‘I’m not gonna cower’: Council Accountability Group formed in Richmond Hill

The CAG was formed with the mission of informing the public of local politics and holding elected officials accountable

Yorkregion.com
Oct. 2, 2019
Sheila Wang

If you feel confused, ill-informed, or even frustrated with your elected officials in Richmond Hill, you’re not the only one.

About 40 residents gathered at the first meeting of the newly-formed local grassroots community group Council Accountability Group (CAG) to talk about council actions and policies at the Richmond Hill United Church Sept. 25.

“We’ll get people educated and involved rather than a knee-jerk reaction every time something happens,” organizer Marj Andre told the audience at the beginning of the meeting.

The CAG was formed with the mission of informing the public of local politics and holding the elected officials accountable, Andre said, noting that it was not going to be a “b---hing session.”

Piqued by a series of council-related issues since the beginning of this term, the well-known facilitator of community connections teamed up with two other residents, Carol Davidson and Marian Nalley, to make sure the councillors are doing the job that they were elected to do.

Organizers said the group aimed to encourage people to attend or watch council meetings, send out newsletters to keep residents up-to-date on council decisions, and monitor councillors’ actions, conducts and expenses.

“We really want to get people to care. We’re gonna be a presence that they don’t feel now,” said Davidson, a longtime resident from Oak Ridges.

Davidson said she would reach out to the all communities in Richmond Hill and raise awareness on the Richmond Hill council.

Residents took the opportunity to express their opinions about council and the policies that have been put in place, and also exchanged views on how the resident group should make their concerns heard.

One resident reminded the group to keep a “low profile” and warned about the possibility of “being targeted.”

“I’m not gonna cower. I’m already targeted.” Andre responded firmly, referring to another group of hers -- Connecting the Community -- has been priced out of its original venue due to a council decision on April 9.

It was among numerous controversial decisions that councillors have made since the nine representatives were sworn in, from the highrise development proposals to the most recent dispute over the lawn signs of a regional councillor’s city fest.

The organizers noted that the CAG was not intended to replace or overthrow any elected representatives, but rather help inform the voters so that they can make better decisions in the next municipal election.

“We only have three years,” said Marian Nalley -- who is the third organizer, responsible for researching and examining motions and voters.

Nalley said she would like to update the public on what happens in the council chambers on a monthly basis.

While residents’ concerns varied, they all agreed on the need to expand the group to include a diversity of voices.

The next CAG meeting is slated for Oct. 30, 2019 at the lower level of the Richmond Hill United Church.

For more information, visit the CAG’s Facebook page or Twitter at CouncilGroup.