One quick question, two phone calls to Delta's Mayor's Office
How frustrating is it to conduct business with Delta Municipal Hall? Send me your stories and I'll blog 'em - I, as always, will keep my source confidential. I understand that confidentiality is extremely important, don't leave a blog comment, send an email to Barb_2U@eastlink.ca
For what it's worth, here's my frustrating Delta Municipal Hall story:
Around 4 PM, Wednesday, October 5, I called the Mayor's Office. I had a quick question and I didn't feel like reading through the council minutes, so I dialed 604 946 - 4141.
All I wanted to ask was, "How many nights did the Mayor slept in Ottawa?"
I was upfront and told the clerk that I
wanted the information for my blog, as I was going to estimate the cost of
their excursion to Ottawa.
The clerk couldn't give me an answer. She needed my name and number, so she could get back to me. (My thinking was, she was probably the same clerk who made the hotel and plane reservations, but I played and gave her my information.)
I
did; however, express my surprise. After all, I was talking to a clerk in the Mayor's Office and she didn't know how many nights, The Mayor, her boss
slept in Ottawa in the past few days! Really?
She told me she had to check with the Mayor's
Executive Assistant to see if they could provide that information to
me!
Gimme a break, this wasn't rocket science or major corporate espionage. I wasn't asking for Corporation of Delta's TOP SECRETS - like the size, colour, and style of the Mayor's Grannie panties - I was merely asking how many sleeps did she have in Ottawa!
***And why wouldn't they be able to provide me with that information? It should be public knowledge, after all, we paid for her trip! (I didn't say this to the kind clerk, I was actually delighted with my first-hand taste of "City Hall's infamous lack of transparency and horrific inefficiency"!)
Honestly, I was kind of feeling smug. I was being put through a rite of passage ceremony and as soon as the initiation was over, I would be one of the insiders in this not-so-small-not-so-exclusive club! I, after all, was "earning" the right to tell my own story!
Soon my glee faded and turned to frustration. UGH, I had to wait for the phone to ring. Think Saturday night high school, the silence was deafening with every non-ringing minute.
Thankfully, I am resourceful, I kept myself entertained by tweeting during the silence. My Twitter friends help relieved my frustration, by retweeting my tweets. (I was tattletailing my frustrations.)
About 20 minutes later, the phone rings. Surprise, it's the
Corporation of Delta 604 946-3244. The gal on the phone (Second Mayor's Clerk) told me that
the other gal (First Mayor's Clerk) couldn't answer my question because, get this... "You identified
yourself as a mayor." HUH?
What's with that? I identified myself as a Mayor? I did NOT! Why would anyone do that? That's sick!
I was pretty darn
clear when talking to First Mayor's Clerk - I was a blogger and I wanted the information for my blog.
Trust me, I
was not trying to impersonate a mayor. Seriously, what kind of sick freak would do that?
SAD FACT: They had 20 minutes to conjurer up an excuse and that's the best they could come up with! They gotta take lessons from my 16 year-old, she is way better and we don't even have a dog to eat her homework!
The Second Mayor's Clerk also mutter the excuse that the First Mayor's Clerk didn't usually work there. Can I assume that she escaped from the Ladner Leisure Pool and has a fetish for answering the Mayor's phone?
Whatever! All I wanted to know was how many sleeps the Mayor had in Ottawa!
Second Mayor's Clerk told me, "There would be a full report on all the Ottawa meetings
at the next council meeting. BLA, BLA, BLA."
My eyes glassed over. HELP, me please. I didn't want to wait until Monday, October 17; I didn't want a FULL REPORT; and I would rather stick hot-spicy sticks in my eyes than go to a council meeting.
Me: Inturptering, I told her, "I just want
to know how many sleeps!"
Second Mayor's Clerk: "They left Saturday and they arrived back a little while ago."
Me: Hiding my fingers under my desk, so Ms clerk couldn't see me counting, clarified, "Ottawa three nights?"
Second Mayor's Clerk: "Yes."
Me: Realizing it's Wednesday,
not Tuesday (woopsie) and that she can't see my finger-counting over the phone, I counted 'em off boldly above the desk,
"Saturday night, Sunday night, Monday night, Tuesday night..ah, four nights, it's Wednesday!"
Second Mayor's Clerk: "Yes."
So there you have it, the Mayor slept four nights in Ottawa! Simple.
On a much more encouraging note:
There is is HOPE, do not DESPAIR!
Councillor Heather King, was the first candidate to file her nomination papers!
It's official! Councillor Heather KING is running for Mayor of Delta!
Thank you Heather, thank you Heather!
How divine is this..today is day 100 of Heather's campaign!
 |
| The STAR of the Blog, Councillor Heather King, demonstrating incredible efficiency outside Delta Municipal Hall Tuesday at 8:45 AM! Ms Keener was the first candidate to file nomination papers. |
Back to my story:
Deepest sympathy to all those who have experienced a smiliar story at City Hall and to all those who are still waiting for their phone calls to be returned!
Want some relief? Send me your story. I am looking for additional, frustrating, incompetent, unnecessarily red tape, lack of transparency, or pathetically funny Delta Municipal Hall stories to blog. I guarantee confidentiality.
Barb_2U@eastlink.ca It is worth repeating: I guarantee confidentiality.
Car accidents, train wrecks, and now Delta Municipal Hall constipation. Perfect.
Barb's Heroes List:
- Councillor Heather King, Mayor Candidate
- Neil Corbett , Council Candidate,
- Francis Van Roode, VP Sunfish
- Philip Raphael, Editor South Delta Leader & Pop Quiz #2 winner!
- Andrew Conley, Council Candidate
- Scott Broderick, Council Candidate & Pop Quiz #1: 1st place winner!
- Cathie Goodman, Pop Quiz #1: 2nd place winner & SD Leader winner!
- Ladners Landing, Pop Quiz #1: 3rd place winner
- Carroll Allan, School Board Trustee Candidate
- Ferd Lamens, Ambassadors Toastmaster & regular guy concerned about gas tax
- Councillor Robert Campbell (pending)
If you have a concern, contact Heather King. Her information is at the top of the page. She WANTS to talk to you.
Tell the KING!
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