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Don Leaman
Captain Mel and His Crew
Leave a Comment »It was a very quiet evening in the Common Council chamber last night. Mayor Norton runs a tight ship, concentrating on decorum and respect. Councillors are asking the right questions and demanding more complete answers. This council is actually getting some work done. Meetings are a delightful contrast to the previous council’s meetings, but not [...]
Propaganda or Facts?
Leave a Comment »I re-read a letter to the editor in yesterday’s T/J concerning P3‘s, and feel that the writer come to the wrong conclusions from the same information that I have received and read. The Canadian Council for Public/Private Partnerships is a group set up to monitor and help regulate P3’s, and was formed to help eliminate [...]
Let’s Try Something
1 Comment »Quiet evening at Common Council last night, even though the chamber was full. When we went uptown to the council meeting the corner of King and Water streets was occupied with men and women carrying commercially made signs saying ‘Water Is For People, Not Profit”, and I know they didn’t personally pay to have them [...]
Common Council Through Their Teen Age Years
Leave a Comment »I believe the new members of common council have matured. No longer do we suffer through repeated questions that have already been answered, or motions that have been poorly thought out. Councillor Reardon proposed a motion that all city streets have a speed limit of 50 KpH, and that the city investigate installing automatic speed [...]
Where Will The People Go?
Leave a Comment »Monday night Common Council meeting went on until well after 11 p.m. The hot item on the agenda was a rezoning request for an area near a gravel deposit off Latimer Lake Road. There were many presenters against opening more area for gravel pits, and they made an impassioned plea to Councillors to reject the [...]
P3 Update
1 Comment »Mr. John McBride of P3 Canada spoke to an open session of Common Council at 8:15 this morning. His presentation outlined the role P3 Canada would play in any investigation and decision the city will make concerning a public/private partnership for building a new water treatment plant. The responsibility of the city would be to [...]
To “P” or not to “P”
Leave a Comment »Johanne Mullen of Price Waterhouse Coopers gave an excellent presentation to Common Council last night. There was no hysteria. She gave a clear outline of what a P3 was; how thoroughly the business sense would be investigated; and how the risks of such a massive project would be shared. She made three things absolutely clear [...]
Annual Snow Clearing
2 Comments »Has anyone noticed that they wait until January or early February each year to clear the road going up Fort Howe from Magazine St. so the light bulbs on the Saint John sign can be replaced? I watched a tractor with a snow blower attachment try to clear the road yesterday, but without chains on [...]
When will it end?
1 Comment »The end of the year is coming fast, and I can see the city underwriting the employees Long Term Disability plan for a long time in the future. Can you imagine any insurance company underwriting the plan at a cost that won’t result in further reduction to city services? Taxpayers need to be reminded that [...]
Are There Other Options for the Pension Deficit?
Leave a Comment »When Ms. Rowland replied to Councillor Farren’s question about bankruptcy, she said she couldn’t give the city bankruptcy advice and the question should be put to the city solicitor’s department. This would be like putting the fox in the hen house once again. I believe it’s long past the time when this question should have [...]
