Haldimand "Haldimand County Councillors Unable to Make Snap Decisions"
I have written many blogs about Haldimand County Council members and on the most part have kept my "personal" feelings aside. Although I have accused council members of the opposite, I feel the need to get a little "personal" on my post today!
Before I start to get "personal" I took some excerpts from the local papers that got me fired up;
"Later in the day (Boyko) he floated the idea of waiving fees on approved community flood relief fundraisers in county facilities and Councillor "Buck Sloat" was quick to show his "disapproval". "Other groups have been turned down for fundraisers including one for a family that was burned out of its home Sloat said" Boyko argued that the present situation is different. During the flooding more than "200" people evacuated their homes" (Quote from the Regional Newspaper)
"Caledonia Councillor Craig Grice argued that there are other "man made" disasters going on elsewhere and the county is not giving out free space for community fundraisers" (Quote from the Regional Newspaper)
"When Boyko proposed waiving tipping fees at the Tome Howe landfill site for flood victims, Sloat and Ricker accused him (Boyko) of "Grandstanding". (Quote from the Regional Newspaper)
"Sloat wasn’t suggesting that council shouldn't help, but said that it wasn’t the time to "spring" motions on council. He thought that Boyko should have consulted with the proper "staff" members first" (Quote from the Regional Newspaper)
"Boyko’s sudden requests made it hard for council to make "snap" decisions, Grice added. When it comes to dumping, it would be hard to say what is flood damage and what isn’t in some cases, he reasoned" (Quote from the Regional Newspaper)
"Boyko made a motion to waive rental fees on all county facilities for fundraising events. This is a small token of what we could do he added. Councillor Buck Sloat pointed out that similar requests for families burned out of their homes were denied" (Quote from the Dunnville Chronicle)
While acknowledging the disaster down river, Councillor Craig Grice said no relief was provided to people impacted by the disaster of occupied land in Caledonia" (Quote from the Dunnville Chronicle)
"Boyko proposed waiving tipping fees at the county landfill for flood victims who have furniture to dispose of. Prodding his colleagues, he said. We are asking the Province to recognize something we are not recognizing ourselves. This is "Grandstanding" replied Councillor Buck Sloat, who said it was unfair to "spring" a motion like this on staff and council members" (Quote from the Dunnville Chronicle)
"Based on Monday’s council discussions, Chymko said (Chamber of Commerce President, Dunnville) we can’t count on the majority of council to jump in and help our community. That’s lower than below low. At least Boyko stepped forward. The rest should be ashamed when the whole community needs their support" (Quote from the Dunnville Chronicle)
I usually don’t write about an issue unless I witnessed it first hand, but in this case it looks like both local papers are stating the same facts from the meeting on Monday.
Mayor Trainer in an interview at the beginning of the New Year stated that council is working better as a team than in the past. If this is "Team Work" they are truly out of touch!
My opinion at the time was that they are putting on a front, probably taking out their personal feelings behind closed doors. As they are in year three of their terms they are in campaign mode.
Isn’t it funny though they probably don’t even realize the damage they have done to their reputations. This is what happens when you "Grandstand"!
Well this meeting has proven to me and I hope many out there that this council is not functioning in the best interest of Haldimand County residents!
Is a Council Meeting not the place to debate issues? It seems that they have lost the ability to do even that!
Is Council not able to even make a "simple" decision on it’s own without a "Staff Report?’
How the hell did they even get elected? Didn’t they tell us that they were able to make the hard decisions on our behalf? Well proof is in the pudding, they can’t, we have just witnessed that!
Councillor Sloat and Ricker have both shown their true colours for all to see. They obviously do not have any "passion" for their positions as an elected official, if they did they would not have accused Councillor Boyko of "Grandstanding". Shame on both of them!
Shame on Councillor Grice for the comment that he made as well. He obviously has no "trust" in the residents of Dunnville. How petty that he is worried that some of the garbage may not be flood garbage! He also stated that residents in Caledonia have not received any help, well he has forgotten! The county has given funds to residents and businesses in Caledonia.
Thank God that not "one" Council Member will be "allowed" to sit on the committee if the Province gives the go ahead. But I do have to point out that Council will be the ones to "appoint" the residents to this committee, I wonder how they are going to handle this difficult task! I can tell you one thing for sure, I would like to sit on that committee but that won’t happen as their "personal" feelings seem to always get in the way of making certain decisions.
I am convinced that some on council have just sealed their fate for 2010! And they deserve what they get!
I wonder what the Province thinks of our "Elected Officials"?
Kudo's to Councillor Lorne Boyko!
This is about as low as this council can get. I have nothing left to say!
ReplyDeleteCan we petition to demand an immediate municipal re-election this spring ? These idiots must go and we shouldn't have to wait until 2010.
ReplyDeleteAll I can say is what I have always said, abolish Regional Government and bring back Municipal Governments that can and will work on behalf of the residents in their jurisdiction, and for crying out loud folks, vote for the person with the best work ethics, not the best pose!!!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteThese councilors are bottom feeders. It is more than unbelievable Donna!
ReplyDeleteIn an article in the Sachem Councillor Bartlett made a comment that the loss of jobs at US Steel in Nanticoke is devastating. Where was he on Monday? And why wasn't he backing up Councillor Boyko by saying that this flood along the Grand was a disaster? Another piece of cake for ya.
ReplyDeleteTo the poster that wants a re-election this spring. I agree we should not have to wait. How much more damage can this do before 2010? We are not stupid people, we will not forget how they have embarssed the good people of Haldimand. It is no wonder that we always seem to be left out in the cold when it comes to money coming our way. The Province will see that this recent flooding is a disaster regardless of how petty our council members can be. When the Province deems this program go aheaad, we should be demanding that the Province choose the residents that will sit on this committee. Council is not capable of making this decision.
ReplyDeleteAre you talking about the same province that shafted Caledonia???
ReplyDeleteYou expect what: has to be political correct to get them to get involved?
The funds Caledonia got were from the province that shafted Caledonia in the first place!!! Dished out by Haldimand County!!!
I have learned from lots of people: Caledonia is NOT well like by the rest of Haldimand County!!! This is why Caledonia didn’t get support we needed in the spring of 2006!!!
Truth Hurt’s here in Haldimand County & shame is high too!!!
More problems then just Haldimand County council: if one really cares!!!
Jim Smith
X Caledonia
Now Dunnville
Dunnville doesn't need the likes of these councilors. We will do just fine without their help. Ricker is on borrowed time in the Dunnville area. The rest are up to the people who live in their wards to get rid of them all.
ReplyDeleteJim Smith
ReplyDeleteX Caledonia
Now Dunnville
Welcome to Dunnville Jim.... The biggest problem with the Caledonia issue is that there is no Caledonia issue. Caledonia is not an independent county. Haldimand County all inclusive is the county.
How many times have you heard people reference Marie Trainer in the media as being the mayor of Caledonia. Caledonia doesn't have a mayor. Caledonia has the same mayor as we do. We are all an equal part of Haldimand County and we'd better learn to work together as a county before thr next election.
Dennis,
How do you manage these Councilors? Easy. You hang one or two of them and the rest will tow the line. Problem solved.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comments everyone.
ReplyDeleteJim I need to respond to your post. In the past three years I have personally met many residents from Caledonia and some have become very close friends. When Minister Bryant and David Crombie came to Cayuga to speak to the residents and council there were many people that I new that came from Dunnville to hear what was being said. You may have the personal opinion that (in your words): "I have learned from lots of people: Caledonia is NOT well like by the rest of Haldimand County!!! This is why Caledonia didn’t get support we needed in the spring of 2006!!!"
Jim this couldn't be farther from the truth!!!!
I can remember writing blogs about "East vs. West" and saying that this was coming from our own elected officials! This kind of attitude never came from the residents. But over time one forgets! In fact the funny thing is that council members depend on us to "Forget"!
Although a council member is voted in by the residents in their own wards, their ultimate responsibility is for the "Betterment of all Haldimand County Residents". Until we have a council that works by this we are all up the river without a paddle.
We have the tools to express our thoughts and opinions. We need to use them. Mine unfortunatly are all used up and hence why I started a blog. Write a letter to your council, write a letter to the editor, go to a council meeting! Until the public puts enough pressure on council nothing will change!
Haldimand County is a municipality made up of many diverse communities. There is no "East vs West" as far as the people are concerned, and I can tell you from experience. When we fought to stop the council from selling Haldimand County Hydro, all of Haldimand was involved!
To Jim; Caledonia didn't and still hasn't the support from council. There were news reports and some on council said that the residents were being unruly. They should have just kept their mouths shut! In fact they should all just keep their mouths shut until they learn to speak in an intelligent way. Donna more people need to speak out. Thanks for giving us the opportunity.
ReplyDeleteSorry I forgot to mention that council only cares about money from the government. They keep beating a dead horse by asking for $56 million dollars. They are probably in a finacial crisis due to the mismangement of our tax dollars.
ReplyDeleteHaldimand Council and Mayor are the laughing stock for the whole province.
ReplyDeleteNo other municipality has a local Government so inept. They're bumbling fools who don't have a clue what they are doing.
It's beyond shameful.
And Craig Grice? Does he ever have a thought of his own? It's painfully obvious he just repeats word for word what the neighbours on his street TELL him to say. He's no leader and neither is Trainer. They are both just puppets for the extremists. Even an uneducated fool like me can see that.
That "bling" hanging around Trainer's neck is nothing but a choker chain that the radicals attach a leash to.
Our council's inability to play well with each other in the sandbox is a direct indictment on the leadership capabilities of our mayor. Marie is a nice lady and everything, but Haldimand County's recent troubles reveal that she is no longer capable of "running" this County (some may debate that she never was). One of the more critical roles a mayor is responsible for is to promote harmony on council. I haven't seen anything remotely close to that from her in the 20+ years she's been mayor. Marie needs to step down or at least announce she won't run again in 2010. She is well past her shelf life.
ReplyDeleteMayor Trainer is a very nice lady and that is all she is. She does not have what it takes to be Mayor and never has. We need someone who the community knows and respects to run against her in 2010 and I don't mean anyone on council. If anyone on council runs for Mayor we should all just ignore them and then they will go away.
ReplyDeleteTrainer? A nice lady?
ReplyDeleteHave you ever seen her in action behind the scenes and in private?
She's downright viscious, mean,spiteful and vindictive. And that's not a slander either. A recent lawsuit PROVED what she is like.
And most of her comments directed at natives do not come out of concern for Haldimand. It's abundantly clear she has a deep dis-like for them which is why Council had to muzzle her.
Don't be fooled.
Maybe this is a case of the icing on top of the cake. Sometimes it takes a few small comments to make people open their eyes. This past week our eyes have been opened. Patiently waiting for 2010.
ReplyDeleteTo Jim Smith
ReplyDeleteX Caledonia
now Dunnville
Wow Jim, it sounds like you have a real love for Caledonia? Why did you move to Dunnville? Obviously you have no concern for what happens here! Caledonia didn't get shafted by the province. Caledonia got shafted by some of it's own residents who couldn't keep their noses out of someone elses business. The DCE occupation was between the Federal Government, the natives and the developers and should have been left to them to sort out. Caledonia business owners now suffer financially because the native people who used to shop there have been driven out of town by the hatred of a few. It's Pandora's Box and now that it's been opened there's no telling when or if it will ever be closed. And Dunnville at present is not being shafted by the province, the province has offered assisstance. It is Haldimand County COuncil who have turned their backs on their own people. Heaven help them if any of them ever get into a position where they need the support of their neighbours.
Thanks again for your comments everyone!
ReplyDeleteI sent this to the Dunnville Chronicle;
ReplyDeleteLetter to the Editor
To Councillors Grice, Ricker and Sloat;
Haldimand County’s Mission Statement in case you have forgotten!
“Haldimand County is a diverse team of responsive and dedicated professionals committed to providing our citizens with high quality services that promote the well being of communities”.