Tonight, the St. Catharines Standard hosted its first on-line election forum. Topic: Bicycle lanes.
Again, I was the only one in St. George's ward to participate. I'm not sure what the candidates who don't participate think, but I believe their lack of participation tonight and lack of comment on several other issues is indicative of their approach to communication with residents.
I believe communication with residents is paramount to being able to do a good job.
Thank you to the St. Catharines Standard, Matthew Van Dongen and Monique Beech for hosting/moderating the forum.
Here's the link to the forum. Enjoy!
http://www.stcatharinesstandard.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2780845
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Full news story on bicycle lanes with candidate comments
As a follow-up to yesterday's blog post, here is the link to the full story that the Standard published on-line today: http://www.stcatharinesstandard.ca/ArticleDisplayGenContent.aspx?e=17869
Notice that neither of the incumbents for St. George's ward commented on this issue. Peter Secord had previously commented that cycling is simply "a sport". What do you think?
~~~~~
Here's the full copy and paste of the article that was printed on September 30, 2010:
In the past year, Jacob Schwenk has paid the city twice to ride his bicycle on Welland Ave.
The first time, in late 2009, Schwenk the taxpayer paid for new bike lanes — later removed due to complaints from local businesses — on the busy street between Grantham Ave. and Neilson Ave.
Soon after, Schwenk the cyclist paid again: a $60 fine for riding on the sidewalk.
“Yeah, I know it’s illegal. It’s not like I want to be on the sidewalk, deking around people,” he said. “But this section (of Welland Ave.) is just too dangerous. I’m not going to ride a foot away from a transport truck with no separation … I feel like $60 is kind of a hefty fine for trying to protect myself.”
The part-time landscaper isn’t travelling the east section of Welland Ave. for fun. He often rides his trusty Schwinn that way to work. He routinely gets groceries from the plaza at Welland Ave. and Bunting Rd. “This isn’t my toy; it’s my horse,” he said. “I use it for everything.”
The city is getting a rough ride over recent bike lane decisions.
Motorists and local businesses reacted angrily to slowdowns on Welland Ave. following the addition of bike lanes. When council reversed its decision and removed the lanes at an additional cost of more than $11,000, cyclists — and waste-wary taxpayers — were outraged.
Similar complaints about planned bike lanes for other major streets, including Pelham Rd., prompted council to send its bike lane policy back to the shop for repairs in late August, just two months before the municipal election.
That gives aspiring councillors the perfect opportunity to make their views known on the value of “sustainable transportation,” said Gary Murphy, an organizer with the Active Transportation Niagara Network.
The Region-sponsored group is dedicated to creating “safe and direct routes” for cyclists and pedestrians to all community destinations.
Murphy gives credit to the city for adding 30 kilometres of dedicated or shared bike lanes to local streets over the past few years.
“But there have been some bumps in the road, too,” he said.
The issue is not as simple as bike lanes, either.
The city’s new official plan promotes the idea of more sustainable thoroughfares that allow for sidewalks, bike lanes and street trees. It’s a transportation philosophy that caters to cyclists and pedestrians, as well as cars.
That typically means shrinking traffic lanes with a “road diet” like the one implemented on a section of Scott St., where four lanes of traffic were reduced to two plus a turning lane and dedicated bike lanes.
Murphy points to Scott St. as a success story — but he knows some residents would disagree.
Several letter writers to The Standard have argued adding bike lanes at the expense of car lanes on major thoroughfares is a recipe for snarled traffic, frustrated business owners and safety complaints.
It’s not always easy to compromise, Murphy noted.
His group is encouraging residents to ask their candidates about sustainable transportation issues in advance of the Oct. 25 vote.
Suggested questions include:
— What streets are the least safe and accessible for walking and cycling and what would you do to make them safer and more accessible?
— What infrastructure changes to support walking and cycling as forms of transportation are needed in your community?
— In your role as councillor or mayor, how strongly would you prioritize principles of walkable and bikeable communities in the planning of new developments and changes to existing infrastructure?
We asked candidates for their thoughts on bike lane policy Wednesday. Their responses are included below.
(This is the third article of a weekly Hot Topics election feature that will run every Thursday leading up to the Oct. 25 municipal vote. What issues matter to you? Tell us, and we'll consider your suggestions for Hot Topics. You can reach us by email at mailto:mvandongen@stcatharinesstandard.caor by phone at 905-684-7251, ext. 260.)
Candidate responses:
"I use our bicycle lanes, but sometime they're bloody dangerous… Lakeshore can be just deadly. I don't think we're looking enough at public safety. More bikes lanes is fine, but we need to be very careful where we put them."
– Jim Black, candidate for Grantham ward
"First and foremost in this entire debate, both car drivers and cyclists need to observe the rules of the road, and that has nothing to do with bicycling policy - that's a law enforcement issue. The bottom-line with respect to city policy is simple, and is actually spelled out in the city's Official Plan: the city should create a cycling network that connects major activity areas within St. Catharines, it should provide the amenities that cyclists need to promote bike use such as bike parking at city facilities, and it should create bike lanes on roadways where feasible. I believe the city should implement the Official Plan exactly as it is written. The contentious part is bike lanes, and the argument is over the feasibility issue.
The section of Welland Ave north of the QEW that was converted through a 'road diet' to bike lanes and then quickly converted back is an example of an area where bike lanes aren't feasible. When there is heavy industrial traffic that requires wide turning radiuses and the route is heavily trafficked by other types of vehicles, we shouldn't be making those efforts more difficult by reducing lanes. Cyclists are still able to use the route, but to significantly change the road to serve a very small minority simply doesn't make sense."
– Mat Siscoe, candidate for St. Patrick's ward
"Any transportation policy must be preceded by a comprehensive transportation policy. This policy should be as inclusive as possible with consideration given to motorists as well as cyclists. To have a sustainable, walkable, motorist friendly and cyclist friendly city a comprehensive master plan needs to be developed so as to avoid conflicts. This plan should be developed in conjunction with the Region since many main streets in St. Catharines are Regional Roads.
Education for both motorists and cyclists that will encompass the rights and responsibilities of both is a necessary component of any policy."
– Jennie Stevens, candidate for Merritton ward
"I see bicycle lanes as part of a strategy of civic beautification to counter past bad planning and to help the personal security of all who use our roads. I have been accused in this election of having a sinister strategy of promoting a so called "road diet" of advocating cycling lanes to promote congestion. I support bicycle lanes to promote road safety. It is important however, that both cyclists and drivers are educated in their use. One of the reasons we need cycling lanes is that having them builds confidence in inexperienced cyclists. Adequate education in cycling safety should be part of the basic high school curriculum. I learned more about cycling safety from my church Boy Scout group than school.
Another part of a whole street strategy is to convert to grass and tree bouvelards dead zones that are now concrete or asphalt. There is a bad example of this in front of St. George's Anglican Church. It even has steps! In some areas instead of being converted to grass, these dead zones could be turned into off street parking. This procedure is known as the cutaway. Installing a cutaway would have been helpful in keeping bicycle lanes on Pelham Road where there was a conflict with local business."
– John Bacher, candidate for St. Patrick's ward
"Bike Lanes and 'Complete Streets' are a nice idea if you have a newer city and there is unlimited space available. St.Catharines is a grand old city with many unique areas, and carpet solutions are not feasible to suit all of these areas. I am in favor of bike lanes, but only if they do not impede on the flow of traffic or business. Idling cars, especially in winter when the lanes aren't used, is backwards environmental policy. Scott St. between Niagara and Geneva is a perfect example of a street that takes longer to travel with the lanes. Ultimately the residents on a particular street should have the final say in weather the bike lanes should be implemented."
– Alan Ziemianin, candidate for Grantham ward
"I agree we all should work towards lessening our carbon footprint through the use of bicycles and walking. However, unless we focus on the revitalization of this great city and more specifically Downtown, then it won't be long before riders and walkers will have all kinds of space since the streets will be empty, the shops bare and for sale signs dominating front yards. "
– Scott Duff, candidate for St. Patrick's ward
"Bike lanes in the City are very much needed. We need to have them install correctly. We cannot shorten the width of the car driving lanes to create the bike lanes. We must widen the street to accommodate them. Doing anything in half measures often causes more problems than they correct."
– Dale Millar, candidate for St. George's ward
"I am disappointed that our current council has not taken a more proactive approach with respect to cycling, which is a viable and necessary mode of transportation for many in our community. The two-year-old bicycle lane policy did not need to be sent back to the drawing board…
I also believe that the main reason the bicycle racks on city buses don't get used as much as we'd like them to is because there is not an appropriate network of bicycle lanes and other bicycle-friendly policy to coincide with them. It's like having good roads within each city but no highways to connect them. There are still several issues with cars and the areas where bicycle lanes have been introduced, which are leading some to believe that bicycle lanes are not an appropriate venture; however, the only way to improve these issues is to continue to introduce bicycle lanes throughout the city to make cycling a safer mode of transportation."
– Laura Ip, candidate for St. George's ward
As a cyclist I want bike lanes where they are feasible. Lakeport Rd. is a great example. On busy roads we should be able to widen the sidewalk on one side (asphalt with painted lines) and turn that into a bicycle lane. Where roads cross the QEW there should be bike lanes at those crossings. I would love to see old railways lines paved and made into bicycle only routes.
– Rick Naldjieff, candidate for Port Dalhousie ward
"I am in support of the ongoing development of "Bike Lanes" throughout our city. St. Catharines' "Bike Lane" policy has developed and grown extensively over the past few years. I believe the continuation of this policy requires a "Check and Balance" approach to insure the quality of the bike lanes in regards to design, location and safety. We, as the leaders of our community, must take all the factors into consideration before making any definite decisions. We must exercise caution when it comes to the requests of "Special Interest" groups and make clear, concise and objective decisions in this regard. The "bike lane" policy needs to move forward in such a way that it truly reflects what is in the best interests of all our citizens.
I am aware that bike enthusiasts would love to see bike lanes on every major and minor transportation route in our city. Although I agree that would be nice, my concern regarding the "bike lane" policy is one of safety for both the bikers and the vehicle operators… Unfortunately, when a vehicle collides with a bike, it is usually the biker who sustains the more serious injuries. Not all the roadways in our city are designed to accommodate bike lanes and as a result the safety of bikers becomes an issue. It is for this reason that I think we need to put more effort and attention into the engineering and design of our "bike lanes" and where they would be best located… St. Catharines and the leaders of its community must place the safety of its citizens as its # 1 priority."
– Len Stack, candidate for Port Dalhousie ward
"There are many reasons to support the position for building and sustaining a community that supports biking and walking as primary modes of transportation. They include: health, social and economic benefits. As a member of the city's Community Advisory Committee for Sustainability, I believe we need to build St. Catharines into a vibrant and healthy city. Part of that discussion involves how we plan our city streets to be 'complete streets'. If we are to encourage citizens to rely on their cars less and choose walking and biking more often, then the environment in which they live, work and play must support walking and biking as forms of everyday transportation...
Lastly, in terms of process it is important that we reach out and engage all local stakeholders in the walkable/bikeable community discussion. Local businesses might have concerns about losing customers if parking spots are removed from the front of their store. These are valid concerns, especially during tough economic times, and they should be listened to thoroughly before any final decisions are made. It is important that we move forward with a shared vision for the future, and offer a menu of program activities to engage the community in the creation of environments that support walking and biking."
– Marty Mako, candidate for Port Dalhousie ward
"Having children nearing the age where they will be required to ride on the streets, I understand that the safety of riders should be of utmost importance when planning streets. The city already has approved provisions for bike lanes, and I believe that they should be supported. In older, established neighbourhoods where the streets are narrow, and bike lanes impractical, we should work to find alternative solutions."
In addition, I think any new span over the Twelve-mile creek as a replacement for the Burgoyne Bridge, must include proper bike lanes."
– Sean Polden, candidate for St. Andrew's ward
"The streets of our City are not only transportation networks, but also important components in the livability of our community. The concept of "complete streets" speaks to the need to develop roadways that create a means of safe efficient and enjoyable travel by all users, including drivers, cyclists, transit users and pedestrians of all ages and abilities.
The goal of our cycling policy must be to create an interconnected primary transportation network of cycling lanes throughout our City, with a secondary goal of connectivity to our trails system. Cycling cannot be viewed solely under a recreational lens. It is the primary transportation mode of choice for many in our community and will be in greater demand as we build a more sustainable City based on smart growth principles."
– Mark Elliott, candidate for St. Patrick's ward
"I support bike lanes in St. Catharines. Bike lanes provide a healthy alternative for the people that use them as well as our environment and provide safety for the cyclists. Its a cost effective means of transportation in our city and more and more people are biking it to work when they can, as well as leisure.
It's our responsibility to provide a safe environment for everyone. The attitude of "automobile traffic still rules the road" is archaic, and proves how some are un-open to change. By saying bike lanes belong in residential areas is biased. Overall this is just another example of how some have the inability to see the over all picture of the benefits such measures have. This year, I have seen more cyclists out on the streets then ever before, this might be due to bike lanes making them more obvious, or just the fact that more people are taking advantage of them. I guess people cannot truly appreciate what bike lanes have to offer 'til they use them."
– Robert George, candidate for St. Patrick's ward
Notice that neither of the incumbents for St. George's ward commented on this issue. Peter Secord had previously commented that cycling is simply "a sport". What do you think?
~~~~~
Here's the full copy and paste of the article that was printed on September 30, 2010:
Putting an election spin on bike lanes
MATTHEW VAN DONGEN, Standard StaffIn the past year, Jacob Schwenk has paid the city twice to ride his bicycle on Welland Ave.
The first time, in late 2009, Schwenk the taxpayer paid for new bike lanes — later removed due to complaints from local businesses — on the busy street between Grantham Ave. and Neilson Ave.
Soon after, Schwenk the cyclist paid again: a $60 fine for riding on the sidewalk.
“Yeah, I know it’s illegal. It’s not like I want to be on the sidewalk, deking around people,” he said. “But this section (of Welland Ave.) is just too dangerous. I’m not going to ride a foot away from a transport truck with no separation … I feel like $60 is kind of a hefty fine for trying to protect myself.”
The part-time landscaper isn’t travelling the east section of Welland Ave. for fun. He often rides his trusty Schwinn that way to work. He routinely gets groceries from the plaza at Welland Ave. and Bunting Rd. “This isn’t my toy; it’s my horse,” he said. “I use it for everything.”
The city is getting a rough ride over recent bike lane decisions.
Motorists and local businesses reacted angrily to slowdowns on Welland Ave. following the addition of bike lanes. When council reversed its decision and removed the lanes at an additional cost of more than $11,000, cyclists — and waste-wary taxpayers — were outraged.
Similar complaints about planned bike lanes for other major streets, including Pelham Rd., prompted council to send its bike lane policy back to the shop for repairs in late August, just two months before the municipal election.
That gives aspiring councillors the perfect opportunity to make their views known on the value of “sustainable transportation,” said Gary Murphy, an organizer with the Active Transportation Niagara Network.
The Region-sponsored group is dedicated to creating “safe and direct routes” for cyclists and pedestrians to all community destinations.
Murphy gives credit to the city for adding 30 kilometres of dedicated or shared bike lanes to local streets over the past few years.
“But there have been some bumps in the road, too,” he said.
The issue is not as simple as bike lanes, either.
The city’s new official plan promotes the idea of more sustainable thoroughfares that allow for sidewalks, bike lanes and street trees. It’s a transportation philosophy that caters to cyclists and pedestrians, as well as cars.
That typically means shrinking traffic lanes with a “road diet” like the one implemented on a section of Scott St., where four lanes of traffic were reduced to two plus a turning lane and dedicated bike lanes.
Murphy points to Scott St. as a success story — but he knows some residents would disagree.
Several letter writers to The Standard have argued adding bike lanes at the expense of car lanes on major thoroughfares is a recipe for snarled traffic, frustrated business owners and safety complaints.
It’s not always easy to compromise, Murphy noted.
His group is encouraging residents to ask their candidates about sustainable transportation issues in advance of the Oct. 25 vote.
Suggested questions include:
— What streets are the least safe and accessible for walking and cycling and what would you do to make them safer and more accessible?
— What infrastructure changes to support walking and cycling as forms of transportation are needed in your community?
— In your role as councillor or mayor, how strongly would you prioritize principles of walkable and bikeable communities in the planning of new developments and changes to existing infrastructure?
We asked candidates for their thoughts on bike lane policy Wednesday. Their responses are included below.
(This is the third article of a weekly Hot Topics election feature that will run every Thursday leading up to the Oct. 25 municipal vote. What issues matter to you? Tell us, and we'll consider your suggestions for Hot Topics. You can reach us by email at mailto:mvandongen@stcatharinesstandard.caor by phone at 905-684-7251, ext. 260.)
Candidate responses:
"I use our bicycle lanes, but sometime they're bloody dangerous… Lakeshore can be just deadly. I don't think we're looking enough at public safety. More bikes lanes is fine, but we need to be very careful where we put them."
– Jim Black, candidate for Grantham ward
"First and foremost in this entire debate, both car drivers and cyclists need to observe the rules of the road, and that has nothing to do with bicycling policy - that's a law enforcement issue. The bottom-line with respect to city policy is simple, and is actually spelled out in the city's Official Plan: the city should create a cycling network that connects major activity areas within St. Catharines, it should provide the amenities that cyclists need to promote bike use such as bike parking at city facilities, and it should create bike lanes on roadways where feasible. I believe the city should implement the Official Plan exactly as it is written. The contentious part is bike lanes, and the argument is over the feasibility issue.
The section of Welland Ave north of the QEW that was converted through a 'road diet' to bike lanes and then quickly converted back is an example of an area where bike lanes aren't feasible. When there is heavy industrial traffic that requires wide turning radiuses and the route is heavily trafficked by other types of vehicles, we shouldn't be making those efforts more difficult by reducing lanes. Cyclists are still able to use the route, but to significantly change the road to serve a very small minority simply doesn't make sense."
– Mat Siscoe, candidate for St. Patrick's ward
"Any transportation policy must be preceded by a comprehensive transportation policy. This policy should be as inclusive as possible with consideration given to motorists as well as cyclists. To have a sustainable, walkable, motorist friendly and cyclist friendly city a comprehensive master plan needs to be developed so as to avoid conflicts. This plan should be developed in conjunction with the Region since many main streets in St. Catharines are Regional Roads.
Education for both motorists and cyclists that will encompass the rights and responsibilities of both is a necessary component of any policy."
– Jennie Stevens, candidate for Merritton ward
"I see bicycle lanes as part of a strategy of civic beautification to counter past bad planning and to help the personal security of all who use our roads. I have been accused in this election of having a sinister strategy of promoting a so called "road diet" of advocating cycling lanes to promote congestion. I support bicycle lanes to promote road safety. It is important however, that both cyclists and drivers are educated in their use. One of the reasons we need cycling lanes is that having them builds confidence in inexperienced cyclists. Adequate education in cycling safety should be part of the basic high school curriculum. I learned more about cycling safety from my church Boy Scout group than school.
Another part of a whole street strategy is to convert to grass and tree bouvelards dead zones that are now concrete or asphalt. There is a bad example of this in front of St. George's Anglican Church. It even has steps! In some areas instead of being converted to grass, these dead zones could be turned into off street parking. This procedure is known as the cutaway. Installing a cutaway would have been helpful in keeping bicycle lanes on Pelham Road where there was a conflict with local business."
– John Bacher, candidate for St. Patrick's ward
"Bike Lanes and 'Complete Streets' are a nice idea if you have a newer city and there is unlimited space available. St.Catharines is a grand old city with many unique areas, and carpet solutions are not feasible to suit all of these areas. I am in favor of bike lanes, but only if they do not impede on the flow of traffic or business. Idling cars, especially in winter when the lanes aren't used, is backwards environmental policy. Scott St. between Niagara and Geneva is a perfect example of a street that takes longer to travel with the lanes. Ultimately the residents on a particular street should have the final say in weather the bike lanes should be implemented."
– Alan Ziemianin, candidate for Grantham ward
"I agree we all should work towards lessening our carbon footprint through the use of bicycles and walking. However, unless we focus on the revitalization of this great city and more specifically Downtown, then it won't be long before riders and walkers will have all kinds of space since the streets will be empty, the shops bare and for sale signs dominating front yards. "
– Scott Duff, candidate for St. Patrick's ward
"Bike lanes in the City are very much needed. We need to have them install correctly. We cannot shorten the width of the car driving lanes to create the bike lanes. We must widen the street to accommodate them. Doing anything in half measures often causes more problems than they correct."
– Dale Millar, candidate for St. George's ward
"I am disappointed that our current council has not taken a more proactive approach with respect to cycling, which is a viable and necessary mode of transportation for many in our community. The two-year-old bicycle lane policy did not need to be sent back to the drawing board…
I also believe that the main reason the bicycle racks on city buses don't get used as much as we'd like them to is because there is not an appropriate network of bicycle lanes and other bicycle-friendly policy to coincide with them. It's like having good roads within each city but no highways to connect them. There are still several issues with cars and the areas where bicycle lanes have been introduced, which are leading some to believe that bicycle lanes are not an appropriate venture; however, the only way to improve these issues is to continue to introduce bicycle lanes throughout the city to make cycling a safer mode of transportation."
– Laura Ip, candidate for St. George's ward
As a cyclist I want bike lanes where they are feasible. Lakeport Rd. is a great example. On busy roads we should be able to widen the sidewalk on one side (asphalt with painted lines) and turn that into a bicycle lane. Where roads cross the QEW there should be bike lanes at those crossings. I would love to see old railways lines paved and made into bicycle only routes.
– Rick Naldjieff, candidate for Port Dalhousie ward
"I am in support of the ongoing development of "Bike Lanes" throughout our city. St. Catharines' "Bike Lane" policy has developed and grown extensively over the past few years. I believe the continuation of this policy requires a "Check and Balance" approach to insure the quality of the bike lanes in regards to design, location and safety. We, as the leaders of our community, must take all the factors into consideration before making any definite decisions. We must exercise caution when it comes to the requests of "Special Interest" groups and make clear, concise and objective decisions in this regard. The "bike lane" policy needs to move forward in such a way that it truly reflects what is in the best interests of all our citizens.
I am aware that bike enthusiasts would love to see bike lanes on every major and minor transportation route in our city. Although I agree that would be nice, my concern regarding the "bike lane" policy is one of safety for both the bikers and the vehicle operators… Unfortunately, when a vehicle collides with a bike, it is usually the biker who sustains the more serious injuries. Not all the roadways in our city are designed to accommodate bike lanes and as a result the safety of bikers becomes an issue. It is for this reason that I think we need to put more effort and attention into the engineering and design of our "bike lanes" and where they would be best located… St. Catharines and the leaders of its community must place the safety of its citizens as its # 1 priority."
– Len Stack, candidate for Port Dalhousie ward
"There are many reasons to support the position for building and sustaining a community that supports biking and walking as primary modes of transportation. They include: health, social and economic benefits. As a member of the city's Community Advisory Committee for Sustainability, I believe we need to build St. Catharines into a vibrant and healthy city. Part of that discussion involves how we plan our city streets to be 'complete streets'. If we are to encourage citizens to rely on their cars less and choose walking and biking more often, then the environment in which they live, work and play must support walking and biking as forms of everyday transportation...
Lastly, in terms of process it is important that we reach out and engage all local stakeholders in the walkable/bikeable community discussion. Local businesses might have concerns about losing customers if parking spots are removed from the front of their store. These are valid concerns, especially during tough economic times, and they should be listened to thoroughly before any final decisions are made. It is important that we move forward with a shared vision for the future, and offer a menu of program activities to engage the community in the creation of environments that support walking and biking."
– Marty Mako, candidate for Port Dalhousie ward
"Having children nearing the age where they will be required to ride on the streets, I understand that the safety of riders should be of utmost importance when planning streets. The city already has approved provisions for bike lanes, and I believe that they should be supported. In older, established neighbourhoods where the streets are narrow, and bike lanes impractical, we should work to find alternative solutions."
In addition, I think any new span over the Twelve-mile creek as a replacement for the Burgoyne Bridge, must include proper bike lanes."
– Sean Polden, candidate for St. Andrew's ward
"The streets of our City are not only transportation networks, but also important components in the livability of our community. The concept of "complete streets" speaks to the need to develop roadways that create a means of safe efficient and enjoyable travel by all users, including drivers, cyclists, transit users and pedestrians of all ages and abilities.
The goal of our cycling policy must be to create an interconnected primary transportation network of cycling lanes throughout our City, with a secondary goal of connectivity to our trails system. Cycling cannot be viewed solely under a recreational lens. It is the primary transportation mode of choice for many in our community and will be in greater demand as we build a more sustainable City based on smart growth principles."
– Mark Elliott, candidate for St. Patrick's ward
"I support bike lanes in St. Catharines. Bike lanes provide a healthy alternative for the people that use them as well as our environment and provide safety for the cyclists. Its a cost effective means of transportation in our city and more and more people are biking it to work when they can, as well as leisure.
It's our responsibility to provide a safe environment for everyone. The attitude of "automobile traffic still rules the road" is archaic, and proves how some are un-open to change. By saying bike lanes belong in residential areas is biased. Overall this is just another example of how some have the inability to see the over all picture of the benefits such measures have. This year, I have seen more cyclists out on the streets then ever before, this might be due to bike lanes making them more obvious, or just the fact that more people are taking advantage of them. I guess people cannot truly appreciate what bike lanes have to offer 'til they use them."
– Robert George, candidate for St. Patrick's ward
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Bicycle Lanes...St. Catharines Standard Hot Topic
The St. Catharines Standard continues with their series of election "hot topics" with bicycle lanes, which will run tomorrow.
Here was my full e-mail response to their question.
~~~~~
Laura Ip to mvandongen 1:30 PM (0 minutes ago)
Hi, Matt
Thanks for another opportunity. I appreciate that you and Marlene are keeping on top of the election, and I hope that your coverage will also help to generate higher voter turnouts across the city.
With respect to cycling...
I am disappointed that our current Council has not taken a more proactive approach with respect to cycling, which is a viable and necessary mode of transportation for many in our community. The two-year-old bicycle lane policy did not need to be sent back to the drawing board.
With projects such as the performing arts centre, the new pool and library complex and the recently approved plan to take the wine route through downtown St. Catharines, we need to ensure that all of these are as accessible as possible to as many people as possible. Ensuring that there is appropriate networking of bicycle lanes throughout the city is one way of doing this.
I also believe that the main reason the bicycle racks on city buses don't get used as much as we'd like them to is because there is not an appropriate network of bicycle lanes and other bicycle-friendly policy to coincide with them. It's like having good roads within each city but no highways to connect them.
There are still several issues with cars and the areas where bicycle lanes have been introduced, which are leading some to believe that bicycle lanes are not an appropriate venture; however, the only way to improve these issues is to continue to introduce bicycle lanes throughout the city to make cycling a safer mode of transportation.
The wonderful thing about being human is that we have the ability to adapt to our surroundings. As drivers get more used to using roads with bicycle lanes, and cyclists get more used to the fact that they have the opportunity to use them, everyone will find a way to co-operate in a manner that is safer for everyone.
Laura
On Wed, Sep 29, 2010 at 10:18 AM, Matthew VanDongen wrote:
Hi folks, if you'd like the chance to have your say for a Standard Hot Topics article running in tomorrow's edition, you can e-mail me by 4:30 p.m. The topic is specifically bike lane policy, but you can address, if you wish, the broader challenges associated with planning/improving our city streets.
I can't promise I'll quote everyone within the body of the story, but we will include all of your submissions online if they arrive on time. Try to keep your answers concise! We'll be directing people to your contact/website info for more information.
Cheers, Matthew
Here was my full e-mail response to their question.
~~~~~
Laura Ip to mvandongen 1:30 PM (0 minutes ago)
Hi, Matt
Thanks for another opportunity. I appreciate that you and Marlene are keeping on top of the election, and I hope that your coverage will also help to generate higher voter turnouts across the city.
With respect to cycling...
I am disappointed that our current Council has not taken a more proactive approach with respect to cycling, which is a viable and necessary mode of transportation for many in our community. The two-year-old bicycle lane policy did not need to be sent back to the drawing board.
With projects such as the performing arts centre, the new pool and library complex and the recently approved plan to take the wine route through downtown St. Catharines, we need to ensure that all of these are as accessible as possible to as many people as possible. Ensuring that there is appropriate networking of bicycle lanes throughout the city is one way of doing this.
I also believe that the main reason the bicycle racks on city buses don't get used as much as we'd like them to is because there is not an appropriate network of bicycle lanes and other bicycle-friendly policy to coincide with them. It's like having good roads within each city but no highways to connect them.
There are still several issues with cars and the areas where bicycle lanes have been introduced, which are leading some to believe that bicycle lanes are not an appropriate venture; however, the only way to improve these issues is to continue to introduce bicycle lanes throughout the city to make cycling a safer mode of transportation.
The wonderful thing about being human is that we have the ability to adapt to our surroundings. As drivers get more used to using roads with bicycle lanes, and cyclists get more used to the fact that they have the opportunity to use them, everyone will find a way to co-operate in a manner that is safer for everyone.
Laura
On Wed, Sep 29, 2010 at 10:18 AM, Matthew VanDongen wrote:
Hi folks, if you'd like the chance to have your say for a Standard Hot Topics article running in tomorrow's edition, you can e-mail me by 4:30 p.m. The topic is specifically bike lane policy, but you can address, if you wish, the broader challenges associated with planning/improving our city streets.
I can't promise I'll quote everyone within the body of the story, but we will include all of your submissions online if they arrive on time. Try to keep your answers concise! We'll be directing people to your contact/website info for more information.
Cheers, Matthew
Monday, September 27, 2010
More about Election Signs...
Even if some of the signs are recyclable, it's still ultimately better for the environment to not create them in the first place. As well, I've been seeing some candidates' signs that are so large that I can't imagine they're not creating issues for drivers.
Further...isn't everything one chooses to do in a election campaign strategy a risk?
Here's the link to the Standard's article by Matthew Van Dongen on September 27, 2010: http://www.stcatharinesstandard.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2774590, and I've pasted the text below as well.
Further...isn't everything one chooses to do in a election campaign strategy a risk?
Here's the link to the Standard's article by Matthew Van Dongen on September 27, 2010: http://www.stcatharinesstandard.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2774590, and I've pasted the text below as well.
Disappearing placards -- a sign of the times?
By MATTHEW VAN DONGEN AND JULIE GRECO
Signs, signs, everywhere a sign.
It's the unofficial chorus of every election campaign, for any level of government.
The colourful vote requests are sprouting on lawns across the city in the lead-up to the Oct. 25 municipal election.
With more than 50 ward, mayoral and regional candidates running in the Garden City, some people consider the signs an eyesore.
But are they environmentally unfriendly?
Some candidates think so, and are making a public point of campaigning sign-free.
Ted Mouradian, for example, is skipping both traditional signs and paper flyers in favour of a more Internet-based campaign. The 62-year-old regional council candidate will still go door-to- door campaigning. But if residents want to show their support, they can order a paper bag with his name on it to place in their windows. Mouradian is encouraging supporters to fill the bag with canned food and donate it to Community Care after the election.
"I've always thought ordering up 1,000 signs just to throw out later doesn't make much sense," he said. "I wanted to find a way to be different, of course, but also to give back to the community."
St. George's candidate Laura Ip has also abandoned campaign signs to focus heavily on Twitter, Facebook and her campaign blog.
She explained her move in a recent blog posting, arguing traditional signs are visual pollution -- and may end up in the actual trash, too.
"With all of the tools of technology that we have at our disposal ... I don't think it's necessary to litter our landscape and environment with signs of varying sizes that can also become a distraction to motorists," Ip said.
Eco-friendly or not, going signless is a bit of a political gamble, said Brock University political science professor David Siegel.
"We are in transition to a digital era ... but five or 10 years down the road, it might make more sense," he said. "Many people, unfortunately, don't care enough to vote in municipal elections, so asking them to Google or otherwise seek out their candidates online may not be particularly successful ... The name recognition associated with (signs) probably has quite an impact."
Election signs don't have to end up as garbage, either.
Many plastic election signs are recyclable, said Catherine Habermebl, associate waste director at Niagara Region.
Corrugated polypropylene signs dropped off at regional recycling depots, for example, are sold to recyclers of mixed plastics, she said. Some types of plastic-bag signs can also be tied up with regular plastic shopping bags and dropped in your grey bin (phone the Region's waste info hotline at 905-356-4141 to check on your material).
"We've seen more candidates dropping off those signs in the last couple of elections, which is great, " Habermebl said. "I think there are more people out there interested in having them recycled. Maybe a few elections back, we wouldn't have seen that."
Not all election signs are created equal, however.
Waxed boxboard signs are cheaper to buy, but not recyclable, Habermebl said.
Of course, if you're a successful councillor -- or an eternally optimistic candidate -- you can always recycle your candidacy in the next election.
That's St. Andrew's candidate Sean Polden's plan, successful or no.
"The type of signs I'll be using are made from partially or fully recycled plastic and I fully hope to save them to reuse again in the next election," he said.
-- Matthew Van Dongen
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Environmental Defence...and Speaking of My Commitment to Communication
On Friday, September 17, 2010, I (and all of the other candidates for City Council in St. Catharines) received the following e-mail:
I completed the survey shortly after receiving it. Environmental Defense released the results today, and it appears that a number of candidates throughout the city did not complete it, including the other three candidates for St. George's Ward.
I don't know how important this survey is to most of the voters in St. Catharines; however, it will be important to some of them, and I felt it was important for those voters to be able to review my responses.
We must communicate better with our constituents. We must.
If you would also like to review my responses, you can see them here: http://environmentaldefence.ca/votesmart/surveyCompare.php?cid=349.
As always, if you have any questions, please don't hesitate to e-mail me (lauraipforstgeorgesward@gmail.com), visit my website: http://www.lauraip.net/, follow me on Twitter (LauraIp4Council) or visit my Facebook page: Laura Ip for St. George's Ward.
Congratulations on your nomination to run for municipal office!
I am writing to you on behalf of Environmental Defence and the Ontario Greenbelt Alliance, an alliance of almost 100 groups who are active throughout the Greenbelt area.
Environmental Defence protects the environment and human health. We research solutions. We educate. We go to court when we have to. All in order to ensure clean air, clean water and thriving ecosystems nationwide, and to bring a halt to Canada’s contribution to climate change. Environmental Defence does not support or endorse individual candidates running for political office.
We understand the important role of Mayors and Councillors in making decisions about many issues affecting the quality of life in our communities throughout the Greenbelt area.
We have created a short online survey to hear your views on these issues and share them with voters and the media. There are 9 questions in the survey, in some areas there is an additional question about a local issue. The survey takes about 15 minutes to complete online.
Your responses will be shown in comparison to other candidates in your municipality, online at the Vote Smart website.
We have launched a media campaign encouraging voters in your area to visit the site and read candidates’ responses. The campaign will include ads in the Toronto Star and local newspapers.
The Vote Smart campaign was launched on Friday September 17th.
All candidates will be listed on the website for voters and the media to view, so we encourage you to take a few minutes to enter your responses before Wednesday September 22nd to avoid having “Contacted but did not respond” shown next to your name in the survey results.
Your comments will be displayed exactly as you enter them, we will not edit responses.
Each candidate running in the Greenbelt area has been assigned a unique ID code to enter the survey.
Your ID code is: My code was supplied here
We look forward to your participation. If you have questions, please contact Maryam Nassar or Heather Harding or call 416.323.9521 X 233.
Thank you for your time.
I completed the survey shortly after receiving it. Environmental Defense released the results today, and it appears that a number of candidates throughout the city did not complete it, including the other three candidates for St. George's Ward.
I don't know how important this survey is to most of the voters in St. Catharines; however, it will be important to some of them, and I felt it was important for those voters to be able to review my responses.
We must communicate better with our constituents. We must.
If you would also like to review my responses, you can see them here: http://environmentaldefence.ca/votesmart/surveyCompare.php?cid=349.
As always, if you have any questions, please don't hesitate to e-mail me (lauraipforstgeorgesward@gmail.com), visit my website: http://www.lauraip.net/, follow me on Twitter (LauraIp4Council) or visit my Facebook page: Laura Ip for St. George's Ward.
A New Spectator Facility for St. Catharines?
I received an e-mail from the St. Catharines Standard today that read as follows:
Good morning, candidates!
The Standard is preparing a "Hot Topics" election story for publication Thursday on the issue of a new spectator facility for St. Catharines.
If you have an opinion on whether this facility should be built, where it should be built and how it should be paid for, please send reporter Marlene Bergsma a short email before 2 p.m. today clearly outlining your views. Please also include a phone number where you can be reached this afternoon. As many candidate comments as possible will be included in the story and in The Standard's online election coverage.
Thank you for your participation.
Marlene Bergsma
I'm not sure which, if any, of my comments may be used in the article, but here is my full response to the e-mail:
~~~~~
Let me be clear here, I am not saying that we should build a facility and that it should be larger. I am saying that we need to investigate all of our options and, if we are to go ahead with this, we need to know if we generate reveue on non-game nights and in the off-season. If we can't do that, would the facility need to be much larger to do so, or only a little larger? And, do/can we have all of the other resources in place to make this happen?
We need to start being a lot more creative about how we're spending money in St. Catharines. There are avenues that will reduce the burden on the taxpayers, and we need to be exploring those avenues.
If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact me at: lauraipforstgeorgesward@gmail.com. You can also visit my website: http://www.lauraip.net/ or follow me on Twitter: LauraIp4Council.
Good morning, candidates!
The Standard is preparing a "Hot Topics" election story for publication Thursday on the issue of a new spectator facility for St. Catharines.
If you have an opinion on whether this facility should be built, where it should be built and how it should be paid for, please send reporter Marlene Bergsma a short email before 2 p.m. today clearly outlining your views. Please also include a phone number where you can be reached this afternoon. As many candidate comments as possible will be included in the story and in The Standard's online election coverage.
Thank you for your participation.
Marlene Bergsma
I'm not sure which, if any, of my comments may be used in the article, but here is my full response to the e-mail:
Hi, Marlene
It's clear to me that - first and foremost - we need more information on this before we can definitively say whether or not a new facility can/should be built.
Some of that information would include how much revenue could be generated by the facility (and how much of it would go back into City coffers, thereby not further burdening taxpayers), as well as what partnerships might be available for sharing in the costs of a new facility. When I mention revenue generation, I'm also talking about non-game nights and the off-season, as this may be where the largest opportunity is.
With a current seating capacity of just over 3,000 at Jack Gatecliff and a proposed capacity of 5,500 for a new facility, are we doing the right thing? If we are to go ahead with it, will it be large enough to attract revenue-generating performances on non-game nights and in the off-season? Copps does that with 18,000 seats... St. Catharines taxpayers can't afford that.
Can performances that will generate significant revenue for St. Catharines be attracted to a 5,500-seat facility? We need to answer this question and make sure we are able to put the appropriate resources in place before we can say 'yes' or 'no' to a new facility.
Would it be nice to have a new facility for our Ice Dogs to play in (and for us to watch them in)? Yes, of course it would. However, the tax burden of St. Catharines residents is already so high that I would not be able to justify further adding to their tax burden for a new spectator facility that may not be able to cover its own operating costs, never mind generate revenue for the good of the City.
With St. Catharines' most recent arena having not been properly planned - on a number of levels - the 2010-2014 Council will need to ensure that they are taking all of the rights steps in researching and implementing practices to make any new capital investment worthwhile.
Laura Ip
St. George's ward candidate
~~~~~
Let me be clear here, I am not saying that we should build a facility and that it should be larger. I am saying that we need to investigate all of our options and, if we are to go ahead with this, we need to know if we generate reveue on non-game nights and in the off-season. If we can't do that, would the facility need to be much larger to do so, or only a little larger? And, do/can we have all of the other resources in place to make this happen?
We need to start being a lot more creative about how we're spending money in St. Catharines. There are avenues that will reduce the burden on the taxpayers, and we need to be exploring those avenues.
If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact me at: lauraipforstgeorgesward@gmail.com. You can also visit my website: http://www.lauraip.net/ or follow me on Twitter: LauraIp4Council.
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Yes, I really am serious...
A statement on the welcome page of my website (http://www.lauraip.net/) reads:
"If I am elected, I will commit to holding – at minimum – semi-annual ward meetings to share information about what’s happening in the City and to hear your concerns. I will have more meetings if there is interest/a specific time-sensitive issue.
"My primary commitment to you is communication."
And, yesterday, I tweeted (Twitter: LauraIp4Council) that I would commit to the above.
I have received several e-mails asking if I'm serious.
Yes. I am.
I imagine that some of the questions have come from sheer disbelief. "What's this? A councillor says they'll communicate with us? Impossible."
Having worked in and for municipal government for a number of years, as well as having been a taxpaying resident for a lengthier period of time. I understand the frustrations that residents have when they don't get responses from their councillors (as has also happened to me) or when they feel like the only news about what's happening at City Council comes from the media (with their limited space for reporting the issues), or their neighbours (who may not have the information entirely correct).
If I am elected, one of the few promises that I can make (without requiring six other people to agree with me) is that I will hold - at minimum - semi-annual ward meetings to communicate with residents and give them the opportunity to ask me questions. If there are opportunities to have others there who can also answer questions about particular issues, I will pursue that as well.
I'm currently thinking that these meetings might take place in March and November, but that remains open to discussion, change, etc.
As well, if necessary, I will hold other meetings from time to time to address issues that may be contentious in a timely manner.
So, when I say that my primary commitment to you is communication...yes, I am serious.
http://www.lauraip.net/
lauraipforstgeorgesward@gmail.com
Facebook: Laura Ip for St. George's Ward
Twitter: LauraIp4Council
"If I am elected, I will commit to holding – at minimum – semi-annual ward meetings to share information about what’s happening in the City and to hear your concerns. I will have more meetings if there is interest/a specific time-sensitive issue.
"My primary commitment to you is communication."
And, yesterday, I tweeted (Twitter: LauraIp4Council) that I would commit to the above.
I have received several e-mails asking if I'm serious.
Yes. I am.
I imagine that some of the questions have come from sheer disbelief. "What's this? A councillor says they'll communicate with us? Impossible."
Having worked in and for municipal government for a number of years, as well as having been a taxpaying resident for a lengthier period of time. I understand the frustrations that residents have when they don't get responses from their councillors (as has also happened to me) or when they feel like the only news about what's happening at City Council comes from the media (with their limited space for reporting the issues), or their neighbours (who may not have the information entirely correct).
If I am elected, one of the few promises that I can make (without requiring six other people to agree with me) is that I will hold - at minimum - semi-annual ward meetings to communicate with residents and give them the opportunity to ask me questions. If there are opportunities to have others there who can also answer questions about particular issues, I will pursue that as well.
I'm currently thinking that these meetings might take place in March and November, but that remains open to discussion, change, etc.
As well, if necessary, I will hold other meetings from time to time to address issues that may be contentious in a timely manner.
So, when I say that my primary commitment to you is communication...yes, I am serious.
http://www.lauraip.net/
lauraipforstgeorgesward@gmail.com
Facebook: Laura Ip for St. George's Ward
Twitter: LauraIp4Council
Monday, September 13, 2010
Proposing an All-Candidates Forum for St. George's Ward
That I am aware of, St. George's Ward has not historically had an all-candidates forum leading up to a municipal election. I think it's high time they did.
I sent the following e-mail to my fellow candidates in the ward to suggest and invite them to participate in an all-candidates forum.
As far as I can tell, there is no particularly valid reason for them to decline as it is just one more opportunity for them (as well as me) to promote themselves and tell the people of St. George's Ward why they deserve the job as councillor.
I will keep you posted...
The e-mail:
Laura Ip to dalemillar, jsecord01, gwashuta
show details 5:24 PM (2 minutes ago)
Hello, gentlemen
As we are now in high-gear for the upcoming municipal election, I wanted to make a suggestion...
I am not aware of St. George's ward having had an all-candidates forum in the past, so I would like to propose that we have one. This is not intended to be a debate, but rather a forum during which an indepedent party poses a few questions, and we each take time-limited turns answering them.
The cost to rent the gymnasium for thee hours (to allow for set-up and the forum itself) is $135.60 ($120 + HST). I figured that we could split this cost equally four ways for a total of $33.90 each. As you know, this is a drop in the bucket in comparison to many of our other campaign costs.
The only other cost, which I am still researching would be the cost of some audio equipment. I will advise of this cost as soon as I have the information. Again, though, I expect it to be minimal in comparison to our other expenses.
Due to the limited availability of the Queen Elizabeth Centre, I have scheduled the evening to take place on Thursday, October 14, from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., though we would need to arrive early to all assist in the set-up of chairs and a few tables for the front.
Additionally, I have a request in to the St. Catharines Standard to moderate the forum, and we will also look to them to cover it. We can advertise the forum through many venues at no charge.
Please advise if you will attend and share in the costs, so that we can begin advertising the forum immediately.
The people who will be responsible for electing two of us deserve opportunity to hear us speak and ask us questions.
Kindest regards and best of luck with your respective campaigns,
Laura Ip
I sent the following e-mail to my fellow candidates in the ward to suggest and invite them to participate in an all-candidates forum.
As far as I can tell, there is no particularly valid reason for them to decline as it is just one more opportunity for them (as well as me) to promote themselves and tell the people of St. George's Ward why they deserve the job as councillor.
I will keep you posted...
The e-mail:
Laura Ip to dalemillar, jsecord01, gwashuta
show details 5:24 PM (2 minutes ago)
Hello, gentlemen
As we are now in high-gear for the upcoming municipal election, I wanted to make a suggestion...
I am not aware of St. George's ward having had an all-candidates forum in the past, so I would like to propose that we have one. This is not intended to be a debate, but rather a forum during which an indepedent party poses a few questions, and we each take time-limited turns answering them.
The cost to rent the gymnasium for thee hours (to allow for set-up and the forum itself) is $135.60 ($120 + HST). I figured that we could split this cost equally four ways for a total of $33.90 each. As you know, this is a drop in the bucket in comparison to many of our other campaign costs.
The only other cost, which I am still researching would be the cost of some audio equipment. I will advise of this cost as soon as I have the information. Again, though, I expect it to be minimal in comparison to our other expenses.
Due to the limited availability of the Queen Elizabeth Centre, I have scheduled the evening to take place on Thursday, October 14, from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., though we would need to arrive early to all assist in the set-up of chairs and a few tables for the front.
Additionally, I have a request in to the St. Catharines Standard to moderate the forum, and we will also look to them to cover it. We can advertise the forum through many venues at no charge.
Please advise if you will attend and share in the costs, so that we can begin advertising the forum immediately.
The people who will be responsible for electing two of us deserve opportunity to hear us speak and ask us questions.
Kindest regards and best of luck with your respective campaigns,
Laura Ip
Sunday, September 12, 2010
There is a movement afoot
The youth of St. Catharines are starting to speak up. They are letting people know they are ready for leadership positions. They are letting people know that their voices are as important as anyone else's and need to be heard.
When I ran for City Council in 2006, there were only a couple of serious, legitimate candidates who were under 35. This time, there are nine of us (there might be one or two others of whom we are not yet aware, as not all council candidates have submitted information to the Standard).
Over the last several years (whether during the 2006 campaign or at other times), I've heard people say that we are unable to retain the youth of St. Catharines, or attrach new youth to St. Catharines, because they are disengaged or they don't care about the City.
Clearly, with nine of 31 candidates running for Council being 35 or under, the youth of St. Catharines do care. They are engaged.
With the current average age of a City Councillor being 49 and given their role in making decisions that will impact everyone, including young families, over the long-term, it is imperative that we have a role in that decision-making. There needs to be more balance in age demographics at the Council table.
While we are all clear that we are not endorsing each other, we are equally clear that younger voices need to be heard in making decisions for the City.
Clearly there is a movement afoot...
~~~~~
Here is the link to Marlene Bergsma's article that appeared on the St. Catharines Standard website on Saturday, September 11, 2010: http://www.stcatharinesstandard.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2754497, and I've also pasted the content of the article below:
Youthful candidates say St. Catharines ready for change
Posted By Marlene Bergsma
The largest slate of youthful candidates in recent municipal history has young wannabe councillors saying St. Catharines is poised for change.
Eight of the 31 candidates vying for 12 council seats, plus mayoral candidate David D'Intino, are 35 years old or less – an unprecedented number, said St. George's ward candidate Laura Ip.
Ip said she checked back through candidate profiles from previous elections and discovered this is one of the largest slates of under-35s ever to seek municipal office.
But city voters have no problem with choosing youth over experience, said St. Andrew's ward candidate Sean Polden, who organized a Saturday afternoon press conference with Ip.
St. Catharines MP Rick Dykstra and St. Catharines MPP Jim Bradley were both in their 20s when they began their political careers as St. Catharines councillors, said Polden. Even St. Catharines' oldest and longest-serving councillor, St. Andrew's representative Joe Kushner, was 35 when he was first elected in 1976, Polden said.
Eight of the nine under-35s were at the Saturday gathering. Only mayoral candidate David D'Intino, a student at the University of Ottawa, was absent.
The candidates said they are not endorsing each other's campaigns or running as a block, but called attention to their ages because they think it's a sign the city is attracting energy and youthful enthusiasm to its leadership.
Several of them spoke about their reasons for seeking office and their desire to make St. Catharines the kind of city where there are jobs and opportunities for young people. Their suggestions ranged from improving the downtown, reducing the industrial tax rate (Alan Ziemianin), factoring in the job creation power of local bidders on city contracts (Polden), supporting regional transit and GO transit (David Haywood), establishing a poverty round table (Robert George) and encouraging more community involvement (Cameron Alderdice).
Ip said the average age of currently serving councillors is 49, but she and Port Dalhousie candidate Marty Mako both said it's the young people of the city who have the most at stake in the local economy.
Ip said the high level of youthful involvement in the election demonstrates that young people are not apathetic about the future.
"We do care, we are interested, and we want to be involved in the decisions that are being made, that will affect us and our families for a long time," she said.
Port Dalhousie candidate Marty Mako agreed.
"We are the ones who are going to be living and working here for another 30 years, so it makes sense that we are ones going to be making the decisions," he said. "Young people do want to be involved in civic affairs."
The young candidates are tech savvy and are using the internet and social media as part of their campaigns. On Saturday afternoon they compared notes on their websites and Facebook pages.
Ip, who also ran in 2006, said very few candidates had websites then, and no one was using Facebook. On Saturday, only Alderdice said he didn't have a website.
---------
The youthful contenders
One quarter of the candidates seeking a St. Catharines city council seat are under 35 years old. They are:
When I ran for City Council in 2006, there were only a couple of serious, legitimate candidates who were under 35. This time, there are nine of us (there might be one or two others of whom we are not yet aware, as not all council candidates have submitted information to the Standard).
Over the last several years (whether during the 2006 campaign or at other times), I've heard people say that we are unable to retain the youth of St. Catharines, or attrach new youth to St. Catharines, because they are disengaged or they don't care about the City.
Clearly, with nine of 31 candidates running for Council being 35 or under, the youth of St. Catharines do care. They are engaged.
With the current average age of a City Councillor being 49 and given their role in making decisions that will impact everyone, including young families, over the long-term, it is imperative that we have a role in that decision-making. There needs to be more balance in age demographics at the Council table.
While we are all clear that we are not endorsing each other, we are equally clear that younger voices need to be heard in making decisions for the City.
Clearly there is a movement afoot...
~~~~~
Here is the link to Marlene Bergsma's article that appeared on the St. Catharines Standard website on Saturday, September 11, 2010: http://www.stcatharinesstandard.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2754497, and I've also pasted the content of the article below:
Youthful candidates say St. Catharines ready for change
Posted By Marlene Bergsma
The largest slate of youthful candidates in recent municipal history has young wannabe councillors saying St. Catharines is poised for change.
Eight of the 31 candidates vying for 12 council seats, plus mayoral candidate David D'Intino, are 35 years old or less – an unprecedented number, said St. George's ward candidate Laura Ip.
Ip said she checked back through candidate profiles from previous elections and discovered this is one of the largest slates of under-35s ever to seek municipal office.
But city voters have no problem with choosing youth over experience, said St. Andrew's ward candidate Sean Polden, who organized a Saturday afternoon press conference with Ip.
St. Catharines MP Rick Dykstra and St. Catharines MPP Jim Bradley were both in their 20s when they began their political careers as St. Catharines councillors, said Polden. Even St. Catharines' oldest and longest-serving councillor, St. Andrew's representative Joe Kushner, was 35 when he was first elected in 1976, Polden said.
Eight of the nine under-35s were at the Saturday gathering. Only mayoral candidate David D'Intino, a student at the University of Ottawa, was absent.
The candidates said they are not endorsing each other's campaigns or running as a block, but called attention to their ages because they think it's a sign the city is attracting energy and youthful enthusiasm to its leadership.
Several of them spoke about their reasons for seeking office and their desire to make St. Catharines the kind of city where there are jobs and opportunities for young people. Their suggestions ranged from improving the downtown, reducing the industrial tax rate (Alan Ziemianin), factoring in the job creation power of local bidders on city contracts (Polden), supporting regional transit and GO transit (David Haywood), establishing a poverty round table (Robert George) and encouraging more community involvement (Cameron Alderdice).
Ip said the average age of currently serving councillors is 49, but she and Port Dalhousie candidate Marty Mako both said it's the young people of the city who have the most at stake in the local economy.
Ip said the high level of youthful involvement in the election demonstrates that young people are not apathetic about the future.
"We do care, we are interested, and we want to be involved in the decisions that are being made, that will affect us and our families for a long time," she said.
Port Dalhousie candidate Marty Mako agreed.
"We are the ones who are going to be living and working here for another 30 years, so it makes sense that we are ones going to be making the decisions," he said. "Young people do want to be involved in civic affairs."
The young candidates are tech savvy and are using the internet and social media as part of their campaigns. On Saturday afternoon they compared notes on their websites and Facebook pages.
Ip, who also ran in 2006, said very few candidates had websites then, and no one was using Facebook. On Saturday, only Alderdice said he didn't have a website.
---------
The youthful contenders
One quarter of the candidates seeking a St. Catharines city council seat are under 35 years old. They are:
- Cameron Alderdice, Merritton, 20
- Robert George, St. Patrick's, 35
- David Haywood, Merritton, 31
- Laura Ip, St. George's, 34
- Marty Mako, Port Dalhousie, 34
- Sean Polden, St. Andrew's, 31
- Mathew Siscoe, St. Patrick's, 30
- Alan Ziemianin, Grantham, 29
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Is St. Catharines/Niagara Overgoverned?
Simply put... Yes. This has been discussed by various groups for at least ten years, and I suspect at least ten years before that.
So, why haven't our local politicians pushed the province to address this? Let's see, why don't most politicians address anything of this nature...for fear of putting themselves out of a job. It's pretty nice, I imagine, for most of our politicians - who are employed full-time elsewhere - to add anywhere between $10,000+ (smallest municipality) and $27,500 (Niagara Region) to their annual income and, in the grand scheme of things/majority of cases, do very little work for it, especially when you begin to look at attendance records and response rates to citizens.
Now, I'm not suggesting that we don't have some effective politicians within the Niagara Region, but I'd be VERY hard pressed to suggest that even half of the current politicians are particularly effective.
Over the years, I've had a variety of discussions about this with a wide variety of people who have raised some interesting ideas. With a population of 400,000+ in the Niagara region, I'm not sure if the answer is to amalgamate all of the municipalities into one Municipality of Niagara, three municipalities (St. Catharines, Niagara Falls and Welland would amalgamate with the smaller municipalities around them), or just remove the regional government and revert to 12 smaller single-tier municipalities.
There are advantages and disadvantages to all of the above scenarios, and each should be given its due consideration.
In addition to the above, if we were to pursue a multi-municipality scenario (but remove the multi-level government), we need to take a look at reducing the numbers of politicians and at creating full-time positions for the jobs in order to attract better candidates.
There are also issues with the Ward system, which can be discussed if we continue to pursue a multi-municipality system.
The one flaw that I find in the Chamber's report is their timeline. We have to remember that is the provincial government that allows municipalities to exist. The move to amalgamate or separate must ultimately come from them. Can we make this happen by 2012, based on "giving new councillors a learning curve"? I'm not sure. It NEEDS to happen by the next election in 2014, though. Needs to.
~~~~~
Here's the link to Don Fraser's September 8, 2010, article in the St. Catharines Standard: http://www.stcatharinesstandard.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2747402, and I've also pasted the article below in case the link breaks before Election Day:
Municipal shakeup urged
Posted By DON FRASER , STANDARD STAFF
Niagara is awash in $1.2 billion worth of public infrastructure spending that's either planned or underway.
This unprecedented investment is laying the groundwork for a future economic revival.
But stumbling blocks remain for business in the region's municipal governance, taxation and transportation.
These are key conclusions of a research survey of businesses from Niagara's chambers of commerce network.
The report, Supporting Prosperity Through Effective Government in Niagara, was spearheaded by the St. Catharines-Thorold Chamber of Commerce and released Tuesday.
"This survey had a lot of consistency," said local chamber general manager Walter Sendzik. "And it validates a lot of what we've been hearing over past years.
"Duplication of services came up a lot," he said. "Plus, confusion in dealing with two levels of governments and over-governance. This is what they're talking about."
The report highlights, in general, the need for more effective municipal government and streamlined services -- especially in land and building planning.
Sendzik said one example is the duplicated municipal red tape between the two tiers of government faced by businesspeople when attempting an expansion or new building.
The survey also heard Niagara needs more competitive and user-friendly regulatory and tax policies. It said Niagara needs a revamped mass transportation policy to include involvement of the private sector, with more linkages with GO Transit and Via Rail.
Sendzik said the report complements 2009's Paths to Prosperity report by the St. CatharinesThorold Prosperity Council, which suggested focusing on growth areas like new-media technology and biosciences.
In the latest report, about 3,000 businesses were surveyed, with a return rate of roughly 10% -- slightly above average for that kind of survey.
There's no intention to let the results gather dust, said Sendzik.
The chamber plans to push the report as an election issue among municipal candidates.
Its recommendations also have target dates, many of them with a 2012 benchmark.
One calls for establishing an independent office of the auditor general at Niagara Region, which will look closely at finance and policy implementation.
Another wants the Region to ensure the industrial tax ratio is at or below the provincial average by 2012.
"We wanted to give newly elected councillors a learning curve, then say, 'Let's get it done,' " Sendzik said.
Chamber board president David DiFelice said the report's intent is "to really bring together Niagara's business voice and crystallize the issues."
"Our goal is bring out these issues front and centre," said DiFelice, also associate vice-president of credit services for Canadian Tire Financial Services.
Outgoing Niagara Region Chairman Peter Partington said he agrees it's important to look at new ways to reduce duplication and streamline services.
"We also need to be mindful of affordability and have (infrastructure and services) that appeal to business as well as residents," he said.
Partington said the Region's portion of property tax increases has been kept to 1% over the past five years and the industrial tax ratio has been significantly reduced.
"You can't just look at tax ratios," he said. "You have to look at total tax burden and the assessment values. Niagara is in pretty good competitive shape with most of the rest of the province."
dfraser@stcatharinesstandard.ca
- - -
Problems, solutions
Supporting Prosperity Through Effective Government in Niagara, a report spearheaded by the St. Catharines-Thorold Chamber of Commerce.
Key problems:
So, why haven't our local politicians pushed the province to address this? Let's see, why don't most politicians address anything of this nature...for fear of putting themselves out of a job. It's pretty nice, I imagine, for most of our politicians - who are employed full-time elsewhere - to add anywhere between $10,000+ (smallest municipality) and $27,500 (Niagara Region) to their annual income and, in the grand scheme of things/majority of cases, do very little work for it, especially when you begin to look at attendance records and response rates to citizens.
Now, I'm not suggesting that we don't have some effective politicians within the Niagara Region, but I'd be VERY hard pressed to suggest that even half of the current politicians are particularly effective.
Over the years, I've had a variety of discussions about this with a wide variety of people who have raised some interesting ideas. With a population of 400,000+ in the Niagara region, I'm not sure if the answer is to amalgamate all of the municipalities into one Municipality of Niagara, three municipalities (St. Catharines, Niagara Falls and Welland would amalgamate with the smaller municipalities around them), or just remove the regional government and revert to 12 smaller single-tier municipalities.
There are advantages and disadvantages to all of the above scenarios, and each should be given its due consideration.
In addition to the above, if we were to pursue a multi-municipality scenario (but remove the multi-level government), we need to take a look at reducing the numbers of politicians and at creating full-time positions for the jobs in order to attract better candidates.
There are also issues with the Ward system, which can be discussed if we continue to pursue a multi-municipality system.
The one flaw that I find in the Chamber's report is their timeline. We have to remember that is the provincial government that allows municipalities to exist. The move to amalgamate or separate must ultimately come from them. Can we make this happen by 2012, based on "giving new councillors a learning curve"? I'm not sure. It NEEDS to happen by the next election in 2014, though. Needs to.
~~~~~
Here's the link to Don Fraser's September 8, 2010, article in the St. Catharines Standard: http://www.stcatharinesstandard.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2747402, and I've also pasted the article below in case the link breaks before Election Day:
Municipal shakeup urged
Posted By DON FRASER , STANDARD STAFF
Niagara is awash in $1.2 billion worth of public infrastructure spending that's either planned or underway.
This unprecedented investment is laying the groundwork for a future economic revival.
But stumbling blocks remain for business in the region's municipal governance, taxation and transportation.
These are key conclusions of a research survey of businesses from Niagara's chambers of commerce network.
The report, Supporting Prosperity Through Effective Government in Niagara, was spearheaded by the St. Catharines-Thorold Chamber of Commerce and released Tuesday.
"This survey had a lot of consistency," said local chamber general manager Walter Sendzik. "And it validates a lot of what we've been hearing over past years.
"Duplication of services came up a lot," he said. "Plus, confusion in dealing with two levels of governments and over-governance. This is what they're talking about."
The report highlights, in general, the need for more effective municipal government and streamlined services -- especially in land and building planning.
Sendzik said one example is the duplicated municipal red tape between the two tiers of government faced by businesspeople when attempting an expansion or new building.
The survey also heard Niagara needs more competitive and user-friendly regulatory and tax policies. It said Niagara needs a revamped mass transportation policy to include involvement of the private sector, with more linkages with GO Transit and Via Rail.
Sendzik said the report complements 2009's Paths to Prosperity report by the St. CatharinesThorold Prosperity Council, which suggested focusing on growth areas like new-media technology and biosciences.
In the latest report, about 3,000 businesses were surveyed, with a return rate of roughly 10% -- slightly above average for that kind of survey.
There's no intention to let the results gather dust, said Sendzik.
The chamber plans to push the report as an election issue among municipal candidates.
Its recommendations also have target dates, many of them with a 2012 benchmark.
One calls for establishing an independent office of the auditor general at Niagara Region, which will look closely at finance and policy implementation.
Another wants the Region to ensure the industrial tax ratio is at or below the provincial average by 2012.
"We wanted to give newly elected councillors a learning curve, then say, 'Let's get it done,' " Sendzik said.
Chamber board president David DiFelice said the report's intent is "to really bring together Niagara's business voice and crystallize the issues."
"Our goal is bring out these issues front and centre," said DiFelice, also associate vice-president of credit services for Canadian Tire Financial Services.
Outgoing Niagara Region Chairman Peter Partington said he agrees it's important to look at new ways to reduce duplication and streamline services.
"We also need to be mindful of affordability and have (infrastructure and services) that appeal to business as well as residents," he said.
Partington said the Region's portion of property tax increases has been kept to 1% over the past five years and the industrial tax ratio has been significantly reduced.
"You can't just look at tax ratios," he said. "You have to look at total tax burden and the assessment values. Niagara is in pretty good competitive shape with most of the rest of the province."
dfraser@stcatharinesstandard.ca
- - -
Problems, solutions
Supporting Prosperity Through Effective Government in Niagara, a report spearheaded by the St. Catharines-Thorold Chamber of Commerce.
Key problems:
- Niagara is over-governed
- It needs comprehensive, independent auditing
- Government services and economic development should be streamlined
- An integrated public transit system is needed
- Business tax rates must be competitive
- Create a more effective Niagara Region government and an office of municipal auditor general
- Streamline Niagara government services, including a harmonized zoning bylaw, single economic development office, and an office of regional building code inspector
- Create competitive taxation policy including reducing industrial tax ratio to be at or below the provincial average
- Revamp mass/public transportation policies including involvement of private sector carriers and linkages to GO Transit and Via Rail
- Creation of an arm's-length Niagara Region Airport Commission
Monday, September 6, 2010
Urban Farming
One thing's for certain... Feathers have been ruffled over City Council's recent decision to allow urban farming.
Based on letters to the editor that followed the article in the St. Catharines Standard, there are as many in favour of urban farming as there are opposed to it.
This is a tough one. I understand both sides of this argument. I get that urban farming is more environmentally friendly and healthier. I also get that residents who choose not to engage in their own urban farming are not going to be appreciative of what they feel are the downfalls of urban farming - odours, cleanliness, etc.
The one thing that I'm not sure of (because I don't have the figures) is that urban farming is significantly more cost-effective than buying free-range, organic eggs. There are, of course, costs to properly housing and caring for the permitted four chickens and two rabbits, not to mention the time involved. However, until I have actual figures on what it costs to buy/build a chicken coop, feed the animals and ensure proper veterinary care, I can't accurately comment on that point.
It appears that City Clerk, Dan Carnegie, is taking or will be taking most of the necessary and important steps to ensure that residents who want to farm within the urban boundaries are able to do so while causing as little "nuisance" (for lack of a better word) as possible for those residents who choose not to farm.
Rather than simply registering with the City, though, I think that urban farmers should have to purchase a permit, and the cost of that permit should offset the cost of a by-law/animal control officer conducting inspections of facilities before the chickens/rabbits take up residence on the property and then spot inspections at the discretion of the by-law officer or when a complaint is lodged.
What this issue requires is a great deal more thought as to the pros and cons, overall costs to the city and residents and so on. There are excellent points on both sides of the argument, and I encourage you to share your thoughts by commenting on this blog post.
The link to the original St. Catharines Standard article is here; however, I've also pasted the article below, in case the link becomes broken:
Urban farmers clucking over decision
Posted By Marlene Bergsma Standard Staff
Urban farmers will soon be legal in St. Catharines, with city councillors deciding Monday night to draft new guidelines to permit people to raise rabbits and chickens in their backyards.
The limits on the number of livestock and the requirements for their care — such as separation distances from neighbours — still have to be finalized and will be the subject of a public meeting, but urban farmer Sheri Smulders Fogel is counting Monday's decision as a victory.
Smulders Fogel and fellow urban farmer Tina Dyck were at council Monday night wearing "I support Backyard Chickens" badges, and said they would be gathering support from other urban farmers and farming wannabes.
Smulders Fogel told councillors there are hundreds of North American cities that already permit people to raise food to feed their families, and there are lots of good examples for how to implement the rules.
She said having a few chickens is the only way many people can afford to eat free-range eggs. One dozen organic eggs from free-range hens costs $5, she said, making them too expensive for many families.
"Everyone should have the right to organic, free-range eggs, and not just wealthy people," she told councillors. "Sustainable, ethically raised eggs should be within the reach of every family."
She said clearing out manure every couple of days guarantees there's no smell.
She said chickens make less noise than a dog and are good for the environment because they eat table scraps, grass clippings and bugs. Their manure makes excellent garden fertilizer. There is no pollution or cost to transport the eggs from farm to table, and there's no antibiotics in their diets, she said.
City clerk Dan Carnegie recommended against permitting chickens but was willing to recommend people be allowed to have one pair of breeding rabbits plus up to six baby rabbits.
"Rabbits tend to be a cleaner animal," he wrote.
But Merrtton Coun. Jeff Burch made the motion to permit both chickens and rabbits, and asked staff to prepare a report with recommended guidelines before the city hosts a public meeting and implements the new rules.
Port Dalhousie Coun. Bruce Williamson hinted that not everyone would approve of urban animals, and said it will be good to get public input.
Smulders Fogel said permitting small-scale backyard farming will demonstrate that St. Catharines is "a city that cares about the environment and its citizens' health and well-being."
Based on what other cities are doing, city clerk Dan Carnegie said any plan to permit urban chickens and rabbits should include the following types of restrictions.
CHICKEN PROS AND CONS
City clerk Dan Carnegie prepared a list of advantages and disadvantages of backyard chickens.
Pros
Based on letters to the editor that followed the article in the St. Catharines Standard, there are as many in favour of urban farming as there are opposed to it.
This is a tough one. I understand both sides of this argument. I get that urban farming is more environmentally friendly and healthier. I also get that residents who choose not to engage in their own urban farming are not going to be appreciative of what they feel are the downfalls of urban farming - odours, cleanliness, etc.
The one thing that I'm not sure of (because I don't have the figures) is that urban farming is significantly more cost-effective than buying free-range, organic eggs. There are, of course, costs to properly housing and caring for the permitted four chickens and two rabbits, not to mention the time involved. However, until I have actual figures on what it costs to buy/build a chicken coop, feed the animals and ensure proper veterinary care, I can't accurately comment on that point.
It appears that City Clerk, Dan Carnegie, is taking or will be taking most of the necessary and important steps to ensure that residents who want to farm within the urban boundaries are able to do so while causing as little "nuisance" (for lack of a better word) as possible for those residents who choose not to farm.
Rather than simply registering with the City, though, I think that urban farmers should have to purchase a permit, and the cost of that permit should offset the cost of a by-law/animal control officer conducting inspections of facilities before the chickens/rabbits take up residence on the property and then spot inspections at the discretion of the by-law officer or when a complaint is lodged.
What this issue requires is a great deal more thought as to the pros and cons, overall costs to the city and residents and so on. There are excellent points on both sides of the argument, and I encourage you to share your thoughts by commenting on this blog post.
The link to the original St. Catharines Standard article is here; however, I've also pasted the article below, in case the link becomes broken:
Urban farmers clucking over decision
Posted By Marlene Bergsma Standard Staff
Urban farmers will soon be legal in St. Catharines, with city councillors deciding Monday night to draft new guidelines to permit people to raise rabbits and chickens in their backyards.
The limits on the number of livestock and the requirements for their care — such as separation distances from neighbours — still have to be finalized and will be the subject of a public meeting, but urban farmer Sheri Smulders Fogel is counting Monday's decision as a victory.
Smulders Fogel and fellow urban farmer Tina Dyck were at council Monday night wearing "I support Backyard Chickens" badges, and said they would be gathering support from other urban farmers and farming wannabes.
Smulders Fogel told councillors there are hundreds of North American cities that already permit people to raise food to feed their families, and there are lots of good examples for how to implement the rules.
She said having a few chickens is the only way many people can afford to eat free-range eggs. One dozen organic eggs from free-range hens costs $5, she said, making them too expensive for many families.
"Everyone should have the right to organic, free-range eggs, and not just wealthy people," she told councillors. "Sustainable, ethically raised eggs should be within the reach of every family."
She said clearing out manure every couple of days guarantees there's no smell.
She said chickens make less noise than a dog and are good for the environment because they eat table scraps, grass clippings and bugs. Their manure makes excellent garden fertilizer. There is no pollution or cost to transport the eggs from farm to table, and there's no antibiotics in their diets, she said.
Currently, urban livestock must live in their owners' homes because the city does not permit them within the urban boundary.
City clerk Dan Carnegie recommended against permitting chickens but was willing to recommend people be allowed to have one pair of breeding rabbits plus up to six baby rabbits.
"Rabbits tend to be a cleaner animal," he wrote.
But Merrtton Coun. Jeff Burch made the motion to permit both chickens and rabbits, and asked staff to prepare a report with recommended guidelines before the city hosts a public meeting and implements the new rules.
Port Dalhousie Coun. Bruce Williamson hinted that not everyone would approve of urban animals, and said it will be good to get public input.
Smulders Fogel said permitting small-scale backyard farming will demonstrate that St. Catharines is "a city that cares about the environment and its citizens' health and well-being."
CHICKEN RULES
Based on what other cities are doing, city clerk Dan Carnegie said any plan to permit urban chickens and rabbits should include the following types of restrictions.
- Only property owners (not tenants) can raise chickens and rabbits
- Chicken coops and rabbit hutches must be at least 25 feet from the rear lot line and 15 feet from a side lot line
- All chicken (and rabbit) owners must register with the city
- Animals must not be allowed to escape
- A maximum of four hens and two rabbits (plus up to six baby rabbits) per property
- No roosters allowed
- Suitable chicken coops and rabbit hutches must be provided and kept in good repair, along with appropriate food, water and shelter, light, ventilation and veterinary care
- Food stored in airtight containers
- Droppings and manure stored in airtight containers and disposed of without creating a public nuisance or health hazard
- No sale of meat, eggs or manure
CHICKEN PROS AND CONS
City clerk Dan Carnegie prepared a list of advantages and disadvantages of backyard chickens.
Pros
- Chickens can provide healthy, pesticide-free eggs
- Reduction of weekly food bills
- Reduction of greenhouse gases through reduction in food transport costs
- Chickens consume kitchen waste, reducing municipal waste problems
- Chickens produce great compost for the garden
- The path to global environmental sustainability begins with local initiatives and urban chickens are one of those
- Potential increase in the possible spread of avian flu
- Possibility of cruelty and mistreatment of chickens
- Opposition of commercial chicken farmers
- Lack of diligence with respect to odour, noise, cleanliness, disposal of deceased chickens and droppings
- Natural attraction of vermin such as rats and mice
- Additional cost and workload of animal control officers responding to complaints such as odour and chickens running at large
- Perception that property values will decrease around urban hen keepers
- Impact that chickens can have on the neighbours
Saturday, September 4, 2010
Why Aren't the Incumbents Telling Us About Themselves?
On the day that I write this (September 4, 2010), we are just six days away from nominations closing for the upcoming municipal election, and I've just reviewed the City's "Meet the Candidates" portion of their website to find that only two of the eleven incumbents who are running in this election have put together some information about themselves to share with the public.
Meanwhile, nearly all of the candidates who are running for a first term on Council have put something together for us to read about them. I wonder if it is also noteworthy that the two incumbents who have done this were first time councillors in 2006, so are running for only their second term...
Do the incumbents think that we know enough about them? Are they trying to stand on their record (to which - without recorded votes - we don't actually have access)? Do they not care if/what we know about them? Are they relying on name recognition alone? Have they simply not have time to put a bio together? (Though, I'm not really going for this last one, as I would argue that the majority of challengers are equally busy and most of us were able to put something together to share with voters.)
I just wonder why they aren't telling us about themselves/what they stand for...
Meanwhile, nearly all of the candidates who are running for a first term on Council have put something together for us to read about them. I wonder if it is also noteworthy that the two incumbents who have done this were first time councillors in 2006, so are running for only their second term...
Do the incumbents think that we know enough about them? Are they trying to stand on their record (to which - without recorded votes - we don't actually have access)? Do they not care if/what we know about them? Are they relying on name recognition alone? Have they simply not have time to put a bio together? (Though, I'm not really going for this last one, as I would argue that the majority of challengers are equally busy and most of us were able to put something together to share with voters.)
I just wonder why they aren't telling us about themselves/what they stand for...
Friday, September 3, 2010
What Does Experience on Council Do For Us?
There are several councillors who have served the City of St. Catharines for three terms or more. If I'm not mistaken, five of six wards have at least one councillor who is currently serving at least a third term.
Here's something else I've noticed: for the last several years (I've lost count), the citizens of St. Catharines have complained about many of the decisions made by Council. Some directly blame the Mayor (whomever he might be at the time) without realizing that, while the Mayor has some influence, he has no actual decision-making power except in the event of a tied vote.
So, if the citizens of St. Catharines have been complaining about poorly-made decisions, but they've been returning six councillors to the table term after term, maybe it's time to change that.
I understand that change is scary, and for those of you who vote for councillors because you know them personally, I also understand that allegiances can run deep; however, (to modify a famous Einstein quote) if we continue to always do what we've always done, we'll always get what we've always gotten.
Leading up to the election and on October 25, please give great consideration to whether or not existing councillors have made decisions in the best interest of the City and - if you feel they haven't - give someone else a chance to prove that they can and will do that for you.
Here's something else I've noticed: for the last several years (I've lost count), the citizens of St. Catharines have complained about many of the decisions made by Council. Some directly blame the Mayor (whomever he might be at the time) without realizing that, while the Mayor has some influence, he has no actual decision-making power except in the event of a tied vote.
So, if the citizens of St. Catharines have been complaining about poorly-made decisions, but they've been returning six councillors to the table term after term, maybe it's time to change that.
I understand that change is scary, and for those of you who vote for councillors because you know them personally, I also understand that allegiances can run deep; however, (to modify a famous Einstein quote) if we continue to always do what we've always done, we'll always get what we've always gotten.
Leading up to the election and on October 25, please give great consideration to whether or not existing councillors have made decisions in the best interest of the City and - if you feel they haven't - give someone else a chance to prove that they can and will do that for you.
Thursday, September 2, 2010
What is Councillor Absenteeism/Tardiness Costing You?
A City Councillor's salary is $17,785 per annum (one-third of which is deemed not to be taxable). Over the course of four years, this totals $71,140. It breaks down to $342 per week for attendance at Council meetings, committee meetings and other events.
Generally speaking, Councillors are only expected to attend five meetings per month (assuming four Council meetings and one meeting of a committee such as the Clean City Committee). Some months will require more; others will require less.
So, working from the attendance data compiled for a previous post, a councillor who fails to attend one meeting costs the taxpayers $342, and taxpayers do not receive the benefit of that councillor's input into any decisions made that night.
A councillor who misses five meetings costs taxpayers $1,710; ten meetings is equivalent to $3,420; fifteen meetings, $5,130; twenty, $6,840... No one has missed twenty meetings yet, but could it happen before the term ends on November 30, 2010?
Of course, none of the above speaks to the cost of tardiness, mostly because I wasn't about to do a minute-by-minute breakdown of costs. However, how often can you be late for work before your employer pursues disciplinary action?
Generally speaking, Councillors are only expected to attend five meetings per month (assuming four Council meetings and one meeting of a committee such as the Clean City Committee). Some months will require more; others will require less.
So, working from the attendance data compiled for a previous post, a councillor who fails to attend one meeting costs the taxpayers $342, and taxpayers do not receive the benefit of that councillor's input into any decisions made that night.
A councillor who misses five meetings costs taxpayers $1,710; ten meetings is equivalent to $3,420; fifteen meetings, $5,130; twenty, $6,840... No one has missed twenty meetings yet, but could it happen before the term ends on November 30, 2010?
Of course, none of the above speaks to the cost of tardiness, mostly because I wasn't about to do a minute-by-minute breakdown of costs. However, how often can you be late for work before your employer pursues disciplinary action?
Are Your Councillors Attending Meetings?
Council meetings take place at 6:30 p.m. every Monday, except for holidays. Most in-camera discussion takes place before this time (occasionally, Council will go in-camera during the public portion of the meeting).
Some councillors are absent (or show up late) more often than others. I wonder...what effect might their absentia have on decisions made. Would their attendance have changed some decisions (we won't know, for the most part, as most decisions are not subject to a recorded vote).
Here's the data on attendance. Are your councillors showing up? How much of your job can you be late or absent for before someone says something?
Of the 138 meetings to date, we have recorded the number and percentage of meetings for which councillors were either late or absent.
Absent
No one absent: 54 (39% of meetings)
Mayor Brian McMullan: 5 (4% of meetings)
Councillor Jeff Burch: 10 (7% of meetings)
Councillor Dawn Dodge: 8 (6% of meetings)
Councillor Mark Elliott: 3 (2% of meetings)
Councillor Heather Foss: 2 (1% of meetings)
Councillor Andrew Gill: 4 (3% of meetings)
Councillor Joseph Kushner: 4 (3% of meetings)
Councillor Bill Phillips: 4 (3% of meetings)
Councillor Peter Secord: 7 (5% of meetings)
Councillor Len Stack: 4 (3% of meetings)
Councillor Jennifer Stevens: 7 (5% of meetings)
Councillor Greg Washuta: 7 (5% of meetings)
Councillor Bruce Williamson: 9 (7% of meetings)
Late
Councillor Heather Foss: 1 (1% of meetings)
Councillor Peter Secord: 4 (3% of meetings)
Councillor Greg Washuta: 8 (6% of meetings)
Councillor Bruce Williamson: 13 (9% of meetings)
Absent or Late
Councillor Heather Foss: 3 (2% of meetings)
Councillor Peter Secord: 11 (8% of meetings)
Councillor Greg Washuta: 15 (11% of meetings)
Councillor Bruce Williamson: 22 (16% of meetings)
Data by Individual Meeting:
August 23, 2010
Absent: Councillor Bill Phillips
Late: Councillor Peter Secord (arrived at 6:36 p.m.)
August 9, 2010
Absent: Councillor Andrew Gill, Councillor Joseph Kushner
July 26, 2010
Absent: Councillor Joseph Kushner, Councillor Bruce Williamson
July 12, 2010
No one Absent
June 21, 2010
Absent: Councillor Bruce Williamson
June 14, 2010
No one Absent
May 31, 2010
No one Absent
May 17, 2010
No one Absent
May 10, 2010
No one Absent
May 3, 2010
Absent: Councillor Dawn Dodge
April 26, 2010
Absent: Councillor Greg Washuta
April 19, 2010
Absent: Councillor Peter Secord
April 12, 2010
Absent: Councillor Len Stack
March 29, 2010
Absent: Councillor Jeff Burch, Councillor Bill Phillips
March 22, 2010
Absent: Councillor Bill Phillips, Councillor Andrew Gill
March 8, 2010
No one Absent
March 1, 2010
Absent: Councillor Dawn Dodge
February 22, 2010
Absent: Councillor Joseph Kushner, Councillor Jennifer Stevens
February 8, 2010
No one Absent
February 1, 2010
Late: Councillor Len Stack
January 25, 2010
No one Absent
January 18, 2010
No one Absent
January 11, 2010
No one Absent
December 14, 2009
Absent: Councillor Bruce Williamson
December 7, 2009
No one Absent
November 30, 2009
Absent: Councillor Jeff Burch
November 23, 2009
No one Absent
November 16, 2009
No one Absent
November 9, 2009
No one Absent
November 2, 2009
Absent: Councillor Peter Secord
October 26, 2009
No one Absent
October 19, 2009
Absent: Mayor Brian McMullan
October 5, 2009
No one Absent
September 28, 2009
No one Absent
September 21, 2009
Late: Councillor Greg Washuta (arrived at 7:09 p.m.)
September 14, 2009
Absent: Councillor Mark Elliott
August 24, 2009
Absent: Councillor Peter Secord, Councillor Jennifer Stevens, Councillor Greg Washuta
August 10, 2009
Absent: Councillor Bruce Williamson
July 27, 2009
No one Absent
July 13, 2009
Absent: Mayor Brian McMullan
June 22, 2009
No one Absent
June 15, 2009
Late: Councillor Greg Washuta (arrived at 6:49 p.m.), Councillor Bruce Williamson (arrived at 6:46 p.m.)
June 8, 2009
Late: Councillor Greg Washuta (arrived at 6:44 p.m.), Councillor Bruce Williamson (arrived at 6:49 p.m.)
June 1, 2009
Late: Councillor Heather Foss (arrived 6:38 p.m.)
May 25, 2009
Late: Councillor Greg Washuta (arrived at 6:55 p.m.)
May 11, 2009
No one Absent
May 4, 2009
Absent: Councillor Bruce Williamson
April 27, 2009
No one Absent
April 20, 2009
Absent: Councillor Jennifer Stevens, Councilllor Bill Phillips
Late: Councillor Greg Washuta (arrived at 6:56 p.m.)
April 6, 2009
Absent: Councillor Jeff Burch
Late: Councillor Greg Washuta (arrived at 7:10 p.m.)
March 30, 2009
Absent: Councillor Jeff Burch
Late: Councillor Bruce Williamson (arrived at 6:37 p.m.)
March 23, 2009
Absent: Mayor Brian McMullan
March 9, 2009
No one Absent
March 2, 2009
Absent: Councillor Heather Foss, Councillor Andrew Gill
February 23, 2009
No one Absent
February 9, 2009
No one Absent
February 2, 2009
Late: Councillor Greg Washuta (arrived at 6:40 p.m.)
January 31, 2009 (Special Meeting)
Late: Councillor Peter Secord (arrived at 9: 11 a.m.)
Left Early: Councillor Bruce Williamson (left at 10:10 a.m.)
January 26, 2009
Absent: Councillor Mark Elliott, Councillor Greg Washuta
January 19, 2009
Absent: Councillor Greg Washuta
January 12, 2009
Absent: Councillor Greg Washuta
December 15, 2008
Late: Councillor Bruce Williamson (arrived at 6:40 p.m.)
December 8, 2008
No one Absent
December 1, 2008
Absent: Councillor Dawn Dodge, Councillor Jennifer Stevens
November 24, 2008
Late: Councillor Bruce Williamson (arrived 6:34 p.m.)
November 17, 2008
Absent: Councillor Jeff Burch
November 10, 2008
Late: Councillor Bruce Williamson (arrived at 6:38 p.m.)
November 3, 2008
Absent: Councillor Peter Secord, Councillor Greg Washuta, Councillor Bruce Williamson
October 27, 2008
No one Absent
October 20, 2008
Late: Councillor Bruce Williamson (arrived at 6:37)
October 6, 2008
Absent: Mayor Brian McMullan
Late: Councillor Bruce Williamson (arrived at 6:43 p.m.)
September 29, 2008
No one Absent
September 22, 2008
No one Absent
September 15, 2008
No one Absent
September 8, 2008
Absent: Councillor Greg Washuta
August 18, 2008
Absent: Councillor Bruce Williamson
July 28, 2008
No one Absent
July 14, 2008
Absent: Councillor Joseph Kushner
June 23, 2008
Absent: Councillor Len Stack
June 16, 2008
Absent: Councillor Bruce Williamson
June 9, 2008
Late: Councillor Bruce Williamson (arrived at 6:40 p.m.), Councillor Peter Secord (arrived at 7:40 p.m.)
June 2, 2008
Late: Councillor Bruce Williamson (arrived at 7:40 p.m.)
May 26, 2008
Late: Councillor Greg Washuta (arrived at 7:03 p.m.)
May 12, 2008
Absent: Councillor Jeff Burch
May 5, 2008
Late: Councillor Bruce Williamson (arrived at 6:40 p.m.)
April 28, 2008
No one Absent
April 21, 2008
Absent: Councillor Dawn Dodge, Councillor Peter Secord, Councillor Bruce Williamson
April 14, 2008
No one Absent
April 7, 2008
Late: Councillor Bruce Williamson (arrived at 6:55 p.m.)
March 31, 2008
Absent: Councillor Jennifer Stevens
March 17, 2008
No one Absent
March 3, 2008
Absent: Councillor Jeff Burch
February 25, 2008
No one Absent
February 11, 2008
Absent: Councillor Bill Phillips
February 4, 2008
Late: Councillor Bruce Williamson (arrived at 6:45 p.m.)
January 28, 2008
Absent: Councillor Mark Elliott
January 21, 2008
Absent: Mayor Brian McMullen, Councillor Andrew Gill
January 14, 2008
Absent: Councillor Len Stack
Late: Councillor Bruce Williamson (arrived at 6:37 p.m.)
December 17, 2007
Absent: Councillor Bruce Williamson
Late: Councillor Greg Washuta (arrived at 6:55 p.m.)
December 10, 2007
Absent: Councillor Jeff Burch
December 3, 2007
No one Absent
November 26, 2007
Absent: Councillor Jeff Burch
November 19, 2007
Late: Councillor Greg Washuta (arrived at 6:45 p.m.)
November 12, 2007
Absent: Councillor Dawn Dodge
November 5, 2007
Absent: Councillor Dawn Dodge, Councillor Peter Secord
October 29, 2007
Absent: Councillor Dawn Dodge
October 22, 2007
Absent: Councillor Dawn Dodge
October 15, 2007
No one Absent
October 1, 2007
No one Absent
September 24, 2007
No one Absent
September 17, 2007
Late: Councillor Greg Washuta (arrived at 6:50 p.m.)
September 10, 2007
Late: Councillor Peter Secord (arrived at 6:45 p.m.)
August 27, 2007
No one Absent
July 30, 2007
No one Absent
July 9, 2007
Absent: Councillor Heather Foss, Councillor Joseph Kushner
June 18, 2007
Absent: Councillor Bill Phillips, Councillor Peter Secord
Late: Councillor Bruce Williamson (arrived at 7:00p.m.)
June 11, 2007
Late: Councillor Peter Secord (arrived at 5:20 p.m.)
June 4, 2007
Absent: Mayor Brian McMullan, Councillor Bruce Williamson
May 28, 2007
No one Absent
May 14, 2007
No one Absent
May 7, 2007
Absent: Councillor Jennifer Stevens
April 30, 2007
No one Absent
April 23, 2007
Absent: Councillor Andrew Gill
April 16, 2007
No one Absent
April 2, 2007
No one Absent
March 26, 2007
Absent: Councillor Jennifer Stevens
March 19, 2007
No one Absent
March 5, 2007
No one Absent
February 26, 2007
Absent: Councillor Jeff Burch
February 19, 2007
No one Absent
February 12, 2007
No one Absent
February 5, 2007
Absent: Councillor Len Stack
January 29, 2007
No one Absent
January 22, 2007
No one Absent
January 15, 2007
No one Absent
December 18, 2006
No one Absent
December 11, 2006
No one Absent
December 4, 2006
No one Absent
Some councillors are absent (or show up late) more often than others. I wonder...what effect might their absentia have on decisions made. Would their attendance have changed some decisions (we won't know, for the most part, as most decisions are not subject to a recorded vote).
Here's the data on attendance. Are your councillors showing up? How much of your job can you be late or absent for before someone says something?
Council Meeting Attendance – December 4, 2006 through August 23, 2010
Absent
No one absent: 54 (39% of meetings)
Mayor Brian McMullan: 5 (4% of meetings)
Councillor Jeff Burch: 10 (7% of meetings)
Councillor Dawn Dodge: 8 (6% of meetings)
Councillor Mark Elliott: 3 (2% of meetings)
Councillor Heather Foss: 2 (1% of meetings)
Councillor Andrew Gill: 4 (3% of meetings)
Councillor Joseph Kushner: 4 (3% of meetings)
Councillor Bill Phillips: 4 (3% of meetings)
Councillor Peter Secord: 7 (5% of meetings)
Councillor Len Stack: 4 (3% of meetings)
Councillor Jennifer Stevens: 7 (5% of meetings)
Councillor Greg Washuta: 7 (5% of meetings)
Councillor Bruce Williamson: 9 (7% of meetings)
Late
Councillor Heather Foss: 1 (1% of meetings)
Councillor Peter Secord: 4 (3% of meetings)
Councillor Greg Washuta: 8 (6% of meetings)
Councillor Bruce Williamson: 13 (9% of meetings)
Absent or Late
Councillor Heather Foss: 3 (2% of meetings)
Councillor Peter Secord: 11 (8% of meetings)
Councillor Greg Washuta: 15 (11% of meetings)
Councillor Bruce Williamson: 22 (16% of meetings)
Data by Individual Meeting:
August 23, 2010
Absent: Councillor Bill Phillips
Late: Councillor Peter Secord (arrived at 6:36 p.m.)
August 9, 2010
Absent: Councillor Andrew Gill, Councillor Joseph Kushner
July 26, 2010
Absent: Councillor Joseph Kushner, Councillor Bruce Williamson
July 12, 2010
No one Absent
June 21, 2010
Absent: Councillor Bruce Williamson
June 14, 2010
No one Absent
May 31, 2010
No one Absent
May 17, 2010
No one Absent
May 10, 2010
No one Absent
May 3, 2010
Absent: Councillor Dawn Dodge
April 26, 2010
Absent: Councillor Greg Washuta
April 19, 2010
Absent: Councillor Peter Secord
April 12, 2010
Absent: Councillor Len Stack
March 29, 2010
Absent: Councillor Jeff Burch, Councillor Bill Phillips
March 22, 2010
Absent: Councillor Bill Phillips, Councillor Andrew Gill
March 8, 2010
No one Absent
March 1, 2010
Absent: Councillor Dawn Dodge
February 22, 2010
Absent: Councillor Joseph Kushner, Councillor Jennifer Stevens
February 8, 2010
No one Absent
February 1, 2010
Late: Councillor Len Stack
January 25, 2010
No one Absent
January 18, 2010
No one Absent
January 11, 2010
No one Absent
December 14, 2009
Absent: Councillor Bruce Williamson
December 7, 2009
No one Absent
November 30, 2009
Absent: Councillor Jeff Burch
November 23, 2009
No one Absent
November 16, 2009
No one Absent
November 9, 2009
No one Absent
November 2, 2009
Absent: Councillor Peter Secord
October 26, 2009
No one Absent
October 19, 2009
Absent: Mayor Brian McMullan
October 5, 2009
No one Absent
September 28, 2009
No one Absent
September 21, 2009
Late: Councillor Greg Washuta (arrived at 7:09 p.m.)
September 14, 2009
Absent: Councillor Mark Elliott
August 24, 2009
Absent: Councillor Peter Secord, Councillor Jennifer Stevens, Councillor Greg Washuta
August 10, 2009
Absent: Councillor Bruce Williamson
July 27, 2009
No one Absent
July 13, 2009
Absent: Mayor Brian McMullan
June 22, 2009
No one Absent
June 15, 2009
Late: Councillor Greg Washuta (arrived at 6:49 p.m.), Councillor Bruce Williamson (arrived at 6:46 p.m.)
June 8, 2009
Late: Councillor Greg Washuta (arrived at 6:44 p.m.), Councillor Bruce Williamson (arrived at 6:49 p.m.)
June 1, 2009
Late: Councillor Heather Foss (arrived 6:38 p.m.)
May 25, 2009
Late: Councillor Greg Washuta (arrived at 6:55 p.m.)
May 11, 2009
No one Absent
May 4, 2009
Absent: Councillor Bruce Williamson
April 27, 2009
No one Absent
April 20, 2009
Absent: Councillor Jennifer Stevens, Councilllor Bill Phillips
Late: Councillor Greg Washuta (arrived at 6:56 p.m.)
April 6, 2009
Absent: Councillor Jeff Burch
Late: Councillor Greg Washuta (arrived at 7:10 p.m.)
March 30, 2009
Absent: Councillor Jeff Burch
Late: Councillor Bruce Williamson (arrived at 6:37 p.m.)
March 23, 2009
Absent: Mayor Brian McMullan
March 9, 2009
No one Absent
March 2, 2009
Absent: Councillor Heather Foss, Councillor Andrew Gill
February 23, 2009
No one Absent
February 9, 2009
No one Absent
February 2, 2009
Late: Councillor Greg Washuta (arrived at 6:40 p.m.)
January 31, 2009 (Special Meeting)
Late: Councillor Peter Secord (arrived at 9: 11 a.m.)
Left Early: Councillor Bruce Williamson (left at 10:10 a.m.)
January 26, 2009
Absent: Councillor Mark Elliott, Councillor Greg Washuta
January 19, 2009
Absent: Councillor Greg Washuta
January 12, 2009
Absent: Councillor Greg Washuta
December 15, 2008
Late: Councillor Bruce Williamson (arrived at 6:40 p.m.)
December 8, 2008
No one Absent
December 1, 2008
Absent: Councillor Dawn Dodge, Councillor Jennifer Stevens
November 24, 2008
Late: Councillor Bruce Williamson (arrived 6:34 p.m.)
November 17, 2008
Absent: Councillor Jeff Burch
November 10, 2008
Late: Councillor Bruce Williamson (arrived at 6:38 p.m.)
November 3, 2008
Absent: Councillor Peter Secord, Councillor Greg Washuta, Councillor Bruce Williamson
October 27, 2008
No one Absent
October 20, 2008
Late: Councillor Bruce Williamson (arrived at 6:37)
October 6, 2008
Absent: Mayor Brian McMullan
Late: Councillor Bruce Williamson (arrived at 6:43 p.m.)
September 29, 2008
No one Absent
September 22, 2008
No one Absent
September 15, 2008
No one Absent
September 8, 2008
Absent: Councillor Greg Washuta
August 18, 2008
Absent: Councillor Bruce Williamson
July 28, 2008
No one Absent
July 14, 2008
Absent: Councillor Joseph Kushner
June 23, 2008
Absent: Councillor Len Stack
June 16, 2008
Absent: Councillor Bruce Williamson
June 9, 2008
Late: Councillor Bruce Williamson (arrived at 6:40 p.m.), Councillor Peter Secord (arrived at 7:40 p.m.)
June 2, 2008
Late: Councillor Bruce Williamson (arrived at 7:40 p.m.)
May 26, 2008
Late: Councillor Greg Washuta (arrived at 7:03 p.m.)
May 12, 2008
Absent: Councillor Jeff Burch
May 5, 2008
Late: Councillor Bruce Williamson (arrived at 6:40 p.m.)
April 28, 2008
No one Absent
April 21, 2008
Absent: Councillor Dawn Dodge, Councillor Peter Secord, Councillor Bruce Williamson
April 14, 2008
No one Absent
April 7, 2008
Late: Councillor Bruce Williamson (arrived at 6:55 p.m.)
March 31, 2008
Absent: Councillor Jennifer Stevens
March 17, 2008
No one Absent
March 3, 2008
Absent: Councillor Jeff Burch
February 25, 2008
No one Absent
February 11, 2008
Absent: Councillor Bill Phillips
February 4, 2008
Late: Councillor Bruce Williamson (arrived at 6:45 p.m.)
January 28, 2008
Absent: Councillor Mark Elliott
January 21, 2008
Absent: Mayor Brian McMullen, Councillor Andrew Gill
January 14, 2008
Absent: Councillor Len Stack
Late: Councillor Bruce Williamson (arrived at 6:37 p.m.)
December 17, 2007
Absent: Councillor Bruce Williamson
Late: Councillor Greg Washuta (arrived at 6:55 p.m.)
December 10, 2007
Absent: Councillor Jeff Burch
December 3, 2007
No one Absent
November 26, 2007
Absent: Councillor Jeff Burch
November 19, 2007
Late: Councillor Greg Washuta (arrived at 6:45 p.m.)
November 12, 2007
Absent: Councillor Dawn Dodge
November 5, 2007
Absent: Councillor Dawn Dodge, Councillor Peter Secord
October 29, 2007
Absent: Councillor Dawn Dodge
October 22, 2007
Absent: Councillor Dawn Dodge
October 15, 2007
No one Absent
October 1, 2007
No one Absent
September 24, 2007
No one Absent
September 17, 2007
Late: Councillor Greg Washuta (arrived at 6:50 p.m.)
September 10, 2007
Late: Councillor Peter Secord (arrived at 6:45 p.m.)
August 27, 2007
No one Absent
July 30, 2007
No one Absent
July 9, 2007
Absent: Councillor Heather Foss, Councillor Joseph Kushner
June 18, 2007
Absent: Councillor Bill Phillips, Councillor Peter Secord
Late: Councillor Bruce Williamson (arrived at 7:00p.m.)
June 11, 2007
Late: Councillor Peter Secord (arrived at 5:20 p.m.)
June 4, 2007
Absent: Mayor Brian McMullan, Councillor Bruce Williamson
May 28, 2007
No one Absent
May 14, 2007
No one Absent
May 7, 2007
Absent: Councillor Jennifer Stevens
April 30, 2007
No one Absent
April 23, 2007
Absent: Councillor Andrew Gill
April 16, 2007
No one Absent
April 2, 2007
No one Absent
March 26, 2007
Absent: Councillor Jennifer Stevens
March 19, 2007
No one Absent
March 5, 2007
No one Absent
February 26, 2007
Absent: Councillor Jeff Burch
February 19, 2007
No one Absent
February 12, 2007
No one Absent
February 5, 2007
Absent: Councillor Len Stack
January 29, 2007
No one Absent
January 22, 2007
No one Absent
January 15, 2007
No one Absent
December 18, 2006
No one Absent
December 11, 2006
No one Absent
December 4, 2006
No one Absent
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