Matt Todd's Pursuit of Idyll Minds

I don’t think I’m arrogant. I’m probably pompous though. And I don’t think I know it all, but I tend to be dogmatic.

Maybe there’s no difference, but I like to think there is. I like to think one is egotisitical and holds an inflated sense of self-importance, whereas the other is very confident in their abilities and ideas but understands that there is always someone with a greater skill or better idea.

I know I need to keep working on my active-listening and listening-with-empathy skills, but I really do try. Seems to me, this is the way to temper my confidence and take the negative bite out of my dogmatic pomposity.

Would you like some more money? Does that make you greedy?

Do you feel there’s value in the work you do? Does that make you arrogant?

The letters to the Editor this weekend irritate me for two reasons. First, because the issue of pay increases for councillors seems to be sticking to me. And second, because of the insinuation that serving as an elected official ought to be a volunteer commitment.

For the first, it seems the assumption is that since I’m one of the hardest working councillors and don’t have a ‘real job’, that I must be the one pushing for an increase. And that, since I’ve been quoted in the newspaper explaining the workload of a councillor, I must be trying to justify support for an increase.

For the second, it seems the assumption is that a councillor’s work is for the public good and that to do it well it must be done out of selfless motivation, so therefore payment for time and skills would create a corrupting incentive – Out of concern for the people they serve, public servants should serve without payment.

I don’t even think I should have to defend myself against these assumptions. But I will anyway.

1. I did not bring up the issue of pay increases for councillors. I did not bring it up with other councillors in private, in any meeting, at any time. I did not raise the issue.

2. When asked if I believed the work I do is undervalued by the payment I receive, my answer was “yes”. I explained that when the issue was previously brought up, I opposed an increase. But since then, I have had 3 years experience in the role. It is a lot more work than I had been expecting.

However, in response to the question of whether I would accept an increase, I explained how I felt it inappropriate for councillors to pick a number arbitrarily for themselves – that if some on council want to pursue an increase, it should be a third party with no vested interest who determines what is fair.

3. I was quoted in the newspaper because I am often the most accessible councillor. I am the most likely to answer my phone (I forward by home phone to my cell, which is almost always on) and because I rarely skate around a question. I tend to give straight answers to their questions – which means sometimes I’m more quotable just by virtue of the fact I don’t try to avoid answering their questions. So, don’t shoot the messenger. Just because I’m quoted in the newspaper and I’m not rabidly opposed doesn’t mean I’m the one pushing it.

4. I don’t believe being a politician should be considered a career. However, serving is a big commitment with no routine schedule. The time required fluctuates wildly throughout the year. Many of the issues are complex and carry enormous responsibility. To suggest that people take so much time out of their lives, take time away their paying jobs, laden their minds with intense considerations, change the dynamic of their relationships within the community, make themselves vulnerable to those in the community who make it their hobby to point out and ridicule weaknesses of any public person, …

Yes, this is public service. This is not something people get into for the pay cheque. But at the same time, I didn’t sign up to be a martyr. Though it would be impossible to assign a financial value to the responsibilities, I don’t think it’s fair to suggest I should do it and take all the abuse for free. That’s just insulting. It’s a gross dismissal of the weight of time and effort that goes into doing the job properly. It’s public service, not public slavery.

Some say being a councillor should be done as volunteer work. Some others feel we don’t work hard enough. To both I say, look at my record. Look at the volume of work I did. Look at the amount of time I invested. Look at the range of issues I had to study and learn about. Look at the weight of responsibility that was vested in me. And then consider that this is something that continues throughout the year. I’ve been ongoing non-stop for three years and another three year term is just beginning.

I think it’s totally unreasonable to suggest that this kind of time and responsibility would not have some sort of remuneration.

I achieved things I was told were impossible. I am the councillor who had the most assignments over the past three years, yet I was the only one who’s committees actually met their delegated tasks.

If anybody on council deserves an increase, it’s me. I was quoted in the newspaper explaining the issue, but don’t shoot the messenger. I wasn’t me who brought it up. I wasn’t asking for a raise.

Hands down, no contest. The Bosa team was far more responsive and respectful. They took the time to explain their ideas, then listen – really listen – to feedback. Most of the time that constructive criticism could be seen reflected in revisions. It wasn’t usually exactly what was suggested, but I could see there was real consideration to the concerns or effort to incorporate the principles discussed. Sometimes they offered a fully detailed explanation of why they wouldn’t or couldn’t pursue a suggestion. They honoured the parameters set by the City. They stayed within the limits set by the City’s rules. They engaged fully and clearly demonstrated respect for the community. It certainly makes me feel far more confident in the Bosa team. Hopefully Coast Capital and the Cooperators will take some notes as they watch the Bosa proposal blaze past them.

This afternoon the City’s Advisory Design Panel reviewed the Cooperators proposal for the site along Thrift between Johnston and George.

It was very gratifying to listen to the panel members. They raised all the same issues I was concerned with.

A new and important pieces of information came to light. Until now, I couldn’t understand why they were so incredibly resistant to suggestions that I thought were fairly fundamental.

A few of the main concerns at this point are: how interesting the storefronts are along Johnston; making sure it’s easy to get around for people with wheelchairs or walkers; and the usefulness of the public square.

It turns out, the reason it seems those concerns are not being given the level priority the City wants is that Coast Capital has a conflicting set of priorities. Coast Capital currently has a location on the site and part of their contract in selling its land was that they be guaranteed space in the new building. Where the problems come is that they have a long list of criteria which clash with the City’s standards.

They insist that their customers will want to enter their parking lot from Thrift. But creating a vehicle entrance on Thrift lifts the public square up so that it can’t be seen from the street/sidewalk and can only be accessed by stairs from Thrift.

They want to move into their new location without any disruption to the delivery of service to their customers. But this means that the project must be built in two phases so the parkade must have an entrance from Thrift.

They want the bank to have maximum frontage along Johnston and have everything on the ground level. But this creates the inevitable closed-blind-window walls that makes for a very boring street with no shops along the way.

It seems the impediment to this project moving forward is either a lack of flexibility from Coast Capital.

As a City Councillor, I have to be concerned with the very long term quality of life of White Rock. I have to be concerned with how it will feel to walk along the sidewalks of George, Thrift and Johnston… for the next 50+ years.

If asked whether I care about Coast Capital’s ability to please its customers, the answer is yes, of course. However, if asked what is more important, a temporary inconvenience for Coast Capital customers or the long term viability of the City’s main street – I’m going to say that making Johnston and Thrift more interesting and pleasant places to walk and shop over the next several decades is a far higher priority for me.

Hopefully Coast Capital will step up to a higher standard for this project. It would be very unfortunate for the City and Coast Capital both to miss out on the potential this site offers.

What’s good for the City will be good for Coast Capital, and vice versa.

I made a News Year’s resolution to keep a journal.

Our perceptions change with our experiences. Everything we learn influences our assumptions. Those assumptions shape our expectations.

Just for myself, I’d like to have a record of how my world evolves. But I’ve decided to keep this journal public on the internet so that White Rock citizens can learn with me, better understand why I do the things I do and make the decisions I make.

I’m hoping this will encourage more thoughtful discussions on issues in the city. Sharing my thoughts, assumptions and expectations, I’m hoping to engage you in more open dialogue.

I have been learning a lot the past three years as a City Councillor. The past two months has been especially interesting. I’ve attended a series of lectures by people who try to put ethereal and abstract philosophical ideals into real and tangible practice – what does a “comfortable” city look like?

These are interesting minds. I’m hoping to share what I learn from them with you.

In this journal I expect I will be talking about democracy and urban planning – theory and the application of principles.

I chose the name “pursuit of idyll minds” because I like how there so many ways to interpret the phrase: Motivated visionaries or lazy dreamers, pursuing or being pursued? You decide.

Share your thoughts in the pursuit of idyll minds.