People in Niagara have been subjected to the St. Catharines Standard’s seven-year-long diatribe and stalking regarding ‘the now made infamous’ Regional Councilor Andy Petrowski’s trial by media.
However, there are readers of the 'Standard' who are not convinced that Andy was the bane of local politics. Seems that whatever negative thoughts people have about Petrowski is generally compliments of the St. Catharines Standard.
Some news is
not about news anymore. Some news is about protecting some people, destroying
others, and promoting agenda.
From before Petrowski’s entry into politics starting with
his clever
soup can presentation against the Region’s statement that ‘even people that
live in straw houses can afford a $1.2Million tax increase’, News Alert Niagara
has followed the old
guard’s vicious attacks based simply on the fear that Petrowski could or
would poke a stick in the spokes of their gravy train, their tax and spend
proclivities, or worse their inept husbanding of Niagara’s resources.
Driven by more of the
St. Catharines specious news reports I made it a mission to attend the Niagara Regional Procedural By-Law
Committee Meeting.
The meeting
was very enlightening. I sat alone at the media table which is situated to the
right of the council horseshoe with the closest councilor being Regional
Councilor and Mayor of Pelham Dave Augustyn. Of all the rhetoric with back and
forth comments, which will be addressed later in this article, the one thing
that stood out was Mayor Augustyn’s constant insistence regarding the character
of ‘Niagara’s Code of Conduct’ both old and new versions. Mayor Augustyn’s
efforts were enough to compel me to make an effort to be in the Council Chamber
on the 18th.
Folks, for
those interested in what is happening in Niagara it will be a good investment
of your time to witness for yourself what is actually going on. Here we provide
you with links for you to quickly get to the video of the Niagara Regional
Council in action.
May 18, 2017
Council: https://www.youtube.com/embed/zwYPGBRGoc8?rel=0&autoplay=1
In no
Particular order you will witness councilors making their comments for and
against Councilor Andy Petrowski.
You will
witness an attempt to charge Petrowski under both the ‘old Code’ as well as the
‘new Code’. Under the ‘old code the complainant can be made public. Here
Petrowski is not allowed to face his accusers under the ‘new Code’ and he is
also denied seeing the actual charges against him. He only gets to see a
lawyer’s version of the complaints. In political speak this is called integrity.
You will
learn that Petrowski was never interviewed by the Integrity commissioner before
the conclusion of the investigation. Upon conclusion of the investigation
Petrowski was asked if he had any comments. This smacks of Integrity commissioner Swayze’s fallacious
conduct of only
interviewing the complainant’s testimony.
Following is a summation of CouncilorRemarks:
Councilor
Volpatti takes integrity Commissioner to task for finishing his report before
investigating target Councilor’s side of story-
Councilor
Barrick reminded Council the he had raised his concern that an integrity
commissioner could be used as a weapon against fellow councilors-
Councilor
Rigby stated that an apology wasn’t enough of a penalty against Petrowski-
Councilor
and Pelham Mayor Augustyn – “the code is about integrity, code is about
respect, code is about dignity”*-
Councilor
Bruce Timms challenged the Integrity Commissioner on the use of Twitter-
Councilor
Gale – Railed that the procedure was a fraud and a farce and fraudulent
Councilor
Easton – Petrowski has some very good ideas he has some very good approaches -
doesn’t see any hope for a proper conclusion under the current situation
Councilor
Barrick – Kangaroo Court – Witch-hunts – Distraction – Political farce
Councilor
Augustyn – Mayor Augustyn makes a point that it was not he who laid the
complaint but the Pelham Council.
The Town of Pelham Council cannot legally lay an integrity complaint under Section 223.4 (1) (a) of Ontario's Municipal Act. By reporting on the now identified, yet authorized complainant, the Integrity Commissioner's billing Niagara Taxpayers $Tens of Thousands is illegitimate and wrong.
Furthermore, the Town of Pelham's official and lengthy complaint wasted unnecessary tax-dollars of Pelham residents.
The Niagara Taxpayers should not have to pay for this conspiracy!
Furthermore, the Town of Pelham's official and lengthy complaint wasted unnecessary tax-dollars of Pelham residents.
Councilor
Sendzik motions to “Remove Petrowski from committees and boards” which would
nullify Petrowski’s ability to fight for his constituents against the big
spenders. Sendzik and big spender Mayor Augustyn moved for this tactic on
December 8, 2016 when Petrowski was absent from council because urgent family
issues.
Councilor
and Mayor Sendzik stated that more penalties were needed considering it “shows
there is a pattern”.
Sendzik is absolutely correct that there is a pattern. A
years-long pattern of deceit, innuendo and outright lies aimed at ridding council of a
councilor who does more than just heat a seat. Petrowski offends by questioning
nearly every $expenditure and raises hell against ineptitude and corruption.
Removing Petrowski
from his committee responsibilities is not so much a penalty for Petrowski as
it is for Niagara Taxpayers, which appears to be the real goal of his detractors.
That brings
us to the conduct of Pelham Mayor David Augustyn during his special meeting of April 25, 2016 regarding the $36 Million Community
Centre.
There are
two versions of the video depicting the Pelham Council Meeting.
There is an unedited version clearly illustrating what went on in
the council chamber and an edited version that was provided to the Integrity
Commissioner.
By the Mayor
providing only the edited version of the video he denied the integrity
Commissioner the complete picture of the situation. How does that square with
the lofty goals of ‘Respect, Truth, Honesty and Integrity.’*
Following is a minute by minute guide
of the video lead-up to the start of Pelham Council:
April 25,
2016
Special Pelham Meeting Re;
over-budget Community Centre
Minute Mark of unedited full version
of video:
4:30 Mayor
Augustyn Enters Council chamber
4:53 Clerk intercepts Mayor in Corner for chat
4:57 Petrowski appears heading for his designated
seat
5:12 Petrowski sitting in his pre-arranged
presenter seat
6:15 Clerk approaching Petrowski
7:18 Clerk tells Petrowski to give Curt Harley’s
presentation in point form only
7:46 Mayor intercepts clerk in corner for further
chat
8:59 Photographer enters asks and gets location
of Petrowski
9:25 Photographer takes pictures of Petrowski
then exits the scene
11:05 Police
officer enters
12:01 Clerk
holds Agenda for Mayor to write changes to agenda
12:55 Mayor passes agenda change to Councilor
Durley via the Clerk
13:28 Councilor Durley asks Mayor for
clarifications
After Gavel:
18:05
Mayor has Durley announce agenda change
19:34
Petrowski Leaves in Disgust calling Mayor’s action Disgusting
Watch Mayor
Dave Augustyn reacting to Councillor Peter Papp`s suggested amendment to this
project. 2:26:25 minute mark, and then lose his
temper at 2:28:35 when a taxpayer speaks out.
The Mayor even improperly removed his out burst from his edited version of the Video
The Mayor even improperly removed his out burst from his edited version of the Video
How does
editing square with ‘Truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth?’*
Regional
Councilor and St. Catharines City Mayor Sendzik says that when he became Mayor
he gave up some of his rights. What rights did Mayor Sendzik give up? Why
should anyone in government, or not, have to give up any rights, freedoms or freedom of
speech?
Our rights
and freedoms including freedom of speech are guaranteed by law. Persons
stepping over the line are subject to penalty under our law.
It’s not for a hired gun lawyer to decide especially one who is not an investigator or, God forbid a lawyer with a vested interest to please a financial master or worse $financially conflicted with a continued benefit of creating a ‘New Code of Conduct’.
It’s not for a hired gun lawyer to decide especially one who is not an investigator or, God forbid a lawyer with a vested interest to please a financial master or worse $financially conflicted with a continued benefit of creating a ‘New Code of Conduct’.
Councilor
Barrick is absolutely correct. There is an attempt to use a lobbied hired gun
Lawyer to accomplish the desired effect of silencing contrary councilors;
removing their independent efforts on behalf of constituents or doing
what the councilor believe is their duty.
It’s
definitely not right to use the ‘Code of Conduct’ to force fellow councilors to
bend to the will of a mob! In this case a mob of big spenders.
In conclusion
the ‘Disrespectful and undignified’ conduct of Mayor Augustyn of intentionally refusing
the designated agent, by way of changing the agenda in the face of said agent,
who was ready and willing to make a presentation on Citizen Curt Harley’s behalf,
is a disgusting act. It is far more egregious to do
it in the face of his fellow Niagara Regional Councilor!
As wrong as
it was for Councilor Petrowski to allow his indignation to manifest into name
calling, manipulative Mayor Augustyn and his humiliated council could have generated far
more colorful language.
Our society must resist giving up our cherished Freedom of Speech and hard fought ‘Rights and Freedoms’ as a cure-all for ineptitude.
Our society must resist giving up our cherished Freedom of Speech and hard fought ‘Rights and Freedoms’ as a cure-all for ineptitude.
Society
honors its living conformists and its dead troublemakers.
May believe that the energy expended by
the ‘Standard’ in its quest to destroy Petrowski could be
the reason for the demise of Grant Lefleche’s ‘Grant Rant’ in the St. Catharines Standard.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YY2CUQrTbK0&feature=youtu.be
Unedited
Pelham Council
