IS THIS DUFFERIN DEMOCRACY??

Paranoid?

Not me, but some ratepayers are. It has recently come to my attention that at least two citizens, who have been critical of politicians, staff, procedures and some dealings at the County, have had personal information released by the CAO of the County of Dufferin (remember THE top bureaucrat for the County) to their employers.

If there are two out there that I know about, it would be my assumption there are more.

Is the CAO acting alone or on orders of Council to stifle citizen involvement and throw the fear of god into citizens who might want to exercise their democratic right as a Canadian citizen?

Perhaps Councillors don't know about it, but they should. Hope someone here passes this information on to any of them.

And the CAO for the County of Dufferin, being THE top bureaucrat at the County should have enough knowledge to know a little something about the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, MFIPPA, which specifically prohibits these actions.

Here is a link to the Privacy Commissioners website. Perhaps someone at the County should read it before beleagured Dufferin taxpayers wind up paying yet more legal fees for something completely avoidable: http://www.ipc.on.ca/english/Home-Page/

ADDENDUM FROM THIS MORNINGS POST:The CAO should be careful. If these people get pissed enough, they may run for Council, become the Warden and then the CAO will be working for them. Perhaps the CAO should just let sleeping dogs lie???? Or at the very least, let people exercise their democratic right.

CIRCULAR COMMITTEE MEETING

Quick history lesson on tree cutting in Dufferin:
2007 people starting calling the County Forrester reporting massive tree cutting on farmland in Melancthon-no action.

In 2009 NDACT attended County Council will 9 proven contraventions of the County bylaw by Highland Companies. They were contraventions because the existing County tree bylaw does NOT provide for cutting on agricultural land without a permit.

County refused to prosecute Highlands for the contraventions because it was revealed that although the bylaw didn't provide for exemptions, the Forrester had always allowed it to help the farmers out. County knew they would get their asses sued if they prosecuted Highlands.

Was it a bad thing that the Forrester was doing, helping out the farmers? No. Everyone played nice and I am sure it was appreciated. But it has come back to bite BIG time when she ran into a "farmer" who is not nice and is not doing a nice thing and is not in the farming business-he is in the aggregate business.

So instead of saying from now on we will enforce the existing bylaw as it stands, the County has spent spent thousands and thousands of OUR dollars in legal experts, staff time, meetings, more legal experts in drafting a new bylaw that will not require permits for agricultural cutting-meaning Highlands will continue merrily on their way stripping the land. This bylaw has not been passed yet, it is still proposed.

Problem is you can NOT get a true answer out of any of the County people, not staff not politicians. At the County meeting last winter when they decided not to prosecute Highlands for the 9 proven contraventions Warden Montgomery was asked if in fact NDACT had not proven its case. His response was: I am saying we have to support staff. Robbing Adams, Mayor of Orangeville went on to state (and I quote), "It isn't up to anyone to question staff"

Last week at the tree committee meeting, the Chair stated that there was no specific exemption in the existing bylaw for agricultural cutting because it is included in Provincial legislation, which supersedes municipal bylaws. He then provided an undertaking that staff would provide a link to the legislation that exempts agricultural from municipal tree cutting bylaws.

INCORRECT ON TWO POINTS
First the existing County tree cutting bylaw DOES NOT PROVIDE AN EXEMPTION FOR AGRICULTURAL cutting-if you cut you need to get a permit, well except if you are Higlands. There were three highly paid staff sitting at this meeting (usually there are five) and when a ratepayer asked if the County Forrester could respond to the question she declined and the Chair refused to allow it. Probably because the Forrester knows the Chair was wrong in his response. I have to ask what in the hell are we paying three to five senior staff members to attend this meeting, when they never open their mouths? The point is????

Second: That legislation will never be provided because in fact the province does NOT have an agricultural exemption in any legislation that supercedes municipal bylaws. In fact Section 135.1 of the Municipal Act, 2001 provides:

135. (1) Subject to subsection (4) and without limiting sections 9, 10 and 11, a local municipality may prohibit or regulate the destruction or injuring of trees

This clearly sets out the powers for tree regulation in the municipal realm, NOT the province.

What is wrong with this? The problem is when a Chair of a Committee or Warden provides, at a public meeting INCORRECT and WRONG information, and then it is never corrected, some people are going to take it as fact.

We need a public retraction of what the Chair said and we need the County to publically admit the nine contraventions occurred. Do I feel bad for the Forrester. Yes I do, she is a nice person who has found herself in a terrible situation, some out of her control. On the other hand when I spoke with her last January she told me that in fact Highlands was cutting as they were exempted under the bylaw. When I finally got around to reading the bylaw and found there WAS no exemption she then advised me that yes "technicially" that was true, but.....

And why is the County drafting a new bylaw? Not one person or organization asked for a new bylaw, they asked for the existing bylaw to be enforced.

Closing remarks: the Chair of the tree cutting committee said fundamentally there is no change in the proposed bylaw and the existing bylaw. My comment, then why in the hell are they proposing a new bylaw and what has it cost US.

Finally the Chair stated, in a public meeting that "The Council can't do what they can't do."

Honest to God...

ANOTHER GUEST BLOGGER

Okay, I admit I am not very smart, but when an anon guest blogger sent this to me, I was puzzled.

Is this an analogy of County and local Councils?

It can't be of the people fighting Highlands and Councils because otherwise they would have their head stuck in the fence and a large bull standing behind.

OPINIONS PLEASE

COUNTY TREE CUTTING COMMITTEE

If you thought the County was going to help, you better think again.

Not once did anyone object to the current bylaw the County has in place -well except the Landowners, but that was only because it was the first time they had heard of the bylaw, despite it being in place for more than 10 years.

What people objected to was the County NOT enforcing their existing bylaw. So what happens? Do they start enforcing it, against organizations like Highlands with 9 proven contraventions?

Well no, they hire lawyers and staff to draft up a NEW bylaw. What will this new bylaw do? Well, it will exempt agricultural uses, something the current bylaw does NOT do, which will permit Highlands to do whatever the hell they want.

When challenged on this, the Chair of the Committee, John Oosterhof said, and I quote: "we can't do what we can't do".

Hm, sounds like a new motto for Melancthon Council.

And this is an observation only. Malicious Michael Daniher has not missed a single meeting in a dogs age, yet Highlands was notably absent last night. I would hate to think they already know the outcome of the County's decision.

Just thinking out loud.....

MAYOR'S POSITION

Over the past three days an important municipal conference took place at the Royal York in Toronto. It is called the Ontario Good Roads Association/Rural Ontario Municipalities Association (OGRA/ROMA).

This is a very valuable opportunity for elected officials and staff to network, to hear best practices to meet suppliers, ministry staff and.....Provincial Ministers. Worth every penny it costs to send staff and politicians.

In fact, one of the main reasons for going for many elected officials is to request a delegation with Ministers to discuss important issues in their municipalities. Two examples are as follows:

"New Tecumseth mayor Mike MacEachern told Free Press Online yesterday that among his duties at the conference, included meeting with the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, on behalf of the five municipalities in Simcoe County..."http://www.madhunt.com/roads-roma-conf-20100223.htm

"Wasaga Beach council has requested four meetings with provincial ministers during the conference. " http://www.wasagasun.ca/wasagasun/article/155717

March 3, 2010 - another one: "On February 22 representatives from Grey Highlands council and staff held meetings with provincial officials at the combined Rural Ontario Municipalities of Ontario and Ontario Good Roads Association conferences in Toronto."
http://www.bluemountainscourierherald.com/courierherald/article/156672

Wow, that sounds like a terrific opportunity. Who did our Mayor meet with? Was it the Minister of Natural Resources, Municipal Affairs, OMAFRA, Minister of Environment or all of them???

Well, no. She was asked at the February 18 meeting of Council which Ministers she had requested meetings with. Her response - well no one, that the Ministers were always late to these things and she just didn't request meetings with anyone.

(INSERT COLLECTIVE GASP OF ASTONISHMENT HERE)

I have to ask: What in the hell else does our Mayor have to do, except wait a few minutes to meet with various Ministers to discuss one of THE biggest issues in Ontario right now? A 2,400 acre, 200 foot open pit mine which has the potential to impact the drinking water for more than 1 million Ontarians and remove thousands of acres of prime agricultural land from production FOREVER, and impacting her municipal revenues, tax base and population?

BUDGET

Anon comment on this site:

I am not impressed with Mr. Hill's past performance. I would ask your thoughts on the budget. If you are not concerned with it, what would you find as an acceptable tax increase to fight Highland and Energy 401?

To start with, I am NOT a fan of turbines, but I only have so much energy and financial resources and my focus right now is the 2,400 acre 200 foot open pit mine on prime agricultural land. If I have a choice, I will pick a turbine anyday-they are not permanent, a mine is here to stay. Well that isn't entirely true, the mine will disappear leaving a GIANT hole in the ground slowly filling with water.

Having said that, I personally would be in favour of a tax increase, perhaps a certain percentage levy on my taxes, to pay for fighting the mine. I do NOT however speak for anyone but myself. And since I am willing to have my taxes raised to fight a mine, I can hardly be a critic of my taxes going to fight turbines, which is a HUGE issue for many people.

The reality is, in 2008 Melancthon's own source revenue (which is tax revenue only-no OMPF or user fees, grants, etc.) came to $1,286,173.00, according to their FIR. Lets say in 2010 the assessment has gone up so Melancthon's own source revenue would be $1.4 million.

In order to generate the estimated $100,000.00 needed per year to fight the mine, would mean at LEAST a 7% tax levy on each assessed property. For me personallly it would be less than $.30 cents a day, and I am contributing a hell of alot more to grass roots organizations fighting this now, so yes I would have no problem. And it would be fair. The people fighting this on their own dime now, are doing it for everyone, so in my opinion, I think everyone should pay.

However there are alot of people out there for who this would be unmanageable financially. There are also, believe it or not, some people out there who think Highlands is going to generate jobs for them and save us all. And I mean people other than Ed Crewson and County and Melancthon Councils.

And if anything Lowndes says is to be believed, he told a ratepayer at his public meeting in July that "he" (Baupost group) pays $330,000.00 in taxes now. That would mean a 7% levy would cost him $23,100.00.

BUT, make no mistake, they will be applying for a reduction in taxes due to the 21 houses and structures they have removed have resulted in a reduced assessment. As well, they appeared not to know they are paying a residential rate on their farmland and I am sure the paperwork is already in the blower to have this land reassessed as farmland, which means they will be paying 25% of what they currently pay now.

You and I will be making up this shortfall of $82,500.00 which means ANOTHER increase for the rest of us on top of any levy.

Is it political suicide in an election year-probably. Is is the right thing to do, definately. Will Melancthon Councillors do it- NEVER.

TROUBLING

There is nothing so dangerous as someone in power who doesn't know what they don't know.

GUEST BLOGGER

Sometime ago I offered anyone who wanted to guest blog here the opportunity.
Here is the first submission, by anon:

Ten Top Reasons Not to Re-elect Mr. Bill

1.What Bill thinks he knows is more dangerous than everything Debbie Fawcett doesn’t know.

2.He is not interested in any truth other than his own, especially when it comes from those with more knowledge then him.

3. His mantra is “The law according to Bill”

4. His number one concern is “the budget” not “the citizens”. His “too late” letter protesting the Green Energy Act is testimony to this.

5. His “number one concern” makes him vulnerable to a Highland’s cash grab.

6. He prefers the easy road over the high road.

7. He uses one long speech to answer every question, substituting key words like “trees”, “houses”, “water”, “food” and “taxes” where needed.

8. His “one speech” formula makes it unnecessary for him to actually listen to anything the ratepayers say or ask as his response is already “in the mail” – sometimes in the form of a “threat to sue” should we dare to speak our minds.

9. He has not educated himself in what he can do for his municipality, but has studied long and hard on what he can not do.

10. He has had his chance.

GENERAL OUTRAGE

Meet General Outrage!!!

At Melancthon Council meeting Thursday February 18 there were several questions about the Official Plan (OP) process. Melancthon's long time planning consultant has been "working" on this OP now for over 5 years. And Mayor Fawcett advised at this meeting the taxpayers have paid over $100,000.00 to this planner on his work on the OP alone. And, my comment, he is still nowhere near having it complete-nice work if you can get it.

Note: Provincial legislation states the OP must be in conformity and updated every five years. Melancthon's current OP is from the late 70's. I believe Jorden was the planner at that time.

In fact in January 2010 (yes one month ago) this planner submitted a work plan with regard to this OP and he is already 2 weeks behind on it. Think about it, in one month the planner is already two weeks behind on a project he has been working on for FIVE YEARS.

A ratepayer pointed out that Melancthon's 2008 Financial information return (the last year for which figures are available) show that planning fees of $65,349.00 were paid to this consultant. who in 2008 never set foot in the office. In fact, only in June of 2009 did this planner start attending in the office ONE DAY A MONTH. This blogger expects that the planning fees in 2009 will be significantly higher due to, or rather thanks to Highlands grand plans for us all.

It doesn't seem to matter what comes out of this ratepayers mouth, it is ALWAYS questioned by Council, so here is the link, everyone can check these figures for themselves:
http://csconramp.mah.gov.on.ca/fir/ViewFIR2008.htm#2200

So the question to Council was, for another $10,000.00 or so, will Council be budgeting in 2010 for a full time planner in order to be able to focus on completing the OP in a more timely manner, as well as deal with the daily issues that arise, particularly in these trying times and oh yes, attend Council meetings.

Mayoralty Candidate Bill Hill (currently Deputy Mayor), in short said NO-he would not support that. And then of course the reason the planner is 5 years behind on the OP is (altogether now) "it is the province's fault". According to Bill, everytime the planner gets "close" to having the OP finalized the Province springs something new on the planner via legislation/regulations/etc.

It was pointed out to Bill that other municipalities and planners are well versed on what is coming down the pipe and are able to work around these challenges and get their work done in a timely manner. Of course Bill did not agree. Surprised? If you have attended a council meeting you shouldn't be. If it isn't Bill's idea-it will never float.

In case anyone has a line directly to Jerry Jorden, you might want to tell him there are numerous ways to keep current-other planners do it all the time. There is the NRU, the EBR, planning advisers at MAH, OPPI and e-laws with current bills, legislation that is in first, second reading or at committee, the Ontario Gazette....I could go on and on, but you would think Mr. Jorden might know of some of this stuff??? Wouldn't you? I am not a planner and I know about this stuff, but then what do I know?

Then Bill, correctly pointed out, that even though $65,000 went to Jorden's pocket, many planning fees were recouped through user fees so the taxpayers didn't really pay $65,000 in total. And yes, the FIR shows that out of the $65,349 that was paid to the planner, $57,502 was recouped in fees for a net burden to the taxpayers of $7,847.00. Not bad.

But then Bill couldn't seem to follow this next bit of logic: IF a good part of the planning fees are recouped and are not paid by the taxpayers (for instance in 2008 it was about 87%) how would hiring a full time planner cost anymore?

Here is the simple math-hire an experienced, full time planner for, lets say $80,000.00. If 87% of the planning fees are recouped ($69,600.00) that means it would cost the taxpayers $10,400.00 in 2010 to have a FULL TIME PLANNER in the office. The net cost to taxpayers in 2008 were $7,847.00.

That means in 2010, over 2008, it would represent a net increase on the budget of $2,552.00 to have a FULL TIME PLANNER in the office. This planner could even use some of that time to check legislation, keep current, do research, write bylaws, reports, etc. etc. etc. etc.

But our Mayoralty Candidate stated at the Melancthon Council meeting on February 18 he is NOT in support of that and again everything is the province's fault.

I wonder what would happen if our roads employees didn't get a road plowed for FIVE years, because the MTO keeps changing the standards, but by golly they are going to keep working on TRYING to get the roads plowed. How long would Council put up with that?

Make no mistake, spending $100,000.00 in five years to have a planner not complete just ONE job is NOT good leadership, nor is it the fault of the province. It is the fault of an inexperienced Council and perhaps an out of date/out of touch planner. And to be fair to Jorden, this isn't his only job.

I think that is the point, Melancthon needs a planner who's only job is Melancthon during these dark and difficult times.

And just to point out and remind everyone this is the same planner and Council who didn't feel it necessary to make any decision on the turbine issue several years ago (neither yes or no), nor did they peer review a single study submitted. By making no decision, it jumped over the provincial ministry process, where they would have taken a look at these studies and went straight to the OMB where they do NOT peer review anything.

Result 111 turbines in Melancthon and still counting.

Next up, 2,400 acre open pit limestone mine and that is just to start.

AND THEN COMES....

And then comes the OUTRAGE.

Watch for tomorrows post.

AS A RATEPAYER AT MELANCTHON MEETINGS TAKE YOUR PICK

You match the pictures to the emotions:

Anger, sadness, despair, disbelief, frustration, hopeless, depressed.

HOW MANY TIMES? HONESTLY

Urban Dictionary: broken record-one who continually repeats the same statement with little, if any variation


DEAR COUNCIL

You CAN be proactive, you CAN speak out against an issue and you CAN move to protect what is left of Melancthon.

How do I (and actually all the other ratepayers, even Highlands) knows this?

Here are some stellar and shining examples...

Councillor McCarthy in Hamilton, fighting against a quarry on behalf of her ratepayers since the day trees started being felled and (get this, wait for it...) BEFORE an application was filed. Check out the link: http://www.margaretmccarthy.ca/html/issues_-_quarry.html

Mississauga Mayor Hazel McCallion calling a public meeting about a (get this, wait for it...) proposed natural gas power plant in her municipality.
Check out the link:
http://www.miranet.ca/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=160:mayor-hazel-mccallion-to-hold-press-conference-september-14-2009&catid=1:latest-news

There are two prime and public examples.

If you want ten more I will find them, but in the meantime DO SOMETHING for gods sake, instead of waiting for another meeting to say how you can't DO ANYTHING for god sakes.

And if your planner and legal expert are telling you that you can't do anything in advance of this proposal to be well positioned, I would, with all due respect, suggest you get yourself a new planner and legal expert, because clearly they are living in the 80's not the new century where political lobbying, public pressure and a crack legal and planning team can move mountains, or at least save agricultural land and water.

THANKS BEV

As posted on the Township of Melancthon's website under public notices.

Please accept this as your invitation to join Council and Staff on Sunday, March 7, 2010 from 2:00 - 4:00 p.m. at the Township of Melancthon Municipal Office (157101 Highway 10) as we celebrate Councillor Kumprey’s retirement and recognize her, for her many years of dedicated service and governance to the Citizens of Melancthon Township.

Bev has been a fixture in our community her entire life, much of that spent directly working with ratepayers of Melancthon, either as an employee or councillor.

Hope to see many of you at her retirement party.

JUSTICE IS BLIND - I JUST WISH ELECTED OFFICIALS WERE NOT

Law requires obedience to the enforceable.

Ethics requires obedience to the unenforceable.
(British Jurist 1924)

So lets see. Melancthon won't pass any bylaws, policies, guidelines etc. to assist in opposition to this quarry with excuses and statement like they have no control, they can't do anything before an application is filed, or they don't want to be challenged by Highlands. BIG BIG saying at Melancthon Council is we don't want to wind up at the OMB (and I am paraphrasing here).

And to be fair to Melancthon Council, COUNTY Council is even worse. NINE proven contraventions of the tree cutting bylaw (albeit under the direction and "permission" of their own County Forester in violation of their own bylaw) and yet they don't want to have to go to court.

HOWEVER since Highlands has no ethics and Melancthon AND County Council are ensuring they aren't enforcing bylaws, lets see what that means.

It means Robbing Adams will get $7 million for the Town of Orangeville, thanks to Highlands and Orangeville's little rail sale. NOTE: I wonder how many of his ratepayers who live adjacent or near to the rail line actually have a clue about this little deal? If he thought he had a riot on his hands when he tried to up his own salary, it will be NOTHING compared to when his salarypayers, I mean ratepayers find out about this little side deal.

It also means Eddie Munster will get a $15 million YMCA for the Town of Shelburne, thanks to Highlands. Nice little re-election platform, huh?

Oh yeah, it means the Township of Melancthon will get a 2,400 acre 200 foot deep open pit mine, but who cares? Not Melancthon Council, not Orangeville, not Shelburne nor County Council.

I wonder if they know where their water source is???? Just asking....

I WAS WRONG

I have to admit that I have been wrong.

I have been in complete support of fundraising efforts directed at NDACT in their fight against a 2,400 acre, 200 foot deep open pit mine.

I now clearly see the error of my ways and am in total support of people donating to the research project to stop the "Twitching of Michael Daniher at Important Meetings"

Clearly this is a terrible neurological syndrome that affects individuals who sell out for the almightly dollar against what is good and right. Can you spare a $$ to contribute to finding a cure for Daniher against this terrible affliction?

Sometimes only one eye twitches, sometimes it extends down the left side of his face completely, but when a certain outspoken, bitch of a ratepayer and vocal opponent of all that is Highlands makes any sort of delegation or question or comment at any meeting, it is almost like an epileptic fit overcomes him, because his entire face and both shoulders appear to be involuntarily consumed by twitching.

Can you spare the guy a $???

A FEW HOUSE KEEPING ITEMS

This is a hodge podge of items:





Firstly thanks to Bev Kumprey for her years of service to Melancthon, first as a paid employee of many years and then as an elected official.



Secondly: Thank you to every single member of County Council who turned down Highland Companies request to cut yet ANOTHER 7 acres of trees from their landholdings of approximately 7,500 acres. (Robbing Adams-I know it was VERY painful for you to have to do this, so special thanks to you :)


Next: Thanks to County staff, including Caroline Mach and Wayne Townsend who made the recommendation in the staff report to turn down Highlands request.


Then: To Warren Maycock who seems to "get" what it means to be a COUNTY representative, despite being an Orangeville councillor-THANK YOU.




AND of course Daniher: who had a meltdown on his phone on the front steps of the County Building after his company was NOT permitted to cut another 7 acres of trees. This image will be forever imbedded in my mind and I am eternally grateful.




Finally Melancthon Council: It is wonderful that you have taken a position on being powerless over green energy initiatives due to the Green Energy Act. You wrote a letter and everything and quite honestly good for you. Now, can you rejig that letter to write basically the SAME thing about no control over aggregate applications in your community? Particularly 2,400 acre, 200 foot deep operations that will take out prime agricultural land.



Hope to see you at OGRA/ROMA as I am sure you have NOT turned down the opportunity to make a delegation request to speak to Ministers at this event about what is happened to our, OUR, community.

REFRESHING

Check out this article. It is about a group of ratepayers who are in opposition to a peaker gasification plant in their community which is to be situated on prime agricultural land in the Holland Marsh and a Council who supports them.

For simplicity, here are the hi-lites:

"King council Monday night passed an interim control bylaw in order to stall the construction of the peaker power plant slated to go in the Holland Marsh."

"Local residents who have been fighting the proposal were pleased with the way things went.."

Strachan Bowen commended council. “I am so happy to see council on board,” he said.

Several members of the public withdrew their planned deputations because they thought they had nothing to say, as long as council was doing everything it could to stop the plant.

Concerned Citizens of King Township (CCKT) Chair Debbie Schaefer congratulated council on the decision.

“Frankly, we were losing hope in whether or not council would step up to the challenge,” Schaefer commented"

Read it here: http://www.kingsentinel.com/news/2010-01-20/Front_Page/Council_passes_interim_control_on_peaker_plant.html

TIMBER!!

Please plan to attend the very important County of Dufferin meeting scheduled for Thursday February 11 @ 7:00 p.m at 51 Zina Street, Orangeville, Ontario.

The County will be considering the Committtee's recommendation to deny Highland Companies an exemption from the tree cutting bylaw in order that they can cut ANOTHER 7 acres of trees, to make their farming operation viable. (cough, cough)

Here is a link to the agenda: ttp://www.dufferincounty.on.ca/documents/2010-02-11_Council_Agenda_Revised.pdf

BULLY FOR BILL

Watch your mailboxes closely tomorrow for a green newsletter (not figuratively, it is literally green).

Our candidate for Mayor, Bill Hill has yet another letter to the residents of Melancthon coming out.

And he is holding his first "OPEN HOUSE" on Saturday March 6th at Hornings Mills Hall 9:00am until noon.

Wonder if, like council meetings, you will be limited to one question and threatened by Bill via legal action like one ratepayer experienced or a letter on the Council agenda if he is "personally offended" by anything you ask or say?

Just asking.....

IT DOESN'T TAKE A GENIUS

Hey, they just unearthed some new research papers by our friend Einstein and they found a stunning new mathematical equation.

They said it will change the world. Well at least the world WE are living in right now.

(obtuse & incompetent council x outraged residents)/ new slate of candidates x high voter turnout = entirely new Council October 25, 2010

It shouldn't have taken a genius to figure that out, but there you go.

If you are interested in running for Council, pick up your nomination papers from the Clerk, pay $200 for Mayor position OR $100 for a Council position and file your completed papers with the Clerk. You do NOT have to be nominated by anyone-that was an old provision in the Municipal Elections Act that is no longer valid.

Do NOT start campaigning until you file your papers.

Read this guide http://www.mah.gov.on.ca/Page219.aspx

And have at it!! Good luck.

PS: Based on the current crop of Councillors, you clearly do NOT have to be a genius to run.

DO YOU SEE A DIFFERENCE

Citizens vision for Melancthon

Highlands vision for Melancthon

FULL STEAM AHEAD WITH THE DESTRUCTION OF MELANCTHON

This beautiful picture and the headline in the local paper reads:

Full Stead Ahead, Orangeville Wins Rail Conflict Appeal

Could Robbing Adams BE any more offensive? Kind of looks like he is rubbing his win in peoples noses, but then he never had good political acuity.

The last time he was in Dufferin politics and wanted to serve a life term as Warden, he never got that people were laughing AT him with the moniker "WARDEN FOR LIFE". He seemed to think this was the people rallying behind him encouraging him to keep strong arming his way to the Warden's chair year after year after year. He was pretty stunned when the good people of Orangeville "unelected" him.

I wonder does he understand that this has cost EVERY SINGLE TAXPAYER in Dufferin money, and his own ratepayers in Orangeville have paid twice.

And perhaps in order to balance out the issue, could we ask the local reporter to "dig" for the truth and find out how much this cost taxpayers-how much did Orangeville pay and the County pay for all of this legal wrangling, compliments of Highland Companies, and then find out if Highlands has made a generous "donation" to the Town of Orangeville for anything recently.

Am I against the a rail line being reinstalled-NO, but if it is so valuable, why in the hell is Orangeville (and by virtue of the weighted vote) and the County willing to settle for a few baubles in their hand today,when they could have an ongoing revenue source and at least have some control over the operation and users.

If anyone wants to complain about the number of trains per day going through their town, the number of people who are killed at crossings and on the trail beside the rail plan, the noise and the cost, because I am sure Orangeville and the County are just creaming themselves thinking about the fast cash, NOT the ongoing costs to their ratepayers (running the rail guard crossing lights to start with) these are the people you need to call, even long after they are out of office because of course this is their "legacy" to us:

Robbing Adams in the picture at the top




Warden Allen Taylor "Asked if a further appeal would be filed, Taylor responded, “I would certainly hope not. ... I think these things should be solved locally and the fact that it ended up in court in the first place is kind of problematic for me. But that’s just the way it was.” (http://www.orangeville.com/, February 3, 2010)

Highland Companies

HEY, Robbing Adams and Eddie Munster...look over here...you know, to the north of you, HELLO, over here,

you know......where you get the water for you ratepayers, HELLO over here

.....here in MORDOR, I mean Melancthon.....

Can you guess what the fire is from, thousands and thousands of trees or hundreds of homes????.......take your pick..........

What you don't need to take your pick on is the cause of it, the Highland Companies, OR weak Councils, OR politicians who have been bought by baubles....they are equally at fault.

YOU (MELANCTHON) ARE THE WEAKEST LINK

Here is an analogy for you.

A family, father, mother several children, under the umbrella of Mom and Pop living, thriving, doing well, keeping up with the neighbours....in an okay neighbourhood close to their aunts and uncles and extended family.

All is well in their quiet world, except the youngest, smallest has some "issues".. you know, doesn't quite fit in the with the rest of the family or the kids at school, not quite as cosmopolitan as the rest of the family, but happy in their own quiet way, always short of money, but always working and contributing, ALWAYS willing to be a team player and to support all the rest of their siblings in teams at school, projects and Mom and Dad in their jobs and never minding being the latchkey kid and sometimes having to forgo their allowance, well because being the youngest, that is what happens.

Then, one day it is determined the youngest is experiencing some medical issues , specifically one medically necessary kidney has quit working. In order to save the youngest, the parents and aunts and uncles need to do expensive advocacy in the medical profession to find the best "subject matter experts" in their field to cure their youngest in what might be an experimental way, which might not sit well with others, but is the only way of "saving" a member of the family.

What would a loving family, with the best interests of the family core do?? I would suggest in my family, we would do ANYTHING, no matter what the cost to help our youngest to live a full life as part of the family.

Instead, this "family" decides, the kid is sick and one kidney isn't working and will cost them alot of money to repair or SAVE and they aren't really sure they can save it, and they could get money for the kids one valuable working kidney, so too bad for you, little one.

Daddy Robbing "Mayor for Life" Adams and Cousin "Eddie Munster" Crewson decide they might was well do what is best for THEM, as convinced by the Quack Dr. Daniher, and in their minds the end result will make them all look great.

They can sell the kids kidney to Dr. Daniher and friends and get a pool in the backyard and $9 million dollars (plus a couple extra million, who is counting) and show the neighbours their great new toys..

EXCEPT what Robbing and Eddie don't realize is their expensive toys are a short term fix, because the little one is going to need dialysis for the REST of the kids life and that will be much more costly in the long run, than just doing the right thing and curing the kid in the first place.

All names and situations have been changed to reflect, I mean protect, the guilty.

Clearly the most vulnerable Township in Dufferin is not important to the scheme of things, except as to how someone else can benefit from the destruction and devastation occuring in Melancthon.

Wonder how Eddie and Robbing are going to explain to their ratepayers why the cost of their water (as all municipalities have to move to a cost recovery system) skyrockets when their saviour Highlands leaves with their limestone and the County is going to have to pay to monitor and operate the massive pumps 24/7 in the gigantic hole order to keep the water supply viable. And oh yeah, the cost and quality of food being imported from China too.

Maybe they can show everyone the cancelled cheque for the cash they got back in 2010 and tell them it was well worth it (for their political careers) and not to worry, just keep paying.

THEY ARE AT IT AGAIN

Last Wednesday night, Highlands got the bad news from the museum board committee. The committee really didn't see the need for Highlands to clear cut another 7 acres of mature hardwood trees to make their 7,500 acre "farming" operation viable so they said no to the tree cutting exemption that Highlands was applying for.

THURSDAY morning, lets say 12 hours later, guess who is at it again with the clear cutting? Yup our buddies, Duplicitous Daniher and Lying Lowndes.

West half Lot 28, Concession 1 Old Survey in Melancthon which is about 1/4 mile north of Redickville on County Road 124 on the east side of the road.

Didn't someone from Site 41 or the Council of Canadians mention peaceful civil action at the NDACT meeting a couple weeks ago?

I wouldn't suggest civil disobedience right now because the way the locals are feeling, I am very afraid there would be nothing peaceful about it. And when I say locals, I mean the "locals" all over the Province of Ontario, the United States, Oxford University in London, England who are paying attention to this issue and are as concerned about the destruction occuring as those of us who live here. This has truly gone from local to global.

And oh yeah, if you take exception to being called a liar, might I suggest that you quit LYING??