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Hamilton Spectator
13-07-2025
- Business
- Hamilton Spectator
Swim Club Dispute Spurs Questions About Fairness, Procurement, and Youth Sport Priorities in Burlington
On July 7, Burlington City Council held its monthly Committee of the Whole meeting to discuss various items relevant to the city and its residents. Several delegates from both the Burlington Aquatic Devil Rays (BAD) and the Golden Horseshoe Aquatic Club (GHAC), both competitive swim clubs, spoke to council about the ongoing dispute between the two organizations about the Request for Proposal (RFP) process that was used to bid for swim time at City of Burlington pools. The successful RFP bid would get 2000 swim hours for their club members. BAD's RFP was never evaluated by staff due to missing documentation, and a contract was instead awarded to GHAC. Both BAD and GHAC are not-for-profit organizations, per the requirements for the RFP process. Dr. Katie Lebel, a sports business professor at the University of Guelph's Lang School of Business and Economics, former competitive swimmer, BAD vice president, and parent of a child who competes with BAD, delegated to council first. 'I've delivered talks around the world on the power of sport, but I'm not sure I've ever spoken with more at stake than I do today,' Lebel said. 'What's at risk isn't just pool time. It's community, continuity, and the systems we count on to support our children and protect what matters in civic life.' Lebel said that while the club did file for a judicial review after their proposal was rejected without evaluation, they have paused that process because they believe a 'collaborative solution' is still possible. 'We're not asking for special treatment,' Lebel said. 'We're here to advocate for fairness, for transparency, and for a shared use model that reflects Burlington's values.' Lebel said that the club serves over 400 swimmers from Burlington and its surrounding areas and has helped to fund diving blocks and timekeeping equipment at Nelson and Centennial pools. She also said BAD has raised money for the Terry Fox Foundation, the Burlington Food Bank, and the Compassion Society. Lebel elaborated on why BAD's proposal was rejected. 'That legacy and everything we've built was destabilized by a process that disqualified our proposal over a document that doesn't exist in the form requested,' Lebel said. 'The language in the RFP asked for a current and valid Certificate of Incorporation, a document that, in Ontario, is not reissued after initial incorporation.' 'What's typically used to verify legal status is a Certificate of Status or a Corporation Profile Report from Service Ontario,' Lebel continued. 'This technical ambiguity in language had real consequences. Our proposal was rejected outright without review. The result was not a level playing field. It's a signal that the process, while well-intentioned, may not be aligned with the realities of youth sport.' Lebel claimed that BAD 'met every substantive expectation laid out in the RFP' and 'has an impeccable track record as a responsible facility partner.' 'We were disqualified because these strengths could not even be considered or evaluated,' Lebel said. Lebel questioned whether or not the RFP model was appropriate for evaluating youth sport delivery. 'It is not designed to capture the depth of community relationships, the values of consistency for youth, or the contribution of legacy volunteer-run organizations,' she said. Cody Bradt, the chief operating officer and associate head coach of GHAC, also delegated to council and explained why the city initially adopted the RFP model in 2020. '[It was] based on growing public need,' Bradt said. 'According to the city, the overall demand for pool time has increased over the past four years, surpassing the city's ability to meet all needs. There were over 600 people on the swim lesson waitlist in 2019 alone. Managing multiple user interests, needs, and expectations while attempting to maintain broad community access became exceedingly difficult. To meet that challenge, the city committed to rebalancing the mix of programming to ensure that the interests and needs of the broader community are met first, while still ensuring support for youth and master's competitive swimming.' Bradt defended the RFP process and stressed the need for decisions to be made by non-political actors. 'The RFP process was not only justified, it was essential,' Bradt said. 'It was governed by clear and ethical standards as stated by Mayor Meed Ward on her website in 2020 when the initial competitive swimming youth RFP process launched. Purchasing decisions are best made on value for service, not political influence. It's imperative that the process be administered by staff and continue to be fair and impartial in manner. The city's procurement bylaw prohibits elected officials from engaging with or influencing the bid process.' Lebel said that, to her knowledge, competitive swimming is the only youth stream in Burlington currently operating under an RFP process. 'That fact alone suggests we should stop and consider,' Lebel said. Lebel said that since their proposal was rejected, there have been significant disruptions in the club, including many swimmers leaving for other organizations, and swimmers feeling uncertain about their future in the sport. 'This kind of disruption doesn't just cause uncertainty, it risks pushing families out of our sport altogether,' Lebel said. 'Some are now exploring new clubs in different cities, adding cost, travel, and logistical strain, especially for working families.' Volunteer staff are demoralized and coaches are 'stuck in limbo,' she continued. Bradt provided a more optimistic outlook on the situation. 'The reality is that the youth of Burlington are not losing their place to swim,' Bradt said. 'They're gaining a new opportunity to continue their development with a different organization if they so choose.' Lebel spoke about what she called a 'broader shift in how sport is being delivered across Canada.' 'Our club reflects a community model,' Lebel said. 'Affordable, team-based, volunteer-run, and grounded in long-term athlete development. In contrast, we're seeing the rise of market-based models and regional fee-for-service programs that function more like private providers than community-rooted teams.' 'This isn't just about two swim teams,' Lebel continued. 'It's about two different visions for youth sport. One prioritizes access, development, and community. The other prioritizes flexibility, expansion, and the ability to scale, at a significantly higher cost to families.' Lebel said that while she believes that there is room for both organizations to exist in the city, she said that 'giving public pool time to a fee-for-service provider should never come at the expense of a long-standing, community-based club that's served Burlington for more than 40 years.' 'That's not innovation, that's displacement,' Lebel said. She also warned that this situation may set a precedent for other Burlington organizations, such as Student Theatre and Teen Tour Band, to be excluded as well. Bradt offered GHAC's side of the story. 'The Golden Horseshoe Aquatic Club negotiated the contract in good faith with the understanding that the City of Burlington was also acting in good faith throughout the process,' Bradt said. 'We trusted the integrity of the city's procurement framework, and we continue to uphold our end of the agreement with the same level of professionalism, transparency, and commitment we bring to all of our partners.' Bradt said that in February of this year, GHAC reached out to BAD to request a meeting to discuss jointly approaching the city to return to a shared-pool use model, which had been in place prior to 2020. 'This conversation included their head coach, their president, and their past president,' Bradt said. 'However, the offer for the meeting was declined by their head coach. We respected that decision and informed them that, in light of that, we would be submitting a proposal, just as we did in 2020.' Bradt said that if the city and council were to intervene in the RFP process, GHAC would still be open to having that conversation. BAD has started a petition to reinstate their pool access, which has received over 2000 signatures. Mayor Marianne Meed Ward asked Lebel if she had any advice for the city on crafting a different process to allocate pool time. Lebel suggested a rental agreement, which is how the city allocated pool time and other resources prior to 2020. '[With the RFP], there's no weighting for community legacy, and I don't think that it's able to capture the difference between the community model and the market-based model that we're starting to see show up,' Lebel said. The club is willing to work with staff and other organizations that want pool time to sort the issue out for the 400 swimmers currently in BAD's program. However, Lebel noted that if the process goes through as it stands, she is not sure the club will be able to continue to exist. Kimberly Calderbank, BAD president, also delegated on behalf of the club and further elaborated on the RFP process. 'The city RFP was clear,' Calderbank said. 'This contract should prioritize Burlington families. It asked applicants to demonstrate how they would deliver high-quality programming for our Burlington youth. Our club is already doing exactly that. We serve more than 320 Burlington swimmers across our competitive and pre-competitive programs. There are no projections. These are the kids who live here, who go to school here, and who have built a community here.' Calderbank said that GHAC is not Burlington-based and is listed as a Dundas club operating in the Hamilton region according to Ontario's not-for-profit registry and Swim Ontario. Bradt addressed this claim in his delegation. 'First and foremost, the Golden Horseshoe Aquatic Club is not a Hamilton club,' Bradt said. 'We are proud to serve swimmers from across the entire Golden Horseshoe, including Burlington, Hamilton, Dundas, and Stoney Creek, and we've been a part of those communities for over 20 years.' Bradt also addressed the criticism around the fact that only 28% of GHAC's members reside in Burlington, as reported by Swim Ontario. 'This number reflects home addresses across our full membership,' Bradt said. 'It does not reflect where swimmers train. Over 85% of swimmers training at our Burlington practice locations and private facilities are Burlington residents, and that figure has remained consistent.' Calderbank also claimed that GHAC has not followed Swim Ontario's standard process for regional expansion. Accordingly to Calderbank, BAD met with city staff before the meeting to discuss the situation. BAD is currently asking the city for 40 hours of pool time per month so that they can continue to hold their swim meets, which Calderbank calls a 'financial lifeline' for the club. 'With less than 40 hours, we'll be forced to cut full training groups, turn away families, and potentially lose coaches who rely on consistent scheduling to sustain their livelihoods,' Calderbank said. 'This threatens the viability of our club.' BAD also wants the city to conduct a formal review of the RFP process with regard to how it is used to allocate youth sport resources. Calderbank said that the RFP process resulted in 50 hours per month for GHAC and zero for BAD. Calderbank also said that BAD is losing swimmers every day to other clubs as a result of this decision. She said that any less than 50 hours means BAD will have to secure private pool time, and that they have been looking at those contingency plans. Bradt also said that the city is not the only provider of pools. 'Alternative arrangements can be made by organizations to access pool time in non-city pools if they so choose. Also, swimmers will have the opportunity to join the chosen organization or continue to follow their organization to their alternate location if they so choose.' Calderbank said that non-city pool time is hard to come by. 'There are not a lot of private pools here in Burlington,' Calderbank said. 'There is not a lot of accessible pool time for us. So we went right down to looking at condos and apartments. We're desperate to pull this together. It just doesn't exist here in the City of Burlington.' Calderbank said that without their facilities, BAD would no longer be viable as a club, whereas GHAC will 'just become a bigger club with more pools to practice in.' Bradt said that in 2020, they were on the losing end of the RFP process. '[In 2020] we submitted a proposal and narrowly missed being selected,' Bradt said. 'We respected the outcome and requested a formal debrief and used that feedback to improve our organization. Although we lost nearly 150 Burlington members that season, we remained committed to our mission and continued to provide high-quality programming outside of city-owned pools.' 'It's also important to clarify that the incumbent organization did not lose their pool time,' Bradt continued. 'They completed their contract term. The 2020 agreement was for three years with two possible one-year extensions, and it ran its full course.' Calderbank said that after their proposal was rejected in the RFP process, BAD requested a review, and the city created a committee to do so. Many of the committee members were from departments of the city not related to youth sport, including those involved in parks and roads, as well as engineers, Calderbank noted. In the closing of his delegation, Bradt further defended the RFP process and questioned whether or not the merits of why it was adopted in 2020 have changed. 'The city's rationale for launching the RFP in 2020 remains valid today, if not more urgent, as there has not been a new pool built in the city yet,' Bradt said. 'The population continues to grow. Yet here we are, facing public pressure not because the process was flawed, but because the unsuccessful bidder was simply louder this time. Has the standard shifted from the merit of the proposal to the volume of its protest?' Bradt said that GHAC will not 'engage in tearing down other organizations,' and will instead 'focus on facts, solutions, and a commitment to putting the youth of Burlington first within the competitive use swimming contract.' Ward 4 Councillor Shawna Stolte asked Bradt if he would agree that GHAC has benefited from an error in the administrative process. Stolte said that if both proposals had been evaluated, this situation probably would have been avoided. Bradt said that procurement is there to 'protect the city, its taxpayers and its constituents,' and indicated that the city can't simply overlook administrative errors. July 10 saw a Special Meeting of Council that went into closed session on the potential litigation for aquatics procurement. Bradt delegated to council again and presented supplementary material that included a host of letters from GHAC swimmers' parents, many from Burlington, testifying to GHAC's strengths. Questions from councillors focused on the possibility of shared swim space, which Bradt was open to discussing further. After the closed session, Meed Ward reported that council had 'discussed and provided direction to staff on the confidential verbal update regarding aquatics procurement ADM-09-25,' and that council would update the community as soon as they had more information. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Hamilton Spectator
20-06-2025
- Politics
- Hamilton Spectator
Burlington proclaims itself a ‘safe city' for 2SLGBTQIA+ community
The City of Burlington has proclaimed itself a safe city for the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, but a local resident who requested the declaration said it's just a first step. Caleb Smolenaars said while they're happy with the proclamation signed by Mayor Marianne Meed Ward on Tuesday, June 17, the city must now take action to protect the dignity, safety and human rights of the community year-round. 'As a queer Burlingtonian, I can attest that as much as the city might like to put up pride flags, anti-2SLGBTQIA+ hate is still prevalent here,' Smolenaars said. While campaigning as the NDP candidate in Oakville North-Burlington in this year's provincial election as an out, non-binary person, Smolenaars said they were threatened and told they didn't belong in their own neighbourhood. 'Slurs were directed at me on the daily,' Smolenaars said. They wrote to Burlington City Council in March this year, requesting a safe city declaration. In the request, Smolenaars noted a similar declaration had been made by Saskatoon and though it holds little legal power 'outward symbolism is important in the fight for inclusion,' while helping drive policy change, research and better advocacy. The full safe city resolution released this week is available on the City of Burlington's website . It states, in part, that 2SLGBTQIA+ people face social intolerance and systemic barriers in local communities and, according to Statistics Canada, police-reported hate crimes motivated by sexual orientation have increased over the last decade. 'The City of Burlington reaffirms its commitment to protecting the rights of 2SLGBTQIA+ communities, recognizing that work is still needed to ensure the equity and safety of these communities,' the proclamation states. Smolenaars said actions must now be taken to affirm, and prove, that Burlington truly is safe for 2SLGBTQIA+ people. 'While I'm pleased to see any action in support of the queer community, considering the widespread dismantling of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs worldwide these past few months, I do wish the proclamation went further so as to commit to tangible support,' Smolenaars said. 'I will continue advocating for this because the queer community, to put it bluntly, is under attack.' Tyler Boyce, executive director of The Enchante Network — a national network of 2SLGBQTI+ organizations across Canada, said Smolenaars' experience reflects what the network is hearing from communities across the country. 'We recognize the bravery it takes to speak publicly … and we affirm the call for action at the municipal level,' Boyce said. He said safe city declarations are symbolic, but they matter — particularly in times of escalating hate and political polarization. 'A bold and clear commitment from city council can send a strong message: hate has no place here, and Burlington chooses inclusion,' he said. 'Of course, declarations must be backed by action. A key way the city can support queer residents is by increasing direct municipal funding to local 2SLGBTQI+ organizations.' Boyce said grassroots groups are best positioned to offer responsive, relevant services and supports. In addition to increased funding to local organizations, Enchante suggests the City of Burlington: Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Hamilton Spectator
15-06-2025
- Business
- Hamilton Spectator
'This Ship Has Sailed': Burlington City Council Split on 27-Storey Lakeshore Tower
On June 9, Burlington City Council held their monthly Committee of the Whole meetings to discuss various items relevant to the city and its residents. One key agenda item was a staff report recommending approval of a proposed 27-storey development at 2083 Lakeshore Rd., alongside amendments to the Official Plan and Zoning Bylaw required to support it. David Falletta, a registered professional planner for Bousfields Inc., delegated to council to speak about the 'Official Plan and Zoning Bylaw Amendments for 2083 Lakeshore Road,' which was voted on later in the meeting. The agenda item is regarding a proposal by Bousfields Inc. to build a 27-storey, mixed-use building at 2083 Lakeshore Rd. Bousfields' proposal was amended by staff, and the staff report on the development proposal recommended that council approve it, with staff amendments. According to the report, 'The proposal requires an amendment to the Official Plan to support the height and density that is contemplated, as well as an amendment to the Zoning Bylaw to provide relief of height, floor area ratio (FAR), and several setbacks.' It also stated that 'staff is of the opinion that the proposed development represents good planning.' Falletta told council he was 'really here to fully support the staff recommendation before you.' The report provided some background information about the amendments that city staff have proposed. 'Transportation Planning Staff have identified that a road widening is required to implement the Downtown Streetscape Guidelines for Lakeshore Road,' the report stated. 'The provision of a road widening will ensure that the goals and design principles of Downtown Streetscape is achieved for Lakeshore Road, enhance the public realm and create a unified streetscape along Lakeshore Road.' 'The road widening has since been incorporated into the design that achieves the desired streetscape for Lakeshore Road,' the report continued. 'A holding provision has been included to require those lands be provided for, and the proposed zoning setbacks reflect the additional road widening lands.' A holding provision was also recommended by staff to 'address the required upgrades to the Junction Street wastewater treatment facility.' Lisa Kearns, Ward 2 councillor, asked if the city had any timeline regarding the provision, because it is 'tied to a number of different planning steps, including occupancy, the tax base, and development charges.' Alicia West, a planner for the city, said that there is no current timeline for the provision to be lifted. 'Staff are of the opinion that the road widening matter and associated considerations relating to building impacts have been addressed appropriately,' the report continued. Kearns noted that the road widening did not significantly change any of the project details. '[You have] maintained five levels of underground parking,' Kearns said. 'The floor area ratio has changed just a little bit, but there's been no reduction in the number of units or height.' Kearns also asked Falletta if at any point Bousfields considered changing the size of the building to be in the 10- to 15-storey range. 'The ownership group doesn't think it's feasible at that height and density in terms of building something on this site today, which is a vacant parking lot,' Falletta said. Falletta acknowledged that there was some interest from council in changing the height and density the last time the proposal was discussed, especially from Mayor Marianne Meed Ward. Before council voted on the item, Meed Ward expressed her opposition to the development. 'I will not be supporting the recommendation,' Meed Ward said. 'I think this is overdevelopment for this area. This will create a canyon of towers on both sides of a very narrow road, old Lakeshore Road, right in proximity to our waterfront. I understand that there may be folks who think that this ship has sailed, but I am not going to give it any wind.' 'My vision for downtown is not to see this type of height and density,' Meed Ward continued. 'It better belongs at the MTSAs [Major Transit Station Areas], where we have now shifted our urban growth centre to. I maintain that vision. I will stand by that vision. I will fight that vision, and I will continue to be consistent in what I think the downtown should be.' Kearns responded to Meed Ward's comment and referred to herself as the 'captain' of the aforementioned ship. 'The ship has sailed, and here's why,' Kearns said. 'I went through this planning file with deep scrutiny, and I was looking for a defensible way out of this particular application, recognizing the contextual area in which it's been landed.' Kearns listed the facets of the development that she raised questions about and explained that she felt the answers to all of them were satisfactory. 'The instruction to refer this file to staff to continue working on it resulted in essentially immaterial changes,' Kearns said. 'They are immaterial and almost imperceptible to the built form context and to the neighbouring areas.' 'I've worked very hard on behalf of the community to scrutinize this particular file,' Kearns continued. 'I don't work on my personal opinions in this role. I work on expert technical staff recommendations, reports, and supporting policy pieces. So that is why I have been led to a supportive position on this file. I would like to have a very different vision. I would like to have a completely different context. But the reality is that that is not where we sit today.' Kearns also said that she believed that if council did not accept staff's recommendation, there would likely be an appeal to the Ontario Land Tribunal. Rory Nisan, Ward 3 councillor, said that while he also wishes the context and reality were different, a positive outcome of the building would be more housing. 'We need the units,' Nisan said. 'Every extra unit in our community has an impact on supply, which is the only real way that we're going to have more affordable housing. It'd be one thing if staff weren't supporting it or if the immediate context were different. We also need to ensure that we have enough housing for the next generations in our community, and whatever the cost of these units is, the supply is what will make that happen, so I will be supporting this.' Shawna Stolte, Ward 4 councillor, and Meed Ward opposed the proposal while Kearns, Nisan, Ward 5 Councillor Paul Sharman, and Ward 6 Councillor Angelo Bentivegna voted in support. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Yahoo
02-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Mayor to appoint new head of Church Street Marketplace
Burlington Mayor Emma Mulvaney-Stanak said she will ask City Council tonight to sign off on her choice to be the next director of the Church Street Marketplace. Mulvaney-Stanak said she has appointed Samantha McGinnis, who would take over the role July 1 if approved by Burlington City Council at Monday's meeting. Small businesses express concern about conditions in Downtown Burlington McGinnis has been with the City of Burlington for six years and is currently Assistant Director of Downtown Projects & Programs. Mulvaney-Stanek said McGinnis has created more than 100 free annual programs and events at Church Street Marketplace and City Hall Park, including the launch of the Winter Market during the COVID-19 pandemic. 'I believe Samantha's skills and experience make her the right person to steward the Church Street Marketplace into the future,' Mulvaney-Stanak. McGinnis is a graduate of UVM with a Bachelor of Science in Community & International Development. She also holds a Core Certificate from the Institute of Nonprofit Management and Leadership with Boston University's School of Management, the mayor's office said. 'After nearly six years on the marketplace team, I understand the importance and complexity of this role,' McGinnis said, 'and I'm committed to honoring its historic legacy while guiding its future as Burlington and our downtown continue to evolve. McGinnis would replace current Director Kara Alnasrawi. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
03-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Battle for Burlington City Council President develops
BURLINGTON, Vt. (ABC22/FOX44) – Less than one week before Burlington City Council's annual Organization Day, a battle for City Council President suddenly developed Wednesday afternoon. Carter Neubieser, a Progressive Councilor from Ward 1, announced in City Hall that he is hoping to take the role from current President Ben Traverse, a Democrat from Ward 5 who's held it for the past year. Traverse was widely expected to keep the presidency uncontested going into next Monday's Organization Day meeting, but the last-minute challenge from Neubieser turns that surefire reappointment into something the council will have to vote on. 'Today, I'm incredibly excited to announce my intent to seek the position of City Council President this year,' Neubieser said in Contois Auditorium Wednesday afternoon. 'If given the chance to serve in this role, I'd be laser focused on decreasing the partisanship and personal attacks and increasing the collaboration on council.' Organization Day marks the first meeting of the new Burlington City Council, and a big part of the night will also be the swearing in of newly-elected councilors who won their races on Town Meeting Day. This year, two new councilors will be sworn in: Allie Schachter, a Democrat from Burlington's East District, and Ranjit 'Buddy' Singh, a Democrat from the city's South District. Once the two new Democrats are appointed, the council split will be seven Democrats to five Progressives. That means Neubieser will need to get at least two Democrats to flip and vote for him to have any chance at winning the presidency. That fact is giving current President Traverse confidence that he will get a second term. 'I will say that I too am seeking reelection to the council presidency,' Traverse said in an interview Wednesday afternoon. 'I can also tell you that I have the support of the majority of the city council, and will be reelected as council president at the meeting on Monday. That said, I respect any councilor throwing their hat in the ring.' Traverse added that although he respects Neubieser and his right to run, he questions his decision to create a race for the presidency now if decreasing partisanship truly is one of his goals. 'If the stated reason for throwing his hat in the ring is building more collaboration and collegiality, I question whether or not teeing up this political fight right out of the gate at our first meeting is the best way to do that,' Traverse said. Other councilors from both parties are weighing in ahead of the vote as well, including veteran Progressive Melo Grant from Burlington's Central District. She shared strong words against Traverse Wednesday afternoon, writing in part in a statement: 'It is regrettable to say, but Council President Traverse has shown an epic failure in leadership. Despite the same concerns being brought to his attention multiple times, he failed to make improvements that would help … Personal attacks and interruptions have occurred too often under Councilor Traverse's leadership. As the only black councilor, this is a huge concern for me, as it also shows disrespect for my constituents.' Evan Litwin, a Democratic Councilor from Ward 7, also weighed in Wednesday afternoon, questioning what Neubieser offers that Traverse doesn't already. Litwin wrote: 'Carter and I haven't had the opportunity to speak yet, and so I'd need to hear more about his vision for our collective body and what he believes he brings to the table that President Traverse is not providing. With that said, I've grown to like working with Carter on committee and on council, and value his approach to the work and his collegiality. I also think President Traverse does an excellent job in a challenging role.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
