From: Lydia Smith <lrsmith200@gmail.com>
Date: 5 June 2017 at 11:32
Subject: Unable to Book Tour of HMCS Goose Bay
To: Deputy Mayor John Henderson <jhenderson@cobourg.ca>, Councillor Suzanne Seguin <sseguin@cobourg.ca>
Cc: Councillor Aaron Burchat <aburchat1@cogeco.ca>, Councillor Brian Darling <bdarling@cobourg.ca>, Councillor Debra McCarthy <dmccarthy@cobourg.ca>, Councillor Forrest Rowden <frowden@cobourg.ca>, Mayor Gil Brocanier <gbrocanier@cobourg.ca>
Dear John and Suzanne
I am sorry to be writing to you again with respect to the town website. I am doing it because I think it is important in your respective roles of Government Services and Community Services to be informed that the process is not working for Cobourg Citizens.
I was disappointed last year not to be able to visit the HMCS Goose Bay. This year, I made a point of following it again.
This morning, I got an Email from a friend advising me that I had to sign up if I wanted a tour!
I went to the Town of Cobourg website: http://www.cobourg.ca/en/index.aspx
Clicked on the HMCS Goose Bay info: http://www.cobourg.ca/Modules/News/index.aspx?newsId=79d39e2b-cd0b-4570-8bdc-77be1b167a2e
It does not say anything about having to book the tour.
I went back to the town website. In the bottom left quadrant there is a Facebook Post from June 2 alluding to the tour. When I click on it, I have to log in/sign up for Facebook. I don’t do Facebook. And I don’t want to. So it won’t let me see anything or sign up.
My friend gave me an Email I could write to: communications@cobourg.ca. I have written to that Email. Hopefully, I will hear back that I can go on the tour.
Please give direction to Stephen Peacock to get Back to Basics. As CAO, it is his ultimate responsibility to ensure that processes are working effectively just as it is council’s responsibility to hold him accountable to do that.
I did not set out this morning to look for errors in process or enjoy taking my time to bring these issues to your attention. If I didn’t care about the town and enjoy its goings on, I would just abandon the town’s website altogether. I persist because I care.
I also presume that this is yet another aggravation that you, as elected officials, neither want nor need. I am sorry to add to your workload. It is high time to fix these processes and start communicating effectively with our citizens.
Sincerely
Lydia Smith
President
Cobourg Taxpayers Association
Replies and Updates
From: John Henderson [mailto:jhenderson@cobourg.ca]
Sent: June-05-17 1:30 PM
To: Lydia Smith; Suzanne Séguin
Cc: Councillor Aaron Burchat ; Brian Darling; Debra McCarthy; Forrest Rowden; Gil Brocanier
Subject: RE: Unable to Book Tour of HMCS Goose Bay
Lydia,
After receiving your e-mail, I approached Kara Euale (keuale@cobourg.ca) and shared your concern regarding registration and entry unto the HMCS Goose Bay. I requested that Kara follow-up with you on this matter.
When I spoke with Kara she was in the process of verifying and confirming the 70 plus names that she had received with one of these being your name. I believe Kara has been instructed by the Captain of the HMCS to ensure that no group exceeds 13 individuals per tour slot. I know that Kara was working diligently and communicating with the captain to gain additional tour slots due to the strong interest shown by our Town citizens. I am hoping that with your conversation with Kara that you will have an opportunity to have a guided tour on the HMCS Goose Bay.
Regards,
John
From: Lydia Smith
Date: 5 June 2017 at 13:54
Subject: RE: Unable to Book Tour of HMCS Goose Bay
To: John Henderson <jhenderson@cobourg.ca>, Suzanne Séguin <sseguin@cobourg.ca>
Cc: Councillor Aaron Burchat <aburchat1@cogeco.ca>, Brian Darling <bdarling@cobourg.ca>, Debra McCarthy <dmccarthy@cobourg.ca>, Forrest Rowden <frowden@cobourg.ca>, Gil Brocanier <gbrocanier@cobourg.ca>
Hi John
Thank you for your reply/follow up. Kara did call me at 12:15 to explain that she is trying to arrange things.
John, I am concerned that you have missed the concerns expressed by the Cobourg Taxpayers Association. The main point of our letter was to let council know that there appears to be a breakdown within the town’s communication processes.
I did not get the email address from the town but heard about it from a friend; otherwise, I would have just shown up tomorrow. FYI – I have since heard from another friend who said this about the ship tour, “ I signed up 2 days ago (or so I think), with no response so don’t know whether I am booked – or did it go in a hole”.
We are not looking at isolated incidents here but rather trends.
Sincerely
Lydia Smith
President
Cobourg Taxpayers Association