Very Thin Skin Over at the Windsor Star

I had to chuckle, not very loudly of course, but chuckle I did.

In the Saturday, October 10, 2009 edition of the Windsor Star, feature opinion writer Chris Vander Doelen (whom I confess to knowing and liking) did a piece about the City of Windsor and County of Essex, doing some "fence mending". The story had little to do with the City-County feud or with any real fence mending. It was just a cover for the Windsor Star to slip in another piece on the Windsor Essex Development Commission (WEDC) and, of course, to take a shot at yours truly, and the previous WEDC Baord. Readers of my blog know I pull no punches when talking about the failures and antics over at the Windsor Star, especially this past week. Star management was very quick to show some very thin skin.

Back to the details of the Vander Doelen story. Chris always tries to be polite and careful, which he was in this article. But he did give this story a certain slant. That is okay; I have always said that is one of the perks given to an opinion writer. But what I don't understand is, why do it under some kind of false cover? Hey, just say what you have to say.

Okay, let me see if I can summarize Vander Doelen's main points:

• the previous Board was paid an honorarium
• when the WEDC was left without a CEO, the Board appointed me via my company
• I was paid $1200 a day (Chris claims this is my standard rate)
• the previous Board received bad legal advice
• the result of the bad legal advice was that some monies had to be donated to charities to resolve a Revenue Canada issue
• and new Board Chairman Lindsay Boyd, with a big sigh, just doesn't know where and how the old Board went wrong

Let me deal with Lindsay Boyd first. Lindsay, the entire previous Board is aware that you pretended to support us when you talked to me, but often ran to City Hall to slam us behind our backs. Every time you did this, my phone rang from multiple sources. Anyway, I wish you and the new Board lots of luck. I don't think any of the previous Board members will be slamming you and the new Board in public or behind your back.

Yes, the previous Board received an honorarium, just like the Board at the Windsor Airport and the Board over at the County of Essex Power Corporation. I wonder, who is the Chair of that Essex Power Corpoaration? The City and County, via their own transition Board, approved the policy of honorariums for the WEDC Board. Chris forgot to mention that.

Yes, I was paid $1200 a day plus reasonable expenses. Chris, just so you know, this is far below my private sector market rate. And in the private sector when I negotiate rates, I usually, not always, get stock options as well. And, oh Chris, I know you would want to know that I and my company donated 2 days per week to the Commission for a period of 18 months. This was a promise I made to the Board, which I kept in full. I will let the wizards at the Windsor Star calculate what all of that was worth, and while they are at it, they might want to consider a factor for lost opportunity and add that to the calculation.

Chris, please let me know when any of the new WEDC Board members decides to forgo 2 days per week of pay or income for a period of 18 months to support the WEDC effort. I am not a rich man, but I was happy to be able to do it. I thought the cause was worth it.

Chris makes no mention of the fact that the previous Board inherited an operational and legal mess. We did not make a big deal about it because we knew our job was to fix it up, and for the most part we did just that. The previous Board was very competent, did a good job, and got a lot done. Those are the facts.

Yes, maybe we did receive bad legal advice; I don't know as I don't have access to what the new Board is dealing with.

If the consequences of the so-called bad legal advice is that some Windsor-Essex charities received donations, well I accept full responsiblity for that, and I know the charities will use the money wisely.

In closing may I recommend:

• that all Board meeting packages, initiatives, and documents of the previous Board be made public. Please black out the names of any and all clients, as we promised clients their names would not be made public unless they chose to do so;
• make public all Board packages, initiatives and documents of the new Board since March 2009;
• and please make public the Board orientation packages prepared for the new Board, which I am sure were prepared under the guidance of new Board Chair Lindsay Boyd, so we can get an appreciation of his knowledge, skillset, and leadership style;
• oh, and please make public all the advertising and joint initiatives the previous Board undertook in partnership with the Windsor Star. From my understanding Star management was exceptionally pleased with our joint effort. And if the Star made some money on those joint efforts, that is good, too.

I am sure an objective comparison of all the obove documents would be interesting. And you know, there is no better person to do that than Chris Vander Doelan.

Again, my readers will know that I have pulled no punches when talking about the Windsor Star. A couple of close Amherstburg friends have asked me if I am worried the Star might go after me. Let me say this: I know the Star has a lot of resources, including Chris Vander Doelen, and yes I expect them to go after me. The Star folks are not used to real scrutiny, and when they get some, they react poorly. Everyone should know that I really appreciate the Star folks visiting my Fair Play Blog daily. Thanks for the support.

And I say to my Amherstburg friends, no, I am not worried about it.