Oct 12, 2011, 9:38 PM
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City Clerk will pass the motion for a vote tonight.
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  #29  
Old Posted Oct 13, 2011, 12:38 AM
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Motion passed, there's now a lobbying team.
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  #30  
Old Posted Oct 13, 2011, 11:56 AM
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The motion passed last night bore little resemblance to the nonsense Whitehead was trying to push the night before. Our mayor should not, nor does he need, a chaperone - especially if Whitehead imagined that role to be his.

Honestly, this is the same greasy slimebag councillor whose under investigation for improper secret meetings with NHL reps, and who is spending city money appealing a civil case that found him guilty of slander. Not exactly a moral compass is Whitehead, but he does make for a fine example of a hypocrite.
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  #31  
Old Posted Oct 13, 2011, 12:50 PM
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Council muzzles Mayor Bob Bratina

Hamilton’s mayor has a new lobbying team, but not a shorter leash.

Council ultimately backed away from a surprise motion pitched Tuesday that would have limited Mayor Bob Bratina’s ability to lobby senior government officials without the city manager or other councillors in tow.

Bratina characterized the motion as an “ambush” in a Wednesday radio interview and speculated it might be illegal under the Municipal Act or the city’s procedural bylaw.

Despite widespread support for the motion at Tuesday’s general issues committee, councillors “collaborated” on an amended motion presented at council Wednesday that eliminated any wording that required the mayor to lobby in tandem with the city manager or other councillors.

“This is not about undermining the role of the mayor,” said Councillor Terry Whitehead, who pitched both the original motion and the amended version. “This is about having a transparent, accountable, inclusive process for advocating to the upper levels of government.”

Councillor Brad Clark said the new motion, which calls for the creation of a government relations team to “assist the mayor,” is meant to address a “new reality” in provincial politics: namely, a minority government.

“When we go forward to advocate (to senior government officials) there should be other people at that table,” he said, pointing out council now needs to reach out to the NDP and Conservative caucuses. “We’re not just dealing with the (Liberal) government anymore.”

http://www.thespec.com/news/local/ar...th-gentle-lead
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  #32  
Old Posted Oct 13, 2011, 7:48 PM
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This was long overdue, in my opinion.
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  #33  
Old Posted Oct 17, 2011, 7:26 PM
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Bob Bratina - "have changed my mind" on de-amalgamation.
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  #34  
Old Posted Oct 17, 2011, 10:58 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SteelTown View Post
Bob Bratina - "have changed my mind" on de-amalgamation.
Well if you were from Flamborough and actually thought voting for Bratina would lead to de-amalgamtion, you're a moron. No provincial government is going to unscramble the egg to lower the property taxes for a small number of people.
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  #35  
Old Posted Oct 25, 2011, 4:38 PM
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Bratina gets mixed reviews in mayoral poll

http://www.thespec.com/news/local/ar...n-mayoral-poll

A new poll shows Hamiltonians have mixed feelings about Mayor Bob Bratina’s first year in office.

The Forum Research poll shows 57 per cent of respondents approve of the job Mayor Bob Bratina is doing in office.

However, only 35 per cent of the 408 respondents in Hamilton said they would vote for him again.

Of the mayors in Canada’s largest cities, only Toronto Mayor Rob Ford and Montreal Mayor Gerard Tremblay ranked lower. Thirty per cent of Toronto respondents said they would vote to re-elect Ford and 21 per cent of respondents would vote for Tremblay in the next municipal election.

The poll asked residents to gauge their feelings about their mayors. It included Canada’s 15 largest cities – Brampton, Calgary, Edmonton, Halifax, Hamilton, Laval, London, Mississauga, Montreal, Ottawa, Quebec City, Surrey, Vancouver, Winnipeg and Toronto.

Mississauga Mayor Hazel McCallion had the highest approval rating and was second-most likely to be re-elected. Quebec City mayor Regis Labeaume was the most likely to be re-elected, with just under seven out of 10 people saying they would cast their ballots for him again.

It was conducted by phone from October 21 - 23 and is considered accurate within a 1.5 per cent margin of error, 19 times out of 20.

The results come on the one-year anniversary of Bratina’s election win. The mayor will be making his first state of the city address in Carlisle Tuesday afternoon.
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  #36  
Old Posted Oct 25, 2011, 5:54 PM
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From the State Of The City address:

Quote:
"Just ask the mayor of Kitchener how he feels today" - Mayor on Maple Leaf #HamOnt
http://twitter.com/#!/EmmaatTheSpec/...83757041205249

Anyone else think that's a pretty low blow?
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  #37  
Old Posted Oct 25, 2011, 6:12 PM
markbarbera markbarbera is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SteelTown View Post
Bratina gets mixed reviews in mayoral poll

http://www.thespec.com/news/local/ar...n-mayoral-poll

...However, only 35 per cent of the 408 respondents in Hamilton said they would vote for him again.
Well, Bratina won the election with 37% of the vote, so his vote base really hasn't changed a year into his term of office, and 57% is a decent approval rating.

Despite how the Spec is trying to portray the poll results, public support for the mayor really hasn't changed since the election.
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  #38  
Old Posted Oct 26, 2011, 12:36 PM
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  #39  
Old Posted Nov 15, 2011, 2:15 AM
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We need progress

Hamilton Mayor Bratina faces rough waters over Waterfront Trust
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  #40  
Old Posted Nov 29, 2011, 8:14 PM
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Mayor Bob hires military consultant

http://www.thespec.com/news/local/ar...ary-consultant

Mayor Bob Bratina is adding a military issues consultant and a municipal affairs analyst to his team.

In an email sent to councillors at 2 p.m. today, the mayor said Col. Geordie Elms – an unsuccessful PC candidate in October’s provincial election – will be taking on the military consultant role.

Former city clerk Kevin Christensen will take on the analyst role.

The decision to hire a military analyst is already raising eyebrows at City Hall.

“I’m speechless, which is a rarity for Sam Merulla,” Merulla said. “And I’m going to leave it at that until I have more information.”

Here is the full email from Bratina’s chief of staff, Peggy Chapman:

Dear Council and Staff,

The Mayor’s Office is pleased to announce the addition of two new faces to our team. Beginning in December we will welcome Colonel Geordie Elms as our Military Issues consultant and Kevin Christenson (retired City Clerk) as our Municipal Affairs Analyst. Both gentlemen will be consultants working offsite but depending on their files, will be in contact with your from time to time on behalf of the Mayor's Office projects.

I will send you their biographies and contact information in early December.

Please feel free to contact me with any questions or in welcoming them to (or back to) City Hall!
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