Criticism of municipal operations—the decisions made by our elected officials and the work of our employees—irritates some people.
However, it is actions and professional ethics that are at issue, not individuals. Rest assured: I start from the premise that our elected officials and employees are respectable people—parents, colleagues, neighbors.
For months, I have been examining the work that has been done and the ethical framework that accompanies it, in the form of opinion pieces based on rigorous monitoring of the actions taken by the administration and our elected officials.
Having a coffee and admiring the lake is easy; telling someone that you find their actions unacceptable is much less so. Many prefer to avoid the conversation—at the expense of honest feedback that would help everyone improve.
Whether these actions stem from an administrative error, a lack of knowledge, a lack of experience, or, worse, malice, I cannot judge. It is up to each person to form their own opinion. It is clear that all of the articles are opinion pieces.
One thing is certain: elected officials and municipal employees remain accountable for their actions in the performance of their duties. The same applies to all workers in Quebec. Including you and me.
In my opinion, highlighting what is happening in our municipality, even if it may seem negative, is legitimate and even necessary. My blog offers one perspective on the issues; the municipality presents its own in its newsletter to all citizens, a very powerful tool at their disposal.
Those who say that North Hatley Info presents only one side of the coin are invited to contribute to the site. This has been stated in the “About” section since the site was created.
Without the North Hatley Info website, many issues would still go unreported. Sometimes, the population lacks of interest, information and knowledge about municipal politics. North Hatley is a forum aimed at restoring interest and understanding of our local issues.
In my opinion, it is essential to monitor the files, decisions, and work ethic of our municipal administration.
If no one pays attention to this, who will?
