Communication - Say what?

In every business I have been involved with over the years, folks say that there is not enough communication. I find that strange in today's multi-media world. Email, Post-it notes, meetings, newsletters, cell phones, blackberry's, ERP and MRP dashboard systems. We are the most connected generation at work and in our personal lives. So why do we still complain and wish we had more communication? At Ingersoll's all-candidates meeting last night many candidates said communication was the main part of their platform to offer to voters.

It's not the communication we need to improve but rather the information that needs to be considered in my experience.
The Captain of the Titanic announced "Abandon Ship - Women and children first" and yet the first life boats were sparsely filled. Perhaps if he would have said - "Many of us are going to die tonight - get your loved ones off the ship now" there would have been more survivors. People need to know the importance of the information given and it must relate to them somehow.

When I do a business turn-around I tell folks "Look we are in deep DooDoo". They likely already knew but hearing it from management confirms it. Knowing you are in trouble means nothing though. It requires a plan, action and most importantly a culture shift. The CEO of 1-800-JUNK has a mantra - SHARE EVERYTHING. Everybody knows what is needed to make a buck and thousands of decisions are made everyday that the CEO is oblivious too because he knows his folks know what to do. It's a self managing style that I really believe in and have had much success with.

In politics it seems politicians think we can't handle the truth! We get information that is hidden in spreadsheets and complicated statements and most folks don't get past the summary or the glossy brochure.
Take the Town of Ingersoll's financial statements. In a subsection paragraph it talks of a large industrial ratepayer that has a property tax dispute from 2001 to 2008 that totals $9 million spread out at 3 taxation levels. Gee I wonder which taxpayer that is. It is within the right of CAMI to not pay any more taxes than it has to. They are no different than us. Council, especially our Mayor do not want to talk about it. For Ingersoll it means a cheque being issued forthwith for about $3 million and the same at the county level and the School Board. $3 million is about 30% of our property tax income. We just borrowed up to $5 million for our share of the Federal Stimulus funding. It's all public information but in an election year no politician wants to talk about bad news.

I believe folks can handle the truth, even if it hurts. Telling folks the truth when they are in trouble also, brings all hands on deck. It's not the quantity of the information that is important, but rather the pertinence and consequences of inaction that are most needed to share. And communication needs to be tailored to the intended audience. Then you have to use the information to go forward or you end up on a sinking ship and too few life boats to save everyone.

In maritime lingo there are 2 words that describe debris found in the water "Flotsam and Jetsom". Flotsam is debris that was not purposely thrown overboard (ship wreck) but Jetsom is non-essential debris that was tossed overboard to keep the ship afloat. This describes in my opinion what we have to look forward to in the coming years. We may have to jettison some non-essential things, but the important thing is to keep the ship afloat. Communicating abandon ship is not an option, we can not fail, it is too important for the next generation that we can no longer pass off our mistakes. We can't be fooled by spending promises that won't be kept. In this election vote for your wallet. Vote Tim Lobzun for your Mayor of Ingersoll.

Whose fault is it?

I have been around long enough to know that stuff happens! I've been in blame-storming meetings and visited angry customers. It is so much easier to blame and complain rather than do something. During some Quality Improvement training for managers, the instructor asked if something went wrong who do we think is most responsible? Of course we provided a list of the usual suspects but he said in an organization 80% of problems are caused by management. Of course we disputed the ratio and he said he was being kind and it was likely higher. Then he explained!

Management hires and fires, trains, buys supplies and equipment, sets policy, markets goods, sets up the organizational structure and determines the culture.
That has stuck with me for many years and I have used it successfully to get everyone on board when changes are required.

When called upon to help restructure a business, I focus on management issues first. When folks on the front line see a manager working harder to make things better they jump on board and start rowing. When confronted with a stupid procedure, we change the procedure to make the process better. When information like the cost of business is shared with the front line folks they can offer improvement ideas.

In a multi-layered government system like here in Ingersoll, many times when you bring up a concern to local council, you are told it's the County of Oxford's responsibility or it's the Ontario governments rules etc. Statements like that only pass the problem on and add to residents frustrations. If a government body thinks a problem is worthy of a look, too often they throw money at it or pass laws without proper costing. Rarely do they investigate the Root Cause of a problem before acting or consider who else is affected by the law.
Doing something is not the same as doing the right thing.
Doing nothing does not make the problem go away.

Although a Mayor has only one vote, they do have more options to affect change than a regular councillor. Mayors have the chair to allow them to decide tie votes. Mayors have an automatic seat at the AMO to help drive change provincially. Mayors have more time to help staff, to ask questions and to work through issues. In Ingersoll only the Mayor sits at County council or can be Warden or Deputy Warden.

Being Mayor is more than having a reserved parking spot or showing up for photo shoots.
Being Mayor is more than receiving the chain of office and the title of "Your Worship".
Being Mayor is about taking responsibility for the organizations actions.
The difference I have found in Mayor's is some are "The Mayor" and some are "Your Mayor"!
I see the difference, do you?

Cheers
Hoping to be Your Mayor of Ingersoll

Tim Lobzun

P.S. - Please join my page on FaceBook - Tim Lobzun For Mayor of Ingersoll

Do your house numbers measure up?

http://www.urbandale.org/humanresources.cfm?IWantToID=88 - Here is a link to a Town website I just found  - The city of Urbandale has a well advertised page on the importance of house numbers - If the Town of Ingersoll's bylaw had said 4" numbers were OK like Urbandales likely 60% of houses in Ingersoll would be in compliance rather than the 80% that face a $5,000 fine come October 1st. Hmmm? 

Bylaw is available on the Town of Ingersoll Website - 5" for residents - 8" for Commercial - Many property owners must get approval from the Town building official especially those with Commercial properties - Call the town office for more information @ 519-485-0120

http://www.ingersoll.ca/pdf/Bylaws//4510_09.pdf   This is the bylaw - On an interesting note I see the town has added the actual fines for non-compliance - It's only $100 for each infraction. Maybe I touched a nerve somewhere. And they say council doesn't listen ;)

Waste - The new frontier!

Mark Twain said "Buy Land - They are not making it anymore!"
Mr McGuire in the movie the Graduate said to Benjamin  "One Word - Plastic!"
We have heard promises from governments that the jobs will be in Technology or the latest "Green Jobs"

One area of the economy that has been a part of our economy from before Mark Twain's time is WASTE. This is an area ripe for not only jobs but can be good for our environment and commerce.

According to Waste and Recyling news one of the Toy's R Us hottest toys is Toy Story 3's landfill set - See link.
Toy's R Us Hot Toy - Toy Story 3 Landfill set

Ingersoll already has some well known recyclers - Atlantic Packaging and AllTreat Farms to name two
We have a local Waste Management firm, and are part owners of the County of Oxford's Landfill site.
I think we can do more. I remember when newsprint was collected by the local Scouts before the Blue Box and there are many organizations that collect pop cans to fund projects and programs. Even the Town of Ingersoll through it's brush depot recycles brush etc. in to mulch and it is available for free.

As Mayor I will investigate ways to leverage the existing talent and resources in Ingersoll and at the County of Oxford level to not only help create jobs and local commerce but to reduce the tax burden on rate payers and assist industrial operations in recycling better. (People may be shocked to know that many factories have to landfill or pay to dispose of valuable resources because there is no coordinated plan to collect what they set aside for recycling.)

I have been an avid recycler for most of my life. From the tree forts of my youth to my garden in front of 65 King Street West, I always see the possibility in reusing items. My garden (named by a neighbour as a collage) has several Innukshuks, a wall made out of foam blocks that were saved from going to the landfill and various things that are a favourite of the kids that walk by and play I-Spy with their Mom. It has a ground cloth from obsolete automotive packaging and is covered with mulch from Ingersoll's Brush Depot. Other than the odd item from Dollarama or Liquidation World it is all stuff that was destined to be buried in a dirt laden tomb called The Salford Landfill. It is something from nothing and I'll admit it gets mixed reviews but I am wearing the detractors down.

Imagine for a moment that Ingersoll became known for not only it's recycling efforts with local partners but for the place to go for Architectural Salvage, Antiques, Creative uses of salvaged materials by artists, a Modern Salvation Army or Value Village along the 401, Youth Groups learning hands on techniques and providing unique items for our own Home Accent stores and beyond to fund programs. Imagine recycling facilities that use empty factories to provide jobs and maybe a hand up for some under-employed folks rather than a hand out and help to reduce landfill costs for local employers. Imagine a new subdivision that instead of sending grey water down the drain recycles it for keeping lawns green or is filtered through a man made bog that attracts wild life (They are already out there). This is something we can get excited about!

In regards to our current Blue Box system and our Waste Collection, I think there is a problem when in 4 years residents see their cost of bag tags increase by 150%. It is a small nibble at our wallet perhaps but putting all our waste collection in the hands of a large corporation to do all of Oxford county shuts out the smaller or mid-sized operator and actually decreases competition which usually means increased costs of service. As Mayor I think we need to look at our entire waste collection in Ingersoll and at the County. There is a movement amongst land starved centres to actually recycle their landfills and what we threw out 20 years ago is now a valuable commodity and after sorting extends the life of the landfill and reduces risk to the environment. It also saves money!

 To me, finding revenue from sources other than direct taxation or fees is a good thing. To me creating an opportunity for local operators to make a buck is a good thing also. To me, finding jobs for folks that do not have the opportunity to upgrade their education is an honourable goal.
For 2010 - Buy in to waste - they are still making more!

Cheers
Tim Lobzun "Mit"

Vote for your Wallet!

Vote Tim Lobzun for Mayor of Ingersoll!

This year - Vote for your Wallet - Vote Tim Lobzun for Mayor

Ingersoll residents to ERTH corporation. WTF?

This video link is a little long but it sort of defines my way of managing. Managing with a big budget is easy - You just buy talent and expensive things and of course advertise it well. Smaller budgets requires creative solutions. Some would say Common sense solutions. First let me define Common Sense as I see it. Each person has their own common sense - it is a culmination of all the experience and training they have received up until that moment. If as a manager, you have experience with big budgets - you will think it is common sense to spend big on solutions. If you are a single mom with a small budget you will think that finding time with your kids is more important than going to Canada's Wonderland. If you are book-smart manager you will likely think that flooding the memo board with policies and procedures is how to manage your work force. If you are a people-smart manager you will likely spend a lot of time with your people ensuring things are done right.

In the video it talks about how effective a flashing sign is that tells you to slow down versus speed cameras that will send you a ticket, and the flashing sign is a lot cheaper. Changing behaviour is a lot cheaper than punishing behaviour.

A local example is our fancy stop lights. $60,000 worth and counting. We first got the old edition that kept folks awake at night and were confusing to pedestrians. CRU (Which we are the major shareholder in) never attended a council meeting to explain, staff said wait till the next generation is installed and we are getting signs. When the newer version went up, pedestrians are even more confused but residents notice the lower volume - unfortunately pedestrians do not know if they hear real birds or a stop light? No CRU but staff says there is an issue with the software and CRU is working on it and we are going to get signs.

Today - residents have adapted to the noise, pedestrians just ignore the walk/don't walk light and we still have no signs or just jaywalk. I have watched one of our local White Cane residents walk diagonally across the intersection by the townhall. I have helped him across the street. I have watched a Dad teaching his child to watch for the little man light to know that it is safe to cross, wait through an entire traffic light cycle - not knowing that he has to now push a button to get it to work. We have no signs - We have no CRU explanation - Small stuff yes - but if I was on council or managed CRU - I would be sweating bullets that a resident meets a car mid-intersection.

I think this inaction is wrong and dangerous. There is no requirement by law that we have these lights (Yet) but rumour is we are ordering more. I think we should not be experimenting with residents lives, demand the old lights and our money back.

I think that ERTH needs to concentrate on serving their customers efficiently rather than becoming some Global Entity. I think voters need to take notice of the leakage from their wallets and vote for their own wallet. As Mayor I will find the way to protect your money.


http://www.ted.com/talks/rory_sutherland_sweat_the_small_stuff.html?utm_source=newsletter_weekly_2010-06-15&utm_campaign=newsletter_weekly&utm_medium=email

Budgeting for the future.

I have followed municipal budgets for a few years now. It seems to me that municipal budgets are done like this.

Dear Department Heads from Council: Please provide council with your projected spending needs for the next year.

Dear Council from Department Heads: Here is our wish list for everything we can possibly imagine we will need.

Dear Department Heads from Council: Are you crazy? - That represents a 16% increase in property taxes, We would be run out of town. Please trim your projected spending needs.

Dear Council from Department Heads: If we postpone some needed infrastructure improvements, take money from our reserves and reduce some of the services we provide we can get by on a 10% increase.

Dear Department Heads from Council: After spending money on a consultant we have determined that a 5% increase is the threshold of pain that voters can stand. Please make the necessary adjustments to your figures.

Dear Council from Department Heads: After hiring several consultants to help us make these tough decisions we have trimmed services back even more and eliminated several front line positions and depleted our reserves. We think we can get by on 5%.

Dear Department Heads: Excellent - We will be viewed by the public as fiscal wizards. 16% to 5% - Folks will be dancing in the street. We will remember this during your salary review.

Dear Public from Council: Times are tough - We your elected officials are pleased to announce that after much debate your tax increase will only be 5%. We have made some cut backs to staff and services but we think you will understand. The problem is not us but funding cutbacks from senior governments. Remember who to blame next election.

How it should be done:

Dear Department heads from Council: Ratepayers believe that we spend too much money for the services we provide. Many companies have reduced their spending by 10% without cuts to services or staff. You folks are compensated as the experts in your field and your budget has been reduced by 10% so please present us with your plan to deal with the cuts. P.S. - Front line workers, services and repairs and maintenance for infrastructure are not to be cut. Please ensure that you carefully review your budget to meet this goal to avoid council making decisions for your department. We will remember how you did at your performance review!

Dear Council from Department Heads: We did it - Friggin unbelievable! Never even hired a consultant! We talked with our staff and unions and came up with some creative ideas not only for cost savings but also increasing revenue from sources other than the tax payer. Reserves are safe and we kept a little to add to them just in case. We have a few positions that will open up and we are developing our current human resources to fill only the ones we need internally. We may even be hiring some new folks to join our team. We think the public will be happy with the enhanced services available. Please remember our front line workers during performance reviews.

Dear Department Heads from Council: Thanks - Good job!

Dear Public from Council: We are pleased to announce that thanks to our staff, we are leaving some extra money in your wallet this year and providing you with better services. Please go out and buy something. Times are tough and the economy needs you!


 This election "Vote for your Wallet"

Cheers
Tim Lobzun for Mayor of Ingersoll

You can email me at timlobzun@yahoo.com or visit my FB page "Tim Lobzun for Mayor of Ingersoll"

A pocket full of mumbles such are promises

The Simon and Garfunkel song "The Boxer" tells a story that many folks can relate to. It seems to me every 4 years we hear many promises in election campaigns only to find them unfulfilled after the campaign. It is so easy to promise hand outs to voters but that is not what we need. A hand up or even just to be left alone would be preferred compared to the expensive fairy dust programs and magic wand gifts of our money back that our governments use to keep us from revolting.

I believe that the middle class have had their pockets picked far too long and a new type of politician is needed. Governments latest promises are for New Jobs in the Green Economy and yet forget that our strength as a nation was built by manufacturing, resources and farmers. One in 5 jobs in Canada are now in public services at all levels and the trend will see this reach 1 out of 4 soon. That leaves 3 people working to support every public sector job. Hospitals, schools and other public services have a larger administration portion than ever and front line workers seem to bear the brunt of any funding cuts. Outsourcing to the lowest bidder has also created risks to our security and our health.

A middle aged factory worker that spent 20 years faithfully working at their job now looks at a dismal future and retirement is only a dream. Governments do not realize that a significant portion of our population can not afford to go to school or just do not have the ability to successfully complete a formal education.

But there is hope! Jeff Rubin wrote a book called "Why your world is about to get a whole lot smaller" http://www.randomhouse.ca/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9780307357519&view=print
In the book he talks about peak oil and it's impact on North America. We got a taste of what over $100/bbl oil was like before the economy sewered. It's not all bad news though - when shipping and transportation costs rise, it becomes cheaper to buy locally. Furniture manufacturers in North America became competitive once again, folks switched to more local food because for the grocery stores it became cheaper to buy locally too. Staycations, getting out of our cars and talk of New Urbanism where jobs and retail are built closer to where folks live rather than apart became more economically attractive to consumers.

Logistics is the key in returning economic prosperity to North America. Walmart grew by using this strategy but even Walmart has started to look at manufacturers located closer to it's warehouses and stores for competitive purchases. Dollarama has many Canadian made products from manufacturers in Quebec where it's main warehouse is located. Canada Post has an opportunity to help small providers of goods ship across our land at a reasonable cost. Locally in Oxford we have many businesses that can provide savings to local purchasers (Hino makes light and medium duty trucks and yet locally we seem to favour foreign made ones at greater costs). Ingersoll has a direct route to 3 border crossings and most of central and southern Ontario. Many suppliers to CAMI have empty trucks leaving every day that could be filled with local goods and central warehouses. Ingersoll is a logical location to capitalize on this future trend.

In business I have a reputation for under-promising and over delivering. I have witnessed so many businesses flounder and fail by over-promising and under delivering. Polticians who we elect to serve us, need to go easy on the promises and work harder on delivery.

I want to be Mayor of Ingersoll to show others how it can be done.

Cheers
Tim Lobzun

Another nibble at our wallets today

The Federal government has announced that EI premiums will be going up again. This affects not only employee pockets but employers too. The Mayor is the representative at the AMO (Association of Municipalities of Ontario). I believe that the AMO needs to be more effective as a watchdog for our wallets. As Mayor of Ingersoll, I will actively pursue initiatives at the AMO to protect our wallets. The AMO represents almost every citizen in Ontario and needs to use it's weight for effective government at the senior levels too.

Thanking you in advance for your support

Tim Lobzun

It's Official - I am campaigning to be the Next Mayor of Ingersoll

The decision is made - The money is paid - I am in the running for Mayor of Ingersoll. Here are some questions that were posed to me in the lead up to my decision.

Why Mayor?

The Mayor has a unique role in municipal government, especially in Ingersoll. The Mayor automatically is the sole representative for Ingersoll on County council. The Mayor although not required to vote (Which has been quite evident) has the deciding vote in the event of a tie. This will be important considering the possible changes in the make-up of both councils in December.
The Mayor and County salary would allow me to devote full time hours to serve the needs of the town.
The current Mayor also sits on the board of ERTH that we own 44% of. There is no requirement that the Mayor is a director, the Mayor has access as representative of 44% of the corporation to documents and reports that may not be so publicly available.
I strongly believe that the new council will need a mayor who has the knowledge and experience to better research concerns of council and ratepayers.

Why not run for council and get your name recognized?

I think it is a sad state of affairs that politics at all levels is more about name recognition, and popularity. I think this fact is the largest contributor to voter apathy. I think people need to look at issues not how many lawn signs a candidate can install. I have been participating in local politics long before Garnet Elliot Park was even considered as a location for a school. I became more involved especially after the 1991 downtown fire when I got my first taste of what goes on behind the curtains at town hall. I am well known amongst the town decision makers and have regular conversations with regular folks, business people and folks from other communities.

Are you worried of a vote split between you and Ted Comiskey that could see Paul Holbrough back as Mayor?

The short answer is "No - I am in it to win it" - Curiously it is the Anti-Paul folks that ask this. I'm not Anti-Paul - I am Pro-Ingersoll. That's democracy!

Do you think your lack of political experience is a factor in being able to win?

Anybody that has been in business or a community organization deals with politics. Saying I lack political experience is a misnomer. Politics starts when 2 people enter a room. I have had to deal with many issues that are similar to what the new council will face and I have had many successes. One of my biggest strengths is being able to have an adult conversation on an issue, something I think is sorely lacking in politics today.

Where do you hope to find your support?

I would really like to attract the 4,000 folks that didn't vote in the last election. It is hard to gauge the split in the results in 2006. Paul obviously got the votes from his support base, but Ted's votes are harder to decipher. Ted would attract from his support base and those who did not want Paul to continue as Mayor.
The folks I hope to connect with are those who are tired of seeing their wallets get smaller and that is something that every resident of Ingersoll can understand.

Will you build an arena, dog park, playgrounds, etc.?

Part of my campaign will be Lean and Green. Stay tuned.


Thanks for listening

Tim Lobzun (Mit)

Platform, Popularity or Purse? What drives voters to choose?

The $50 million dollar decision is fast approaching. My Will-I-Run-For-Mayor-Meter is at 90%. The last 10% is how do voters make their choices.

I have been following the Toronto mayorial race and my favourite if I had the chance to choose is Rocco Rossi. He was first out of the gate, has a good campaign budget and a platform focusing on voters wallets. Rocco has been at virtually every comunity event, had his picture taken thousands of times, maintains a big web presence and has a smile that could light the city. And yet he languishes in the polls behind two experienced politicians who have made the papers in a less than positive light. Then there is John Tory already being promoted as the best Mayor Toronto never had and he is not running.

There is a saying that all politics is local (Tip O'neill) and it should be. However, municipal politics has traditionally been a non-participatory event for voters. Voter apathy at all levels of governments is increasing and we sit idly by as our wallets are nibbled, complaining in local coffee shops and at the kitchen table that things never change.

Sure we get up in arms periodically over a subdivision proposal or change of land use. A scandal here or there lasts about 2 weeks in the news and conversation quickly returns to an event in Hollywood or the latest televised talent show. Local politics is hard to follow (I know I spend a lot of time at it) and quite boring at times (Rogers Cable anyone?) and yet taxes at all levels consume the greatest portion of our income except for perhaps housing.

Ingersoll council will likely spend $50 million of taxpayer money over the next 4 years just to keep the current town services going. Ingersoll has been blessed with many government grants in the last 4 years but the tap is being turned off. Decisions will need to be made on either service cuts or tax increases. The current choices for Mayor are 2 very visible and popular hometown men. The incumbent Mayor Paul Holbrough will no doubt run on his record and experience. The current challenger Ted Comiskey has publicly stated that land aquisition is key to our growth as well as making Ingersoll the hub of the earth and he will no doubt leverage his experience running the highly successful Canterbury Folk Festival. In the 2006 election there was not much of a spread between these two gentlemen and leadership and vision will no doubt be the focus of their campaigns.

Me, I have been the self appointed 8th councillor since the 1991 fire downtown. I'll be the first to admit that I am not a normal politician. Councils in the past know that I am not afraid to speak my mind, that I do my research and that I think that the public has a right to know. Work has kept me out of elected politics, but if you work for a living, internal politics gives you lots of experience dealing with conflicting ideas. My biggest strength is actually something I think is missing from politics which is the ability to have an adult conversation about an issue. Being elected to a public office is not a licence to do what you want but rather what you should. I think that is something that has been missing in local politics and the upper tiers.

I also have quite a bit of experience in driving costs out of an organization (Getting a phone call from your boss, that your paycheque might bounce sort of gives you focus). Anybody can cut staff or services but grasping the big picture and engaging the survivors requires a lot of hard work to rebuild. Been there, done that and have quite a few T-Shirts. I've found that there are no magic wands, no knights on white horses and ignoring a problem does not make it go away.

Now back to the question? I know Paul and Ted are more popular (visible anyways) and I have no doubts on their ability to outspend me on a campaign. Will voters look at a third option? Will voters take the time to read campaign brochures and listen to public debates as they look to the future and determine who best can help them get there? Hmmm!

Cheers
Tim Lobzun (Mit)