This Guysborough Girl's days are numbered...

So, I'm leaving the end of this month to head back to cbc.ca in Toronto. Same game, different place, better shoe shopping. It was a really tough decision, and I'll really miss parts of Guysborough. At the same time, I'll be glad to get my hands on sunny weather Starbucks double chocolate chip blended cream frappucinos.

Until then, chocolate pie at the bakery is an excellent substitute.

Life has been busy here at the Journal. Someone stole the alligator from the playground in Mulgrave, Seafreez has said that it won't have any work this summer, the Deep Panuke recommendations are coming in, and, of course, last night was Guysborough Council.

Normally a highly efficient, orderly council, last night was anything but. The first item on the agenda was the presentation from the Concerned Citizens of Lincolnville, same one as last time but this time it was on the agenda and sent to committee for consideration. This went fairly well, until council said it wasn't going to be forcing any resignations or creating any committees during the meeting.

It turned into a screaming match where I'm pretty sure councillors were trying to explain that things have to be done in due process, i.e. sent to committee, notice given, etc. I can't say for sure, because no one stopped to listen. The Concerned Citizens might be better off without their contingent from Halifax, who kept yelling at council to strike a committee instantly. They also kept referring to Robert's Rules of Law--the parliamentary procedures--as governance, but someone should perhaps explain to them that municipal councils operate according to council bylaws.

Looks like someone isn't doing their homework and is misleading the Concerned Citizens. No wonder they're disappointed if they're being told that something can happen instantly and it doesn't. Problem is, councils don't work that way.

Then came a banner. By this point, the council had allowed for a question and answer session to pursue, with a lot of questions but no time for answers. And heckling from the advocates of Robert's rules.

The banner stated five demands, including a public apology for last month's walk out on the unplanned presentation, the resignations of Sheila Pelly and Alonzo Reddick, the closure of the landfill and a new committee.

Council put forward plans to meet in Lincolnville for their regular meeting next month, but were told they wouldn't be welcome in the community, that no one invited them.

So, what happens next? We'll have to see whether any one from the community shows up at the next meeting if council holds it in Lincolnville, or if council backs out and awaits an invitation. Staff is reviewing the demands, so we'll see what happens there. The one thing that can't happen is the removal of Sheila Pelly, unless she chooses to resign--which I think is unlikely--because council can't fire councillors. That's got to wait another year and a bit for the elections in October 2008, but I fear that's not going to be taken well by the Concerned Citizens, who feel like they're not being represented, or by their quasi-advisors who really should take the time to look up due process and the rules governing the operations of council.

I understand the citizens of Lincolnville are upset, no one wants a landfill near their community. What may help them is to play the game, go through the processes of council, and get advisors who can do the necessary research and behave themselves.