ANOTHER KICK AT THE CAN

The museum committee is meeting tonight, at the Dufferin County Museum @ 7:00 p.m., to yet again take a look at revising the County tree cutting bylaw. Please plan to attend the meeting tonight if you can.

The County of Dufferin has a perfectly good bylaw in place, but they refuse to enforce it, because if they did it would mean they would have to fine Highland Companies for cutting acres and acres and acres of trees on agricultural land without permits as required by the existing bylaw.

So the County has twisted and turned and squirmed and squirmed over the past year in trying to get a new bylaw to the table and passed. The new bylaw as proposed will mean the County can wash their hands of the entire matter and the CAO can go back to her $9,999.00 office hidden in the back of the building and not be bothered with any of this stuff.

Why are they so intent on implementing a new bylaw? Well of course Highlands pulled out the old "warning" about potential legal repercussions, blah, blah, blah and of course that is the only thing local politicians seem to hear. Not that their long time ratepayers, friends and neighbours are crying out for strong leadership and help with the devastation of their community, only the droning from Highlands.... blah, blah, legal, blah, blah, lawyer, blah, blah, blah, OMB, blah, blah.

I wonder how much this entire tree debacle, initiated due to Highlands "environmentally responsible agricultural plan" of clear cutting thousands and thousands of trees before anyone stepped in and stopped them, has cost taxpayers.

The rail issue (sale of Orangeville's rail line, dependant on the County selling their portion with Orangeville's weighted vote) has cost taxpayers $420,000.00 to date.

Yup Highlands are just good corporate citizens who want to be good neighbours and operate one of the best gosh darn potato farms in the world. Hard to farm with no prime agricultural land or water due to their plans for a 2,400 acre 200 foot open pit mine and hard to be a good neighbour when they have demolished the 20 neighbouring homes.....

NEW MELANCTHON COUNCILLOR

New Melancthon Councillor: Click the link

http://www.orangeville.com/news/local/article/654233--corbetton-man-appointed-to-melancthon-council

BUSY BEAVER

In May of 2009, Melancthon Council invited John Lowndes, of the Highland Companies, to attend a meeting of Council to explain the 400 permanent jobs statement that was prominately featured in the DVD that Highlands circulated to all homes in Melancthon, telling what a great and wonderful thing their economic plan for Melancthon was.

No one knew at that time Highland's economic vision would be a 2,400 acre 200 foot open pit mine.

At the March 18, 2010 meeting, Council confirmed that John Lowndes has, to date, declined to attend.

In my opinion he is a very busy beaver.

Draw your own conclusions.

STOP THE PRESSES

FOUND: endangered species in Melancthon - a reporter for a local paper actually in ATTENDANCE at a Melancthon Council meeting.

Since summer 2009 this paper's gonzo reporting for this news outlet meant reading the agendas and minutes and "reporting" from that, rather than actually showing up or interviewing anyone. (NOTE: When you see the phrase in an article that someone was "not reached for a comment" means they didn't bother to call that person for a comment-NOT that the individual refused to comment.)

Although just because this reporter was in attendance at the meeting, doesn't mean they will report on the same meeting that the rest of us were at. After all this reporter is a "freelancer", not employed by any paper, rumoured to be something to do with a spot of legal trouble over reporting techniques quite some time ago.

Looking forward to the objective article. Looking forward to seeing how many full page ads Highlands takes out in this paper this week.

Wonder if Highlands has to put this sighting of the elusive species in their EA as endangered...just asking.....

WOW- 9 OUT OF 10 ONTARIANS ARE CONCERNED ABOUT TREE CUTTING

Take a look at this article. The headline reads:

Nine in Ten (87%) Ontarians Believe Amount of Tree Loss in Ontario Every Year is a Serious Problem

Who else could that 10th person be other than John Lowndes/Michael Daniher???

http://www.ipsos-na.com/news-polls/pressrelease.aspx?id=4717

SOMEBODY ELSE IS DOING SOME EXPLAINING

Our good friends just to the north of us (Duntroon) have been battling Walker Industries for some time. You know, they are the HUGE corporation with the massive pit on the south side of County Road 91.

But like all massive below the water table aggregate operations they have run out of gravel. And well since there is already a 300 acre hole on the south side of the road, why not put another 300 acre hole on the north side too?

Well for all the same reasons that they shouldn't put a 2,400 acre massive hole in Melancthon, water, environment, etc. etc.

In fact, behind the scenes this company has "worked" with Council and are now purchasing part of the road and will close it. The reasoning the company gave for needing to close it? Well there will be 500 trucks a day. EXCEPT in this article Vice President Ken Lucyshyn states:

"...even though they are limited to 500 trucks coming and going each day under the expansion, there won't be that many. Lucyshyn says the most truck traffic they've had in one day has been 384."

FIRST QUESTION: do you need the road closed to 500 trucks a day or NOT?

He goes on to state:

"Lucyshyn also says that they won't be 75 meters below the water table at the expansion site -- which is a number that has been used against them.

COMMENT: Ah, this huge corporation is being picked on by the people who's very lives are being threatened, just like poor Highlands is being picked on over trees, wells, water, houses, etc. etc. etc.

Then there is this:

He says the majority of the new quarry would be at the same level as the old one -- about 25 to 30 meters below the water table -- with the middle a bit deeper.

QUESTION: How MUCH deeper. How much is a "bit"?

And just like Highlands here in Melancthon, Walker Industries has oodles of money to throw around, if not on threats of legal action on `community betterment`which will be a win win for everyone, mostly meaning them:

"Walker Industries will also cover most of the cost of a 10.5 million dollar project to improve roads in Clearview, with the township paying just one million dollars."

The deal also means that Clearview will support the expansion of the pit at that hearing in April.

Lucyshyn says the agreement with Clearview and Simcoe County is a win-win."

MY COMMENT: There must be an aggregate company handbook with all the same statements.

Most disturbing and telling statement, regarding rehabilitation?

"Lucyshyn says that when they move across the road, if the expansion is approved, the old quarry would be filled up with water, and become a lake.

He says that's part of their rehab plan for the old site, which includes developing fish habitat in the bottom of the quarry, and adding islands as well."

JUST WONDERING: How much does planting some trees and dropping some fish in what was formerly viable land cost them in relation to the profits they have made for the corporation over the past years? Just asking....


Here is the entire article.

http://www.radioowensound.com/news_item.php?NewsID=22675

MORE YMCA WOES

Seems the Town of Innisfil built a YMCA not that long ago.

I am presuming that the YMCA, not wanting any of their facilities to fail did the requisite "studies" that they did in Dufferin and Soutgate. You know, population to be served is 29,450, but only actually talked to 428 people for their opinion.

Anyhew, it doesn't seem to be working out so well for Innisfil.

According to this article, it is cheaper to load the kids into a bus and drive them to a Barrie facility than use Innisfil's YMCA.

http://www.innisfilscope.com/news/2010-03-17/Letters/Jackson_should_consider_stepping_aside_soon.html

And remember, Innisfil has a casino and racetrack and thousands and thousands and thousands of $$$$ in revenue every year from it, but user fees are too high for their residents to use the Innisifil YMCA.

Just a word of advice (yet once again) to all sitting politicians who thinks this is a good thing for "our" community. Highlands will built it, that is the cheap part ($15 million was the last estimate I heard). It is the cost of running it that is unreasonable and unaffordable.

If as Mayor Crewson indicated he can't afford the $700,000 loss on operating costs of an indoor pool like Orangeville incurred in 2006 (and that is the LOSS, that isn't the total operating cost), how in the hell is he going to afford a YMCA? Melancthon can't help out, tax base has been decimated and we already pay for three arenas and two pools.

Other YMCA blog postings you might want to check out on miningforthetruthinmelancthon:

October 16, 2009
November 19, 2009
November 22, 2009
November 25, 2009
December 4, 2009
March 4, 2010
March 9, 2010

ROAD TO RUIN

There have been unsubstantiated rumours in Melancthon for a couple of years now that Highlands has approached a staff or councillor(s) about purchasing and closing the 4th line of Melancthon between Sideroad 15 and 20 in Melancthon.

All the usual denials have been issued-nope, nothing to see here taxpayers, move it along.....

I bet when it happened to Clearview last week, taxpayers were pretty stunned because they just didn't see it coming (see the excerpt and article).

"A plan to turn a portion of a county road over to Walker Aggregates Inc. is stirring consternation west of Duntroon.

The plan, approved by both Clearview Township council and Simcoe County council, will see the western end of County Road 91 turned over to the company...." (March 10, 2010 Enterprise Bulletin)

http://www.theenterprisebulletin.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2483977

It can't possibly be true in Melancthon though, because an elected official has assured it isn't.

Until I see it in writing from all staff and elected officials, however, I am going to have a little nagging doubt.

And of course no one wants to put it in writing.

As posted on the Township of Melancthon's website:

"The Council of the Township of Melancthon will be interviewing the following candidates for the vacant Councillor position on Tuesday, March 16, 2010 at 7:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers:

1. Wayne Hannon
2. Nanci Malek
3. Bart Malloy
4. Nancy Noble
5. Wilbert Tupling
6. Patricia Salisbury
7. Darren White

All of the Public is welcome to come and observe."

My comment: we all have a stake in this very important decision. Try to make it to the meeting on Tuesday night at 7:00 p.m.

AND THE WINNER IS: DARREN WHITE

PROACTIVE POLITICIANS

The Town of Oakville is facing the possibility of a gasification plant in their town. Both the Town of Oakville and the City of Mississauga (as well as the Township of King who faces a peaker plant in the Holland Marsh) have taken PROACTIVE steps to fight this battle on behalf of their ratepayers.

Additionally Flamborough is fighting a 300 acre pit and have had the support of their elected officials from DAY ONE.

They have not left it up to their grassroots organizations to fund and fight the issue.

Click on the links to read:

Oakville passes interim control bylaw
http://www.oakville.ca/nr-10mar10_1.htm

Town passes bylaws to protect heritage properties
http://www.oakville.ca/nr-15jan10_1.htm

Here is one where the Oakville Mayor lashes out at the Ford Plant for supporting the powerplant (wow, unheard of here in Melancthon-when Highland speaks the heavens open)

http://www.680news.com/news/national/article/30503--oakville-s-mayor-lashes-out-at-ford-for-supporting-power-plant


Environmental Defence joins battle over Flamborough Quarry
http://www.thespec.com/News/Local/article/732465


Thousands of people rally at Queen's Park to fight the power plant, including Oakville Mayor Rob Burton, Oakville MPP Kevin Flynn and Charles Sousa, Mississauga Mayor McCallion, King Mayor Margaret Black, members of Oakville, Mississauga, King and Halton Councils,
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/toronto/story/2010/03/02/gas-protest.html

http://www.kingsentinel.com/news/2010-03-10/Front_Page/King_residents_go_to_fight_the_good_fight_at_Queen.html


Think about it, politicians fighting WITH their ratepayers for what is good and right, NOT having secret meetings to avoid getting sued by big bad corporations.

If you lead, we will follow.

PLEASE won't some elected official lead us?

MICHAEL DANIHER MYSTERY SOLVED

I have been a little worried about Minion Mickey.

He hasn't been seen at the last few meetings, well not since his little meltdown outside the County Building after the February meeting where he didn't get his way over the tree cutting bylaw.

BUT I have solved the mystery, I know where he is.

Right where Lowndes and the Baupost Group put him.



They must have forgot about him.

And I know, I know, this is a pretty immature posting, but I am still giddy after hearing about Thursdays County Council meeting!

OVERDUE

SO much has been happening. Not sure where to start.

FIRSTLY: Kudos to every single elected County politician for the leadership they showed at the meeting on March 11, 2010 with respect to the proposed tree cutting bylaw.

In a nutshell, the proposed bylaw would have allowed Highlands, under the "guise" of agriculture to continue their destruction of Melancthon forests unabated. The current bylaw at least provides they must apply for a permit before they cut.

Not one County politician voted for the proposed bylaw, except Chair Oosterhof and he only did that AFTER he presented an amendment which would have mandated that agricultural uses would require a permit to cut.

Every single politician showed leadership and a true understanding of the issue and everyone should thank them for this.

And what is interesting is Highlands mouthpiece, Minion Mickey wasn't at the last museum committee meeting or at last night's County Council meeting to hear the "verdict".

Either he couldn't trust himself not to have a meltdown on the steps of the County building on his phone like last month, or they are cooking something else up.

Just wondering if the Baupost Group, the Boston based hedgefund who is funding all of this is getting advised of the REAL situation up here, that this is going to be no cake walk and they better be prepared to keep ponying up more $$$$$ and at best it is an iffy proposition.

Water and the environment seems to be a BIG concern in this foreign nation called Canada. I bet they had no IDEA.

YMCA

Hey, anyone remember someone named Steve Boone? Check out the blog post of October 16, 2009.

He is the President of the YMCA that encouraged ratepayers to email him with their comments about the YMCA being located in Shelburne at the expense of ratepayers from Melancthon, Mulmur, Southgate, Amaranth, Mono and Shelburne, who on receipt of those comments, IMMEDIATELY forwarded them to Minion Mikey. No privacy concerns or expectations there

Wonder if Steve's bosses know that he is using his position at the YMCA to promote his barber shop quartet? Check it out:

http://www.fusionquartet.com/Fusion/Steve.html

Wonder if they know the words to the song, YMCA???? Just asking.

DEMOCRATIC RESPONSIBILITY

The PEOPLE elect the politicians

The POLITICIANS hire the staff

Therefore the POLITICIANS and STAFF work at the pleasure of the PEOPLE

In order to elect a politician you must vote, something numbered companies and corporations can not do because well they are not PEOPLE (this is true, check out the Municipal Elections Act, 1996)

October 25, 2010 is election day in Ontario

Please ensure you exercise your democratic responsibility

SPRING HAS SPRUNG

Go enjoy.....back next week.

RETIREMENT PARTY FOR BEV KUMPREY

Please plan to attend if at all possible. Bev has been a resident of Melancthon for years, a municipal employee and a Councillor.

Sunday March 7, 2010 at the Melancthon municipal office from 2 to 4 p.m.

Best wishes only.

More details at:
http://www.citizen.on.ca/news/2010-03-04/Local_News/Retirement_party_set_for_Bev_Kumprey.html

BUILD IT AND THEN YOU HAVE TO REPAIR IT

As any politician who has served more than 2 terms on Council knows, building something is the cheap part. Maintaining it is the expensive part.

Collingwood is finding that out now with "their" YMCA. Hi-lites from the attached article:

"Collingwood's portion of the YMCA expansion will come out of general reserves.

Council voted on Monday to take the $1.5 million out of general reserves rather than the tax levy, which would have increased taxes about seven per cent as $220,000 equates to a one per cent increase.

Tom Coon, CEO of the YMCA of Simcoe Muskoka made a presentation and said the organization has already raised $700,000. The YMCA is required to raise $2 million before the town kicks in its portion. He said the YMCA is 25 years-old and is in need of repair."

http://www.collingwoodconnection.com/collingwoodconnection/article/156790

Hope Highlands doesn't get the entire mine dug and disappear on their rail road with their last load of aggregate before Eddie needs a new roof on his YMCA, because Melancthon won't be able to afford to help. They will be running massive pumps 24/7 to keep water out of the 2,400 acre 200 foot hole so that Eddie will have enough water pressure to fill the pool up at his YMCA which needs the new roof. Talk about six degrees of separation.

HOW MUCH IS MELANCTHON EXPECTED TO DO

How much is Melancthon expected to "do" for the Province of Ontario, the County of Dufferin and of course Boston, China, where ever?

Lets see, we have had several gravel pits for years, supplying aggregate;

Then we got Strada, a 300 acre pit, which by the way the Mayor met with their officials a couple of weeks ago about their expansion-did anyone know that except me;

We have a municipal landfill site and manage OUR own garbage. Now the County wants OUR landfill;

We "got" 50 windturbines, which has now grown to 111 to supply energy to the Province (while we are generating an excess of electricity in the standard way and selling it to the US);

Oh yes, then there was the sludge that we received from Toronto for a couple of years-remember that stuff that the smell would NEVER go away and left a metallic taste in your mouth and was so unstable farmers were not allowed to plant root crops for a minimum period of time after spreading. Council, rightly so, enacted a bylaw in contravention of Provincial legislation. However it put a stop to that and the Province didn't haul Melancthon to court over it and thanks to Council for taking a stand, that was truly horrific stuff.

County politicians are trying to railroad us and run a train through the existing rail bed in Melancthon, which will be connected by a spur line through our backyards-they "get" a YMCA and $7 million, Melancthon gets, well you know screwed;

And the final insult a 2,400 acre 200 foot deep open pit limestone mine to supply (fill in the blank here) China, US, Brazil, Boston, Timbuktu with aggregate.

Who knew our little farming community with our specialty soil on the headwaters of the Grand and Nottawasaga Rivers would be so valuable to the world for everything EXCEPT our specialty soil, water and food?

NOW THAT I HAVE YOUR ATTENTION

Finally, this blog appears to have attracted the attention of some elected officials and naysayers.

In most municipalities that is a great thing-diverse opinions and great debate.

Some anon commenters are wondering why I don't reveal myself.

I have to say that I can't do that because my source of information will dry up. People's democratic rights, that are guaranteed to every Canadian citizen under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms have been threatened by various municipal officials and other individuals. If I reveal who I am, it reveals my sources.

My sources need to know that what they provide me IS anon-to protect their rights - rights which SHOULD be protected by being a Canadian, but in Dufferin they don't appear to be.

What do I mean?

Well, we have a local politician who threatened, in writing, to sue a ratepayer for expressing an opinion. We have THE senior bureaucraft of Dufferin County "telling on" people who are critical of Dufferin County to their employers, a violation of MFIPPA. We have the YMCA who wants to come into "our" community who encouraged people to email their comments to them, and then immediately REPORTED these emails and comments to a "local" developer who then used this information against a ratepayer at a Council meeting. AND we had a local reporter who actually showed up at meetings and didn't report from agendas and minutes, who was mysteriously reassigned so now we have NO coverage at Council meetings.

If you think this blog is rude and insolent and not respectful of elected officials-you have no idea what goes on at Melancthon Council meetings. The distain to ratepayers from politicians is nothing less than jawdropping. Well, unless you are Highlands spokesperson who is allowed to respond to questions which are put to our elected officials by ratepayers.

SERIOUSLY.....think about that.

This blog is the political watchdog that Council does not want. If you don't like it, please don't read it. If you find nothing useful on here, please do NOT log on again. You are free to read the blog or NOT.

Since early September when this blogger started posting almost daily, this site has logged over 9,500 hits. Someone must be interested. If you aren't one of them, then please, find something else to do with your time.

I would go out on a limb here, if Highlands hadn't cut them all down, and state that anything that is posted here as fact, is true. Anything that is posted here as my opinion is my right. And I challenge anyone to refute any FACT I have posted.

JUST WHEN I THINK IT CAN'T GET ANY WORSE..

IT GETS WORSE.

If I was a paranoid person, I would THINK that our Council is in cahoots with Highlands, but I am NOT a paranoid person.

But then, an email arrived last night advising about this weeks Council meeting, 9:am at the municipal building Thursday March 4.

One of the items of note is a report by Andrew Osyany and Andrew Fyfe, municipal lawyer and planner regarding the proposed demolition control bylaw.
The report states: "Township Council has before it a draft demolition control bylaw which has been held in abeyance pending public approval. The only submission received was from Allan Leibel on behalf of Highland Companies."

In fact, between January 7, 2010 and February 4, 2010 eighteen letters in support of passing the demolition control bylaw were received by Council and posted with their agendas and minutes on the municipal website.

The ONLY letter received in opposition to the demolition control bylaw was (can you guess?) Highland Companies and who did Council and staff meet with privately in respect of this issue (altogether now...) Highland Companies!!

Hm....like I say if I were a paranoid person.....but I am not.

If you would like to express your displeasure/disbelief/distress/dissatisfaction to Council, forward your emails to Mayor and Council via dholmes@melancthontownship.ca

To read Osyany and Fyfe's report click this link:
http://melancthontownship.ca/10council/corr.mar4.pdf

WHEN ALL SEEMS HOPELESS REMEMBER

Never give up!!

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??