Engaging debate or Mixed Martial Arts?

After signing the appropriate paperwork Tuesday at city hall, Downtown Development Board chairman Mark Cosens delivered what will surely be the understatement of the year.

“Over the next eight months we will, I am sure, be having a full, lively and engaging debate about how it is we move our city forward.”

You have to delve back no further than the closure of Talbot Street in the summer of 2008 to get the essence of how the hopeful mayor Mark and the incumbent Mayor Cliff Barwick regard each other’s political abilities.

A composter full of waste complaints

Proof this city has a green composter full of waste management issues lies not just in last week’s Times-Journal article on our dismal rate of diversion, for deep within a report coming to council on Monday lurks another disturbing figure.

Front and centre at the council meeting will be waste management coordinator Michelle Shannon, who is charged with improving the city’s diversion rate of recyclables and organic waste.

The good new is our diversion rate has inched up to 43% in 2009, from the previous 39.6% reported in the T-J story, but that’s well below the provincial target of 60%.

Immediately following this diversion data is the revelation city staff logged over 400 complaints last year dealing with waste management issues.

Ontario looks beyond the struggling auto sector

Ford Canada St. Thomas Assembly Plant

Ontario’s auto industry is facing ongoing consolidation with the upcoming closing of a Ford Motor Co. plant in St. Thomas in 2011. Last year, General Motors Corp. closed a light truck plant in Oshawa. Auto analyst Dennis DesRosiers, president of DesRosiers Automotive Consultants Inc. in Richmond Hill, Ont., says Ontario’s auto industry has lost 50,000 jobs since 2006 and has been hurt by long-term structural change as well as cyclical issues related to the economy.

It is also becoming increasingly difficult to compete with lower-cost plants in parts of the U.S. and Mexico that are not unionized, he says. As a result, he expects Canada’s share of total North American auto production — virtually all of which takes place in Ontario — to drop to as low as 12% during the next four to five years from its current perch of 16%.

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From bridesmaid to bankruptcy, the sad tale of Walker Transport

Posted by Ian: Last fall, MacKinnon Transport of Guelph purchased long-established Elgin trucking firm, Walker Transport. In January of 2010, Walker filed for creditor protection, this after laying off 30 drivers the week before Christmas. Obviously the family-run business, originally based in Aylmer, caught the attention of MacKinnon and so the merger proved attractive. It’s hard to imagine Walker’s value deteriorated so quickly. Or do you pick off the attractive fruit from the tree and leave the rest to rot. Kyle Rea had the following update in the Times-Journal (see below), and more background is available here and a further backgrounder, including an interview with MacKinnon President and CEO Evan MacKinnon can be found here . Here’s Kyle’s story …

A trucking company with long roots in the St. Thomas area, acquired last year by a Guelph-based business, has filed for bankruptcy.
On Dec. 3, the CIBC bank called in its loan for L.E. Walker Transport Ltd., — five days later, the company filed for creditor protection and remained that way until its assets were purchased by MacKinnon Transport Inc., of Guelph, Ont., on Jan. 8.

Catching the ‘Hound soon a thing of the past in St. Thomas/Elgin

Posted by Ian:
One of the most iconic names in North American ground transportation is about to sever a decades-long relationship with St. Thomas.
As of April 10, travellers will no longer be able to board a Greyhound bus in the city, one of a dozen stops on the meandering London to Niagara Falls Highway 3 route that, over the years, has been cut back to a Fridays-only service.
Greyhound Canada vice-president Stuart Kendrick told the Times-Journal with just a handful of passengers hopping aboard the ‘Hound for the scenic service, it’s a matter of economics that will be mirrored on other inter-city routes in the province.

The fish are approaching from all directions

There’s a lot riding on Thursday’s announcement of a $7 billion deal between the province and South Korean conglomerate Samsung.

While it is an affirmation of Dalton McGuinty’s Green Energy Act, it is much, much more for St. Thomas which is poised, hopefully, to benefit from the economic spinoffs.

With acres of vacant industrial space along South Edgeware Road and a vast pool of skilled labour, it is easy to see why Mayor Cliff Barwick is confident we can direct some of that massive investment in wind farm and solar energy technology into the city.

“We have space, we have skilled workers, we are a manufacturing city with an awful lot of skills,” Barwick noted after the announcement.

“It is like fishing,” he continued. “I cannot say we have one snagged, but it looks good.”

First you lose the vehicle, then you put people out of work

Sarnia’s police chief has come out swinging in support of Ontario auto workers.

Phil Nelson said Thursday he’s ticked off that Ford Canada is discontinuing production of the Crown Victoria Police Interceptor and has asked the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police to take a stand.

The Crown Vic is a police “workhorse” that’s kept thousands of workers in St. Thomas, Ont. employed for decades, he said.

“The fact that jobs are being lost, that really annoys me. We do crime prevention through social development. Part of that is keeping people working. It’s like a one-two punch. First you lose the vehicle, which has been very good to police services. Now you’re putting people out of work.”
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Ontario Culture Minister Aileen Carroll Dumped After Ministry’s Mistreatment of Artefacts

Culture Minister Aileen Carroll

Posted by Ian: Perhaps one of the most reviled cabinet ministers in this area, Aileen Carroll was known for what she didn’t do … protect and promote this province’s cultural heritage. In St. Thomas we have to look no further that the remains of Alma College. The rubble is a testament to her indifference. Here’s the offical word on her demotion …

Ontario’s Minister of Culture, Aileen Carroll, was tossed out of cabinet today as part of a larger shuffle. She will now become a backbench member of the legislature.
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Climate change means it’s time to tender

You would think when our mayor and council approve an expenditure of more that $700,000, there would be some sort of competitive process to ensure best value to those who are footing the bill — city ratepayers.
However, it appears to be business as usual Monday when it comes time to approving the city’s 2010 insurance renewal with Frank Cowan Company Ltd.
This year’s tab is $723,530, significantly up from last year’s hit of $659,764, and treasurer Bill Day is recommending council approve the sum, with the observation, “the premium is increasing rather significantly this year.”

Bill Sandison first to file nomination papers in 2010 St. Thomas aldermanic race

Posted by Ian: All candidates for the 2010 municipal election in St. Thomas and other Elgin municipalities are encouraged to forward their announcements to this site. All will be posted and remain active until the Oct. 25 vote. Candidate photo will also be included.

St. Thomas, Ontario January 12th, 2010 – City Council Candidate Bill Sandison filed his nomination papers today seeking to serve the residents of St. Thomas as an Alderman in the upcoming municipal election.

Sandison returned to the area three years ago having retired from Nortel Networks and lives in St. Thomas with his wife Christine. He is a strong-willed advocate for the improvement of our municipal government and city, and has engaged with residents, businessmen, provincial and federal politicians to highlight the need and request support for the implementation of an economic strategy for St. Thomas; protection of our heritage; sound financial management; accountability and transparency.

The captain is set to reverse economic tide

Last week in this corner, we bemoaned the fact Mayor Cliff Barwick’s address to council at this time last year was as dreary as the weather.
Well, he certainly livened up matters this time around by stepping front and centre to seek support for another four years as sole captain at the helm.
In a follow-up interview with T-J reporter Kyle Rea, Barwick indicated the economy and bringing jobs back to St. Thomas will be a key issue in his bid for re-election to the mayor’s chair.

Approaching the zenith: Mayor Cliff Barwick to seek re-election in October municipal vote

Posted by Ian:

While he has yet to file his nomination papers, Mayor Cliff Barwick took the opportunity Monday night to wrap up his New Year’s address to council with a call to city voters to put their trust in him for one more term of office.

“As I approach the zenith of my political career,” said Barwick, “I earnestly believe my civic duty will be fulfilled and personally complete,to serve just one more term as head of council. To that end for just one more time I will be asking for the trust and confidence of the public.”

So, just four days into the new year, the mayoral race has its first entry, as a result putting the onus on challengers to declare their intentions sooner, rather than later.

The good ship St. Thomas doesn’t need two captains

Posted by Ian: Be it an ego the size of a Sterling truck or an all-pervasive paranoia, Mayor Cliff Barwick says this town ain’t big enough for his worship and a CAO. However watch for him to try and back-peddle by attempting to promote Wendell Graves to the position of city manager. Don’t be fooled … it’s not the same position, nor does it pack the same authority and stature. The mayor’s full year-end interview with Times-Journal reporter Eric Bunnell follows …

Cliff Barwick is a mayor with a secret.

With little more than 10 months remaining in his four-year term, Barwick says he decided two weeks ago whether to seek re-election on Oct. 25.

But the 65-year-old head of city council isn’t yet saying what that decision is.