MF YYC Politics - there, I mega did it

[PaperBagger'14]

I'm not thrilled with this payout at all, and I was never a Gondek thumper, but it's $100 000. This controversy ranks at 1/5 blue rings

[OptimalTates]

Originally Posted by PaperBagger'14

I'm not thrilled with this payout at all, and I was never a Gondek thumper, but it's $100 000. This controversy ranks at 1/5 blue rings

Bigger issue appears to be the blatant lie. CBC article came out late February 2, 2022 with an official saying that he would not receive a severance but Carter had already been given his strictly confidential employment termination letter informing he had received a $104,000 severance subject to lawful deductions. They were hoping to pay him off and keep it under wraps. That's far worse than having bad taste in art.

[iggy_oi]

Originally Posted by Envitro

It's awfully quiet here from the pro-Gondek crowd.

Imagine if this was a "conservative" mayor, the uproar would be defeaning.

Are you certain that some people wouldn’t care in either case?

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by OptimalTates

Bigger issue appears to be the blatant lie. CBC article came out late February 2, 2022 with an official saying that he would not receive a severance but Carter had already been given his strictly confidential employment termination letter informing he had received a $104,000 severance subject to lawful deductions. They were hoping to pay him off and keep it under wraps. That's far worse than having bad taste in art.

If he was fired for cause, and there are reports that there were complaints about him that lead to his termination. Then the city and the Mayor literally unnecessarily paid him.


If he wasn't fired for cause then the city lied about this and that falls at the Mayors feet as well.


The fact that she's arrogant enough to believe that this can be silenced at a personal matter is amazing. Its taxpayer money, its a city employee and its a city lie so saying its personal is not and should not wash.


Her trying to write this off as a little thing. That's pretty arrogant and out of touch as well. She definitely has had a rough go as mayor and I'm amazed that she can walk with all the bullet holes in her feet.



At the end of the day, its a big lie. Its an out of touch mayor, Its tax payer money being wasted.

[OptimalTates]

Having cause to fire someone and being able to fire with cause are two different things. Unsubstantiated claims that would need to be properly investigated could take awhile and take up resources. Then even if you substantiated the claims he's going to go to court with that much money and his reputation on the line. It's almost certainly the cheapest and most efficient way of removing him as quickly as possible.

I have zero issue with them giving him the severance.

How he had such a substantial severance in the first place I would like to know more about it. Maybe it's standard. It's not an unimportant role he had, trying to get qualified people in it may require that level of security. I really have no idea.

But then how did he get into a role that required that type of qualified position in the first place? That was the first question, and it's unfortunate that Gondek didn't have much of an answer.

But now I think the more important question is why did an official tell CBC he would not receive a severance when it was already decided he would? Miscommunication or out right lie? Either way it looks very bad on the City in my opinion. Moreso that it was never corrected until a FOIP request by CTV which likely took 3 months to complete.

[powderjunkie]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

If he was fired for cause, and there are reports that there were complaints about him that lead to his termination. Then the city and the Mayor literally unnecessarily paid him.


If he wasn't fired for cause then the city lied about this and that falls at the Mayors feet as well.


The fact that she's arrogant enough to believe that this can be silenced at a personal matter is amazing. Its taxpayer money, its a city employee and its a city lie so saying its personal is not and should not wash.


Her trying to write this off as a little thing. That's pretty arrogant and out of touch as well. She definitely has had a rough go as mayor and I'm amazed that she can walk with all the bullet holes in her feet.



At the end of the day, its a big lie. Its an out of touch mayor, Its tax payer money being wasted.

Personnel matter. Like when Michael Scott takes a personnel day off.

The screwup was giving any more details than required about a personnel matter in the first place.

[woob]

Gondek voter here. Optics on this don't look great, and not impressed with how it was communicated.

Gondek's definitely had some missteps which make me wonder, but I'm also not about to hold a first year mayor's feet to the fire while she figures this out. She definitely needs to work on communication and realize she's Mayor now and not a councillor.

[powderjunkie]

She was botching comms when she had Carter, so it's not surprising that the botches continue during the transition.

We're paying a sunk $105k so an A-hole can stop doing a poor job.

Meanwhile, we're paying $575k so Dr. Verna Yiu can stop doing a fair* job while we remain in a ####ing pandemic.

I hate whataboutism, but I'm really struggling to muster much indignation here compared to the buffoonery at the prov. and fed. levels.

*I don't think any of us could fairly adjudicate her tenure, but it's fair to say the 'Superboard' CEO position was an absolute ####show from its introduction in 2009 until Dr. Yiu came in 2016 (6 CEOs in 7 years).

[TorqueDog]

Originally Posted by woob

Gondek voter here. Optics on this don't look great, and not impressed with how it was communicated.

Gondek's definitely had some missteps which make me wonder, but I'm also not about to hold a first year mayor's feet to the fire while she figures this out. She definitely needs to work on communication and realize she's Mayor now and not a councillor.

I better be able to look back on this in mid-2025 and think "Well, after those initial growing pains, I think she got it together, did a great job, and deserves to keep going", because right now, yeah, I will say that Gondek is doing a hell of a great job making me reconsider my vote.

That doesn't mean it would have gone to that nitwit Farkas in hindsight; sorry, conservatives.

[Hemi-Cuda]

Originally Posted by the_only_turek_fan

Great use of tax dollars. But keep raising taxes!

The people that vote for these clowns are idiots.

Well the problem with this last election is that there was really no other viable choice than Gondek. Do you really think Farkas would have been any better?

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Hemi-Cuda

Well the problem with this last election is that there was really no other viable choice than Gondek. Do you really think Farkas would have been any better?

What really sucks is that we can say that about pretty much every election in recent memory.

[btimbit]

Honestly, I do regret that election, I broke my rule of voting for who I believe in vs just voting against who I dislike the most, and I voted for Gondek instead of Damery. I wish I just circled the box next to Jan and went about my business, but I guess that's just how much I hate Farkas

[Locke]

Originally Posted by btimbit

Honestly, I do regret that election, I broke my rule of voting for who I believe in vs just voting against who I dislike the most, and I voted for Gondek instead of Damery. I wish I just circled the box next to Jan and went about my business, but I guess that's just how much I hate Farkas

In fairness though...he is an immensely hate-able person.

[bizaro86]

Originally Posted by btimbit

Honestly, I do regret that election, I broke my rule of voting for who I believe in vs just voting against who I dislike the most, and I voted for Gondek instead of Damery. I wish I just circled the box next to Jan and went about my business, but I guess that's just how much I hate Farkas

Yeah, I wish I would have voted someone else as well. I think Farkas kneecaped us getting someone good because he's so terrible and had a lead so the vote coalesced around the initial 2nd place. Hopefully we have a better quality challenger when her term is up. Definitely too bad they went to 4 years for this...

[calgarygeologist]

Originally Posted by bizaro86

Yeah, I wish I would have voted someone else as well. I think Farkas kneecaped us getting someone good because he's so terrible and had a lead so the vote coalesced around the initial 2nd place. Hopefully we have a better quality challenger when her term is up. Definitely too bad they went to 4 years for this...

The movement to voting in blocks for "Anyone But xxxxx" is definitely not helpful in electing quality and competent candidates. I will always vote for a candidate based on merit and who I like best even if they have no hope of winning. Strategically voting to keep someone from winning is not a guarantee that the resultant winner isn't going to be garbage anyways. People need to stop playing games and critically evaluate candidates and vote based on that.

That being said a ranked ballot system for municipal elections would likely be pretty beneficial as well.

[The Fisher Account]

Definitely don't think Jyoti is off to a resounding start, but I don't think firing her Chief of Staff matters all that much in the grand scheme of things.

[FormerPresJamesTaylor]

Originally Posted by the_only_turek_fan

Great use of tax dollars. But keep raising taxes!

The people that vote for these clowns are idiots.

Who have you voted for the last ten years of elections? Local, provincial and federal.

[TorqueDog]

^the_only_turek_fan strikes me as a steadfast Paul Hallelujah voter.

Originally Posted by The Fisher Account

Definitely don't think Jyoti is off to a resounding start, but I don't think firing her Chief of Staff matters all that much in the grand scheme of things.

Firing her Chief of Staff isn't even what mattered, it's openly lying about the details of his termination. If the details aren't required to be disclosed, then don't disclose them. But if you are going to disclose them, you best not be lying about it.

[bizaro86]

Originally Posted by The Fisher Account

Definitely don't think Jyoti is off to a resounding start, but I don't think firing her Chief of Staff matters all that much in the grand scheme of things.

That's true, but it's also way underselling the issues with her. It isn't that she fired him, it's that she fired him and then lied about the money. It's also the inability to use Twitter like an adult, sending money to fight a Quebec law, the event centre fiasco, etc. Putting that up against the biggest accomplishment of her term so far, which is what, picking a municipal bird? "Not resounding" is the most optimistic possible take on her term so far.

[TorqueDog]

Originally Posted by bizaro86

Putting that up against the biggest accomplishment of her term so far, which is what, picking a municipal bird?

Excuse you, don't try to give that to Jyoti. That accomplishment belongs to my miserable Karen of a councillor.

Originally Posted by Global News

The notice of motion, brought forward by Ward 11 Coun. Kourtney Penner, was passed 13 to one by the city’s executive committee with only Coun. Sean Chu opposed.