Tuesday October 25th Regular town council meeting

After a packed council chambers leading up to the election, things were back to “normal” with only a handful of people in the gallery. 

When the meeting started, Mayor DiCarlo announced that the last regular meeting for this council was scheduled for November 14th, however that meeting would be canceled. So tonight’s meeting was the grand finale of this term. The very last meeting…..everybody spoke at the end, but I’ll make you read through the boring stuff to get there. Or you can cheat and scroll to the end. LOL

DELEGATIONS 

Zoning By-law Amendment for 3665 Concession 3 N – Richard and Shelley Bolton

The delegation was withdrawn. We were off to a good start. 

Many, many of the items on the agenda passed with little or no significant discussion. I’m not even sure if it’s worth noting the agenda item for many of them. 

Bridge #3012 – 5th Concession North over River Canard – Tender Results

I skimmed through this report. Looks like this bridge work has been sent out to tender more than once. Well, finally, somebody came in with a price that fits the budget. 

Councillor Courtney felt that the tender prices for jobs always come back within a few hundred dollars of the amount budgeted. He wondered if the amount could be withheld from the tender contract in order to not divulge the budgeted amount for the project. Todd Hewitt, Manager of Engineering, noted that administration have to give numbers to council for approval of the projects. He felt that if the bids were coming in close to the budgeted amount then that meant that the numbers were fairly accurate and that was a good thing. 

Finally, the recommendation was passed. 

It is recommended that:

1. The tender for the Replacement of Bridge #3012 BE AWARDED to Front Construction Industries Inc. for an amount not to exceed $3,928,306.00 plus HST; and, 

2. The Mayor and Clerk BE AUTHORIZED to execute an agreement with Front Construction Industries Inc. for the Replacement of Bridge #3012. 

Zoning By-law Amendment – 3665 3rd Concession N

It looks like there is an application for some zoning changes in order to build seasonal worker housing. 

Councillor Prue wondered how there could be a rooming house bylaw for 4 people that aren’t related living together, yet no bylaw required for farm workers living in groups of 10. Ms Osborne, Deputy CAO explained that the authority of farm workers housing is delegated to the Health Unit. Councillor Prue wondered when the Health Unit took over this authority and Ms Osborne explained that the migrant workers legislation is a federal program and the federal government delegated authority for housing to the Health Unit. Councillor Prue felt that this type of housing provided less protection than the bylaw for rooming houses. Ms Osborne explained that administration was adhering to the federal rules. Councillor Prue then went on about how when COVID hit the area, the virus was passing quickly in migrant worker housing in Leamington and Kingsville. He went on about how we are now relying on the Health Unit to oversee their housing. 

Deputy Mayor Meloche pointed out that we had already heard that this is a federal program and wondered why Councillor Prue was badgering administration. 

Chief Montone then weighed in about the inspections that will happen for the housing once the bylaw was passed. 

There were some more “questions”, and yada yada yada the recommendation passed. 

It is recommended that: 

1. Council APPROVE the Zoning By-law Amendment to add the additional permitted use of “Seasonal Worker Housing” at the property known as 3665 3rd Concession North; and 

2. By-law 2022-097 being a by-law to amend Zoning By-law No. 1999-52, to amend the zoning for the subject lands known as 3665 3rd Concession North be taken as having been read three times and finally passed and the Mayor and Clerk BE AUTHORIZED to sign same.

(I am going to skip several of the zoning bylaw amendments since they passed either with no discussion or very little discussion.)

Zoning By-law Amendment – 365 Sandwich Street S

This looks to be a zoning bylaw amendment for the proposed apartment building on Sandwich Street (across from Canadian Tire.) 

Councillor Prue had questions about the shadow reports for the building. It went on and on and on……(I was disinterested and checked my phone instead of taking notes here…..) Councillor Courtney wondered why council hadn’t received a traffic impact study and had only received a one page addendum. There was back and forth and the proponent for the project spoke via Zoom. It seems that the traffic impact study was done and provided in September. 

Anyway, it was all for naught, since the recommendation finally passed.  

It is recommended that: 

1. By-law 2022-088 being a by-law to amend Zoning By-law No. 1999-52, to amend the zoning for the subject lands known as the rear portion of 365 Sandwich Street South (Legal Description Part of Lot 3 Concession 1 Malden (Amherstburg) as in R268627 except Part 1 12R10000, Parts 1, 2, 12R14329; Amherstburg) and be taken as having been read three times and finally passed and the Mayor and Clerk BE AUTHORIZED to sign same.

CONSENT CORRESPONDENCE

Proposed Disposition of General Amherst High School – Greater Essex County District School Board

Well the school board is looking to sell the old General Amherst High school building and property. They’re looking to see if the town is interested, or not, in purchasing it……

Councillor Prue wondered if there were deadlines that had to be met for a response. CAO Critchley said that the town had 90 days from the date the notice was given, which would be January 12, 2023 to express an interest in the property. Then, if interest was expressed, an offer would have to be made by April 12, 2023. 

Long story short, council decided that the next council could decide if they’re interested in the old General Amherst High School. 

There was no new business or unfinished business, since this was the last meeting, so…..

Good-bye or See you later speeches 

Mayor DiCarlo spoke first. He congratulated all of those that ran for a position in the recent municipal election. He thanked the residents that voted for him and supported him. He felt that it was an honour and a privilege. He thanked his fellow council members and noted that they were faced with difficult decisions especially during the pandemic. He thanked Deputy Mayor Meloche for stepping in and taking on a lot of Mayoral responsibilities while he was off (earlier in this term). Mayor DiCarlo also thanked town staff for their work and dedication. He noted that Senior Management was always available to him, day or night, if needed. He thanked the volunteers in town for giving time day in and day out. He thanked the media for keeping residents informed, especially Ron Giofu from the RTT. And finally, he thanked his family for supporting him while he worked two full time jobs for the past 8 years and noted that he missed far too many family functions. He felt it was an honour to serve the residents of Amherstburg. 

Deputy Mayor Meloche spoke next. He explained that he got involved 8 years ago in town politics since he had concerns with our financial situation and he wanted to contribute. He noted how Amherstburg has grown during the past 8 years. Deputy Mayor Meloche thanked everyone around the table for their hard work. He noted that the past term was more difficult since he lost his wife at the end of his first term. He noted that the election gave him something to do during that very difficult time. He said that he knocked on a lot of doors during his campaign and that it is difficult to get out there and knock on doors. He congratulated those on the incoming council that got out there to knock on doors and do the hard work. (Later, Deputy Mayor Meloche would add that in his moment of emotion he forgot to thank town staff and that Amherstburg has some of the best people.)

Councillor Renaud then spoke. He thanked the residents, staff and council members. 

Then Councillor Prue (now Mayor-elect Prue) spoke. Councillor Prue said that he came to Amherstburg thinking he knew a lot about municipal politics but that he learned so much. He felt that all of the people around the council table served with integrity. He noted that they had to make difficult decisions and that he was proud of everyone. He felt that in spite of having too many “difficult” questions, staff always came through with answers. Councillor Prue then went on in detail about the Collavino donation of land to ERCA for environmental protection. Finally, he thanked his wife for supporting him. 

Councillor Courtney said that he did not have a prepared speech. He noted that this term had been a whirlwind and that council managed to survive the pandemic. He thanked town staff. He felt that there is a great Senior Management Team in place and that Amherstburg is in a good spot for the next 4 years. He felt that residents felt that the previous council was divided and that this council worked hard not to be divided, that votes changed and positions would change from meeting to meeting. He felt that he was fortunate to be able to extend his council term for 4 more years, since he was re-elected yesterday. 

Councillor Simone thanked the residents and said that it was an honour to serve us. She thanked her colleagues that all worked hard for the residents. She also thanked town staff, her family and friends for the great experience. She noted that she was excited that there would be two women at the next council table and a youth voice as well. 

Councillor McArthur then spoke. He gave a bit of his backstory of how he was a reporter and used to report on Amherstburg town council meetings. He noted that when he was a reporter he wanted conflict and controversy but as a councillor did not want that LOL. Councillor McArthur felt that the residents in Amherstburg are plugged in and engaged. He felt happy to be re-elected for another term of council. Councillor McArthur also thanked staff. He noted that he learned that you can’t please everybody and that it took him a while to learn that. He thanked Mayor Aldo DiCarlo for his guidance and support. He noted that Mayor DiCarlo went to all of the town events and that he tried to emulate that. He also thanked Deputy Mayor Meloche for his leadership and thanked Councillors Renaud and Simone for their friendship. He thanked Councillors Courtney and Prue said they’d have the chance to foil again. He then thanked the residents for the wild ride and said he was looking forward to the next 4 years. 

And with that, the final confirmatory bylaw for this term of council was read. And the meeting adjourned at 7:11PM. 

And that’s a wrap folks! This is now the second council that I followed, meeting after meeting, right through to the very end. Time flies when you’re having fun I guess?? LOL!

And for those who are wondering, yes, I fully intend to watch the next council just as closely as I watched this one and the one prior. So, with that, I’ll see you in a few weeks, with some new subjects (and some old) to analyze…..In some ways it seems like yesterday when this journey started and now here I am, 8 years later, still blogging diligently. A profound and sincere thank you to all for reading. 

In preparation for Tuesday October 25th Regular town council meeting

Well this week’s meeting will be on Tuesday evening since Monday is election day!!! Which means that by Tuesday evening, we will know if any of the current members of council will remain, or if it will be all or some new faces sworn in at the end of November. This current council will be in its very last weeks. 

The agenda of Tuesday night is 365 pages…..so it may be a long one Tuesday night? Either members of council will be tired out from the election, or they’ll be trying to get in those last-minute motions before their term is done. We shall see. 

There isn’t much of interest on the agenda……so I apologize in advance that this blog is dry. Very dry. A lot of zoning bylaw amendments…..not too exciting…..

DELEGATIONS 

Zoning By-law Amendment for 3665 Concession 3 N – Richard and Shelley Bolton

I’ll have to listen real close on Tuesday night. The delegation form only provides a picture of a property so I’m not sure what the delegation will be requesting. 

Designation of Municipal Capital Facility (MCF)

It looks like the town can designate properties as municipal capital facilities which then render them exempt from property taxes based on certain conditions. It looks like such agreements have to be submitted to MPAC for review and consideration by its legal department. It seems that exemptions can not be applied retroactively to a property and therefore, any taxes assessed prior to this designation and MPAC approval would have to be written off by the town. 

From the discussion section of the report : 

“It has been identified that the Community HUB located at 320 Richmond and the Libro Centre located at 3295 Meloche have not yet been designated as Municipal Capital Facilities and, accordingly, the appropriate by-law is required to ensure that the proper property tax classification is applied to both properties. Once the appropriate by-law is passed, Administration will work with MPAC to facilitate the change of the property tax classification to “exempt” and will determine the portion of prior years assessment for the properties which will be subject to write off.”

Here is the recommendation : 

It is recommended that: 

1. The attached Municipal Capital Facility (MCF) By-Law BE APPROVED for the properties located at 320 Richmond and 3295 Meloche; 

2. That the Mayor and the CAO BE AUTHORIZED to execute the Municipal Capital Facilities Agreement with each lessee in Appendix A; and, 

3. Administration BE AUTHORIZED to pursue the appropriate change in Property Tax classification for the properties listed in Appendix A.

Bridge #3012 – 5th Concession North over River Canard – Tender Results

I skimmed through this report. Looks like this bridge work has been sent out to tender more than once. Well, finally, somebody came in with a price that fits the budget. Here’s the recommendation : 

It is recommended that:

1. The tender for the Replacement of Bridge #3012 BE AWARDED to Front Construction Industries Inc. for an amount not to exceed $3,928,306.00 plus HST; and, 

2. The Mayor and Clerk BE AUTHORIZED to execute an agreement with Front Construction Industries Inc. for the Replacement of Bridge #3012. 

Zoning By-law Amendment – 3665 3rd Concession N

It looks like there is an application for some zoning changes in order to build seasonal worker housing. Here is the recommendation : 

It is recommended that: 

1. Council APPROVE the Zoning By-law Amendment to add the additional permitted use of “Seasonal Worker Housing” at the property known as 3665 3rd Concession North; and 

2. By-law 2022-097 being a by-law to amend Zoning By-law No. 1999-52, to amend the zoning for the subject lands known as 3665 3rd Concession North be taken as having been read three times and finally passed and the Mayor and Clerk BE AUTHORIZED to sign same.

Zoning By-law Amendment for land severed from 7509 Concession 7

It looks like there was a busy planning meeting held a few days ago and now there are a bunch of zoning bylaw amendments before council. Here is the recommendation for this property : 

It is recommended that:

1. By-law 2022-091 being a by-law to amend Zoning By-law No. 1999-52, to amend the zoning for the subject lands known as the retained farm parcel severed from 7509 Concession 7, be taken as having been read three times and finally passed and the Mayor and Clerk BE AUTHORIZED to sign same. 

Zoning By-law Amendment for lands severed from 21 Marsh Court

And another one : 

It is recommended that:

1. By-law 2022-093 being a by-law to amend Zoning By-law No. 1999-52, to amend the zoning for lands severed from 21 Marsh Court, be taken as having been read three times and finally passed and the Mayor and Clerk BE AUTHORIZED to sign same. 

Zoning By-law Amendment for lands severed from 7971 Collison Sideroad 

Another one from the planning meeting, with no public comments. Here is the recommendation :

It is recommended that: 

1. By-law 2022-092 being a by-law to amend Zoning By-law No. 1999-52, to amend the zoning for the subject lands known as retained farm parcel severed from 7971 Collison Sideroad, be taken as having been read three times and finally passed and the Mayor and Clerk BE AUTHORIZED to sign same. 

Zoning By-law Amendment for Land on the North Side of Texas Road

And the last one! This zoning bylaw amendment looks like it did have some comments in opposition but here’s the recommendation :

It is recommended that:

1. By-law 2022-098 being a by-law to amend Zoning By-law No. 1999-52, to amend the zoning for the subject lands on the north side of Texas Road, be taken as having been read three times and finally passed and the Mayor and Clerk BE AUTHORIZED to sign same. 

Official Plan Amendment – Bill 109 Policy Changes

Here is a little bit of background : “On April 14, 2022, the Province of Ontario’s Bill 109 received royal assent providing legislative direction to implement the More Homes for Everyone Act, 2022. Phase 1 of the implementation of the Act began on July 1, 2022 when the province mandated the delegation of Site Plan Control approvals to staff, removed Council’s authority to approve Site Plan Control and removed the ability of municipalities to refuse Site Plan Control. The Town of Amherstburg made business process changes at the June 27, 2022 Council meeting by implementing a By-law that delegated authority for Site Plan Control to staff. Effective January 1, 2023, Phase 2 of the implementation begins with the Province of Ontario mandating the refund of fees for Site Plan Control and Zoning By-law Amendment applications that do not meet the new mandated timelines of 60 days to issue an approval for Site Plan Control and 90 days to issue approval of a Zoning By-law Amendment (120 days for a combined Official Plan Amendment and Zoning By-law Amendment) following the application being deemed complete.”

Basically, the province took away site plan control from town councils and gave it to town administrators. It looks like there are some necessary changes that have to be in place by the town for January 1, 2023. 

Here is the recommendation : 

It is recommended that: 

1. Official Plan Amendment No. 19 – Bill 109 Policy Changes attached as Appendix “A” BE ENDORSED and; 

2. Administration BE INSTRUCTED to forward Official Plan Amendment No. 19 – Bill 109 Policy Changes to the County of Essex for approval and; 

3. By-law 2022-103 being a by-law to endorse Official Plan Amendment No. 19 – Bill 109 Policy Changes and to instruct Administration to forward Official Plan Amendment No. 19 – Bill 109 Policy Changes to the County of Essex for approval be taken as having been read three times and finally passed and the Mayor and Clerk BE AUTHORIZED to sign the same.

Zoning By-law Amendment – 365 Sandwich Street S

This looks to be a zoning bylaw amendment for the proposed apartment building on Sandwich Street (across from Canadian Tire.) Here is the recommendation : 

It is recommended that: 

1. By-law 2022-088 being a by-law to amend Zoning By-law No. 1999-52, to amend the zoning for the subject lands known as the rear portion of 365 Sandwich Street South (Legal Description Part of Lot 3 Concession 1 Malden (Amherstburg) as in R268627 except Part 1 12R10000, Parts 1, 2, 12R14329; Amherstburg) and be taken as having been read three times and finally passed and the Mayor and Clerk BE AUTHORIZED to sign same.

Odour and Lighting By-law related to the Cultivation of Plants

This appears to be a pre-emptive bylaw to prevent odour or lighting issues with greenhouse construction in Amherstburg. Here’s the recommendation :

It is recommended that:

 1. The report from the Manager of Licensing and Enforcement dated September 20, 2022 regarding a new Idling By-Law BE RECEIVED; and 

2. By-law 2022-095 being a By-law to Prohibit and Regulate Public Nuisances related to odours and lighting from the cultivation of plants be taken as having been read three times and finally passed and the Mayor and Clerk BE AUTHORIZED to sign same.

Renewal Agreement – Live Fire Training Simulator

And some firefighting equipment for training. Here’s the recommendation :

It is recommended that:

1. The report from the Fire Chief dated October 11, 2022 regarding The renewal Agreement for the Mobile Live Fire Training Simulator BE RECEIVED; and, 

2. The Renewal Agreement Extension to the original joint purchase agreement attached, (Appendix “A”) BE APPROVED, as presented and the Chief Administrative Officer and Clerk BE AUTHORIZED to sign same.

CONSENT CORRESPONDENCE

Proposed Disposition of General Amherst High School – Greater Essex County District School Board

Well the school board is looking to sell the old General Amherst High school building and property. They’re looking to see if the town is interested, or not, in purchasing it……

Bill 3, An Act to Amend Various Statutes with Respect to Special Powers and Duties of Heads of Council – Town of Mattawa Resolution

This appears to be a resolution from another municipality that is not in favour of the Strong Mayor’s Powers that the province has started giving to the mayors of certain municipalities. 

UNFINISHED BUSINESS 

Unfinished Business List as at October 25, 2022

Will anyone on council question anything that’s unfinished? The clock is ticking. 

NEW BUSINESS 

Well, the election will be over by the time New Business happens at this meeting. So, trying to impress anybody, may just be a waste of time? Or will it be time to get out those axes to grind should anybody not be getting re-elected? I guess we’ll see on Tuesday night!

And with that, Amherstburg, get out and VOTE on Monday October 24th!!! 

Monday October 17th Regular Town council meeting

Well, there must be something in the air tonight, because the meeting wrapped up at about 7:15. There was some electioneering, but I won’t play into it and will keep the blog short, sweet and efficient. Like the meetings ought to be! 

I decided to watch from home tonight. It’s kind of nice to be able to sit back in a comfy chair and listen. 

Councillor Courtney and Councillor Simone were both at the meeting via Zoom. The rest of council were in-chambers. 

RECOGNITIONS

Heritage Plaque Presentation for 24 Sandwich Street South, Dr. Manning House – Lynne Fox 

Mayor DiCarlo noted that this would be the last plaque recognition for this term of council. He then read the story behind Dr Manning and his house, located at 24 Sandwich Street South, which has now been officially designated as a heritage property. He then presented the plaque to the current owners. 

DELEGATIONS 

Request for ‘Dan Hunt’ Memorial Stone near the Town Clock – Joan Donaldson, Rotary Club of Amherstburg

Ms Donaldson then addressed council via zoom. Since she stuck to the prepared delegation form and it was short and sweet, I have copied and pasted it here for you.  

“Dan Hunt was a member of the Rotary Club of Amherstburg for 24 years. He was instrumental in bringing the Town Clock to Amherstburg. The Rotary Club of Amherstburg fundraised to make this possible by selling the paying stones you now see at the town centre. His legacy of Rotary values and friendship to all is how he is remembered. Upon Dan’s passing we received funds to be used to create a memorial in Dan’s memory in keeping with how Dan lived his life in welcoming and kindness to everyone he met. We have approached the public works department and spoke to Annette to see what options we could look at. After discussion with Annette we seek to ask the following; to place a memorial stone (photo attached) on the grassy section at the front of the town clock near the pavers. The following quote will be on the stone. “Find the time to stop and thank the people that make a difference in your life.’ This quote came from Dan Hunt’s son Thom and we the Rotary Club feel it represents Dan. We will also place our logo and our club on the stone.”

After Ms Donaldson spoke, the motion was made to approve this project and it carried. 

Safety at Admiral Hockey Games

There was a report issued to council about problems with vandalism and safety at the arena during the Admiral Hockey Games. (This is not the only place that there has been vandalism problems in town, but it was the subject for this report.)

Deputy Mayor Meloche wondered if the town had a contract with the Admirals. Ms Baillargeon, Director of Parks, said that she is working on the contracts with various user groups since many had expired in 2016. Deputy Mayor Meloche felt that the contracts could stipulate a clause about who is responsible for security. 

Councillor Courtney wondered how much damage had been caused at the Admirals games. Ms Baillargeon said some damage has been in the range of $5,000. She explained that last year, due to COVID, there was paid security in the arena due to pandemic regulations. Ms Baillargeon noted that now, they can’t pinpoint when incidents could occur and that staff do not have the training to deal with belligerent youth and that staff feels intimidated. She said that the kids tend to show up in larger groups and that by the time police are called and arrive on scene, the kids are gone. She noted that staff can not apprehend the teenagers or ask for identification and that police could be at the other end of town dealing with an issue. 

CAO Critchley pointed out that there are staff members that are reluctant to work the games due to intimidation received from the kids. She explained that a uniformed officer is a deterrent and that this past weekend, with a police presence, things went smoothly. The CAO said that it is an unfortunate situation but they are also trying to protect staff and provide a safe workplace. 

Councillor Courtney wondered if police officers could just pop in and out instead of having them there for the entire time. CAO Critchley said that is possible, however, they’ve tried that and the individuals behave while the police are present and then act up when the police leave. She cited a recent incident of tile being broken. 

Deputy Mayor Meloche pointed out that the $20,000 cost of paying for police patrol in the arena would offset the cost of repairs if there was no police presence. 

Ms Baillargeon explained to council that the cost covered one officer and one security guard onsite during the games. 

Councillor Prue seemed to feel sad about the entire situation and needing to protect our beautiful arena. He felt that something needed to be done. 

Finally, the motion was made to approve the recommendation. Councillor Courtney hoped that council would be able to look at the situation again in a few weeks. (Maybe he forgot that this council’s term is over in a few weeks?.) He said that he would not support the motion. 

Councillor McArthur felt that a message had to be sent and that council needed to protect staff, the residents and the arena. He felt that the whole situation was sad and unfortunate and that there are a few bad apples causing a lot of problems. 

Finally, the motion was carried. Here it is : 

It is recommended that:

1. Council DIRECT Administration to contract the Windsor Police Service and Paladin Security for a dedicated officer and security guard to attend and monitor the Admirals Hockey games and public skate sessions at the Libro for the 2022 season; and, 
2. Council APPROVE an over expenditure in the amount of $20,000 from the General Reserve Fund in order to cover the cost of this service.

Kingsbridge Subdivision Phase 7B – Acceptance and Assumption of Underground Infrastructure, Curbs and Base Asphalt. Placement of Surface Asphalt and Sidewalks on Maintenance

Councillor McArthur mentioned that a resident that uses a wheelchair had reached out to him with some questions about the curbs and base asphalt. Administration offered to go look specifically at the concerns. This item then carried. 

Placement of Underground Infrastructure, Curbs and Concrete Roadway on Maintenance – Boblo Island South End Development

This carried after a few questions. 

Road Dedication of Part 2, 12R29143 (westerly extension of Easy Street) as a Public Highway

This is kind of interesting. Looks like a portion of a piece of property is to become town-owned to allow for either future development or for services.

This carried with no discussion. 

Official Plan Amendment and Zoning By-law Amendment – 359 Dalhousie Street

It looks like NorBuilt has purchased a property at 359 Dalhousie Street and has requested an Official Plan Amendment to change the zoning. It appears that there is a proposal to demolish the existing house and redevelop the property with a new 4 story, 12 unit multi residential condominium development with 19 parking spaces and a 12 unit detached garage. 

Councillor Courtney thanked somebody named Chris from administration for fielding a call from him today. (I have no idea who this member of administration is, nor their title…..with all of the staff turnover in town hall lately, I don’t know who’s who, nor their titles…..add in referring to someone simply by their first name…..so no idea who it was…..) Councillor Courtney felt that based on the provincial legislation that the infill being proposed is proper. He noted that the Official Plan has the area designated as Heritage Resident and that that will be changed to high density for this apartment building. 

Councillor McArthur said that he was supportive of the recommendation since that the 12 units would pay taxes and provide residents to shop at the stores. He noted that the Heritage Committee supported the demolition and recognized the value of the Economic Development. 

Councillor Prue noted that the Heritage Committee did recommend demolition however they also had other recommendations, which he listed. Someone from administration said that the property owner to the stipulations and that the building would not be torn down until the building permit was issued. 

Finally, after a bit more commentary, the recommendation carried. Here it is : 

It is recommended that:

1. The report from the Chief Building Official and Director of Development Services dated October 17, 2022 regarding Notice of Intent to Demolish-359 Dalhousie Street BE RECEIVED; 2. The application for demolition of 359 Dalhousie Street BE SUPPORTED; 

3. The property at 359 Dalhousie Street, BE REMOVED, from the Heritage Register as a listed property of cultural heritage value or interest and; 

4. The various considerations noted to Heritage Committee to obtain support for the request for demolition of 359 Dalhousie Street, as outlined in this report, BE CONSIDERED by Administration during the Site Plan Control process. 

The rest of the items on the agenda carried with little or no discussion. 

NEW BUSINESS

Mayor DiCarlo clarified that he had reached out to the provincial government regarding Bill 109. He contacted the Premier Doug Ford and Premier Ford confirmed that the municipality has an obligation to follow the legislation. Mayor DiCarlo also confirmed this information with his executive assistant and the Ministry of Municipal Affairs. Mayor DiCarlo noted that at the last meeting there had been heated debate and that he was obligated to follow up, since the legislation puts development decisions in front of administration and not council. 

(I believe all of this was in relation to the new proposed boutique hotel at 256 Dalhousie next door to the Salmoni Building. One of the delegations from the Salmoni building had said that they had reached out to Anthony Leardi, our local Member of Provincial Parliament. The resident had felt that Mr Leardi said that council could oppose the development, or defer it, or just generally, not allow it to happen I guess. However, based on Mayor DiCarlo’s follow up with the province, that does not seem to be the case.)

Councillor Courtney asked if the fire truck was still present on Boblo Island. Chief Montone said that at the moment, the vehicle was here at station 1, since there had been challenges to accommodate it on the island due to construction. He said that the truck was temporarily here. 

And there were a couple of other small items and that was it! The meeting adjourned at 7:17 PM! 

Does it take an election looming to make meetings quick and efficient? I don’t know! All I do know is that next Monday, one week from today, it will be election day! Get out and VOTE!!!!! I believe that the current council will have at least one (maybe 2?) more meetings before the new council is sworn in. 

Get out and VOTE on Monday October 24th! 

In preparation for Monday October 17th Regular town council meeting

Well, there will be one more meeting this Monday before election day. The agenda isn’t too bad, only 214 pages. And there doesn’t really seem to be any huge issues on Monday’s agenda, so perhaps, the meeting will be efficient? Fingers crossed…..

Council will meet first at 3:00 for a special meeting. All of the items appear to be planning related and it looks like there are some great things coming for Amherstburg! (If they get approved of course LOL).

Then, council will meet at 6:00 for their regular meeting. Here are the highlights : 

RECOGNITIONS

Heritage Plaque Presentation for 24 Sandwich Street South, Dr. Manning House – Lynne Fox 

I didn’t see a report to accompany this presentation, however it looks like Ms Fox will be presented with a plaque for her historical home at 24 Sandwich Street South. 

DELEGATIONS 

Request for ‘Dan Hunt’ Memorial Stone near the Town Clock – Joan Donaldson, Rotary Club of Amherstburg

Since the delegation is short and sweet, I will copy and paste it here. 

“Dan Hunt was a member of the Rotary Club of Amherstburg for 24 years. He was instrumental in bringing the Town Clock to Amherstburg. The Rotary Club of Amherstburg fundraised to make this possible by selling the paying stones you now see at the town centre. His legacy of Rotary values and friendship to all is how he is remembered. Upon Dan’s passing we received funds to be used to create a memorial in Dan’s memory in keeping with how Dan lived his life in welcoming and kindness to everyone he met. We have approached the public works department and spoke to Annette to see what options we could look at. After discussion with Annette we seek to ask the following; to place a memorial stone (photo attached) on the grassy section at the front of the town clock near the pavers. The following quote will be on the stone. “Find the time to stop and thank the people that make a difference in your life.’ This quote came from Dan Hunt’s son Thom and we the Rotary Club feel it represents Dan. We will also place our logo and our club on the stone.”

Safety at Admiral Hockey Games

What a shame. As many are aware, there has been vandalism at the Hub, the former ACS building, the washrooms at Toddy Jones and Kings Navy Yard Park. It seems that there are also problems at the Libro Centre as well now. From the discussion portion of the report : 

“This behavior has continued to escalate since last season with damage not only at the Libro but other Town facilities as well such as King Navy Yard Park and Toddy Jones Park washrooms where cameras were recently installed this spring.

The Town does not currently have sufficient resources or trained staff to deal with these issues and many of the existing staff members have expressed concerns for their own safety regarding unlawful behaviour and activity that has occurred. The safety of Town staff and patrons attending the Libro is paramount in order to deliver quality recreational opportunities for the community to enjoy. It is therefore recommended that the Town hire dedicated WPS officer and Paladin Security Guard to attend and monitor Admirals games and the public skate sessions from 5pm to 11pm with occasional Saturday game as dictated by the schedule.

This years’ schedule for home games equates to approx. 22 games at the Libro Complex. Of these 22 games the first two in September did not have on site the additional security presence recommended in this report and resulted in the noted incidents. Out of an abundance of caution for the security and safety of those in attendance at the games, as well as staff, Administration leveraged existing operational budget funding to increase security at the October 2nd and 16th games. It should be noted the presence of additional security at the October 2nd game notably reduced the concerning behaviours. This report is before Council seeking approval for the necessary funding to sustain this level of security for the remaining 19 games this season.”

It’s such a shame that this behaviour is ongoing and is becoming more problematic. And now it’s not just the vandalism that is costing all of us money, but also now the preventive measures are going to cost us too. Here is the recommendation:

It is recommended that:

1. Council DIRECT Administration to contract the Windsor Police Service and Paladin Security for a dedicated officer and security guard to attend and monitor the Admirals Hockey games and public skate sessions at the Libro for the 2022 season; and, 
2. Council APPROVE an over expenditure in the amount of $20,000 from the General Reserve Fund in order to cover the cost of this service.

Kingsbridge Subdivision Phase 7B – Acceptance and Assumption of Underground Infrastructure, Curbs and Base Asphalt. Placement of Surface Asphalt and Sidewalks on Maintenance

This seems to be pretty standard stuff for some infrastructure in Kingsbridge. Here’s the recommendation : 

It is recommended that:

1. The recommendations in the letters regarding Kingsbridge Development Phase 7B dated April 26, 2022 & September 19, 2022 from the consulting engineer, Baird AE BE ACCEPTED; 

2. The underground infrastructure, curbs, road base and base asphalt for Kingsbridge Subdivision Phase 7B BE ACCEPTED and BE ASSUMED; and, 

3. The surface asphalt and sidewalks BE PLACED on a 1-year maintenance period, commencing September 12, 2022. 

Placement of Underground Infrastructure, Curbs and Concrete Roadway on Maintenance – Boblo Island South End Development

And again, this seems to be more of the same, some infrastructure requirements for the new development for Boblo Island. 

It is recommended that:

1. The recommendations of the consulting engineer, Amico Engineering Inc. regarding the Placement of Underground Infrastructure, Curbs and Concrete Roadway on Maintenance – Boblo Island South End Development BE ACCEPTED; 

2. The underground infrastructure, curbs and concrete roadway for Boblo Island South End Development BE PLACED on a 1-year maintenance period, commencing September 29, 2022; 3. An additional 1-year maintenance period (2 years total) BE APPLIED to the sanitary sewers along the east side of the development from MH-2M to MH SS; and, 

4. An additional 4-year maintenance period (5 years total) BE APPLIED to the concrete roadway over the sanitary sewer trenches from MH-2M to MH S-S.

Road Dedication of Part 2, 12R29143 (westerly extension of Easy Street) as a Public Highway

This is kind of interesting. Looks like a portion of a piece of property is to become town-owned to allow for either future development or for services. From the report : 

“On July 5, 2022 the Committee of Adjustment approved a severance for lot creation of a 5463.26 sq m parcel of land at the end of Easy Street and severed from 21 Marsh Court. The intended use of the severed lands will be for future low-density residential development, with the intent to consolidate with several of the adjacent parcels. If the 2 consolidation does not occur the applicant would like the opportunity to develop the lot with a single detached dwelling. As a condition of consent the Infrastructure Services department requested a parcel of land be transferred to the Town and dedicated as a public highway to ensure there is adequate land for municipal servicing connections. 

It would now be appropriate for the foregoing Part to be transferred to the Town from the current property owners. The agent on the application has arranged for the transfer of the Part to the Town to satisfy the condition of consent, which requires the passage and registration of a By-law designating is as a public highway.”

Here is the recommendation : 

It is recommended that:

1. The dedication of Part 2 on Plan 12R29143 (westerly extension of Easy Street) as a Public Highway BE APPROVED; and, 

2. By-law 2022-094 being a by-law to dedicate Part 2 on Plan 12R29143 as a Public Highway be taken as having been read three times and finally passed and the Mayor and Clerk BE AUTHORIZED to sign same

Zoning By-law Amendment for Canard Valley Estates Phase 2

This looks to be some zoning changes for a new proposed subdivision in the McGregor area. 

Official Plan Amendment and Zoning By-law Amendment – 359 Dalhousie Street

It looks like NorBuilt has purchased a property at 359 Dalhousie Street and has requested an Official Plan Amendment to change the zoning. It appears that there is a proposal to demolish the existing house and redevelop the property with a new 4 story, 12 unit multi residential condominium development with 19 parking spaces and a 12 unit detached garage. 

Looks like this is being recommended for approval. Here is the recommendation : 

It is recommended that:

1. Official Plan Amendment No. 18 – 359 Dalhousie Street attached as Appendix “A” BE ENDORSED and; 

2. Administration BE INSTRUCTED to forward Official Plan Amendment No. 18 – 359 Dalhousie Street to the County of Essex for approval; and 

3. Zoning By-law Amendment 2022-090 attached as Appendix “B” BE APPROVED.

Notice of Intent to Demolish-359 Dalhousie Street

This report is linked to the above agenda item, regarding the same property. It is being recommended to approve the demolition of the house. Here is the recommendation : 

It is recommended that:

1. The report from the Chief Building Official and Director of Development Services dated October 17, 2022 regarding Notice of Intent to Demolish-359 Dalhousie Street BE RECEIVED; 2. The application for demolition of 359 Dalhousie Street BE SUPPORTED; 

3. The property at 359 Dalhousie Street, BE REMOVED, from the Heritage Register as a listed property of cultural heritage value or interest and; 

4. The various considerations noted to Heritage Committee to obtain support for the request for demolition of 359 Dalhousie Street, as outlined in this report, BE CONSIDERED by Administration during the Site Plan Control process. 

2022 Special Events Approval – Part VI

There are a bunch of events before council requiring approval. Here they are! 

It is recommended that: 

1. The following events BE APPROVED: 

a. Santa Claus Parade: November 26, 2022 

b. Hot Air Balloon Re/Max Preferred: November 26, 2022 

c. River Lights: November 19, 2022 – January 8, 2023 2022

d. Remembrance Day Parade & Ceremony –November 11, 2022 

2. An exemption from table number 3-1(2) of Noise By-law #2001- 43 with respect to the operation of any electronic device or group of connected electronic devices incorporating one or more loudspeakers to allow for music BE GRANTED for the following events: 

a. Santa Claus Parade 

b. 2022 Remembrance Day Parade & Ceremony

3.An exemption BE GRANTED to Section 3 of the Kings Navy Yard Park By-law #2004-89 to allow for the following public event in the Kings Navy Yard Park:

a. River Lights

b. 2022 Remembrance Day Parade & Ceremony 

4.The following events BE EXEMPT and PERMITTED for road closures to begin prior to 5pm:

a. Santa Claus Parade – November 26, 2022 

b.2022 Remembrance Day Parade & Ceremony – November 11, 2022 

5.The Public Events Committee BE DIRECTED to confirm that the requirements identified by the Committee are met prior to issuing an event permit.

6. The fee waiver requests BE APPROVED as follows: 

a. Santa Clause Parade: $255.00

Long Service Award Recognition

It looks like there are several employees receiving a long service award recognition! Congratulations to all! (And thank you!!)

For the 2022 calendar year, the Town of Amherstburg recognizes the following employees for their dedicated service:

• BJ Wilder, By-Law Enforcement Officer 15 years 
• Michael Bates, Facilities Attendant 10 years 
• Helen Caba, Crossing Guard 10 years 
• Mike Castellan, Landscape Technician 10 years 
• Ken Emery, Equipment Operator 10 years 
• Robert Erickson, Crossing Guard 10 years 
• Brian Gibb, Facilities Attendant 10 years 
• Dawne Homenuik, Administrative Clerk 10 years 
• John Jaber, Facilities Attendant 10 years 
• Linda Kennedy, General Labourer 10 years
• Justin Willoughby, Landscape Technician 10 years

CONSENT CORRESPONDANCE

There are several items in consent correspondance for council. 

UNFINISHED BUSINESS

The unfinished business list still exists, but this term of council is so close to the end, that I’m not sure what, if anything, can be done with these items. 

NEW BUSINESS

And again, the chance for random emails or phone calls to be brought up. Perhaps, even some electioneering? Who knows. Or, again, what, if anything, can really be brought up now that the end is so close? 

So that’s about it. I’ll be back with the post-meeting blog…..either Monday night or Tuesday night! Will depend on how long Monday drags out…..

Election Thoughts 2022

Well the blog Q&A is officially finished. The advanced poll of October 5th is over. That leaves one more advance poll on Saturday October 15th. After that, it will then be election day, October 24th. It is fast approaching now. 

As many of you know, I have attended (or watched online) almost every single council meeting since 2015. I started blogging about the council meetings in 2016 after a few suggested the idea. It started as a new year’s resolution and the rest, as they say, is history. Little did I know what a whirlwind this strange “hobby” would become. 

In the beginning I kept a close eye on my readership stats on my biweekly meeting posts. I did a question to the candidates series in 2018 and noticed that they were very popular and extremely well read. That was great! Voters wanted to know where the candidates stand on certain issues! Obviously, I decided to do the same thing once again in 2022. I think voter engagement is so important! So, I decided to check what my overall blog readership has been since the blog’s inception in January 2016. I was shocked and humbled to see that there have been over 96,000 views of my blog posts in less than 8 years of blogging. Writing these blogs has required quite a bit of work and I am so happy and appreciative to each and every one of you for reading. (Yes, even to those that read my blogs simply to pick them apart.) 

Here is a screenshot of my current blog stats:

Current blog stats

Now as the 2022 election is looming, I have decided to once again, weigh in with my thoughts about this upcoming election. Last term, I weighed in specifically about which candidates I was supporting. This term, I will be handling things a little bit differently. 

The “non responders”

For those of you who faithfully read the Q&A to the candidates, you saw that there were several candidates that did not answer any of the questions. There were some candidates that only answered a couple of the questions. And there were some candidates that answered all of the questions. I won’t insult my readers with a breakdown of who answered how many questions. You already know that. You read it. And I saw some of the reaction to it on social media and right here on my website. 

Here are my personal opinions on why some of the candidates chose not to answer the questions :

1. They are completely out of touch with how the internet works and that people want to be able to find information about candidates online. 
2. They expect the voters/residents to seek them out rather than make themselves available to the voters in various manners, which includes electronic formats like the internet
3. They were unable to set aside their personal feelings about me and are unable to differentiate between political criticism and personal feelings. It seems that they are too thin-skinned and are holding personal grudges against me for political criticism or for having different views on issues.
4. A combination of some or all of the above

Last term, Mayor DiCarlo had shared this link on Facebook. It’s an excellent read. The article talks specifically about what type of vital qualities are necessary in local leaders.

7 vital qualities to look for in your local leader

https://www.municipalworld.com/feature-story/7-vital-qualities-look-local-leader/

For some reason, the link won’t link directly to the blog. If you copy and paste the above webpage, you’ll be able to access the article. (Technology is great, when it works! LOL)

To summarize the above article, here is a brief description of the 7 qualities to look for in a municipal candidate :

1. Relationship builder : The ability to build relationships with staff, the rest of council and the residents in the community. “Disrespect, contempt, and personal attacks create unhealthy relationships that undermine sound governance.”
2. A Team Player : The ability to debate one’s position while remaining open minded. The ability to work with others without dominating. The ability to set aside personal interests, opinions or influences for the greater good of the community as a whole.
3. Emotionally mature : “Given that they are required to make decisions in the best interests of the community – despite opposition – they must be able to withstand criticism. Being emotionally mature means staying engaged, welcoming dissent, and not overreacting to it. At times, it may mean coping with the intense emotions of others.”
4. Approachable: The ability to listen to others. The accessibility to the public not only at public meetings but also by phone and email.
5. Critical thinker : The ability to look at all sides and facets of an issue. The realization that decisions can have long term consequences or simply push problems into the future. I.E. solve the issue now.
6. Prepared: The member of council must be reading, understanding and researching all of the issues coming before council.
7. Financial acumen : “We can’t afford to have a governing body where two-thirds of the group glaze over the budgeting process, while a few others want to go through the budget line by painful line. Policy makers need to understand basic financial information and be able to evaluate budgets and financial statements. If they do not, then they should be willing to seek training to improve their skills. They need to comprehend the long-term taxation and budget consequences of financial proposals and decisions.”

I would suggest that any candidates that did not respond to the blog questions likely lack many of these traits, but most likely lack emotional maturity. It seems that some were unable to withstand political criticism and therefore have attributed it to me personally and seem to be holding grudges. I would suggest that not answering questions for my readers shows a definite over-reaction to political criticism. Some may say that they didn’t answer the questions because my husband is running for Deputy Mayor. However, some did not answer the blog questions in 2018 either when my husband was not running for a council position. Does it matter that my husband is running for Deputy Mayor? I asked the questions and copied and pasted the answers verbatim for each candidate. I gave them my well-established blog website for 5 weeks to help get their message and platform out to the readers and voters. This allowed them to get their message out to the voters. It allowed the voters easy access to the platforms for the candidates. I think political engagement is so important. 

If the candidates that did not respond to the questions are elected, will they respond to residents’ emails? Will they respond to residents’ questions? Some candidates mention in their literature that they will represent “all” residents, but will they? How will they handle dissenting points of view from residents? How will they handle political criticism for their decisions or comments made during public council meetings? Will they even be able to understand what political criticism is? Will they be able to keep an open mind about issues? Or will personal feelings prevail and erode the ability to be open-minded to other points of view? How can we expect fair and equal representation? 

Accountability and transparency

These are two words that I’ve also seen in many candidates’ literature. Some claim they will be transparent yet never answered questions from the readers. Some claim they will be accountable. I guess that remains to be seen. Isn’t facing public criticism being accountable to the electorate? Isn’t communicating with the electorate being accountable? 

And just a reminder….the Integrity Commissioner issued letters of admonition and letters of caution to members of council during this term. Here’s the link to one of the blogs I wrote about it : https://amherstburg2.wordpress.com/2022/08/04/transparency-not-so-fast-continued-part-2/

As of right now, Peter Courtney and Michael Prue have not yet replied to my email asking if they had received such letters. Is that being accountable? It’s easy to say that you’ll hold others accountable I guess. But is it another story when it comes to holding oneself accountable? 

Mayor’s race

I am not going to endorse any candidate for Mayor this term. It’s a 4-way race this term and many have approached me saying that they feel that none of the candidates are a great choice for mayor. That’s up to each individual and I have yet to decide what I will do when I get to the polls for the mayor’s section of the ballot. I will offer a brief write up from my perspective on each one. 

Frank Cerasa : I don’t know him, but man, he’s sure got a lot of lawn signs all over town. He didn’t answer any of the blog questions, so I don’t know his platform nor where he stands on these issues. 

John Laframboise : I think that John Laframboise would be the type to “get things done” , however he did not respond to any of the blog questions either, which I find concerning. 

Michael Prue : Mr Prue is a current councillor and has been the subject of his fair share of political criticism in my blog posts about the meetings. I often do not agree with his view of certain issues nor his politics. However, Mr Prue did answer all of the blog questions and I have to give him credit for that. By doing so, it tells me that he is able to recognize political criticism and not take it personally, hence showing a high level of “emotional maturity” as per the article. Mr Prue is a career politician though, so I guess he’s gotten good at it, so kudos to him. If he is elected, I hope to see him at more public events in Amherstburg than he has been these past 4 years. I do have concerns though that as the chair of the council meetings, they could last for hours and hours….and therefore will be unproductive and inefficient……

Bob Rozankovic : Mr Rozankovic blocked me many months ago from being able to comment on his political page, even though I had never, not even once, made a comment on it. Is that how he will treat residents that are politically involved and may see things differently than him, if he’s elected? That’s concerning. Mr Rozankovic didn’t answer the blog questions this term, yet answered them in 2018 when he was running for Deputy Mayor. Weird.  

And then how can we forget the famous Integrity Commissioner investigation of 2018? If you have forgotten, read this : https://www.amherstburg.ca/en/town-hall/resources/File-17-09-2018-Final-Report–7-Nov-18-.pdf

I also heard his interview on AM800 and in my opinion the interview was not confidence inspiring. I do not feel that Mr Rozankovic has the qualities necessary to be Mayor. 

Who will win the Mayor’s race? I don’t know. There doesn’t appear to be a clear front-runner. However, I predict that whoever wins the race won’t win with a big resounding win….I predict the winner will have around 40% of the total vote from within the 4 candidates. If that happens, not exactly a strong mandate, but a win regardless. 

Deputy Mayor’s race

Well, my husband is running for Deputy Mayor this term. I think he is the best candidate for this job and not because he’s my husband. And that’s all I will say about the Deputy Mayor’s race. 

Council seats – you can vote for UP TO 5 candidates

To begin, you can vote for up to 5 people for council. You do not have to vote for 5 candidates. You can vote for one, two, three or four if you’d prefer. Actually, you can even vote for none and just cast a ballot for a Mayor and/or Deputy Mayor. 

This term, there are 16 people running for five council seats. This concerns me a lot since I think that vote-splitting will create some wild-card wins, likely for 4th and 5th place. Last term, with 14 people running, just 182 votes separated the 4th place finisher and the 8th place finisher. It was tight…..I foresee the same thing happening this time……and it’s a little bit frightening…..

Here are three people that I would really like to see elected to our next municipal council :

Lori Wightman : Lori Wightman is knowledgeable and does her research. She reads the reports and she finds answers to questions. I think she has a strong work ethic and most definitely has the 7 character traits noted in the article as required in a municipal representative. I think she will be a strong voice for the residents and will be able to make decisions, even tough ones, rather than push them off down the road. We need someone like Lori Wightman on council. We need someone that can read and understand the reports, can listen to various sides of issues and then can make an informed decision that is in the best interest of the municipality as a whole. I feel that Lori Wightman won’t shy away from difficult decisions and she will move Amherstburg forward in a positive way. I think that Lori will be a forward-thinking, proactive member of council. She is goal oriented and driven. Lori Wightman ran in the 2018 election and came in 6th by a mere 33 votes…..I don’t want to see that happen again. We need Lori Wightman on council in 2022! 

Linden Crain : Linden Crain is a new up and comer! I’ve met Linden Crain and read his literature. He has an extensive and impressive resume and also possesses the 7 qualities required for a candidate. Linden Crain has shown strong leadership skills and community engagement. He is a board member for two local boards and has hosted a very successful podcast where he has interviewed a wide variety of guests. I think that Linden Crain will provide a fresh voice at the council table. He will also provide some diversity to our council table as well and I think that that is so important! He is working hard and I hope his hard work pays off! I would love to see Linden Crain sitting in a councillor’s chair for this upcoming term. I think he will be a positive and forward-thinking voice for the residents. 

Donald McArthur : Donald McArthur is wrapping up his first term as a councillor. I supported him for the last election and I’m supporting him again this term. Donald McArthur has been an excellent communicator with the public during his term. He has written blog posts about decisions made by council and other issues that the town has faced during the past 4 years. He also attends almost every single town event! This shows what a hard worker he is! Donald McArthur has also been on the receiving end of some political criticism in my blog at times and he still speaks to me, so that shows he can also keep politics and personal, separate. I think that there were times that Donald McArthur tried so hard to please everybody these past 4 years that, at times, he disappointed his biggest supporters. I noticed the last paragraph of his River Town Times article said : “McArthur said he has learned that ‘you can’t please everybody” and it’s important to listen to all sides, but then make a decision.” I hope that’s the case. And if it is, I think we will see more of who Donald McArthur was at the beginning of his term, a forward-thinking, make things happen kind of guy. I’ve been seeing more of that original councillor this past year as well. I hope it continues and I hope to see Donald McArthur on council again!

You can choose 2 more if you wish…..

Again, you can vote for 5 councillors, or less. It’s up to you. There are a few other good choices among the 16 people running. I think that some of the other candidates have some of the 7 qualities required and quite frankly I feel that some of the candidates have none of the 7 qualities. It’s somewhat scary. I know that I am looking for members of council who will move the town forward and that will MAKE DECISIONS!!!  We can not afford four more years in neutral, continuing to push decisions down the road……

There are a few candidates running for council that I think will move our town forward in a positive direction. However, there are a few candidates running that I feel are stuck in the past and are all about being regressive. There are some candidates that also seem to be “one issue” candidates. What do you, as a resident of Amherstburg, want? If you’re not afraid of change and you want to see Amherstburg advance and progress, then definitely vote for Crain, McArthur and Wightman. There are a few others too that I think could be progressive. However, there are several candidates running for council to avoid if you want to see Amherstburg prosper rather than remain stuck in the past. And if you’re a candidate reading this and you are insulted by this last sentence, well, it’s probably you that I’m referring to. Personally, I want to see Amherstburg grow and prosper to ensure a viable future. I am not interested in hearing about the past and dragging our town backwards. Unfortunately, that is how some of the candidates for council think and behave. I think that many of the “non responders” to the blog questions fall into that category. If they can’t understand the changes in technology and the internet to reach the voters, what kind of “vision” do they really have? And again, if you are upset by this commentary, it’s likely because you know that it’s you that I’m referring to…..And that those necessary qualities noted in the article above are lacking…..

Wards in Amherstburg?

And you will get to vote on one more issue when you get to the ballot box. Council decided to put the ward issue to a referendum and put it on the ballot. On the ballot you will be asked : “ Are you in favour of a ward system?” You can then vote “yes” or “no”. This issue has been brought up almost every term of council…..yet this council seemed to think it was something new…..

Anyway, I went back to my blog from June 2020 when council debated the ward issue. Here’s the link if you’re interested : https://amherstburg2.wordpress.com/2020/06/24/monday-june-22nd-regular-town-council-meeting/

I was looking for a quote that was cited that night that came from the amalgamation committee in 1997. Here it is : “Cooperation, not confrontation, is necessary to build a new municipality. A better local government will result when every member of council is compelled to examine every issue with regard to how all rate payers will be affected by his/her decision.”

I agree wholeheartedly with that statement. I feel that wards will simply divide the residents, physically and politically. And what do you do, as a resident, if your ward representative is not very effective? Or if they won’t reply to your emails? You don’t really have any other options, do you? At least as it is now, you have a choice of seven people to reach out to should you need assistance with something. Basically, wards make the politicians jobs a lot easier….is that really what we want? Make things easier for the politicians so that they don’t have to examine issues from the perspective of ALL of the residents, simply the ones in their ward? 

But, whatever the results of the vote may be, it takes 50% voter turnout for the results to be binding. We haven’t seen over 50% voter turnout in a very long time. Regardless, I’m fairly confident that the majority of residents do not support a ward system and the vote results will reflect that. And then, hopefully, we can put the ward issue to rest, once and for all. 

Conclusion

I would like to end this blog on a positive note of personal gratitude to you, my readers. Through my almost 8 year (gulp!) journey of being a political watcher and blogger, I have made many new friends and acquaintances. Several of the candidates sent me kind words about the blog Q&A as they recognized the work involved to put it all together and the gift of a free platform to get their political platforms out and rolling. I love political engagement. I love people becoming informed about issues.

I write a political blog about the public council meetings.  I do not expect everybody to agree with all of my opinions and I know there are a handful of people that read the blog just to pick it apart and that’s okay. I think that most people are able to see and appreciate the work that goes into this blog and my desire to hold council (our elected officials) accountable. It’s important to be able to hold elected officials accountable for their public remarks and most importantly for their decisions or lack thereof. 

And now I just have to wait to see if my predictions come to reality or not. See you on the flip side ! And thank you from the bottom of my heart for reading. 🙂 Now get out there and VOTE!