Swayze sat down in early 2019 with Adam Donaldson for his Guelph Politico podcast, it is an insightful interview on the role of the Integrity Commissioner and the boundaries of the position.
Posted inAdvisory and Sub-Committees
Hamilton City Hall v. LGBTQ Committee: Part I – An Illegal Investigation
In paras 20 and 21 of their own investigative report, Atwood-Petkovski and Abrams making findings of fact which mean the LGBTQ Advisory Committee is not a Local Board. At this point, the investigation is ultra vires. They just ignore the law, the Municipal Act, and carry on.
Posted inJoey's Notepad
Joey’s Notepad: Municipal Councils as Quasi-Judicial Decision Makers
This is a rare instance of Council entering into quasi-judicial decision making – they are sitting in judgment of an individual, must determine guilt, and render a decision which complies with both the Municipal Act, common law, and natural justice.
Posted inAdvisory and Sub-Committees
Hamilton City Hall v. LGBTQ Committee: The Misuse of the Integrity Commissioner, a Four Part Series
Hamilton City Council’s Integrity Commissioner releases their first ever complete investigative report, and The Public Record explains how it is illegal and makes incorrect contradictory claims. A four-part series.
Posted inColeman's Notes
Coleman's Column: Without Coverage, Municipal Elections Are Noncompetitive
Study after study after study proves the value of local journalism to local democracy. They confirm the decline in coverage of local elections, caused by decreasing number of local journalists as daily newspapers close, is making local elections less competitive and voter turnout is declining more rapidly in communities that have lost daily news coverage. The result is increased corruption in local government resulting from lower accountability.
Posted inCouncil Standing Committees
Council Committee Votes Against Hearing Water Bill Appeals
During the past few years, Council has heard appeals from individuals who’ve had high water usage. Often, these are outdoor leaks and the individuals seek to have wastewater fees waived. By policy, staff are not allowed to waive these fees.
Posted inCity Hall
City Forecasts Balanced Budget for 2020 Thanks to Federal and Provincial COVID funding
City may experience a record surplus as higher levels of government pick up COVID costs. This compares to his earlier forecast of a $62-m deficit for 2020.
Posted inJoey's Notepad
Joey's Notepad: Federal By-Elections and Voting During COVID
The first COVID elections are worth watching.
Posted inCity Hall News
The Show Goes On (Safely): Free Admission for Hamilton's 2020 Mum Show
The 2020 Mum Show is the 100th year for the popular event, running from October 23 to November 1. Plans to mark the 100th anniversary are delayed until after COVID.
Posted inPlanning and Development
Notes from the Development Industry Liaison Committee for September 21, 2020
In a short meeting, Hamilton’s planning community and city staff reveal some tensions as transportation engineering review backlogs grow at City Hall.