Mayor Ford’s key players approved

City Council gives nod to mayor’s picks for choice roles
Chairs of important committees and Ford’s inner team chosen
Left, downtown and women mostly shut out
Kris Scheuer
(Written for Town Crier Dec. eight)

Mayor Rob Ford. Photo by Francis Crescia/Town Crier file image.

Mayor Rob Ford got a key win today at city hall as the councillors he’s hand-picked for key committees were approved by council.
But the 39-6 decision to endorse the slate with some minor amendments did not come easily.
Some complained none of the 12 councillors on Toronto-East York community council were appointed to serve on key committees including the executive, TTC, budget, police services board or Toronto Community Housing.
The make-up of the mayor’s 13 member Executive, for example, includes five Scarborough reps, three from North York, three from Etobicoke and two from York. Of the nine councillors on the TTC, none represent downtown.
Several politicians argued that these committees and other boards should include not just different ideologies but a geographical representation from all corners of the city.
“There are practical issues about how to make the city functional that require input from people (politicians) from different corners of the city,” Councillor Adam Vaughan told the media this afternoon. “Because different corners of the city are built differently.
“There is no ideological argument about which time of day you pick garbage, but there are practical reasons why you pick it up in Kensington (Market) and not at a certain time in Scarborough,” he added. “If you don’t have a cross section of people weighing in on city wide issues you lose that intelligence.”

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New councillors transition at city hall

Rough transition for some new councillors
Bussin, Walker AWOL when it comes to helping successors in new job
Kris Scheuer
(Written for Town Crier Nov. 9)

Mary-Margaret McMahon on election night after winning against incumbent Sandra Bussin. Photo by Shawn Star/Town Crier.

Being a city councillor may be a dream job for some of the newly elected reps, but for some trying to speak to their predecessors has been a bit of a nightmare.
“I have not heard anything (from Sandra Bussin),” said Mary-Margaret McMahon who defeated the incumbent in Ward 32. “It doesn’t surprise me so I am doing what I usually do and meeting with the public and talking to city staff.
“It would be nice to have some sort of contact.”
McMahon is not even sure if any of the relevant files will be left in the office when she takes over.
“I am worried it may be old Mother Hubbard’s (bare) cupboard, but I am not sure,” said McMahon who spoke to the media after a Nov. 9 orientation session for new councillors.
Incoming Ward 22 councillor Josh Matlow is in the same boat and has yet to have a post-election conversation with outgoing rep Michael Walker.
“I imagine he is disappointed in the results,” said Matlow, referring to Walker, who endorsed his executive assistant and candidate Chris Sellors instead. “I would hope Councillor Walker would meet with me to discuss transition solely in the interests of the residents he advocated for and championed for 28 years.”

Councillors not running or undecided

Toronto politicians still undeclared for 2010 election
By Kris Scheuer
(Updated  July 15.)

Councillor David Shiner has not registered for re-election yet.

Of the 44 city councillors, 41 have made their intentions known.
Only three councillors yet either register or announce if they aren’t running at all.
Mark Grimes (Etobicoke-Lakeshore Ward 6) hasn’t registered.
Mike Feldman (York Centre Ward 10) has told my colleague Karolyn he might retire and there are certainly consistent rumours he will. But he’s not made any decision pubic yet.
David Shiner (Willowdale Ward 24) hasn’t registered, which is no shocker because in 2003 and 2006 he also filed his nomination papers late in the campaign.  No word on if he’s running though in the past two months he’s indicated he plans to.
In a way, there’s no rush for incumbents to register. It can sometimes scare off potential rivals who wait to see what the current council plans to do. But it can also backfire if a candidate is vulnerable of losing or if there’s persistent rumours a councillor isn’t running then challengers may register ahead of the incumbent declaring one way or another.
What do you think will any or all five be running for re-election?