LIGHTS OUT

12 homes, gone, demolished by our guru, our saviour the Melancthon Mesiah Lowndes and his Minion Mikey.

Another 9 at the least to go.

Last person out of Melancthon, be sure to shut out the lights.

Tea Party?

Hey, guess who had a nice little tea (bag) party the other day in posh Rosedale?

A (local) ex-MPP, Johnny Lying Lowndes, Minion Mikey and good old Dalton. Nice cozy little partAY.

Bet they only had eyes for each other.

Liar Liar, (12) Houses on Fire

Highlands Companies has destroyed 12 homesteads since August 2008. The assessed value of these properties totals more than $2.9 million.

According to a July 24, 2009 letter from Deputy Dog Bill Hill to a ratepayer, a one percent tax increase in Melancthon only generates $12,000.00. According to my math the assessed values on the properties that Highland Companies has destroyed equals a tax rate of 207%.

At the October 15 meeting of Council Mayor Fawcett confirmed that any loss in the tax base due to the demolition of these homes on properties owned by Highlands would be born by all the remaining taxpayers. After all, the municipality has to generate a certain amount of revenue. So Highland gains and we have the pain.

It does not seem fair to me, but Council clearly has NO problem with this. Melancthon Council has the authority to instantly stop the demolition by passing a bylaw under Section 33 of the Planning Act and also to designate these homes under the Heritage Act but have chosen not to.

Don't forget, Lowndes owns another 9 homes which he clearly has no wish in which to reside, so we can expect they will be coming down real soon. Jeez, Melancthon can’t hand these burn permits out fast enough.

AND finally, at NDACT's public meeting in June, Minion Mikey Daniher stated publically that Highlands had plans to demolish homes in numbers of LESS than "double digits".

Now I am not a smart person and math clearly is not my forte, but double digits in my simplistic world starts at 10. They are already up to 12, so I guess this would represent just one more lie in the Highlands Grand Plan for Melancthon.

But then again Mikey also stated at the June 2009 NDACT meeting the homes were demolished because they were condemned and uninsurable.

Investigation revealed that the Chief Building Official (CBO) for the County of Dufferin is the only authorized legislative authority to issue an Unsafe Order under the Building Code. AND the CBO advised in an email dated June 22, 2009, “None of the(se) properties you are asking about have been as you say "condemned" by the County of Dufferin Building Department”

Removing 21 houses from Melancthon equals 2% of the total homes. To remove 2% of the total homes in Toronto equals 20,811 homes. Do you think if some corporation took down 21,000 homes in Toronto in the name of all that is good and right someone wouldn’t notice or put a stop to it?

November 11

My grandfather and uncle fought for the right to free speech for all Canadians and the free world.


Canadians should NOT be intimidated from speaking their views at a meeting of Council or in the paper. They should NOT feel afraid because they are standing up for what they feel is good and right.


Remember, if you don't stand for something you will fall for anything.



In Flanders fields the poppies blow

Between the crosses, row on row

That mark our place; and in the sky

The larks, still bravely singing, fly

Scarce heard amid the guns below

We are the dead

Short days ago

We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow

Loved, and were loved, and now we lie

In Flanders fields

Take up our quarrel with the foe

To you from failing hands we throw

The torch; be yours to hold it high.

If ye break faith with us who die

We shall not sleep, though poppies grow

In Flanders fields.

Lt.-Col. John McCrae (1872 - 1918)

Three of these things belong in Melancthon....

Three of these things belong in Melancthon

Three of these things are kind of the same

Can you guess which one of these doesn't belong here?

Now it's time to play the game

It is Like Looking in a Mirror

I can't tell the difference, can you tell the difference?

WEE MIKEY DANIHER

JOHNNY LOWNDES

You Decide

To date Lowndes has demolished and/or taken out fire permits for 12 homes in Melancthon. The former Eichhorn home (second property on the west just north of S/R 15 on the 4th line OS in Melancthon) is smoldering today after having been demolished by Lowndes.

Why is it our business? The loss of these homes destroy a community and taxbase. You and I will be making up for the lost revenue and assessment on these homes. Mayor Fawcett confirmed that at the October 15 Council meeting when she was asked.

“Trevor Downey of Downey Farms and John Lowndes both say the intent in Melancthon is merely to have a world-class potato operation.” (Orangeville Citizen, June 27, 2007) See full article attached: http://www.citizen.on.ca/news/2007/0607/local_news/011.html

Here are some pictures taken by a local over the last year. Does this look like a company that merely wants to have a world-class potato operation OR a corporation that is depopulating the township, decimating trees, wildlife and the environment to get ready to dig the mother of all mines.......

Take and look and then vote on the poll.

The Benotto house, outbuildings, barns and trees being demolished-wiped off the face of th earth basically. All the garbage, including insulation, t.v.s, large appliances, glass, etc. were dumped in the Melancthon landfill, despite Mayor Fawcetts statement at NDACT's June 2009 public meeting that no houses demolished by Highlands have been dumped in our landfill.

This is on S/R 15 in Melancthon on Lot 16, Concession 4 (Wallace) where trees were clear cut without proper permits. Maybe I am imaging this, but it looks like the EXACT size for a rail bed and train.

This row of more than three hundred 15 year old trees, that served as a windbreak and wildlife corridor was ripped out by Highlands in one day and dumped in the old gravel pit behind Downey's warehouse. Highlands had initially claimed they were transplanting the trees. This tree line used to stretch between the 5th line NE and 4th line NE (dump road).

Demolition and Destruction of Melancthon

Highlands has demolished 6 homesteads to date and have been issued fire permits for another 6 for a total of 12 homesteads (homes, barns, outbuildings and trees) to be struck from the face of Melancthon Township.

Here is a little ditty Council might want to amuse themselves with, since they have no intention of stopping the devastation:

(Sung to the tune of London Bridge is Falling Down)

Homes and barns are coming down
Coming down
Coming down
Homes and barns are coming down
All thanks to John Lowndes

Thousands of trees have been cut down
Been cut down
Been cut down
Thousands of trees have been cut down
All thanks to John Lowndes

We've asked Council to put a stop to this
Stop to this
Stop to this
We've asked Council to put a stop this
But Lowndes’ ass they’d rather kiss

Solved: the "sustainability" issue

God I HATE the word sustainable.

All it means is can anyone/we/me/I /you/Council keep this up?

I bet you have never heard the phrase: is our sex life sustainable; is our grocery bill sustainable; is our lifestyle sustainable?

NO WAY.

So why don't corporations and people just use the plain language phrase instead of a stupid "buzzword".

Highlands is spouting that they envision a "sustainable" community, "sustainable" agricultural practices, "sustainable" and carbon neutral 2,400 acre, 200 foot deep, open pit limestone mine.....

Highlands is offering no "sustainable" solution to keep the BIG hole dry, after they have mined ALL 2,400 acres of their $18 million an acre limestone.

They state that to keep the water out of the hole, water must be pumped forever to the end of time. Of course that solution does not envision Highlands doing that, but rather the people of Melancthon, whoever are left, to do that at their expense.

Here is one way to pay for it. Rent the BIG DIG out for movie shoots. The existing Caledon pit, which will look like a groundhog hole compared to what Highlands is proposing to do, is renting to movie shoots, with the quarry serving as the setting for Afghanistan.

Melancthon's hole in the ground could be the setting for the surface of the moon, mars, or life on earth after a nuclear explosion.

I would be more anxious for the movie, if I wasn't living the (rocky) horror show myself.

And Now for Something Completely Different

Okay, you had to smile when you looked at this, right???

Just think, we will all feel that way when Highlands, Lowndes and Maid Mikey Daniher are LONG gone.

TIMBER!!

Here is an absolutely novel concept that seems to have escaped the grasp of the County of Dufferin. The City of Guelph received a call about someone clear cutting in contravention of the municipal bylaw

and.....get this.....

they went out immediately, investigated and.....wonders of wonders, laid charges!!


For the full article see: http://news.guelphmercury.com/News/Local/article/555222

Anybody out there from the County of Dufferin?

Politicians? County Forest staff???

Anybody....hello, is this mike on?

Something to Think About

There is truth in humour, but there is NOTHING funny about what Highlands is proposing to do "for" us.

Word has it that Highland has approached the City of Owen Sound to offer to dig out their harbour, free of charge.

Wow, what benenvolent beings the Highlands Companies is.

Word also has it that there are other abandon rail lines between here and there. Highlands public information they handed out at their (in)formation meeting in July said the aggregates were destined for Simcoe. Didn't say they would be USED in Simcoe.

There is an abandoned rail line between Barrie (Simcoe) to Owen Sound.

Methinks perhaps there should be an eye kept on that as well as the Orangeville to Owen Sound line.

Something Daniher should remember

It is nice to be important, but it is more important to be nice, because when you lie and cheat and threaten people and just generally piss the locals off, they do NOT like it, not one little bit Mr. Mikey.

For a highly paid p.r. guru such as yourself I would think you would know that basic rule of thumb, Just consider it a learning experience. You should probably add it to your resume.

Melancthon Council leaving sooner than expected

The Provincial government today introducted legislation proposing to move election day up by two weeks to the fourth Monday in October, as opposed to the set date of November 10 for municipal elections.

That means, if passed, there will be 16 less days of the current Melancthon Council in 2010.

Bacon and Eggs anyone?

A metaphor for NDACT and Melancthon Council is a BACON AND EGG BREAKFAST

The chicken is involved (Council)...

but the pig is committed (NDACT)

SHHHHH or Lowndes will find out....

Attached is an article in the October 26, 2009 Banner that speaks to the YMCA/Highlands and privacy concerns by a resident of Melancthon:

http://www.orangevillebanner.com/news/article/79157

Excerpts from the article: Read CAREFULLY between the lines:

“No personal information is provided to us as a part of the process,” Daniher says of the survey. (meaning information outside of the process IS provided to them)

Asked if his company received anyone else’s personal information outside of “the process” as it did Wallace’s, Daniher notes it’s not “my practice” to publicly disclose all matters Highland discusses with the YMCA. (the answer should be a resounding and definative NO, but since Daniher can't answer with a no he doesn't answer the question at all)

“We’re in regular contact. We update one another. (The YMCA) indicated there had been several inquiries on a range of issues throughout this process.“I certainly don’t get details on all of them,” he says. (Daniher says he and the YMCA are in constant contact, I would take that to mean every day they speak about everything. According to Daniher, he doesn't get details on "all of the calls", but I take that to mean he DOES get information on some of them)

Any politician who is still standing behind ANYTHING this company or its mouthpiece Daniher spews or who won't take a stand in opposition to Highlands should be ashamed of themselves.

The YMCA surveyed "over 428 homes", but they couldn't advise what percentage of possible users that represented, only that it was very scientific.

Wonder how much this survey cost Highlands. No matter how much it cost, it is a cheap way to get the names, phone numbers and views of the YMCA. Priceless actually.

And was the cost of surveying 428 homes really outside the financial realm shared between 6 municipalities in order to ensure their residents a measure of privacy?

Puppetmaster and the puppets

John Lowndes and local politicians....

Man the Lifeboats

Six blind Mayors, six blind Mayors
See how they vote, see how they vote
They all wanted a YMCA
But the public didn’t see it that way
When asked if Highlands was going to pay
All the expenses for the YMCA
No one would say

This is beyond fascinating. Not two short weeks ago, elected officials were tripping over themselves in trying to lay claim to being the mastermind behind a YMCA to be located in the Town of Shelburne.

Shelburne can’t sustain a Tim Horton’s, but somehow…a YMCA becomes a feasible option? But I digress.

However when a ratepayer began asking the hard questions-like why would Melancthon residents, who already pay toward 3 arenas and two pools pay toward a YMCA and would Highland Companies be paying the capital costs for the construction of the facility… the following are the responses that were elicited.

Ed Crewson: October 17 – “I should not be credited with the idea of a YMCA”

Ed Crewson: October 18- “...John Lowndes introduced the YMCA idea..”

Highland Companies, October 21 – “...the mayors of six area municipalities requested that the region be considered a candidate for YMCA programs and services.”

Ed Crewson: October 23- “The truth is that the idea of contacting the YMCA originated with John Lowndes”

POLITICIANS: Be sure to form an orderly line or someone will get trampled in the stampede to get away from this issue.

Strike the band and man the lifeboats… just like the Titanic, I think the YMCA is sinking.

Is that good or bad-you decide.

In my opinion however, it would be good if Highlands were NOT associated with this little endeavour.

Cast of Characters

For those of you who aren’t well versed in this continuing saga, here is a directory for your reference:

Mayor Debbie Fawcett: Mayor of Melancthon

Deputy Dog Hill: Deputy Mayor Bill Hill

Eddie Munster: Mayor Ed Crewson, Shelburne

John, If his Lips are Moving he is Lying, Lowndes, Johnny, Melancthon’s L. Ron Hubbard, the Melancthon Mesiah, King John, the Devil Incarnate, Big Bad Wolf: John Lowndes-principle of the Highland Companies

Wolf in Sheeps Clothing: Highland Companies also operating as Wilson Farms, Downey Farms, 3191574 Nova Scotia Company, 1712665 Ontario Inc., 3218089 Nova Scotia Company

NDACT: the North Dufferin Agricultural Community Taskforce and the moral compass, representing all that is good and right, watchdogs for Melancthon citizens, made up of salt of the earth people

Wes the Crypt Keeper Keller: Wes Keller, reporter for the Orangeville Citizen/Shelburne Free Press who doesn’t attend meetings outside of Orangeville because he doesn’t have a roadworthy vehicle, who “reports” his stories solely based on agendas and minutes and is clearly in support of a 2,400 acre, 200 foot open pit mine-read some of his articles

Minion Mikey, Maid Marian Daniher, Wee Mikey, Daniher: Michael Daniher, childhood friend of John Tory, lawyer, office mate of a registered lobbyist for Highland Companies, principle of “Special Situations”. Several ways to locate him: google him, look for the littlest, smarmiest looking guy at every meeting of Council with clipboard and binder, or just turn over a rock

Andrew Osyany: municipal solicitor

Jiving Jordan: Gerry Jordan, municipal planner-part time job (1 day a month), full time salary ($70,000/year)

David Lowndes: The guy who tried to pull the same open pit mine stunt in Flamborough, with so little luck he had to sell out and oh yeah, brother to John

Open Pit Mine: NOT a gravel pit, NOT a quarry, it is an aggregate operation that mines below the water table

Dufferin County: a place in which there are 15,000 acres of the best prime agricultural land in Canada which has been purchased by Highland Companies for the purpose of an open pit limestone mine and a place where NONE of the principles of Highland Companies live or are eligible to vote

Trick Question

There are two images, but three questions. From the attached picture can you identify:

The Devil Incarnate
Wes the Crypt Keeper Keller
Johnny, If My Lips are Moving I am Lying, Lowndes