IN GOOD COMPANY: Get involved and have your say

November 24, 2016 · 0 Comments

By Mayor Geoff Dawe

I was recently at a meeting at Southlake Regional Health Centre and heard something that resonated with me.
A physician said: It takes a minute to say ‘yes’ but an hour to say ‘no.’ His example was in specific reference to a patient coming into emergency, stating I’ve had a headache for four years and I need an MRI. Much easier to say ‘yes’ and move on to the next patient than to take the time to investigate the case.
This statement probably rings true for most people and is especially meaningful for those of us who are committed to serving the public. You may remember one of my previous columns where I talked about the challenges of Council decision-making.
Unfortunately, we are faced with making many tough decisions where black or white answers simply do not exist.
As Mayor, I frequently wish I could wave a magic wand and provide simple answers to complex questions. However, the work of government is all too frequently grey and saying ‘no’ is simply the reality we have to face in order to ensure we are doing what is best for the majority of citizens.
I would like to encourage citizens to come out to a General Committee meeting or a Council meeting.
They are hosted on alternating Tuesday evenings in the Council Chambers at Town Hall at 100 John West Way. Even if you do view the meetings on Rogers or via the Internet, attending in-person offers a different sense of what’s happening.
How your local government runs is your business and the public are always welcome to participate in the democratic process by either reaching out to myself
or another member of Council or attending meetings in-person. Being in the Council Chambers when important discussions take place really does illustrate the grey areas that we frequently face when it comes to decision-making.
Along the same lines, I was pleased to see a number of residents join us in the chambers on Monday, November 14 for our first day of 2017 Operating Budget deliberations. Seeing citizens come out to share their thoughts on how their tax dollars should be spent is a meaningful part of the process. Thank you to those of you that filled out the Citizen Budget Survey and those who shared their thoughts by email, phone or in-person. There are still opportunities to participate in the budget process and you can find out more by visiting aurora.ca/2017budget or by calling Access Aurora at 905-727-1375.
Also, don’t miss the Town’s annual Santa Under the Stars evening event on Saturday, November 26 starting at 6 p.m. The parade is on Yonge Street from Orchard Heights Boulevard to Murray Drive. Why travel to the Toronto holiday parade when you can experience the magic of the holiday’s right in your own Town?
I hope to see you all at this fantastic event!
Stay connected to the Town. Visit the Town’s website, read the local Notice Board, subscribe to our social media feeds and sign-up for our monthly e-newsletter, Aurora Matters. My door is always open, please feel free to email me with any questions or comments about the Town at mayor@aurora.ca.
Have a wonderful week!