KA-NON has left a new comment on your post "Ontario
Heritage Has Title Free and Clear":
I will infer by your comments
that the documents with which you have been provided indicate that Ms. Bartley
Smith's wishes were indeed for the lands to remain undeveloped.
You argue
that her wishes are academic given that free title, without covenant to the
benefactor's wishes, is in the hands of a 3rd party.
****************
You may not assume a covenant was attached to the transfer of title to Heritage Trust.
The late Ms. Bartley Smith was indeed a generous woman. Transfer of the lands for commensurate value allowed for proceeds to be divided between various charities of her choice.
Had the intention been for community use of the property, title could have been transferred for the sum of two dollars to the municipality not the Heritage Trust Foundation.
That is not what happened.
Oversized services are in the ground in abutting property. A road was designed to accommodate ongoing development.
The bulk of the estate was not left to the family. The will was disputed and upheld.
Ms Bartley Smith died in 1987.
Since then the land sits. A no man's land.
The town could certainly make use of areas for recreation without disturbing the geological sensitivity.
Other areas could be developed with the same sensitivity.
The Province is in serious financial crisis.
How many more parcels of land do they own for no better reason than to provide people of such wealth the opportunity to transfer ownership for tax relief.
How many precious works of art, stashed away in warehouses,
could be auctioned off to reduce the nation's debt.
What do I care if documents show the stuff changed hands for the sum of two dollars making it seem like a generous donation. We all know it was no such thing.
I just thought of something.
That's how the town got possession of the little factory theatre property. A few hundred dollars were owing for property taxes and title was transferred for that amount. Except that it was given for the purpose of a theatre and a hundred and fifty chairs accompanied the gift.
We got a twenty-one thousand dollar L.I.P. grant. Drama club members themselves went in there and shoveled out the incredible
garbage left from the last concrete forming factory operation.
They drew up the plans to get the grant between Friday night and Monday morning
My God it was exciting..
No chance of anything like that happening now.
Oh Dear me no!
We can't even plan a wing-ding holiday week-end party for twelve months from now, without hiring a manager for $70,000.and another $30,000. thrown in to make it an even hundred.
Friday, 8 June 2012
Thursday, 7 June 2012
The Last Post
I copied and pasted that last from a an outfit called "Green Government is more that just a tagline.
I couldn't continue below it because of I know not what.
They are probably selling something. I don't know if the figures are accurate. I've no reason to dispute the information..
It'sthe tip of an iceberg..I think. The bulk of paper usage and extravagance is below the surface.
I couldn't begin to list the material I receive as a Councillor.
A newsletter from every agency there is. Style and quality indicate the money spent. One way or another it's public money.
Glossy paper almost to a card quality, many colors, pictures of ceremonies and awardsand the elite of our society.
If I attended every award presenting event I'm invited to, I would be out all day and evening going from here to there to hear what a wonderful job everybody is doing with public resources.
One outfit, I think it was the United Appeal or whatever it's called nowadays,. sends me a couple of bill posts. Glossy.many- colored announcements of ne programs and where to go. Coloured card hand-puts accompany the bill posts. Leaflets giving details of the service,All tucked into a huge envelop and Canada Post paid.
I do not have an office to put the bill posts. No-one coming to see me who might need the leaflets. So the entire package and effort is a total waste.
The expense boggles the mind. not only for the paper, the printing, the composition but also for the person or persons on the fulltime staff complement, responsible for creating a list of recipients and managing the distribution. .
All of it paid for before any service at all is provided to persons in need.
Non-profit organisations multiply constantly.
Never a week goes by that we don't read of Trillium or Heritage grants being awarded ,to say nothing of private Foundations with money to give away to whoever asks.
You don't have a job.? Can't get enough gigs to make a living at the thing you are good at?. Create a non-profit foundation. ,
If a council gives you a grant, you can use it to leverage another from one of the many agencies with money to give away and an image to promote.
We hear of crisis in the economy that compels government to cut special ed resources to kids most in need of help .The kids who will be filling up Harper's jails in ten years.
We worry about billions of dollars of debt and daily interest cost but nothing ever stands in the way of the flow of money from grants for falderols.
Every year we receive invitations from agencies to nominate persons for extraordinary contributions to this or that. There aren't enough. So the same people get the awards year after year.
It doesn't matter because it's all about promoting the agency, establishing its value. And protecting jobs or increasing salaries of the people who work there.
Of course, politicians who commend the righteous and sterling efforts of it all, like to bask in the glow of someone else's accomplishment.It's an easy credit.
And anyone who might refer to the wildly uncontrolled unproductive extravagant fiasco of it all , is nuthin' but a dirty dog.
I couldn't continue below it because of I know not what.
They are probably selling something. I don't know if the figures are accurate. I've no reason to dispute the information..
It'sthe tip of an iceberg..I think. The bulk of paper usage and extravagance is below the surface.
I couldn't begin to list the material I receive as a Councillor.
A newsletter from every agency there is. Style and quality indicate the money spent. One way or another it's public money.
Glossy paper almost to a card quality, many colors, pictures of ceremonies and awardsand the elite of our society.
If I attended every award presenting event I'm invited to, I would be out all day and evening going from here to there to hear what a wonderful job everybody is doing with public resources.
One outfit, I think it was the United Appeal or whatever it's called nowadays,. sends me a couple of bill posts. Glossy.many- colored announcements of ne programs and where to go. Coloured card hand-puts accompany the bill posts. Leaflets giving details of the service,All tucked into a huge envelop and Canada Post paid.
I do not have an office to put the bill posts. No-one coming to see me who might need the leaflets. So the entire package and effort is a total waste.
The expense boggles the mind. not only for the paper, the printing, the composition but also for the person or persons on the fulltime staff complement, responsible for creating a list of recipients and managing the distribution. .
All of it paid for before any service at all is provided to persons in need.
Non-profit organisations multiply constantly.
Never a week goes by that we don't read of Trillium or Heritage grants being awarded ,to say nothing of private Foundations with money to give away to whoever asks.
You don't have a job.? Can't get enough gigs to make a living at the thing you are good at?. Create a non-profit foundation. ,
If a council gives you a grant, you can use it to leverage another from one of the many agencies with money to give away and an image to promote.
We hear of crisis in the economy that compels government to cut special ed resources to kids most in need of help .The kids who will be filling up Harper's jails in ten years.
We worry about billions of dollars of debt and daily interest cost but nothing ever stands in the way of the flow of money from grants for falderols.
Every year we receive invitations from agencies to nominate persons for extraordinary contributions to this or that. There aren't enough. So the same people get the awards year after year.
It doesn't matter because it's all about promoting the agency, establishing its value. And protecting jobs or increasing salaries of the people who work there.
Of course, politicians who commend the righteous and sterling efforts of it all, like to bask in the glow of someone else's accomplishment.It's an easy credit.
And anyone who might refer to the wildly uncontrolled unproductive extravagant fiasco of it all , is nuthin' but a dirty dog.
Look At This
The numbers speak for themselves...
 |
|
A Tale of Dedication
Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Surprise
Party":
Evelyn:
Possibly you could find out the total cost of the Royal weekend that you beautifully described and divide this by not just the 1.5 million people in personal attendance, but the additional population of Britain (reduced by 13% - being the percentage that are anti-monarch - this was in the paper recently) and you come up with a number per head.
I don't think it fair or appropriate to add in the global statistics of those who watched on TV.
*******************
There has been discussion on T.V. about cost of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee . I think I heard eleven million pounds ,with exchange could be as much as $22million
The Lord Mayor of London was on Letterman last night. He said the population of London was five point something million.
None of it is relevant to our situation.
British Royalty to the British government is as much about promoting tourism to that tight little island and stirring up pride in the nation as anything else. I doubt city dwellers were out of pocket for the event.
The Lord Mayor was in New Yoek to promote his book about London which was again probably more about tourist promotion and exploiting the occasion.
Unless you have lived in London ,the effect of such an event cannot be imagined.
In the whole wide world, nobody does it better than the Brits. Nobody has the bones to build upon.
I have memories from childhood.
On one occasion. every school child in the land .received a newly minted bright copper penny.. It was a large coin. Not the smallest denomination. You could bu a lot with a penny. Nobody evr suggested we should keep iy as a memento. I don't think that was it's purpose either. It bore the image of the new King's head.
Another time a bar of chocolate was distributed in red shiny wrapper with gold lettering ,again the monarch's image and the occasion commemorated.Of course we ate the chocolate. It was a tremendous treat.
Later, it would be the Queen's father, every child went to a "picture house" to watch a film of the coronation.In Irvine, it was The Palace picture house. We didn't call them movie houses.
In 1953, we spent the night in the rain, on the sidewalk in Hyde Park. just inside Marble Arch . Next day. we watched the gold coach wobbling past on wooden wheels, bearing the newly crowned Queen, around three in the afternoon.
The year before emigrating, I went to the Mall and watched the Royal procession to the ceremony of Trooping of the Colour
When the procession returned to Buckingham Palace, I fell in with the crowd that moved slowly behind like a river, to the gates of the palace to wait for the balcony appearance.
At that moment, I gained a life -time respect for dedication to public service that had nothing to do with the theory of royal blood, divine intervention and all that crap.
The Queen is a small person. The horse is a giant. She rode side saddle.
In a black riding skirt, scarlet tunic with gold buttons and black hat with a side- swept brim and cockade, securely atop auburn curls the same color as the horse .
Her left hand lightly held the reins Her right arm held at attention by her side. Not until she reached the statue of Queen Victoria within yards of the palace gate, did her shoulders sag ever so slightly.
Grown men carrying rifles, in scarlet uniforms and giant busby hats would keel over on the parade ground from strain of standing to attention for that length of time.
While the tiny Monarch,, maintaining control of a notoriously skittish, magnificent horse named Churchill invariably stayed the course..
It was a test of will and super human discipline for all to see, from beginning to end.
To me ot was a mark of her determination and dedication to excellence more than any words could express .
Evelyn:
Possibly you could find out the total cost of the Royal weekend that you beautifully described and divide this by not just the 1.5 million people in personal attendance, but the additional population of Britain (reduced by 13% - being the percentage that are anti-monarch - this was in the paper recently) and you come up with a number per head.
I don't think it fair or appropriate to add in the global statistics of those who watched on TV.
*******************
There has been discussion on T.V. about cost of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee . I think I heard eleven million pounds ,with exchange could be as much as $22million
The Lord Mayor of London was on Letterman last night. He said the population of London was five point something million.
None of it is relevant to our situation.
British Royalty to the British government is as much about promoting tourism to that tight little island and stirring up pride in the nation as anything else. I doubt city dwellers were out of pocket for the event.
The Lord Mayor was in New Yoek to promote his book about London which was again probably more about tourist promotion and exploiting the occasion.
Unless you have lived in London ,the effect of such an event cannot be imagined.
In the whole wide world, nobody does it better than the Brits. Nobody has the bones to build upon.
I have memories from childhood.
On one occasion. every school child in the land .received a newly minted bright copper penny.. It was a large coin. Not the smallest denomination. You could bu a lot with a penny. Nobody evr suggested we should keep iy as a memento. I don't think that was it's purpose either. It bore the image of the new King's head.
Another time a bar of chocolate was distributed in red shiny wrapper with gold lettering ,again the monarch's image and the occasion commemorated.Of course we ate the chocolate. It was a tremendous treat.
Later, it would be the Queen's father, every child went to a "picture house" to watch a film of the coronation.In Irvine, it was The Palace picture house. We didn't call them movie houses.
In 1953, we spent the night in the rain, on the sidewalk in Hyde Park. just inside Marble Arch . Next day. we watched the gold coach wobbling past on wooden wheels, bearing the newly crowned Queen, around three in the afternoon.
The year before emigrating, I went to the Mall and watched the Royal procession to the ceremony of Trooping of the Colour
When the procession returned to Buckingham Palace, I fell in with the crowd that moved slowly behind like a river, to the gates of the palace to wait for the balcony appearance.
At that moment, I gained a life -time respect for dedication to public service that had nothing to do with the theory of royal blood, divine intervention and all that crap.
The Queen is a small person. The horse is a giant. She rode side saddle.
In a black riding skirt, scarlet tunic with gold buttons and black hat with a side- swept brim and cockade, securely atop auburn curls the same color as the horse .
Her left hand lightly held the reins Her right arm held at attention by her side. Not until she reached the statue of Queen Victoria within yards of the palace gate, did her shoulders sag ever so slightly.
Grown men carrying rifles, in scarlet uniforms and giant busby hats would keel over on the parade ground from strain of standing to attention for that length of time.
While the tiny Monarch,, maintaining control of a notoriously skittish, magnificent horse named Churchill invariably stayed the course..
It was a test of will and super human discipline for all to see, from beginning to end.
To me ot was a mark of her determination and dedication to excellence more than any words could express .
Wednesday, 6 June 2012
Not a Pretty Picture
Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Surprise
Party":
Can one ask where the figures originated? Could this be another Staff initiative? I can't speak for seniors but generally they do not seem to be over-reaching in their demands. They did not even expect the Seniors Center although they love it. Might be a mistake to think they are stupid about money.
**************
The idea of the celebration was the Mayor's. The Director of Leisure Services was directed to plan . I doubt the idea came forward without Mayoralty input.
I am equally certain the idea of using the hydro reserve fund did not come from this particular Director. He was part of the management team when the sale took place.
He knows how strong the feeling the money should not be frittered away with nothing to show for it. It was a difficult decision to surrender the asset of our own hydro. Had the Province not been pressuring to reduce small utilities, threatening higher prices for power, I doubt I would have supported the decision to sell or amalgamate with Newmarket.
Mine was not the only vote against spending this amount of these funds to hire a project manager to manage a year long celebration.
Councillors Thompson and Humphryes argued against it and inexplicably voted for it.
Councillor Gallo, Gaertner, Ballard and myself voted against
recommending the plan to Council.
That's half a person short of half the Council opposed. A project like this should have full support.It is a celebration for Goodness Sake.
The decision is not yet made.
It is not between a celebration and no celebration.
It's between a year long celebration and extravagance with multiple events and funds spent that should only be used to replace an asset lost with a new asset of equal benefit to the community.
And a great wing-ding of a party, over a long week-end that provides an opportunity to participate, brings friends and relatives home to Aurora to share in the excitement and joy, gives young people a memory of their home town that will live with them always, does not dissipate a precious resource and maximizes the
community's potential for creativity.
I don't believe profligate spending honors the town's history. Not in the least. No sirree. That's not a legacy in keeping with the town's character.
That's more like giving away half a million dollars a year and a precious building to an outfit that answers to nobody for the
spending of it.
We are doing that too. Same as the last lot.
Damned if I recognise efficient fiscal management in any of it. Despite the cost of high-priced advisers.
Can one ask where the figures originated? Could this be another Staff initiative? I can't speak for seniors but generally they do not seem to be over-reaching in their demands. They did not even expect the Seniors Center although they love it. Might be a mistake to think they are stupid about money.
**************
The idea of the celebration was the Mayor's. The Director of Leisure Services was directed to plan . I doubt the idea came forward without Mayoralty input.
I am equally certain the idea of using the hydro reserve fund did not come from this particular Director. He was part of the management team when the sale took place.
He knows how strong the feeling the money should not be frittered away with nothing to show for it. It was a difficult decision to surrender the asset of our own hydro. Had the Province not been pressuring to reduce small utilities, threatening higher prices for power, I doubt I would have supported the decision to sell or amalgamate with Newmarket.
Mine was not the only vote against spending this amount of these funds to hire a project manager to manage a year long celebration.
Councillors Thompson and Humphryes argued against it and inexplicably voted for it.
Councillor Gallo, Gaertner, Ballard and myself voted against
recommending the plan to Council.
That's half a person short of half the Council opposed. A project like this should have full support.It is a celebration for Goodness Sake.
The decision is not yet made.
It is not between a celebration and no celebration.
It's between a year long celebration and extravagance with multiple events and funds spent that should only be used to replace an asset lost with a new asset of equal benefit to the community.
And a great wing-ding of a party, over a long week-end that provides an opportunity to participate, brings friends and relatives home to Aurora to share in the excitement and joy, gives young people a memory of their home town that will live with them always, does not dissipate a precious resource and maximizes the
community's potential for creativity.
I don't believe profligate spending honors the town's history. Not in the least. No sirree. That's not a legacy in keeping with the town's character.
That's more like giving away half a million dollars a year and a precious building to an outfit that answers to nobody for the
spending of it.
We are doing that too. Same as the last lot.
Damned if I recognise efficient fiscal management in any of it. Despite the cost of high-priced advisers.
Surprise Party
Council has a surprise party planned for you
We are going to spend a couple of hundred thousand or more from
Council's Discretionary Reserve Fund That's the new title for the Hydro Sale Asset Reserve Fund. Or to be precise, the interest earned from the Hydro Asset Sale Reserve fund.
The Mayor said, the money is just sitting there because we don't know how to spend it and it boggles his mind that some members of Council aren't excited about spending hundreds of thousands to honor the town's sesquicentennial. That's a hundred and fifty years for the less erudite among us.
A progress report on plans for the celebration was considered at the General Committee Meeting last night.
It was a vigorous discussion. It bore some similarity to the recent vote on exercising the termination clause in the Culture agreement.
Councillors Thompson and Humphryes argued against the recommendation but when the vote was called, they cast their votes in favour.
I need to tell you what is planned because you are not going to receive an opportunity for input.
The recommendation is to hire a part time project manager at a cost of $70,000.
The plan is for the celebration to start in January and finish in December with events throughout the year. No budget is set for the project. No outside limitto spending.The recommendation to be decidednext Tuesday is remove $100,000 from the Hydro fund just to get the ball rolling.
A staff committee will work with the $70.000 geezer and plan everything for us.
The big advantage of having the guy on the payroll is he will be able to suss out grants, process successful applications and we will get funds handed to us hat will more than make up for the cost of his service.
We have to start it now because we can't apply for grants until we know what the grants will be used for.
The project was not budgeted in 2012. But that's alright because we are using up an asset that's just sitting there. It's not like spending real money. It won't really show as an expenditure.
After all, once it's spent, there won't be any evidence it ever existed.
I was being admonished by the Mayor and Councillor Abel and Pirri for being without fervor for the project.
"You just don't want to honor the town's history" they said.
Yes they did. They said that.
It almost left me speechless.
Mais non, mes amies. Ce n'est pas vraiment.
If the Queen's Diamond Jubilee can be honored over a long week-end with a Flotilla on the Thames, Fireworks over Tower Bridge, a concert with Sirs Elton John and Paul McCartney, a Lord Mayor's Luncheon at Westminster Palace, a Service at the Abbey,
procession in the 1902 landau complete with Royals in top hats and tails and ladies, except the Queen, in the silliest hats imaginable, escorted by the Queen's Household Cavalry, accompanied by a military band of one or other of The Guards, a modern gun salute, Rousing Three Military Cheers for the Queen , final appearance on the balcony at Buckingham Palace by the Queen and heirs apparent, for the Royal Air Force Fly Past.
If a long week-end of spectacular events to honor the Queen's Diamond Jubilee,( 60 years), is good enough for 1.5 million wildly cheering, enthusiastic spectators in attendance and billions more on television, I think a long week-end should be good enough to honour fifty more years of history, in a town of fifty-five thousand people of Aurora.
I'm telling you now because they're going to set it in motion with
$100,000 of the hydro money, without as much as a by-your -leave, on Tuesday at the next Council meeting.
If you have anything to say about it, you'd better speak now or forever hold your peace.
We are going to spend a couple of hundred thousand or more from
Council's Discretionary Reserve Fund That's the new title for the Hydro Sale Asset Reserve Fund. Or to be precise, the interest earned from the Hydro Asset Sale Reserve fund.
The Mayor said, the money is just sitting there because we don't know how to spend it and it boggles his mind that some members of Council aren't excited about spending hundreds of thousands to honor the town's sesquicentennial. That's a hundred and fifty years for the less erudite among us.
A progress report on plans for the celebration was considered at the General Committee Meeting last night.
It was a vigorous discussion. It bore some similarity to the recent vote on exercising the termination clause in the Culture agreement.
Councillors Thompson and Humphryes argued against the recommendation but when the vote was called, they cast their votes in favour.
I need to tell you what is planned because you are not going to receive an opportunity for input.
The recommendation is to hire a part time project manager at a cost of $70,000.
The plan is for the celebration to start in January and finish in December with events throughout the year. No budget is set for the project. No outside limitto spending.The recommendation to be decidednext Tuesday is remove $100,000 from the Hydro fund just to get the ball rolling.
A staff committee will work with the $70.000 geezer and plan everything for us.
The big advantage of having the guy on the payroll is he will be able to suss out grants, process successful applications and we will get funds handed to us hat will more than make up for the cost of his service.
We have to start it now because we can't apply for grants until we know what the grants will be used for.
The project was not budgeted in 2012. But that's alright because we are using up an asset that's just sitting there. It's not like spending real money. It won't really show as an expenditure.
After all, once it's spent, there won't be any evidence it ever existed.
I was being admonished by the Mayor and Councillor Abel and Pirri for being without fervor for the project.
"You just don't want to honor the town's history" they said.
Yes they did. They said that.
It almost left me speechless.
Mais non, mes amies. Ce n'est pas vraiment.
If the Queen's Diamond Jubilee can be honored over a long week-end with a Flotilla on the Thames, Fireworks over Tower Bridge, a concert with Sirs Elton John and Paul McCartney, a Lord Mayor's Luncheon at Westminster Palace, a Service at the Abbey,
procession in the 1902 landau complete with Royals in top hats and tails and ladies, except the Queen, in the silliest hats imaginable, escorted by the Queen's Household Cavalry, accompanied by a military band of one or other of The Guards, a modern gun salute, Rousing Three Military Cheers for the Queen , final appearance on the balcony at Buckingham Palace by the Queen and heirs apparent, for the Royal Air Force Fly Past.
If a long week-end of spectacular events to honor the Queen's Diamond Jubilee,( 60 years), is good enough for 1.5 million wildly cheering, enthusiastic spectators in attendance and billions more on television, I think a long week-end should be good enough to honour fifty more years of history, in a town of fifty-five thousand people of Aurora.
I'm telling you now because they're going to set it in motion with
$100,000 of the hydro money, without as much as a by-your -leave, on Tuesday at the next Council meeting.
If you have anything to say about it, you'd better speak now or forever hold your peace.
About Trees And Other STuff
The trees on Wellington Street are suffering transplant stress.They will be fine.
They are in new raised beds of good planting soil, replacing the sparse pockets provided in other areas of regional planting.
They're getting plenty of water and are under the safe and nurturung care of the town's parks manager, Jim Tree.
No better husbandry is available elsewhere.
A tree nursery can't be planted just anywhere. Soil has to be right. Location can't be in a populated area. As I mentioned already,
the impulse to jump up and grab a tree branch and snap it off is endemic. It just is.
The search is on. There's more than enough idle property in town. Not everything you see belongs to the town. Some government agencies have nothing but their own sense of self-importance to sustain themselves.
For a urban municipality our size, we have an inordinate area of land that will not be developed.We have woodlots and five golf courses and another on the way, parks,dedicated properties but not to us,and ravines,flood plains and the Oak Ridges Moraine.
Houses on averages of two acre lots are not really urban density.
From an environmental standpoint, I would say we are in surplus.
It's a good living environment.
From financial sustainability perspective,unimproved lands are a liability not an asset.
We have an inventory of bits and pieces of property throughout the town. It was created in the 2003/2006 term of council.
Weeks of work went in to assembling the inventory and describing locations and sizes. The work was done with a view to realizing assets where they were.
Selling land that could be developed. As opposed to keeping serviced property sitting vacant and idle, producing no revenue or alternate benefit whatsoever.
The night the report was to be received and further council direction given , the entire management team was in attendance to provide whatever input was needed to get the job done.
Only three members of Council showed up. No quorum. No business conducted. No action taken since.
So much to be done. So little being accomplished.
They are in new raised beds of good planting soil, replacing the sparse pockets provided in other areas of regional planting.
They're getting plenty of water and are under the safe and nurturung care of the town's parks manager, Jim Tree.
No better husbandry is available elsewhere.
A tree nursery can't be planted just anywhere. Soil has to be right. Location can't be in a populated area. As I mentioned already,
the impulse to jump up and grab a tree branch and snap it off is endemic. It just is.
The search is on. There's more than enough idle property in town. Not everything you see belongs to the town. Some government agencies have nothing but their own sense of self-importance to sustain themselves.
For a urban municipality our size, we have an inordinate area of land that will not be developed.We have woodlots and five golf courses and another on the way, parks,dedicated properties but not to us,and ravines,flood plains and the Oak Ridges Moraine.
Houses on averages of two acre lots are not really urban density.
From an environmental standpoint, I would say we are in surplus.
It's a good living environment.
From financial sustainability perspective,unimproved lands are a liability not an asset.
We have an inventory of bits and pieces of property throughout the town. It was created in the 2003/2006 term of council.
Weeks of work went in to assembling the inventory and describing locations and sizes. The work was done with a view to realizing assets where they were.
Selling land that could be developed. As opposed to keeping serviced property sitting vacant and idle, producing no revenue or alternate benefit whatsoever.
The night the report was to be received and further council direction given , the entire management team was in attendance to provide whatever input was needed to get the job done.
Only three members of Council showed up. No quorum. No business conducted. No action taken since.
So much to be done. So little being accomplished.
Answers To Questions Asked
Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "J' Accuse":
Where is this Bulk Barn facility going to be?
************
Bulk Barn is buying twenty four acres of land the town has for sale. It was purchased for recreation use during the 200/2003 term of Council.It is located next to the new police building/headquarters on Don Hillock Dive. Not sure if that will be the address. The site has frontage on Hwy 404.but of course no access.
A site plan has been approved that will accommodate a warehouse facility and the head office .The owner is a resident of Aurora. Bulk Barn retail facilities are franchisees.
The operation has potential for growth . the site allows for expansion. I understand that is the intention.
Jobs cited are 400. The greater number are office staff. Bulk Barn is currently situated in Richmond Hill.
Staff will be transferring with the company.. However ,our employee statistics will improve and there will be future job opportunities.
***************
Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Ontario Heritage Has Title Free and Clear":
OK, so we are still looking to see if Aurora might already hold a suitable place for the tree seedlings. In the past year, a group of homeowners complained to Council that there was a land-locked piece of property in their midst that was an oasis for teens late at night. And that the teens were noisy, left a mess and damaged neighbourhood parked cars. When council really began to look at the bit of land, the neighbours backed off and said it was just fine.
Can you recall where that parcel was, Evelyn A bunch of baby trees might suit the people in neighbouring houses and reduce the collection of teens . I think it was just a building lot.
*********************
At the beginning of the last term ,former Councillor MacEachern persuaded Council to add ,I think, $250,000 to the budget to create a playground on the former site of a water tower.
The water tower was long gone and the property had been exchanged with the Region for a piece at the well property abutting to the community centre on Aurora Heights Drive.
The property was an acre with housing all around.
Some of the neighbours in the Mosaic townhouse development had been complaining about it being a hang-out for teenagers but changed their minds with the prospect it might be a good site for a multiple housing unit.There was no interest in a playground either but it wasn't a good place anyway since it was closed off from view.
So there it sits. A potential for a multiple unit building. Could be for Habitat for Humanity. I am only interested in donating a site to Haibitat to build rental units for families.
Without talking to parks staff, I don't believe it would be a good place for a tree nursery.
Breaking branches off newly planted trees on Henderson Drive seemed to be an irresistible impulse for some people. I tend to think teen-agers. Not all of course . But enough to persuade me a tree nursery would not thrive in that location.
.
Where is this Bulk Barn facility going to be?
************
Bulk Barn is buying twenty four acres of land the town has for sale. It was purchased for recreation use during the 200/2003 term of Council.It is located next to the new police building/headquarters on Don Hillock Dive. Not sure if that will be the address. The site has frontage on Hwy 404.but of course no access.
A site plan has been approved that will accommodate a warehouse facility and the head office .The owner is a resident of Aurora. Bulk Barn retail facilities are franchisees.
The operation has potential for growth . the site allows for expansion. I understand that is the intention.
Jobs cited are 400. The greater number are office staff. Bulk Barn is currently situated in Richmond Hill.
Staff will be transferring with the company.. However ,our employee statistics will improve and there will be future job opportunities.
***************
Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Ontario Heritage Has Title Free and Clear":
OK, so we are still looking to see if Aurora might already hold a suitable place for the tree seedlings. In the past year, a group of homeowners complained to Council that there was a land-locked piece of property in their midst that was an oasis for teens late at night. And that the teens were noisy, left a mess and damaged neighbourhood parked cars. When council really began to look at the bit of land, the neighbours backed off and said it was just fine.
Can you recall where that parcel was, Evelyn A bunch of baby trees might suit the people in neighbouring houses and reduce the collection of teens . I think it was just a building lot.
*********************
At the beginning of the last term ,former Councillor MacEachern persuaded Council to add ,I think, $250,000 to the budget to create a playground on the former site of a water tower.
The water tower was long gone and the property had been exchanged with the Region for a piece at the well property abutting to the community centre on Aurora Heights Drive.
The property was an acre with housing all around.
Some of the neighbours in the Mosaic townhouse development had been complaining about it being a hang-out for teenagers but changed their minds with the prospect it might be a good site for a multiple housing unit.There was no interest in a playground either but it wasn't a good place anyway since it was closed off from view.
So there it sits. A potential for a multiple unit building. Could be for Habitat for Humanity. I am only interested in donating a site to Haibitat to build rental units for families.
Without talking to parks staff, I don't believe it would be a good place for a tree nursery.
Breaking branches off newly planted trees on Henderson Drive seemed to be an irresistible impulse for some people. I tend to think teen-agers. Not all of course . But enough to persuade me a tree nursery would not thrive in that location.
.
Tuesday, 5 June 2012
Ontario Heritage Has Title Free and Clear
KA-NON has left a new comment on your post "More
Of The Story Unfolds":
Is the town or anyone else in possession of any actual correspondence from Ms. Bartley Smith herself on the subject of the future use of the lands?
Your poster wants us to believe that the pristine preservation of these lands was the benfactor's last earthly wish. Following the money, or the tax receipts as it were, might suggest otherwise.
Perhaps there is a paper trail that might shed some light on this. That sure is an obvious piece of land for development and a substantial increase of the tax base.
**************************
I have been provided with documents. They are not useful for the purpose of this discussion.
The fact is Ontario Heritage has title to the lands, free and clear.
They decide what can be done with them which is currently nothing.
If my recollection,although scant, I was not a Councillor at the time, Ontario Heritage did not come out of the battle between the opposition and the town unscathed.
If they are gun-shy about dealing with this community again,it should surprise no-one.
The town has been dealing with Ontario Realty...who are in charge of what's left of the farm on the former Ontario Hospital property. Ontario Provincial Police and Provincial Drive Test operation occupies the buildings right now.
We are about to announce successful negotiations with them but that hasn't been an easy row to hoe either.
It's hard for most of us to imagine having so much wealth that it pays to hand property over to the government.
The Federal government has a warehouse for art treasures obtained by the process.
I knew someone once who was negotiating to hand over dinner service for a hundred, complete with crystal settings and flatware.
When Sheppard made his deal, he was still alive. He live in the house five years after. It was part of the deal. He did indicate he wanted the community to have use.
That's why we are able to use it.It's a bit of a pain in the ass to get permission for every little thing from a Conservation minion but on the whole the arrangement works well.
It would make a lot more sense for Ontario Heritage to have a maintenance contract directly with the town. We do all the work.
They would have a hard time selling that property as long as there are people alive who remember the wishes expressed at the time of the transfer.
Mr.Sheppard was feted at the time as a public benefactor.
He liked that.
It did no harm.
People have enjoyed the property for more than forty years.
Is the town or anyone else in possession of any actual correspondence from Ms. Bartley Smith herself on the subject of the future use of the lands?
Your poster wants us to believe that the pristine preservation of these lands was the benfactor's last earthly wish. Following the money, or the tax receipts as it were, might suggest otherwise.
Perhaps there is a paper trail that might shed some light on this. That sure is an obvious piece of land for development and a substantial increase of the tax base.
**************************
I have been provided with documents. They are not useful for the purpose of this discussion.
The fact is Ontario Heritage has title to the lands, free and clear.
They decide what can be done with them which is currently nothing.
If my recollection,although scant, I was not a Councillor at the time, Ontario Heritage did not come out of the battle between the opposition and the town unscathed.
If they are gun-shy about dealing with this community again,it should surprise no-one.
The town has been dealing with Ontario Realty...who are in charge of what's left of the farm on the former Ontario Hospital property. Ontario Provincial Police and Provincial Drive Test operation occupies the buildings right now.
We are about to announce successful negotiations with them but that hasn't been an easy row to hoe either.
It's hard for most of us to imagine having so much wealth that it pays to hand property over to the government.
The Federal government has a warehouse for art treasures obtained by the process.
I knew someone once who was negotiating to hand over dinner service for a hundred, complete with crystal settings and flatware.
When Sheppard made his deal, he was still alive. He live in the house five years after. It was part of the deal. He did indicate he wanted the community to have use.
That's why we are able to use it.It's a bit of a pain in the ass to get permission for every little thing from a Conservation minion but on the whole the arrangement works well.
It would make a lot more sense for Ontario Heritage to have a maintenance contract directly with the town. We do all the work.
They would have a hard time selling that property as long as there are people alive who remember the wishes expressed at the time of the transfer.
Mr.Sheppard was feted at the time as a public benefactor.
He liked that.
It did no harm.
People have enjoyed the property for more than forty years.
It Takes A Village
Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Herein
Lies A True Tale Of Irony":
Anon 9:26 AMYou just proved my point of what a waste a "Youth Centre" would be.
Thanks
***********
The point above has been made twice in two days.
The town paid for a consultant study which determined from input received ,the community feels a youth centre is needed.
Did my commenters respond to the request for input?
Did they say no?
Despite all the expense and endeavour, consultant studies never get great input from the community.
In a town of twenty five thousand adults, input of between ninety and a hundred respondents is considered excellent and far more than the norm.
I anticipate, people in favour of a youth centre would be the ones providing input.
If those not in support do not respond, the favorables would be skewed as well as being hardly representative.
We have all been teen-agers. Nobody gets to be an adult without having been a teen-ager.We know many are at risk.
I am not personally convinced a youth centre monitored by adults, would draw in the ones the community thinks needs to be watched by adults.
I think we need to make a place where a kid in need of care and support would know to go. A coffee shop.With caring volunteers.
Not another recreation centre.
I think, if only to protect public property, we should seriously consider a skate board park. That is not an inexpensive project.
Youth needs are included in calculations for development charges.
There 's the source of funding.
It's not unlimited. My concern is, we choose our priorities wisely and make best use of the funds .
Let's not talk about what we don't want. The funds are or should be available and must be used.
Let's hear about what's most needed and would serve the greater purpose.
It takes a village to raise a child.
Anon 9:26 AMYou just proved my point of what a waste a "Youth Centre" would be.
Thanks
***********
The point above has been made twice in two days.
The town paid for a consultant study which determined from input received ,the community feels a youth centre is needed.
Did my commenters respond to the request for input?
Did they say no?
Despite all the expense and endeavour, consultant studies never get great input from the community.
In a town of twenty five thousand adults, input of between ninety and a hundred respondents is considered excellent and far more than the norm.
I anticipate, people in favour of a youth centre would be the ones providing input.
If those not in support do not respond, the favorables would be skewed as well as being hardly representative.
We have all been teen-agers. Nobody gets to be an adult without having been a teen-ager.We know many are at risk.
I am not personally convinced a youth centre monitored by adults, would draw in the ones the community thinks needs to be watched by adults.
I think we need to make a place where a kid in need of care and support would know to go. A coffee shop.With caring volunteers.
Not another recreation centre.
I think, if only to protect public property, we should seriously consider a skate board park. That is not an inexpensive project.
Youth needs are included in calculations for development charges.
There 's the source of funding.
It's not unlimited. My concern is, we choose our priorities wisely and make best use of the funds .
Let's not talk about what we don't want. The funds are or should be available and must be used.
Let's hear about what's most needed and would serve the greater purpose.
It takes a village to raise a child.
More Of The Story Unfolds
Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Filling
In Some Blanks":
Anne Bartley Smith, wife of the late Matthew Smith, a well known developer in the area, refused all attempts to have her property developed.
Further to this point, the Town's outside lawyer, Ms. Kimberly Morris, advised that development of the property would have been problematic for the Town, given that it was held in trust for the benefit of the people of Ontario by the OHF.
The OHF's mandate was to acquire properties of significance for protection. They acquired the whole of HighTor and gave the estate a charitable donation receipt in the amount of approximately $10 million dollars.
Everything indicated that this property was best left undeveloped. The fact that Mayor Jones, Councilor West, Bill Hogg and others decided to advance the development of HighTor with the knowledge of the history of this property is beyond comprehension.
You see, it wasn't about the traffic at all. It was about respecting the will of a generous woman and her final wishes.
***********************
The comment above produces answers and arguments. Thank You.
My understanding of the situation is different.
Since property development applications are made by property owners.It's not clear what attempts might have been refused by the late owner of High Tor Farm.
The late Ann Bartley Smith supported several different charities.
Transferring title to Ontario Heritage for $10 million allowed her to allocate the proceeds between them.
I asked Ontario Heritage about the figure. She wouldn't tell .
A tax benefit of $10 million illustrates better than anything I can say and have said in the past, that title transfer to the Heritage Foundation is not " a generous donation" to the community.
It is a business transaction to the benefit of both parties.
The municipality cannot provide income tax receipts We do not collect a tax on income. .
If the land could have been transferred to Aurora through the same arrangement, it would have. It is now in the ownership of a provincial agency who have shown no willingness to allow community use or any other use of the property.
Note that the beautiful home on the property has had to be demolished because of abandonment.
Ontario Heritage has the right to sell the land. They are the legal owners.
There is no moral stricture. The land is not donated in trust.
The argument offered in the comment has a false premise. The argument is contrived.
Capital Gains tax would also have been avoided as well as income tax.
In the circumstances it is unlikely a competent town solicitor gave the advice referred to about development being "problematic".
Ontario Heritage needed the resources from the sale of land for development.
They would have benefited. As would the town ,in receiving ownership of the remainder of the property and increased assessment from new homes.
Sheppard's Bush was transferred to Ontario Heritage years earlier in a similar arrangement.
The owner approached the town first and learned we could not exchange market value of the land in tax relief.
The town advised how to go about obtaining the tax advantage.
Ontario Heritage had no resources then either to take care of the property.
They put it in the hands of Lake Simcoe Conservation Authority. They didn't have staff resources either.
So guess who takes care of Sheppard's Bush.
We do.
But at least, in return, we have use of the fields and trails through the property.
It's good to know the farm is enjoyed by Aurora families.
It is clear now why the last Council, including former Councillor Mac Eachern, sought a one-sided agreement for the Town to take responsibility for maintenance of the property with nothing in return.
Development apparently is not all that's unwelcome. Residents who have discovered the amenity are threatened with having their cars "keyed"
Anne Bartley Smith, wife of the late Matthew Smith, a well known developer in the area, refused all attempts to have her property developed.
Further to this point, the Town's outside lawyer, Ms. Kimberly Morris, advised that development of the property would have been problematic for the Town, given that it was held in trust for the benefit of the people of Ontario by the OHF.
The OHF's mandate was to acquire properties of significance for protection. They acquired the whole of HighTor and gave the estate a charitable donation receipt in the amount of approximately $10 million dollars.
Everything indicated that this property was best left undeveloped. The fact that Mayor Jones, Councilor West, Bill Hogg and others decided to advance the development of HighTor with the knowledge of the history of this property is beyond comprehension.
You see, it wasn't about the traffic at all. It was about respecting the will of a generous woman and her final wishes.
***********************
The comment above produces answers and arguments. Thank You.
My understanding of the situation is different.
Since property development applications are made by property owners.It's not clear what attempts might have been refused by the late owner of High Tor Farm.
The late Ann Bartley Smith supported several different charities.
Transferring title to Ontario Heritage for $10 million allowed her to allocate the proceeds between them.
I asked Ontario Heritage about the figure. She wouldn't tell .
A tax benefit of $10 million illustrates better than anything I can say and have said in the past, that title transfer to the Heritage Foundation is not " a generous donation" to the community.
It is a business transaction to the benefit of both parties.
The municipality cannot provide income tax receipts We do not collect a tax on income. .
If the land could have been transferred to Aurora through the same arrangement, it would have. It is now in the ownership of a provincial agency who have shown no willingness to allow community use or any other use of the property.
Note that the beautiful home on the property has had to be demolished because of abandonment.
Ontario Heritage has the right to sell the land. They are the legal owners.
There is no moral stricture. The land is not donated in trust.
The argument offered in the comment has a false premise. The argument is contrived.
Capital Gains tax would also have been avoided as well as income tax.
In the circumstances it is unlikely a competent town solicitor gave the advice referred to about development being "problematic".
Ontario Heritage needed the resources from the sale of land for development.
They would have benefited. As would the town ,in receiving ownership of the remainder of the property and increased assessment from new homes.
Sheppard's Bush was transferred to Ontario Heritage years earlier in a similar arrangement.
The owner approached the town first and learned we could not exchange market value of the land in tax relief.
The town advised how to go about obtaining the tax advantage.
Ontario Heritage had no resources then either to take care of the property.
They put it in the hands of Lake Simcoe Conservation Authority. They didn't have staff resources either.
So guess who takes care of Sheppard's Bush.
We do.
But at least, in return, we have use of the fields and trails through the property.
It's good to know the farm is enjoyed by Aurora families.
It is clear now why the last Council, including former Councillor Mac Eachern, sought a one-sided agreement for the Town to take responsibility for maintenance of the property with nothing in return.
Development apparently is not all that's unwelcome. Residents who have discovered the amenity are threatened with having their cars "keyed"
Monday, 4 June 2012
Filling In Some Blanks
Don't forget some of the other "players" in the neighbourhood at the time. A
certain Mr Granger lives in the 'hood as well as the former CAO (now since moved
away) Mr M N
The issue was not the access to the land but the enevitable increase of traffic as the two major north/south streets in the area became conduits to Bloomington or Bathurst.
The house was quite a structure. It included an indoor swimming pool and was situated in a stand of trees.
**********************
I didn't forget the other players. I never knew them.
I was fairly certain though Council wasn't guilty of what they were accused.
It was then the enmity began between the old and the new and just grew and grew from thereon in.
I don't see how traffic could have increased to such an extent as to be a serious problem.
Thank you for filling in some of the blanks.
The issue was not the access to the land but the enevitable increase of traffic as the two major north/south streets in the area became conduits to Bloomington or Bathurst.
The house was quite a structure. It included an indoor swimming pool and was situated in a stand of trees.
**********************
I didn't forget the other players. I never knew them.
I was fairly certain though Council wasn't guilty of what they were accused.
It was then the enmity began between the old and the new and just grew and grew from thereon in.
I don't see how traffic could have increased to such an extent as to be a serious problem.
Thank you for filling in some of the blanks.
Herein Lies A True Tale Of Irony
Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Master
Plans Are Wish Lists":
"This has been a closely guarded secret. It is beautiful up there. No road access. You park in any of several subdivisions and hoof it in. Never know who or what you will meet. And, yes. I think Aurora holds some land. Check with Ron Wallace. He has watched the place for years. If we own a wee smidgen and can use it without spoiling the place, this could be something COUNCIL could motivate. GO!"
Spoil it?!?!?! Too late for that.
I wish people would stop parking in my neighbourhood to "hoof it in" - I'll key your cars. They had to rip down the house because of vandals. There are firepits everywhere from the "kiddies" and their booze parties.
*************
In the nineties,High Tor Farm was transferred to Ontario Heritage in return for market value in tax rebate.
Part of the property had development approval. Municipal roads and services had proceeded to a certain point and were intended to continue.
This is the story, I have been able to glean from various parties involved at the time.
Ontario Heritage is an agency set up to make deals with people of means. Sufficient means they can benefit financially by giving property away.
The agency at the time was short and in need of financial resources. An offer was made to the town. If they could sell the portion intended for development, the rest of the farm would be deeded to the town for community use.
I was aware of uproar and accusations being thrown about willy-nilly that Council was in cahoots with skullduggery. Not being a Councillor I knew none of the details.
S.W.A.T. was formed. Susan Walmer, Evalina MacEachern and Walter Mestrinaro were in large part, the movers and shakers..
They vowed the scheme was a betrayal of trust.
I learned later ,Evalina MacEachern's home is on a street dead- ended when planned development was brought to rude and abrupt termination.
High Tor Farm is now literally an abandoned property.
We learn the house had to be demolished due to vandalism.
The last Council had talks with the Heritage about signing a contract for maintenance in return for nothing at all.
We were to take responsibility for property we had neither use nor responsibility,while its closest neighbors would have it all to themselves to enjoy.
Fire pits, booze parties and strange cars parked in the neighbourhood was not referenced at the time.
Now, Shangrila it appears, it is not.
Therein lies the supreme irony.
My neighborhood had the S bends,fire pits and cars in our streets, where MacEachern's house was eventually built.
I doubt S.W.A.T. would have listened to what the villainous veterans of Aurora Council might have had to tell at the time they were raising hell fire and brimstone about the possibility of development and community access to land in their neighborhood they claimed for their exclusive use.
Spoiled is it? Well tough.
"This has been a closely guarded secret. It is beautiful up there. No road access. You park in any of several subdivisions and hoof it in. Never know who or what you will meet. And, yes. I think Aurora holds some land. Check with Ron Wallace. He has watched the place for years. If we own a wee smidgen and can use it without spoiling the place, this could be something COUNCIL could motivate. GO!"
Spoil it?!?!?! Too late for that.
I wish people would stop parking in my neighbourhood to "hoof it in" - I'll key your cars. They had to rip down the house because of vandals. There are firepits everywhere from the "kiddies" and their booze parties.
*************
In the nineties,High Tor Farm was transferred to Ontario Heritage in return for market value in tax rebate.
Part of the property had development approval. Municipal roads and services had proceeded to a certain point and were intended to continue.
This is the story, I have been able to glean from various parties involved at the time.
Ontario Heritage is an agency set up to make deals with people of means. Sufficient means they can benefit financially by giving property away.
The agency at the time was short and in need of financial resources. An offer was made to the town. If they could sell the portion intended for development, the rest of the farm would be deeded to the town for community use.
I was aware of uproar and accusations being thrown about willy-nilly that Council was in cahoots with skullduggery. Not being a Councillor I knew none of the details.
S.W.A.T. was formed. Susan Walmer, Evalina MacEachern and Walter Mestrinaro were in large part, the movers and shakers..
They vowed the scheme was a betrayal of trust.
I learned later ,Evalina MacEachern's home is on a street dead- ended when planned development was brought to rude and abrupt termination.
High Tor Farm is now literally an abandoned property.
We learn the house had to be demolished due to vandalism.
The last Council had talks with the Heritage about signing a contract for maintenance in return for nothing at all.
We were to take responsibility for property we had neither use nor responsibility,while its closest neighbors would have it all to themselves to enjoy.
Fire pits, booze parties and strange cars parked in the neighbourhood was not referenced at the time.
Now, Shangrila it appears, it is not.
Therein lies the supreme irony.
My neighborhood had the S bends,fire pits and cars in our streets, where MacEachern's house was eventually built.
I doubt S.W.A.T. would have listened to what the villainous veterans of Aurora Council might have had to tell at the time they were raising hell fire and brimstone about the possibility of development and community access to land in their neighborhood they claimed for their exclusive use.
Spoiled is it? Well tough.
There's Gotta Be A Better Way
Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "There Is
A Puzzlement":
"If we respect the right to choose we must respect the choice."
I completely disagree with you.
The person chosen must respect the office to which elected and must act with the responsibility and the dignity that the office demands.
**********************
There has to be a better way of saying it.
I am continually accused of being disrespectful.
They say; "She always thinks she's right and that means everybody else must be wrong"
If that's right, does it mean I should not say what I think
I should wait to hear so that I can agree, in case they might think I think they are wrong and showing disrespect
By telling people what I think,I am showing respect.
People need me to listen and respect their opinion.
I do.
I expect the same respect.
We can do that and be civil to each other
I don't run for office so that I can be told what to think.
I do it so that I can say what I think.
Then people will know and I can speak freely for them.
As has been pointed out,everyone doesn't vote for me.
Either they don't agree that I insist on saying what I think because they think it disrespects them if it's not what they think.
Either that or they just don't like me. It's not beyond the realm of possibility.
Or they think I'm old.
I am old.
I still think and say what I think.
Nineteen times out of twenty, there is no other candidate in an election that thinks like I think or says it out loud.
In case voters might think they are disrespected if the candidate doesn't think what they think
The twentieth candidate who thinks like I think is me.
Seems there are always people who think like I think or like it that I tell them what I think.
I like it.
.
"If we respect the right to choose we must respect the choice."
I completely disagree with you.
The person chosen must respect the office to which elected and must act with the responsibility and the dignity that the office demands.
**********************
There has to be a better way of saying it.
I am continually accused of being disrespectful.
They say; "She always thinks she's right and that means everybody else must be wrong"
If that's right, does it mean I should not say what I think
I should wait to hear so that I can agree, in case they might think I think they are wrong and showing disrespect
By telling people what I think,I am showing respect.
People need me to listen and respect their opinion.
I do.
I expect the same respect.
We can do that and be civil to each other
I don't run for office so that I can be told what to think.
I do it so that I can say what I think.
Then people will know and I can speak freely for them.
As has been pointed out,everyone doesn't vote for me.
Either they don't agree that I insist on saying what I think because they think it disrespects them if it's not what they think.
Either that or they just don't like me. It's not beyond the realm of possibility.
Or they think I'm old.
I am old.
I still think and say what I think.
Nineteen times out of twenty, there is no other candidate in an election that thinks like I think or says it out loud.
In case voters might think they are disrespected if the candidate doesn't think what they think
The twentieth candidate who thinks like I think is me.
Seems there are always people who think like I think or like it that I tell them what I think.
I like it.
.
Cloned
Ontario tree gives hope for Canada’s decimated elms
Vidya
Kauri
May 29, 2012 – 8:15 PM ET
Cloned
Ontario tree gives hope for Canada’s decimated elms
Vidya
Kauri
May 29, 2012 – 8:15 PM ET
Courtesy
of University of Guelph
This
tree on the campus of the University of Guelph has survived, despite its
neighbours succumbing to disease.
Courtesy
of University of Guelph
This
tree on the campus of the University of Guelph has survived, despite its
neighbours succumbing to disease.
resistant to DED.”
When
Dutch elm disease decimated tree canopies from the 1940s into the 1980s, the
Canadian urban landscape was transformed.
Among
the victims were three large trees outside the Guelph, Ont., home of bird
enthusiast Philip Gosling, 84. Every May, they had been home to orioles; when
the trees were cut, the birds never returned.
They have been part of our family for dozens of years. Then suddenly, year after
year, they weren’t coming back anymore and the trees were dead,” said Mr.
Gosling, a retired commercial property developer. “We were very sad and
distraught by this. But then, so many other people were. You could see it
coming. It was happening throughout the area and there was a sense of
hopelessness. What was there for us to do? Everyone was losing their trees.
Everyone was losing their orioles.”They have been part of our family for dozens of years. Then suddenly, year after
year, they weren’t coming back anymore and the trees were dead,” said Mr.
Gosling, a retired commercial property developer. “We were very sad and
distraught by this. But then, so many other people were. You could see it
coming. It was happening throughout the area and there was a sense of
hopelessness. What was there for us to do? Everyone was losing their trees.
Everyone was losing their orioles.”So,
when he and his wife, Susan, a plant researcher, went looking for a cause to
donate to in 2009, they wondered if scientists might be able to create a
disease-resistant elm. Armed with their gift of $500,000, Prof. Praveen Saxena
at the University of Guelph embarked on a mission to make genetically identical
copies of a potentially disease-resistant elm tree on Guelph’s campus. It had
survived, even as neighbouring trees did not.
After
18 months of failed attempts, Prof. Saxena and his team – Prof. Alan Sullivan
and post-doctoral fellows Mukund Shukla and Maxwell Jones — succeeded in cloning
the 100-year-old tree that had survived repeated onslaughts of Dutch
elm.
“My
first thought was that we are on to something very big, and this will lead to
something that we all will be proud of,” said Prof.
Saxena.
The
American Elm, sometimes known as “the lady of the forest,” was a muse to Sylvia
Plath and Robert Frost. Alfred Tennyson called elms “full-foliaged” and
“immemorial.” Ancient Germanic tribes believed women descended from elms. The
Mistress of Fire in the Mongol Wedding Prayer is also said to have come from elm
trees on mountaintops.
Courtesy
of Don Cameron
n Nova Scotia, the tree was so beloved that the wood from felled trees was used
to make sculptures of local heroes.
“We
have been hesitant to re-establish elm because when we did try it in the early
days, they eventually succumbed to Dutch elm disease,” said Don Cameron,
regional forester with the Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources. “So,
this gives us great encouragement to think that we can again re-establish this
beautiful elm urban forest.”
Alberta
and B.C. managed to largely stave off the disease by preventing infected
firewood from entering their borders — but even in the west, Prof. Saxena’s work
is being watched.
“Albertans
are really excited about this sort of research,” said Janet Feddes-Calpas,
executive director of the Society to Prevent Dutch Elm Disease in Alberta.
“Since the American elm is one of the few species that can survive the extreme
Alberta climactic conditions, we welcome any research that can give us hope to
be able to plant an elm tree that is
An
elm tree sculpture in Nova Scotia
It’s
not the first time a potentially Dutch elm-resistant tree has been cloned. Since
the disease first came to Canada, many tolerant varieties, grown from cuttings
of surviving trees, emerged over the years. However, many of these were only
tested in their juvenile years. So, it is not known if they will survive into
old age. Some of them still “harbour the fungus and display some reduced
symptoms,” said Prof. Saxena.
As
well, creating these disease-tolerant varieties is difficult because the
cuttings don’t always grow well and the number of cuttings one can get from a
surviving tree is limited. Prof. Saxena’s work also eliminates the need for a
field in which to grow new varieties. His clones can be taken from the test tube
to a pot in about 12 weeks, and then, to a greenhouse or nursery for
sale.
Prof.
Saxena has now created about 3,000 clones in his lab. They are currently being
exposed to various strains of Dutch elm to test their resistance. The new
technology is significant because it could also be used to propogate endangered
trees. Moreover, other popular species like the maple and ash trees have also
suffered from the fatal effects of invasive pests.
“I
hope, at some point, we’ll be able to go to a nursery and pick up an American
Elm variety of some kind with ease and confidence knowing that we can put it in
the ground and that it’s going to be there for generations to come,” said Andrew
Williams, urban forestry coordinator for the Town of
Truro.
National
Post
vkauri@nationalpost.com
vkauri@nationalpost.com
There Is A Puzzlement
Seems there is puzzlement abroad at my defence of Councillor Gaertner.
I do not understand why.
Does anyone have better reason to know how it is to be publicly denigrated, harried, insulted, abused and accused by multiple forces rallied for the purpose?
To have lawyers retained repeatedly at public expense to investigate and engage in artifice to drive me to quit and run for the hills.
Is anyone better qualified to recognise the signs and portents?
Or call it for what it is ?
Councillor Gaertner was elected by a sufficient number of votes to take a seat at the table.
No person or group of has the right to challenge that authority.
It is the process whereby we govern ourselves.
Voters went to the polls and made a choice.
As is their right. They decided and it shall be for the four years of the term.
What the rest of us will do is respect the right of the electors to choose.
Councillor Gaertner conducts herself now as in the first and second time elected. The voters did not choose an unknown quantity.
If we respect the right to choose we must respect the choice.
It's called being civilized.
I do not understand why.
Does anyone have better reason to know how it is to be publicly denigrated, harried, insulted, abused and accused by multiple forces rallied for the purpose?
To have lawyers retained repeatedly at public expense to investigate and engage in artifice to drive me to quit and run for the hills.
Is anyone better qualified to recognise the signs and portents?
Or call it for what it is ?
Councillor Gaertner was elected by a sufficient number of votes to take a seat at the table.
No person or group of has the right to challenge that authority.
It is the process whereby we govern ourselves.
Voters went to the polls and made a choice.
As is their right. They decided and it shall be for the four years of the term.
What the rest of us will do is respect the right of the electors to choose.
Councillor Gaertner conducts herself now as in the first and second time elected. The voters did not choose an unknown quantity.
If we respect the right to choose we must respect the choice.
It's called being civilized.
Sunday, 3 June 2012
Master Plans Are Wish Lists
Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "J' Accuse":
If one were to take a tractor & mower onto the area below the water tower and simply cut the growth, there would be all kinds of good stuff for mulch. It was crop land. As far as I know, Aurora already owns the land. Use what we have. You could plant plenty of saplings up there. Clearing the land once a year would be good and the planting need not interfere with all the action up there. There even is a deserted apple orchard - if the trees are dead, clear them and use the lumber. Aurora needs to look at what it has instead of what it has on its wish list.
*****************
The Region is responsible for our supply of water. The water tower property belongs to the Region and if an abandoned apple orchard is part of the parcel it owns that too.
The Hydro building and yard belongs to the town and we need it. But we leased it away to the federal government for ten years without a cancellation clause..
Let me tell you about wish lists.
The administration busies itself constantly retaining consultants to create plans for this and that and the next thing.
We have Master Plans for parks and recreation ,for Environment and for Trails.
We are doing one one now to create a second heritage district at the request of Susan Morton Leonard
Newmarket is doing, or talking about doing, a culture master plan
and some in Aurora think that's a simply marvelous idea,darling.
We have the Promenade Plan to guide future design of the downtown core.It's not our property or our investment but we intend to dictate how it's done anyway
We had a Strategic Plan. It needed a five year review. But staff recommended a completely new plan for twenty years instead of five.
So we are doing that at a cost of $80,000.
How a plan is put together is as follows. Staff set up terms of reference and call for proposals.The winning consultant sets up meetings and workshops to encourage people to "envision" what they would like in the future in the area of the study.
A handful of people, usually the same handful, earnestly participate.stretch their imaginations and envision what would be great to see.
None of which has anything to do with financial feasibility, available resources or the state of the economy.The essential feature is "vision".We hear a lot about vision.
The current Aurora visioning statement is:
"Where businesses thrive and neighbors care" It's part of whatwe got for the $80.000
I know it's easy to mock. I am probably the only Councillor who is
less than impressed.
It doesn't matter much anyway..
The others really believe in the process.
The new plan sets" strategy "for the next twenty years.
The Region is much bolder. They have opted for a fifty year crystal ball. They are very sure of their continued existence.
At the last environmental advisory committee meeting, members noted agendas only take only twenty minutes. There's a feeling they have nothing meaningful to do.
It's because there is nothing left to do.
A master environmental plan is in place. All that's left is for staff to follow the plan and edge Council along in the right direction.
Budgets and programs are based on the plans.Yes indeed. And why not ? Everything possible is in "The Plan" and pre-approved by Council. .
The tiniest aspect of our future needs have been planned well beyond the term of council..There ain't much left for Council to deliberate either.
Only a Master plan for Culture remains to be handed down from the hands of the masters to the populace.
Like capital forecasts, where we tuck away cockamamie schemes like snow melt treatment facilities costing a cool million to be done in stages.
Think of that, a million bucks to "treat" a fraction of the melting snow that falls in the winter. $270,000? has already been spent on the design.
The strategy for the next twenty years has been etched in stone as the will of the people.
Like Moses' tablets of the ten commandments.
These are the times we live in.
So much better than the past when we would consider carefully what we needed, could afford, where the funds could come from or how great would be the burden on homeowners and businesses..
We didn't think of education and income of the highest wage earners as a guide to how much we could increase the load.
We struck a budget on the basis of those on the opposite end of the scale.
We did the most with the least in olden times,when the treasurer kept Councils grounded and Councillors made the decisions and
we moved forward just the same.
If one were to take a tractor & mower onto the area below the water tower and simply cut the growth, there would be all kinds of good stuff for mulch. It was crop land. As far as I know, Aurora already owns the land. Use what we have. You could plant plenty of saplings up there. Clearing the land once a year would be good and the planting need not interfere with all the action up there. There even is a deserted apple orchard - if the trees are dead, clear them and use the lumber. Aurora needs to look at what it has instead of what it has on its wish list.
*****************
The Region is responsible for our supply of water. The water tower property belongs to the Region and if an abandoned apple orchard is part of the parcel it owns that too.
The Hydro building and yard belongs to the town and we need it. But we leased it away to the federal government for ten years without a cancellation clause..
Let me tell you about wish lists.
The administration busies itself constantly retaining consultants to create plans for this and that and the next thing.
We have Master Plans for parks and recreation ,for Environment and for Trails.
We are doing one one now to create a second heritage district at the request of Susan Morton Leonard
Newmarket is doing, or talking about doing, a culture master plan
and some in Aurora think that's a simply marvelous idea,darling.
We have the Promenade Plan to guide future design of the downtown core.It's not our property or our investment but we intend to dictate how it's done anyway
We had a Strategic Plan. It needed a five year review. But staff recommended a completely new plan for twenty years instead of five.
So we are doing that at a cost of $80,000.
How a plan is put together is as follows. Staff set up terms of reference and call for proposals.The winning consultant sets up meetings and workshops to encourage people to "envision" what they would like in the future in the area of the study.
A handful of people, usually the same handful, earnestly participate.stretch their imaginations and envision what would be great to see.
None of which has anything to do with financial feasibility, available resources or the state of the economy.The essential feature is "vision".We hear a lot about vision.
The current Aurora visioning statement is:
"Where businesses thrive and neighbors care" It's part of whatwe got for the $80.000
I know it's easy to mock. I am probably the only Councillor who is
less than impressed.
It doesn't matter much anyway..
The others really believe in the process.
The new plan sets" strategy "for the next twenty years.
The Region is much bolder. They have opted for a fifty year crystal ball. They are very sure of their continued existence.
At the last environmental advisory committee meeting, members noted agendas only take only twenty minutes. There's a feeling they have nothing meaningful to do.
It's because there is nothing left to do.
A master environmental plan is in place. All that's left is for staff to follow the plan and edge Council along in the right direction.
Budgets and programs are based on the plans.Yes indeed. And why not ? Everything possible is in "The Plan" and pre-approved by Council. .
The tiniest aspect of our future needs have been planned well beyond the term of council..There ain't much left for Council to deliberate either.
Only a Master plan for Culture remains to be handed down from the hands of the masters to the populace.
Like capital forecasts, where we tuck away cockamamie schemes like snow melt treatment facilities costing a cool million to be done in stages.
Think of that, a million bucks to "treat" a fraction of the melting snow that falls in the winter. $270,000? has already been spent on the design.
The strategy for the next twenty years has been etched in stone as the will of the people.
Like Moses' tablets of the ten commandments.
These are the times we live in.
So much better than the past when we would consider carefully what we needed, could afford, where the funds could come from or how great would be the burden on homeowners and businesses..
We didn't think of education and income of the highest wage earners as a guide to how much we could increase the load.
We struck a budget on the basis of those on the opposite end of the scale.
We did the most with the least in olden times,when the treasurer kept Councils grounded and Councillors made the decisions and
we moved forward just the same.
Saturday, 2 June 2012
J' Accuse
Councillor Gaertner is taking a pounding for her comments on the merits of the sale of 22 aces of town property..
Tha Aurora Banner editorialised on the Councillor's comments.
The Aurora Citizen re-printed the editorial and joined the public flogging.
Chris Watts stepped up to take his turn with the barbed whip this morning .
I do not agree with the Councillor's position and said so during the public debate..
But the Councillor's view is not entirely without merit.
Twenty-two acres is twenty five per cent of the parcel.. A substantial part of the building is warehouse space. Warehousing does not provide the number of jobs as other uses.
400 jobs cited are not new jobs.Employees will transfer with the operation.
The numbers will swell town employment statistics. Future opportunities are possible.New employment opportunities are welcome.
But I am mindful of the size of the parcel. Job numbers are not the best they could be.
I have since learned a trail link on the edge of the property has been removed. Apparently Bulk Barn insisted.
My enthusiasm is somewhat dampened.
I do not believe the town is a supplicant.
I resent Council was not consulted.
This property deal is not a simple transaction. Over six million dollars are estimated to service the entire parcel of eighty acres.There is a sharing of costs with Bulk Barn.
Land contours are having to be changed substantially
Part of the property is in the Oak Ridges Moraine.
The servicing plan requires the parks department to be turfed out
once again. .
Part of the property has been used by parks department for years. To turn trees into mulch, compost grass clippings, ,accommodate a small tree nursery and sundry other parks functions.
We no longer have the former Hydro building yard. Need for a new location is critical.
So the big brave fellows out there beating drums and Councillor Gaertner mercilessly, need to get hold of few more facts before charging to the top of the knoll with swords and voices raised .(mixed metaphors be damned)
Bulk Barn is welcome. It's good news. It's not spectacular.
22 acres is a sizable chunk out of 80 acres.
6 million (estimate) for servicing is a substantial amount.
The only advantage is jobs.We need to ensure the objective is realized to the full. Benefit is measured against cost.
Otherwise, we shall have surrendered land needed for our own purposes for a scheme that's a dud.
I'm not yet dancing around the Maypole on the village green. I hope we are managing things properly.
Councillor Gaertner exercised her authority and took a position.
I commend her for that.
Now to change the subject let me pose a new question.
At what concentration and decibel level does fair comment turn into bullying and intimidation?
Tha Aurora Banner editorialised on the Councillor's comments.
The Aurora Citizen re-printed the editorial and joined the public flogging.
Chris Watts stepped up to take his turn with the barbed whip this morning .
I do not agree with the Councillor's position and said so during the public debate..
But the Councillor's view is not entirely without merit.
Twenty-two acres is twenty five per cent of the parcel.. A substantial part of the building is warehouse space. Warehousing does not provide the number of jobs as other uses.
400 jobs cited are not new jobs.Employees will transfer with the operation.
The numbers will swell town employment statistics. Future opportunities are possible.New employment opportunities are welcome.
But I am mindful of the size of the parcel. Job numbers are not the best they could be.
I have since learned a trail link on the edge of the property has been removed. Apparently Bulk Barn insisted.
My enthusiasm is somewhat dampened.
I do not believe the town is a supplicant.
I resent Council was not consulted.
This property deal is not a simple transaction. Over six million dollars are estimated to service the entire parcel of eighty acres.There is a sharing of costs with Bulk Barn.
Land contours are having to be changed substantially
Part of the property is in the Oak Ridges Moraine.
The servicing plan requires the parks department to be turfed out
once again. .
Part of the property has been used by parks department for years. To turn trees into mulch, compost grass clippings, ,accommodate a small tree nursery and sundry other parks functions.
We no longer have the former Hydro building yard. Need for a new location is critical.
So the big brave fellows out there beating drums and Councillor Gaertner mercilessly, need to get hold of few more facts before charging to the top of the knoll with swords and voices raised .(mixed metaphors be damned)
Bulk Barn is welcome. It's good news. It's not spectacular.
22 acres is a sizable chunk out of 80 acres.
6 million (estimate) for servicing is a substantial amount.
The only advantage is jobs.We need to ensure the objective is realized to the full. Benefit is measured against cost.
Otherwise, we shall have surrendered land needed for our own purposes for a scheme that's a dud.
I'm not yet dancing around the Maypole on the village green. I hope we are managing things properly.
Councillor Gaertner exercised her authority and took a position.
I commend her for that.
Now to change the subject let me pose a new question.
At what concentration and decibel level does fair comment turn into bullying and intimidation?
Good M-o-r-n-i-n-g Bathurst Blasphemer
.
*Bathurst Blasphemer has left a new comment on your post "Bathurst Discussion Continues":
To be brief, I have no idea how the Region would collect money either.
As to your other Where and How questions, the answers are in the Regional policy document.
Now Traffic Calming is a different situation because it is controlled by the Town.
I believe that Kennedy Street residents have requested calming measures.
Are there plans to set a policy or simply debate the need on a case by case basis?
Should we all pay or should the neighbourhood pay all or some of the cost?
Growth has its advantages but sometimes causes problems too.
GO has already announced that in the not too distant future we will have weekend train service, and eventually all day service if the demand is there.
A GO train rumbling through Aurora possibly every hour.
That should make for interesting debate about level crossings and whistles.
*************8
Thank you again for your response.Council rules don't allow in-depth discussion. Rules of Order were reviewed, thirty minutes were reduced to ten. Thirty were seldom used but ten is ridiculous.
I am frequently cut off by the Mayor before I have fully stated my position.
Last term I contended with sneering. jeering,insufferable condescension and abuse at the hands of the Presiding member.
This term the situation is vastly improved
.It was eight months into the last term that I started the blog.
Now I have the satisfaction of continuing to debate with whoever chooses to join.
It means people have a new source of information. They don't have to be content with truncated Council debate on television.
They can comment. Ask questions. Share information and gain a perspective not heretofore available.. Like yourself.
This morning I challenge the contention that character and function of Bathurst Street has changed since homes were built twenty years ago.
Bathurst was a county road before it was Regional. Distinction from municipal lies in its purpose. A regional road carries traffic from one municipality to another.
Municipal roads carry traffic within the municipality.Even they are classified. .Kennedy Street West is an arterial collector. meaning it collects traffic from side streets.
Provincial Highways carry traffic throughout the Province.
The Trans-Canada Highway traverses the nation.
Bathurst Street has always been a County road . Opening roads were the first function of government.
It was never a local road.
Road allowances taken in the mid -seventies at the time of paving Bathurst.clearly delineated its future.
The Region has planning jurisdiction over 10, I thought it was feet but it might be metres, on either side of the road.
They always had the jurisdiction to require developers to erect noise barriers between homes and regional roads.
I have seen them in Woodbridge, probably thirty years ago.
I would be very surprised if the Region paid for that construction.
On the issue of trains and railway tracks North of the north- east traffic calming imbroglio, I once stood in a field proposed for development and wondered who would buy a home abutting a railway track.
But they came and they did. Later they argued there was only one train using the track at the time.and it was during the day. They didn't realise it would change.
I can understand purchasing a first home, a buyer, without experience, might overlook certain possibilities and disregard others.
I've done it. Anyone privileged to own a home has.
I don't understand why, years down the road, after discovering dis-advantages of the choice, that entitles an owner to expect the problem to be solved at public expense.
The train whistle is a dead issue.
You now have the acoustic barrier. As I watch it grow, it seems the project must have expanded.
The Region is two billion dollars in debt. Daily interest on the debt probably costs millions.
Constructing noise barriers after the fact sets a precedent hard to reverse
On this single observation,I would opine ( I picked that word up from a past solicitor) regional fiscal management is in the pits.
It is out of control. If it was an American bank it would fold.
Every property-owner in the Region, including residents having expensive noise barriers built at public expense, has reason to be concerned similar decisions are being made we are not aware.
I see blue sky through the foliage on my maple tree. Maybe the week-end will be better than forecast..
Have a great one anyway. It will not come again.
Enjoy the rain. It's a blessing.
*Bathurst Blasphemer has left a new comment on your post "Bathurst Discussion Continues":
To be brief, I have no idea how the Region would collect money either.
As to your other Where and How questions, the answers are in the Regional policy document.
Now Traffic Calming is a different situation because it is controlled by the Town.
I believe that Kennedy Street residents have requested calming measures.
Are there plans to set a policy or simply debate the need on a case by case basis?
Should we all pay or should the neighbourhood pay all or some of the cost?
Growth has its advantages but sometimes causes problems too.
GO has already announced that in the not too distant future we will have weekend train service, and eventually all day service if the demand is there.
A GO train rumbling through Aurora possibly every hour.
That should make for interesting debate about level crossings and whistles.
*************8
Thank you again for your response.Council rules don't allow in-depth discussion. Rules of Order were reviewed, thirty minutes were reduced to ten. Thirty were seldom used but ten is ridiculous.
I am frequently cut off by the Mayor before I have fully stated my position.
Last term I contended with sneering. jeering,insufferable condescension and abuse at the hands of the Presiding member.
This term the situation is vastly improved
.It was eight months into the last term that I started the blog.
Now I have the satisfaction of continuing to debate with whoever chooses to join.
It means people have a new source of information. They don't have to be content with truncated Council debate on television.
They can comment. Ask questions. Share information and gain a perspective not heretofore available.. Like yourself.
This morning I challenge the contention that character and function of Bathurst Street has changed since homes were built twenty years ago.
Bathurst was a county road before it was Regional. Distinction from municipal lies in its purpose. A regional road carries traffic from one municipality to another.
Municipal roads carry traffic within the municipality.Even they are classified. .Kennedy Street West is an arterial collector. meaning it collects traffic from side streets.
Provincial Highways carry traffic throughout the Province.
The Trans-Canada Highway traverses the nation.
Bathurst Street has always been a County road . Opening roads were the first function of government.
It was never a local road.
Road allowances taken in the mid -seventies at the time of paving Bathurst.clearly delineated its future.
The Region has planning jurisdiction over 10, I thought it was feet but it might be metres, on either side of the road.
They always had the jurisdiction to require developers to erect noise barriers between homes and regional roads.
I have seen them in Woodbridge, probably thirty years ago.
I would be very surprised if the Region paid for that construction.
On the issue of trains and railway tracks North of the north- east traffic calming imbroglio, I once stood in a field proposed for development and wondered who would buy a home abutting a railway track.
But they came and they did. Later they argued there was only one train using the track at the time.and it was during the day. They didn't realise it would change.
I can understand purchasing a first home, a buyer, without experience, might overlook certain possibilities and disregard others.
I've done it. Anyone privileged to own a home has.
I don't understand why, years down the road, after discovering dis-advantages of the choice, that entitles an owner to expect the problem to be solved at public expense.
The train whistle is a dead issue.
You now have the acoustic barrier. As I watch it grow, it seems the project must have expanded.
The Region is two billion dollars in debt. Daily interest on the debt probably costs millions.
Constructing noise barriers after the fact sets a precedent hard to reverse
On this single observation,I would opine ( I picked that word up from a past solicitor) regional fiscal management is in the pits.
It is out of control. If it was an American bank it would fold.
Every property-owner in the Region, including residents having expensive noise barriers built at public expense, has reason to be concerned similar decisions are being made we are not aware.
I see blue sky through the foliage on my maple tree. Maybe the week-end will be better than forecast..
Have a great one anyway. It will not come again.
Enjoy the rain. It's a blessing.
Friday, 1 June 2012
Bathurst Discussion Continues
Bathurst Blasphemer has left a new comment on your post "Facts For
The Record":
I would expect that the subject of prudent spending at the Regional level is a source of endless questions, arguments and counter-arguments.
I certainly do not want to extend this discussion endlessly but I would like to make a few points.Anyone can view the 5 page noise barrier policy on the Region's website.
It is dated 2006.
No doubt the policy is partially the result of noise concerns from folks like us in the Bathurst area.
In short - the Region will install a barrier under certain circumstances:
IF the noise increases to a certain level.
IF it can be shown a barrier will be effective.
IF there are no other alternatives.
The Region will pay IF the noise is a result of a Capital Improvement to CERTAIN Regional roads - such as expanding Bathurst to four lanes.
In addition, under certain circumstances, and subject to funding approval, a "neighbourhood initiative" noise barrier could still be installed if enough neighbours agreed to put up half the cost.
An example of that would be if Bathurst was still two lanes but area residents thought it was getting too noisy anyway.
I expect Councillor Buck would argue that the Region shouldn't be paying for any of it.
I also expect some would agree.
However.
The policy is clear and applies to any neighbourhoods in the Region that qualify.
This is not a "squeaky wheel gets the grease" or "one of the Bathurst residents must know someone" deal.
Under the policy we qualified so we got it.
Can the Town of Aurora say the same about the traffic calming project in Northeast Aurora?
Does the Town have a standard traffic calming policy that applies equally to all?
Wasn't that project a classic example of "squeaky wheel" that should have been "neighbourhood initiative"?
Now it appears as if we might all have to pay to remove these very same chicanes that were once so "necessary"?
The amount of tax dollars involved in the traffic calming situation is certainly less than the noise barrier but the principle is the same:
Establishing and following a written policy for all is preferable, in my opinion at least, to the "squeaky wheels with friends on council" approach, even if that policy is a result of prodding from concerned residents.
And unlike a "favour", a written policy can be debated, argued, amended or replaced.
Again, I apologize for the wordiness.
**********************
No need to apologize. Wes appreciate the information provided. I'm equally sure no-one faults Bathurst Street residents for doing something they would likely do themselves if the need .arose.
The Region's spending policies are not the subject of endless questioning . They are never talked about at all.
People do not relate to the Region. I contend the Region does not relate to people.
The traffic calming project in the north east quadrant of the town is exactly the same category as Bathurst Street fencing. It had less to commend it. At least the Region went to the trouble of creating a policy, however fragile, to make things look right.
You are right that I do not agree to spreading the cost of neighborhood projects . You are also right that some would agree .I would add,others would not.
In the essence of democratic politics we are free to disagree without hating each other..
A policy is it is not chiselled in stone. A policy can be observed or ignored. It can be changed for political expediency... It can be variously interpreted. .
If the policy was advertised and promoted, the Region would be inundated with requests for
acoustic barriers on all Regional roads that have become busier with time and development .
Why would developers agree to erect acoustic barriers if the noise decibel was not at the required level at the time of building.?
How would the Region be able to predict it ever would reach the decibel level to need a barrier?
I do not remember any public debate or discussion about the policy when it was adopted in 2006.
There is no requirement under the Planning Act for any level of government to publicize policies.They have no teeth.
Is there anything in the policy about paying with development levies rather that adding to the
tax burden.
That "Neighbourhood Initiative" referred to in the Region's policy. Sounds suspiciously like a Neighborhood Improvement.
I referred to that already..
The problem is a Neighbourhood Improvement is paid for by a tax imposed on the benefiting property. It's not attached to the owner. It's attached to the property..
The Region is not the tax collector. .That's the town's responsibility.
There is no practical way the Region could enter i an agreement with property owners to pay 50% of a project. .They do not have the mechanism.
Not everyone would be interested in this discussion. I think my readers are.
I thank you for providing information we would otherwise never have discovered.
That's the burr under my saddle with the Region.
And I do not have a solution..
And that's the other burr.
. . . .
I would expect that the subject of prudent spending at the Regional level is a source of endless questions, arguments and counter-arguments.
I certainly do not want to extend this discussion endlessly but I would like to make a few points.Anyone can view the 5 page noise barrier policy on the Region's website.
It is dated 2006.
No doubt the policy is partially the result of noise concerns from folks like us in the Bathurst area.
In short - the Region will install a barrier under certain circumstances:
IF the noise increases to a certain level.
IF it can be shown a barrier will be effective.
IF there are no other alternatives.
The Region will pay IF the noise is a result of a Capital Improvement to CERTAIN Regional roads - such as expanding Bathurst to four lanes.
In addition, under certain circumstances, and subject to funding approval, a "neighbourhood initiative" noise barrier could still be installed if enough neighbours agreed to put up half the cost.
An example of that would be if Bathurst was still two lanes but area residents thought it was getting too noisy anyway.
I expect Councillor Buck would argue that the Region shouldn't be paying for any of it.
I also expect some would agree.
However.
The policy is clear and applies to any neighbourhoods in the Region that qualify.
This is not a "squeaky wheel gets the grease" or "one of the Bathurst residents must know someone" deal.
Under the policy we qualified so we got it.
Can the Town of Aurora say the same about the traffic calming project in Northeast Aurora?
Does the Town have a standard traffic calming policy that applies equally to all?
Wasn't that project a classic example of "squeaky wheel" that should have been "neighbourhood initiative"?
Now it appears as if we might all have to pay to remove these very same chicanes that were once so "necessary"?
The amount of tax dollars involved in the traffic calming situation is certainly less than the noise barrier but the principle is the same:
Establishing and following a written policy for all is preferable, in my opinion at least, to the "squeaky wheels with friends on council" approach, even if that policy is a result of prodding from concerned residents.
And unlike a "favour", a written policy can be debated, argued, amended or replaced.
Again, I apologize for the wordiness.
**********************
No need to apologize. Wes appreciate the information provided. I'm equally sure no-one faults Bathurst Street residents for doing something they would likely do themselves if the need .arose.
The Region's spending policies are not the subject of endless questioning . They are never talked about at all.
People do not relate to the Region. I contend the Region does not relate to people.
The traffic calming project in the north east quadrant of the town is exactly the same category as Bathurst Street fencing. It had less to commend it. At least the Region went to the trouble of creating a policy, however fragile, to make things look right.
You are right that I do not agree to spreading the cost of neighborhood projects . You are also right that some would agree .I would add,others would not.
In the essence of democratic politics we are free to disagree without hating each other..
A policy is it is not chiselled in stone. A policy can be observed or ignored. It can be changed for political expediency... It can be variously interpreted. .
If the policy was advertised and promoted, the Region would be inundated with requests for
acoustic barriers on all Regional roads that have become busier with time and development .
Why would developers agree to erect acoustic barriers if the noise decibel was not at the required level at the time of building.?
How would the Region be able to predict it ever would reach the decibel level to need a barrier?
I do not remember any public debate or discussion about the policy when it was adopted in 2006.
There is no requirement under the Planning Act for any level of government to publicize policies.They have no teeth.
Is there anything in the policy about paying with development levies rather that adding to the
tax burden.
That "Neighbourhood Initiative" referred to in the Region's policy. Sounds suspiciously like a Neighborhood Improvement.
I referred to that already..
The problem is a Neighbourhood Improvement is paid for by a tax imposed on the benefiting property. It's not attached to the owner. It's attached to the property..
The Region is not the tax collector. .That's the town's responsibility.
There is no practical way the Region could enter i an agreement with property owners to pay 50% of a project. .They do not have the mechanism.
Not everyone would be interested in this discussion. I think my readers are.
I thank you for providing information we would otherwise never have discovered.
That's the burr under my saddle with the Region.
And I do not have a solution..
And that's the other burr.
. . . .
Quuestions Abound ..! ! !
Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "You
Are Right...Up To A Point":
I think the residents would be best served if you ran for Mayor next election. You will surely win and then you would have a seat at the Region's table. Then with your Dale Carnegie manner you can convince them all of the errors of their ways...
***************
What am I supposed to make of the above comment? Is it a compliment or is it sarcasm.
I never took a Dale Carnegie course. But the late Dick Illingworth did. As politicians, our style was not the same.
So I lean towards sarcasm.
It doesn't matter. No more than it matters who occupies our single seat at the region.
The southern municipalities hold the balance of power. As long as regional Councillors are pandered by regional staff, and regional staff, in turn, are unchallenged, there's little likelihood of the region providing satisfactory service or fiscal management.
The essential tension between council and administration is missing.Absent without leave... Missing in action...No visible signs of life...Non-existent...Failed brakes....Spiraling out of Control.
Who occupies the chair would not likely make a difference either. It never has. Chances are some opportunistic politician sees an opportunity to pick up a cool couple of hundred a year without having to do anything but keep an already contented Council happy.
Think what an election campaign for the top office would call for:
The size of the Region. It's big enough to accommodate several federal and several provincial ridings.
How much would it cost?
Where would the money come from?
What would the voters list look like? Would it need to be organised on party lines?
The real competition would be in Markham Vaughan and Richmond Hill.
A Chinese-Italian of Jewish persuasion would definitely have the edge.
Development money would provide the means.
Think about the enormity of the exercise...the cost
What would be the benefit?
Would we be better served ?
I think not
Hey...wait a minute...am I allowed to say that without casting aspersions on every other person who might have an opinion?
Well.....I just did...so sue me.
Does the Region have a Code of Conduct and an Integrity Commissioner?
Is the Pope Catholic?
I think the residents would be best served if you ran for Mayor next election. You will surely win and then you would have a seat at the Region's table. Then with your Dale Carnegie manner you can convince them all of the errors of their ways...
***************
What am I supposed to make of the above comment? Is it a compliment or is it sarcasm.
I never took a Dale Carnegie course. But the late Dick Illingworth did. As politicians, our style was not the same.
So I lean towards sarcasm.
It doesn't matter. No more than it matters who occupies our single seat at the region.
The southern municipalities hold the balance of power. As long as regional Councillors are pandered by regional staff, and regional staff, in turn, are unchallenged, there's little likelihood of the region providing satisfactory service or fiscal management.
The essential tension between council and administration is missing.Absent without leave... Missing in action...No visible signs of life...Non-existent...Failed brakes....Spiraling out of Control.
Who occupies the chair would not likely make a difference either. It never has. Chances are some opportunistic politician sees an opportunity to pick up a cool couple of hundred a year without having to do anything but keep an already contented Council happy.
Think what an election campaign for the top office would call for:
The size of the Region. It's big enough to accommodate several federal and several provincial ridings.
How much would it cost?
Where would the money come from?
What would the voters list look like? Would it need to be organised on party lines?
The real competition would be in Markham Vaughan and Richmond Hill.
A Chinese-Italian of Jewish persuasion would definitely have the edge.
Development money would provide the means.
Think about the enormity of the exercise...the cost
What would be the benefit?
Would we be better served ?
I think not
Hey...wait a minute...am I allowed to say that without casting aspersions on every other person who might have an opinion?
Well.....I just did...so sue me.
Does the Region have a Code of Conduct and an Integrity Commissioner?
Is the Pope Catholic?
You Are Right...Up To A Point
"Aurora's homeowners are paying for the Region's project."
And so are Vaughan's residents, and Richmond Hill's, and Markham's and
so on. I would think they should be more pissed than Aurora's
residents. We do not live in a vacuum.
I submit to you however that the majority of these residents have a
valid complaint. Some of these houses were built in a time when
Bathurst was a 2 lane road, not the 4 lane aterial roadway it is now.
The environment was changed on them, they did not buy with the
environment as it is now. I do not blame the homeowner - as you do
here. on Facts For The Record
*****************************
Residents of the Region are all entitled to be pissed off by the Region's spending policies.
Homeowners are entitled to put forward their interest to government.
I speak only for residents of Aurora.
I do not blame residents for bringing concerns forward.They have that right.
I would cry too if it happened to me.
My criticism is reserved for the Region and the decision they made.
It doesn't end now. The acoustic fence will have to be maintained. In another twenty years, it will likely have to be replaced at public expense again.
Had the Region required developers to build acoustic fencing at the time of building, the cost would have been bourne by home-owners.
Done now. it should be a local improvement. Under the town's jurisdiction.
A local improvement has two benefits. Those who want the improvement pay for it. It's done at their request. Seventy-five per cent of participating property-owners have to approve.
That way,benefit is measured against cost and property-owners make their own judgement about the value.
Bathurst Street was re-constructed in the mid seventies when the Province was sharing the cost at 50cents on the dollar.
Two lanes were paved but full width was taken and the design provided for increased lanes..
It was a preferred option toYonge Street.
Homes built twenty years ago and development since, have increased the traffic and the need to add lanes.
Homebuyers in urban Aurora had no reason to expect it was or would continue to be a country road.
The fact the urban boundary ends on Aurora's side is areason that mitigates against the Region's decision to take responsibility for fencing.
In the foreseeable future, the west side of Bathurst will NOT be developed.
NO urban traffic will emanate from there.
Gravel roads are not urbanized without urban traffic.
Bathurst pavement ends at Green Lane with,I think, East Gwillimbury on one side and King on the other; both rural municipalities.
With respect, just because former city-dwellers come to live in a small urban municipality surrounded by rural townships, doesn't mean they don't have the responsibility to learn something about the nature of the place where they have chosen to make a major property investment.
The Region, in accommodating a special interest group under our very noses has not served us or them well.
I shudder to think what they are doing where we are not watching.
How do they justify two billion dollars worth of debt? .
*****************************
Residents of the Region are all entitled to be pissed off by the Region's spending policies.
Homeowners are entitled to put forward their interest to government.
I speak only for residents of Aurora.
I do not blame residents for bringing concerns forward.They have that right.
I would cry too if it happened to me.
My criticism is reserved for the Region and the decision they made.
It doesn't end now. The acoustic fence will have to be maintained. In another twenty years, it will likely have to be replaced at public expense again.
Had the Region required developers to build acoustic fencing at the time of building, the cost would have been bourne by home-owners.
Done now. it should be a local improvement. Under the town's jurisdiction.
A local improvement has two benefits. Those who want the improvement pay for it. It's done at their request. Seventy-five per cent of participating property-owners have to approve.
That way,benefit is measured against cost and property-owners make their own judgement about the value.
Bathurst Street was re-constructed in the mid seventies when the Province was sharing the cost at 50cents on the dollar.
Two lanes were paved but full width was taken and the design provided for increased lanes..
It was a preferred option toYonge Street.
Homes built twenty years ago and development since, have increased the traffic and the need to add lanes.
Homebuyers in urban Aurora had no reason to expect it was or would continue to be a country road.
The fact the urban boundary ends on Aurora's side is areason that mitigates against the Region's decision to take responsibility for fencing.
In the foreseeable future, the west side of Bathurst will NOT be developed.
NO urban traffic will emanate from there.
Gravel roads are not urbanized without urban traffic.
Bathurst pavement ends at Green Lane with,I think, East Gwillimbury on one side and King on the other; both rural municipalities.
With respect, just because former city-dwellers come to live in a small urban municipality surrounded by rural townships, doesn't mean they don't have the responsibility to learn something about the nature of the place where they have chosen to make a major property investment.
The Region, in accommodating a special interest group under our very noses has not served us or them well.
I shudder to think what they are doing where we are not watching.
How do they justify two billion dollars worth of debt? .
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