I work for Mayor Nenshi, ask me anything!

[Ozy_Flame]

Optics suck on this, but I doubt there was any malicious intent by the organizers or the mayor and his party.

[Oling_Roachinen]

Originally Posted by Bunk

I have to chuckle a bit at the notion that being a member or chair of SDAB is some sort of cushy appointment. It's more like be slowly tortured.

Since you seem to know, how much we looking at for that position?

If it's one of the volunteer positions with an honouraium of a couple bucks, sure I'd rescind most of my complaints. But if it's the type that sees someone making $500.00 for attending a 30 minute meeting, meh.

[CaptainYooh]

Originally Posted by Oling_Roachinen

Since you seem to know, how much we looking at for that position?

If it's one of the volunteer positions with an honouraium of a couple bucks, sure I'd rescind most of my complaints. But if it's the type that sees someone making $500.00 for attending a 30 minute meeting, meh.

OK, this tells me you don't really know what it is. Not making fun at your expense, just observing.

SDAB meets weekly to hear appeals against development and subdivision approvals filed by applicants or affected parties. It consists of 15 or so members who are nowadays split into smaller sub-boards dealing with smaller appeals (decks, signs, encroachments etc.) and larger appeals (big multi-family projects, liquor stores, commercial buildings etc.). Appeal hearings start at noon and can go for 12 straight hours until mid-night. Board members must read all of the file materials in preparation for the hearing, hundreds of pages. Chairman's role is to maintain the order of the hearing and break ties. They do receive very small honorariums per hearing. Used to be $200. now, could be more, not sure. Chairman used to receive $500 per hearing. That's it. Oh, and they are fed supper by the City.

So, yes, SDAB Chairman is a very important and honorary position. But it is not in any way a cushy job.

[You Need a Thneed]

Originally Posted by CaptainYooh

OK, this tells me you don't really know what it is. Not making fun at your expense, just observing.

SDAB meets weekly to hear appeals against development and subdivision approvals filed by applicants or affected parties. It consists of 15 or so members who are nowadays split into smaller sub-boards dealing with smaller appeals (decks, signs, encroachments etc.) and larger appeals (big multi-family projects, liquor stores, commercial buildings etc.). Appeal hearings start at noon and can go for 12 straight hours until mid-night. Board members must read all of the file materials in preparation for the hearing, hundreds of pages. Chairman's role is to maintain the order of the hearing and break ties. They do receive very small honorariums per hearing. Used to be $200. now, could be more, not sure. Chairman used to receive $500 per hearing. That's it. Oh, and they are fed supper by the City.

So, yes, SDAB Chairman is a very important and honorary position. But it is not in any way a cushy job.

And the people they deal with at the SDAB meetings are often upset and/or irate at an approval or rejection on a property, and those same people have often been sitting in the meeting room for way too long, often hours past the time they thought they were going to have to be there.

[Oling_Roachinen]

Originally Posted by CaptainYooh

OK, this tells me you don't really know what it is. Not making fun at your expense, just observing.

Fair enough, but I think you don't really happens in other boards if you think that there isn't some extremely cushy positions out there. It wasn't all that long ago I heard from my friend's dad who would walk down to adjacent building at 4:00 and have a meeting go over whatever and be back in his office desk at 5:00 (90% of the time) and in that time have made $500 in remuneration, and he got a fancy position title that padded his resume. When it comes to chairs, it's often how much you want to put in to it. A lot of time these guys in these positions got there because they are already extremely ambitious and continue to work hard hours and want to give back, but I've heard of some who simply "show up" and have someone else write the reports, sign off and head home.

In any case, this guy applied for the position and the council appointed him. Unless he was the only person to apply, someone missed out on a position they wanted for whatever reason. For optics sake, Nenshi should not be go out to this guy and asking him to organize an elite fundraiser under the circumstances. (And really, based on Nenshi's own views, he should never be holding a $5000 a plate exclusive lunch but I think nearly everyone of us agree that's not defendable anyways.)

[CaptainYooh]

Originally Posted by Oling_Roachinen

... For optics sake, Nenshi should not be go out to this guy and asking him to organize an elite fundraiser under the circumstances. ...

I agree with this 100%.

[V]

I've often wondered who in their right mind would be interested in sitting on the SDAB. I thought they would have to be paid a significant amount of money for the crap they have to deal with.

[CaptainYooh]

Originally Posted by V

I've often wondered who in their right mind would be interested in sitting on the SDAB. I thought they would have to be paid a significant amount of money for the crap they have to deal with.

Well, this is going to sound a bit corny, but there are people that want to contribute and give back to the community. SDAB is a quasi-judicial mixed Board - it consists of Council members and citizen members. So, that everyone can have the right to have their voice heard in development approval/refusal matters. SDAB gives them that opportunity without spending a fortune in courts. It is an honourable position that requires dedication of one's personal time, effort and resources. That's satisfactory enough to those people.

Having said the above, I am sure some members are looking for other intangible benefits (i.e. gaining experience in development matters, getting familiar with the City staff etc.)

[Oling_Roachinen]

Originally Posted by V

I've often wondered who in their right mind would be interested in sitting on the SDAB. I thought they would have to be paid a significant amount of money for the crap they have to deal with.

There are a lot of people who do take the public servants part literal. A lot of people want to contribute and give back, make sure voices are heard and the community gets better. Some of these boards, and some of these people on them, are taking the opportunity to do just that.

And for sure, like a lot of other "volunteering" opportunities, there are people who are looking at padding their resume. It's never going to look bad if you chaired some city board or commission when you start trying to get into provincial boards or enter politics.

[Bunk]

To me having Bill Chomik - SDAB chair is (or should be) irrelevant to the matter. As has been discussed, this is no high paying cushy appointment- it is a true giving back, lending professional expertise type appointment. It's extremely demanding and time consuming - not just the hearings, but the crafting of the very detailed decision documents that span dozens of pages often. The chair especially is involved in a lot of that writing. It's quasi-judicial, so the chair is basically a judge, but paid a relatively nominal honoraria. I assume he does it because at this point in his career he has the ability to do it, and does less day to day management of his architecture firm.

A pay (big $) for access, real or perceived is really the mistake here. That said, is the accessibility of this particular Mayor a real issue? He might be the most accessible Mayor in the history of the city.

[Kjesse]

Originally Posted by Bunk

To me having Bill Chomik - SDAB chair is (or should be) irrelevant to the matter. As has been discussed, this is no high paying cushy appointment- it is a true giving back, lending professional expertise type appointment. It's extremely demanding and time consuming - not just the hearings, but the crafting of the very detailed decision documents that span dozens of pages often. The chair especially is involved in a lot of that writing. It's quasi-judicial, so the chair is basically a judge, but paid a relatively nominal honoraria. I assume he does it because at this point in his career he has the ability to do it, and does less day to day management of his architecture firm.

A pay (big $) for access, real or perceived is really the mistake here.

I don't disagree a lot with what you have posted here, and very much appreciate the many helpful posts you have made about local politics on this forum, but..... there is more that happens with being a member of the SDAB than giving back. There's more to this.

I quickly scanned CanLII as SDAB decisions are now posted there, and those decisions list who comprised the panel for each decision. Its clear these near volunteers (as they don't get paid much, I agree with that in this case) are most often professionals in the real esate development industry, with a heavily weighted mix of design professionals including architects, and real estate lawyers, there's even an urban environment professor from the UofC.

I also agree that the SDAB hearings are mind-numbingly boring. I attended one meeting and know two former board members, one of whom I consider a close friend. They assert the SDAB's good work but its clear they were happy to do it for only a short time and exit.

Here is where the benefit lies, and I'm not suggesting any particular member of the SDAB is doing it for this reason: It gives you and your company status in the real estate development community. It helps when you are asked to advise on how a development submission should read. It causes you to be considered an expert in development permit issues. This helps either the person or their firm. That is not make a suggestion that the reason people join it is for personal gain, but it gives prestige and recognition.

You have commented on the quasi-judicial role the SDAB plays. That is correct. Their decisions are now even on CanLII. Contrast to the role of a real judge, QB, Provincial, Federal. They only work for the government. There are no sitting judges who work for law firms, and it would never be allowed.

So when you have a prominent architect of a for-profit firm who is supporting a $5000 per plate lunch with the mayor, all while being the chair of the SDAB, the conflict should be obvious. The SDAB is subordinate to counsel. The architect firm relies upon revenue from all kinds of local development. Being a member of the SDAB suggests you are an expert in development and permit issues. Even if you don't submit the applications, if you're part of a firm that does, and having a member of the SDAB probably impacts the perception in the development permit office as to the credibility of your application.

I know, the most often issues that go before the SDAB are mundane things like garages and decks, but the advisors/professionals who know how to present things to the permit office in the first place are sought after, and some of those are on the SDAB. I note the SDAB is an independent entity formally, and separate from the planning/permit branch, but there is an element of advantage that comes if you have a firm or hire a professional which includes a current or former SDAB member.

Again, I have no information to suggest the current chair is doing Nenshi a favour to get him $200,000 to campaign with which in turn will lead to more work for the architect firm, but the optics are totally wrong.

I could go on about McIver doing similar things, but I won't, he has however been pretty cozy with the construction industry also. Its how politics has been done and its something Nenshi himself has called out as inappropriate. Now he does it himself. That's why I said it was time for change of mayor, not because I'm a right winger or a left winger, but because principles matter. I think we have had a good mayor in Nenshi but he's changed.

[GaiJin]

What's really wrong with Nenshi was that his first response was to call people dumb and stupid as a defence.

[para transit fellow]

I just noticed that Calgary is still looking for people to sit on boards and committees

June 30 deadline
http://www.calgary.ca/CA/city-clerks...ommittees.aspx

http://www.calgary.ca/CA/city-clerks...l/BCC-FAQ.aspx

[calgarygeologist]

I didn't want to start a new thread and wasn't sure where else to ask this question but what the white diamonds for that are mounted on some of the lights at intersections? I see them all over the NW but I don't recall seeing them in other parts of the city. An example is here (on top of the light pole): https://www.google.ca/maps/@51.13711...8XEpPf16oQ!2e0

[para transit fellow]

Originally Posted by calgarygeologist

I didn't want to start a new thread and wasn't sure where else to ask this question but what the white diamonds for that are mounted on some of the lights at intersections? I see them all over the NW but I don't recall seeing them in other parts of the city. An example is here (on top of the light pole): https://www.google.ca/maps/@51.13711...8XEpPf16oQ!2e0

antenna?

[Jimmy Stang]

Originally Posted by calgarygeologist

I didn't want to start a new thread and wasn't sure where else to ask this question but what the white diamonds for that are mounted on some of the lights at intersections? I see them all over the NW but I don't recall seeing them in other parts of the city. An example is here (on top of the light pole): https://www.google.ca/maps/@51.13711...8XEpPf16oQ!2e0

Originally Posted by para transit fellow

antenna?

Do you see them just just throughout Hawkwood? Hawkwood has a community wifi network (free but ad supported), so it could be related to that.

http://calgary.ctvnews.ca/calgary-ne...wi-fi-1.450134

http://muniwireless.com/2010/03/12/h...ets-free-wifi/

Anyone live there and use it? Does it replace your internet service from Shaw or Telus? Is it still in operation? The articles are from a few years back.

[calgarygeologist]

Originally Posted by Jimmy Stang

Do you see them just just throughout Hawkwood? Hawkwood has a community wifi network (free but ad supported), so it could be related to that.

http://calgary.ctvnews.ca/calgary-ne...wi-fi-1.450134

http://muniwireless.com/2010/03/12/h...ets-free-wifi/

Anyone live there and use it? Does it replace your internet service from Shaw or Telus? Is it still in operation? The articles are from a few years back.

Yes, around Hawkwood but also down John Laurie on the edge of Edgemont as well.

[Northendzone]

what is the mayor's favourite ride on the midway? is he in a chuckwagon pool? and how many of the new food groups is he planning on trying?

[Ozy_Flame]

Originally Posted by Northendzone

what is the mayor's favourite ride on the midway? is he in a chuckwagon pool? and how many of the new food groups is he planning on trying?

Are you planning to take him on a date?

[Northendzone]

^ no, as I personally do not overly enjoy the stampede. it just seemed like a timely question.

my idea of a good date would likely involve mtn bikes or lake louise