fake election, part 2

Time for the clique that controls the fake Lynwood “community association” to hold its annual “election.”

The buildings in Westcliffe and Lynwood parks belong to the public but they’ve been privatized by a small group of insiders and crooked politicians. Board members and their friends use the public facility as their private clubhouse, subsidized by the rest of us.

Prime time is permanently reserved for insiders who get to use the building without paying rent. Others can ask for access at other times but are charged up to $50/hr for the privilege. Half of this money is supposed to go to the City of Ottawa to lessen the burden on the taxpayer, but the board slyly keeps a hefty chunk of the money for itself.

All of these corrupt deals are kept secret – there is almost no accountability or transparency required of the connected insiders who have privatized a public facility for their own personal and financial benefit.

Here are some of the leaders of the Lynwood clique:

Facebook bully Tristan Maack markets himself on social media as a Buddhist recovering alcoholic but he confessed to me that crack cocaine and heroin were his drugs of choice when he was living in the streets. Outed as a Ashley-Madison philanderer he blamed it on his addictions to alcohol and illegal drugs.

Serial politician Jean-Luc Cooke proves that the Green Party has its share of dishonest self-serving politicians.

Jen Samuel has been in power ever since Rick Chiarelli and the City bureaucrats took control of the community association. Samuel has made sure that her friends who run home daycare businesses get free use of the building at the expense of other residents.

Samuel’s friend Shannon Kenney is a City bureaucrat who played a key role in the nasty bullying that installed a board vetted by the swaggering councillor.

The big issue isn’t the tax dollars wasted or the sleazy tactics of the Lynwood and Westcliffe cliques and their friends at City Hall. Lost opportunities, wasted potential – residents deserve a REAL community association that engages the whole community instead of just going through the motions with a lame corporate-political family fun day once a year and a few other photo-op events. Self-proclaimed representatives of the community should be there to serve the residents, not to benefit from the perks of power.

There are lots of examples of vibrant and democratic community associations that serve the residents effectively. They are active, transparent and not beholden to the councillor. They have REAL websites, REAL meetings, REAL members and are a strong force for improving their neighbourhoods. In Bells Corners we have slick self-promoting presidents-for-life who lead small cliques who will never willingly give up power.

This parent is upset about plans to convert Bells Corners PS from an English program school to a centre for French immersion.

The Catholic board must rubbing its hands with glee at the prospect of more students and more revenue.

Tough choice for parents!

A new front lawn in Lynwood Village can cost more than $5000 if you start from scratch.

Should you buy candy for Halloween? How much?

How many kids can be expected to show up at your door during a typical Bells Corners Halloween (2014, 2013, 2012 2011)? This map shows that, outside of Westcliffe, most Bells Corners neighbourhoods are low in kids.

Over a quarter of Lynwood residents are elderly.