City manager Penny Ballem offers the spotlight to Mayor Gregor Robertson for a change

Reporters have noticed   a change in communications at Vancouver City Hall since Penny Ballem became city manager in December 2008.

On many subjects, Ballem has become the de facto  city spokesperson.

In the past, this role  was usually  performed by elected politicians or by  people with expertise in various civic  departments.

The change in communications  was evident after the city removed  Jesse Corcoran's mural of the Olympic rings from the Downtown Eastside.

The city's chief licence inspector, Barb Windsor, wasn't available for comment  after I left a message. Instead, Ballem returned the call even though I   never phoned her in the first place.

I never had trouble reaching the former chief licence inspector, Paul Teichroeb.

Ballem also stickhandled the budget discussions. In the past, a city finance specialist named  Ken Bayne usually did this.

In addition, Ballem was front and centre in discussing the city's Olympic bylaw with the media, rather than leaving this to an expert in the city's legal department. Her predecessor, Judy Rogers, never did this.

There's a sign, however, that Ballem's desire to control the message has gone a bit too far. Today, the city issued a news release (see below) in which Ballem will provide an "off-the-record technical briefing" for reporters  tomorrow about  how the city is responding to homelessness this winter.

I guess the city's housing experts,  Jill Davidson and Judy Graves, just aren't up to the job.  

Robertson will be available to speak to reporters afterward.

I don't know why  Ballem's presentation  has to be an off-the-record briefing unless the sole reason is to give Robertson a greater profile in the media.

Robertson didn't exactly knock himself out in 2009 giving interviews to the print reporters. It's probably  dawning on the Vision Vancouver braintrust that  many Vancouverites don't even know the mayor's name, which could cause problems if he seeks reelection in 2011.

I think that reporters should boycott Ballem's off-the-record presentation, which will inevitably involve a Power Point element and be disseminated on the city's Web site.

The media could  show some  gumption and  say they're only interested in hearing about homelessness on the record from Robertson.

Then they'll  finally find out if the mayor can think on his feet without the help of his political ventriloquists.

As an aside, I can't imagine Burnaby mayor Derek Corrigan or City of North Vancouver mayor Darrell Mussatto or Delta mayor Lois Jackson hiding behind an off-the-record  'technical briefing" from the city manager before speaking to the media on an issue like this. It would be inconceivable.

Perhaps this explains why the City of Vancouver has lost so much influence at Metro Vancouver in recent years.

Here's the news release:

City of Vancouver media advisory
January 4, 2010

Technical Briefing on the City’s winter response program

City Manager Penny Ballem will hold an off-the-record technical briefing on the City’s winter response program to shelter the homeless:

When: Tuesday, January 5, 2010 at 10 am
Where: Committee Room 1, Third Floor
Vancouver City Hall, 453 West 12th Avenue

Mayor Gregor Robertson will be available for media following the briefing.

-30-

Media Contact:

Corporate Communications
604.871.6336