 By Pepper Parr
July 29, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON.
The power that your municipal government has can shock at times.
One of the things a city can do is expropriate a person’s property. They can’t just walk in a take it – there is a process that has to be followed. The city first has to serve notice that it wants to expropriate a piece of property and then there is what is called a Hearing of Necessity at which the city has to justify the wish to expropriate.
The city is doing reconstruction and widening of Waterdown Road between Plains Road and Masonry Court including the provisions of full municipal services. It needs to buy property to do that work. Vito Tolone, Senior Transportation Planner in the Engineering Department testified at a Hearing of Necessity that “as presently configured, Waterdown Road will not be able to accommodate the travel demand growth anticipated by 2031″
 A Hearing of Necessity report said just part 1 was needed for the road widening; city decided to expropriate all the land owned by the Lee family at the intersection of Plains Road and Waterdown Road. Not a word heard from the ward council member Rick Craven nor was any explanation given for the full taking Tolone also testified that if the sole objective of the City was to construct the presently planned works to the intersection of Plains Road East and Waterdown Road, a full taking of the Lee property would not be necessary.
Mr. Tolone testified that sometime between Environmental Assessment (EA) (December 6, 2006) and the Notice of Expropriation being served on the land owner on or about March 24, 2014 the City of Burlington decided that it was desirable that the City expropriate more land than required to perform the scope of the work contemplated in the EA document. On that basis, the City seeks a full expropriation of the Lee property.
The basis of that decision was stated by Mr. Tolone to be concerns about the growth of Plains Road which might require further widening. However, no description of the likely scope of such future work was given. In addition, there was no evidence that even with a requirement for a future widening or other work, that a full taking of the Lee property would be required.
Hearing officer Victor Freidin Q.C. , said in his findings that “There is nothing in the Notice of Grounds about the objective being wider than acquiring property to perform the “Work” as defined. If the objective was to make the road wider, as suggested by the City, it should have been so stated in the Notice of Grounds.
In my opinion, the Notice of Grounds gives rise to questions of prematurity, a concern that future work (after the “Works” are completed) is likely to occur. Even if am incorrect in that regard there was no evidence regarding the nature of any such future work, when that future work might occur, or the specific purpose of that future work. In addition, Mr. Tolone testified that the concern re future work would relate to Plains Road, but the two grounds described above refer to “future capacity and safety deficiencies along Waterdown Road”, not Plains Road. I further note that these references to future deficiencies appear to be traffic related -not some other unidentified concern.
“Prematurity” in the context of Hearings of Necessity, refers to a situation in which an expropriating authority seeks to expropriate land with insufficient evidence regarding when, if ever, land will be required in the future to achieve the objective of the Expropriating Authority. If an Expropriating Authority does not really know if it will ever have to use the expropriated land to achieve its objective, the tentative nature of that objective is a relevant factor to consider, when balancing the public and private interests. An Inquiry Officer can find that a proposed expropriation is not reasonably defensible because it is premature.
The onus at a Hearing of Necessity is on the Expropriating Authority to meet the test described in section 7(5) of the Expropriations Act. I find that they have failed to meet that test as it relates to its proposed full taking.
Sounds like a open and shut case. City first asks for part of the 1300 sq m property (410 to be exact), but then changes its mind and says it wants all the property without giving the required justification.
The owners of the property, Mrs. Kyung Ja Lee (Lucia Lee) understood the need to widen the road, but she didn’t feel the city needed all of her property. Isaac Tang, her lawyer argued that the city could take a portion of the property and leave the rest in the hands of the owner.
Doing an actual expropriation takes time – about four months before the property changes hands. The Lee’s said they were prepared to use a section of the Expropriation Act that would give the land to the city on the understanding that the portion not needed would be returned to them. Isaac Tang said the Lees were prepared to let the price to be paid for the land, to be agreed upon after the expropriation has been done.
The property, amounting to 1300 square feet has been the location of the Murray Variety store that the Lee family operated for many, many years. They were the typical Korean immigrant family that bought the property, operated the store and lived in the space above the store. They worked hard and they prospered. When Mr. Lee died, Mrs. Lee found that she could no longer operate the store by herself and she rented out the business.
The Hearing of Necessity report was dated June 24th and went to the Community and Corporate Standing Committee on July 8th – things seldom move at that speed in any municipality.
When the matter got to the Standing Committee it got less than 30 seconds. Chairman Meed Ward asked if there was any discussion; there being none she asked someone to move the report – Councillor Rick Craven moved it – and off it went to city council for final approval.
Isaac Tang, counsel for the Lee family, did not attend the Standing Committee, probably a tactical error. He said there was some confusion as to the dates for the meeting and that he could not find any reports on the city web site (We are hearing more of the complaint lately.)
 It is a busy intersection and Waterdown Road does have to be widened to handle future traffic projections. City documents said less than a third of the land was needed – they expropriated all the land without giving a public explanation. When he did delegate at city council he got caught by the clock that gave him just five minutes to make his points. Along with the decision from the Hearing of Necessity Officer that the city had not made its case for a full taking, Tang pointed out the city was relying on a section of the Municipal Act, that had been repealed some time ago. Some in the legal department had not done their homework.
The city argued that the remaining 900 square meters was too small to develop; Tang pointed out it was less than a km from the Aldershot GO station and part of a major traffic intersection. Tang said he could see a Starbucks going in there easily.
Tang added to what could only be seen as an impressive set of arguments, when he pointed out that if property acquired by the city for a purpose and then was not used for that purpose, the city was obligated to make it available to the original owner.
There were a few questions from Council – Councillor Sharman was brusque, close to being rude, when he asked Mr. Tang why he was not at the Standing committee meeting.
Council planned on going into a Closed Session to hear what the legal department had to say as to why they were apparently supporting the full taking. The public will never know what the city lawyers had to say – all that is off the record.
Council stayed in closed session for just over half an hour. When they came out they passed the motion to expropriate, which was not set out in the Council agenda; so no one was all that sure just what it was they were passing.
And that was it. Not a word from Councillor Craven whose ward the property was located in; not a word as to why the city chose to disregard the finding of the Hearing of Necessity Officer.
No one explained to the Lee’s why all of their property was being taken when the reports made it clear that all of the land was not needed.
Those words: transparency and accountability got lost at this council meeting.
The Mayor who likes to pride himself on his compassion for people wasn’t even able to look the Lee’s in they eye.
 The Lee family immigrated from Korea more than 30 years ago; worked hard, raised two children and prospered. They understood that the city had to expropriate part of the land – they just didn’t understand why it was all taken. They will be paid fair price – but based on documents put into evidence at the Hearing of Necessity – the property was not needed. An immigrant family, who matriarch was now the head of the household had to listen and try to understand why 30 years of hard work was being taken from them.
Yes, they would be paid a fair price – but that wasn’t the issue. The land was theirs; it wasn’t needed by the city, but they took it anyway.
They had the power to do so. Lord Acton, who visited Burlington not that long ago, was the son of the Peer who wrote: “Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely.”
Let Councillor Cravens friends in the Beachway heed this example. The same thing is going to happen to them. Small matter that the Beachway property belongs to the Region, these municipal bureaucrats are all cut from the same cloth.
 By Pepper Parr
July 28, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON.
Once City council had lopped close to $400,000 off the payroll with the retirement of Kim Phillips and Tom Eichenbaum, the significant seven did their usual non-debatable statements and then took a six week break – they will be back right after Labour Day.
 Ward 2 Councillor Meed Ward is looking at the financial side of the city much more these days. As chair of the Community and Corporate Services committee she shepherds the budget review through the Standing Committee and has brought a much more feisty approach to that process. Ward 2 Councillor Marianne Meed Ward said they were going to be away for a “short period of time” and the Mayor reminded Cogeco listeners that the members of council would be doing there door to door thing – given that this is an election year. The Mayor said you could expect to see him at your door as well – even though he is running against himself – and on that basis a number of people think he could lose.
 Director of Finance Joan Ford does a great job of providing the data and her department does a good job of collecting the taxes as well. It’s the spending side that is causing the long term financial stress. Ms Ford doesn’t do the spending. In approving the reports from the Standing Committee on Community Services there was mention of a report that was “received as information only” in which the Finance department set out what the tax hit for 2015 might be. There was no discussion about this at Council – but it’s something you might want to print out and stick under their noses when they come calling for your support.
In 2010 Council set the budget for 2011 and came up with a 0% increase, due in large measure to the first time citizens saw Councillor Sharman’s “bull in the china” shop approach to getting what he wanted. At the beginning of the term that is coming to an end, Mayor Goldring spoke of a 10% increase over the four year term. They came close. You won’t be so lucky in the next term – the projection is for a 4% increase each year for the four years.
Here is how Finance explained it all. Council was being given the parameters on which staff will prepare the 2015 budget. The framework presented in the report outlined principles that have been recognized by Council as important policy decisions, as well as highlighting budget drivers that will impact the 2015 budget.
By way of background, in November of 2012 Council approved a Long Term Financial Plan which outlined strategic objectives to ensure financial sustainability and responsible financial management; that is what Finance will be working from as they develop the 2015 budget.
On March 4, 2014, Council received the 20-Year Simulation of Forecasted Budget Drivers, which provided “a high level overview of major budget drivers and expected future tax rate impacts”. Inherent in the annual operating budget process are the normal pressures of inflation, growth, resources and fluctuating revenues, compounded by infrastructure renewal costs. This forecast as presented continues to recognize the anticipated drivers for the 2015 budget year resulting in;
2.1% increase to maintain existing services
0.6% to address corporate pressures
1.3% to address increased infrastructure funding
The above brings the forecasted increase to 4%.”
 The significant seven – how many of the rascals will get re-elected. The Mayor appears to be on the way to acclamation, but there are at least three council members who are at some risk risk. Finance was good enough to point out that this is an election year, and staff want to ensure that the framework includes the important policy decisions of this council while not pre-supposing any budget decisions for the incoming council. What they are saying is that this bunch of rascals had a plan but the next bunch of rascals don’t have to live with it.
The 2015 budget will ensure the following;
- Base budget tax rate changes are aligned closely with inflation, represented by the three year annual rolling average of the Consumer Price Index (Toronto). The 2011-2013 annual CPI average was 1.92%
- Ensure debt in the capital budget is used in a fiscally responsible manner, following the parameters in the city’s debt policy
- Provisions to reserves are made to ensure adequate cash flow to meet defined current and future needs
- Continued emphasis on moving forward with infrastructure renewal projects and maintain approved levies dedicated to reduce the infrastructure deficit, which is short something around $49 million
- Transition to service based budgeting and recognize value for services through the reporting of public services.
The following are highlights of the key budget drivers as identified in the 20-year simulation presented in March:
Maintain current service levels (That shouldn’t be seen as a given.)
Address areas for revenue increases/ shortfalls ICI revenue has been consistently short, a negative number in 2013 and probably another negative for 2014 when all the numbers are in.
Match growth-related cost impacts with growth revenue (assessment growth)
Manage labour costs within a workforce planning strategy
No additional Joseph Brant Hospital levy for 2015 and beyond
Dedicated infrastructure renewal levy of 1.25% as per the approved asset management funding plan
There are many initiatives currently underway that will impact the presentation of the 2015 budget. The City continues its transition to a service-based organization with a commitment to performance measurement, continuous improvement and accountability; but this is virgin territory for Burlington – expect some major hick-ups on this one.
The service portfolio currently has a total of 50 services (28 public services); this number may change as the service list is refined. Business plans summarizing the service strategy, existing service delivery, performance measures, and resources required to deliver the service at current service levels are in the review process. The 2015 current budget will be presented in both a service-based format and the traditional departmental-based format to ease the transition to a new budget presentation; that translates into close to two budgets which ramps up the staff time.
Staff continue to look for ways to improve the presentation for the capital budget and forecast. A corporate team is currently underway developing changes to the capital budget to bring the focus to infrastructure renewal projects and growth projects. The capital budget will remain a 10-year program, broken down by asset categories. However, projects that are outside the scope of infrastructure renewal or the Development Charge program (growth) will be identified separately for Council’s consideration during the budget review process.
 Sealing cracks on roads is one of the preventive maintenance tools before a road has to be rebuilt. Shave and pave has proven to be money well spent – and we are spending a lot of money on this tool. This Council has been proactive in addressing the city’s infrastructure gap, over this council term. Most recently, council approved the asset management financing plan, a balanced approach to address renewal needs over the next 20 years. Council has identified infrastructure renewal as a key priority, through the approval of dedicated infrastructure levies and continued emphasis on infrastructure projects in the capital budget.
Below is a brief timeline of the 2015 budget process. -one might add there is a magic wand in there as well. Somewhere in this time frame the city will be interviewing and hiring a new city manager who will undoubtedly want to put his finger prints on the budget documents.
Current and Capital budget overview – January 2015
Council Information Session – January 2015
Public Engagement – February 2015
Budget review – February 2015
Council budget approval – March 2015
Budget review and approval cannot occur until the New Year, after the new council has been inaugurated. Council also has to realize that municipal funding pressures in the provincial budget may impact Burlington. The province has a huge deficit it wants to reduce by 2017 – and that is not going to be easy. There is significant pressure on the province by the credit rating agencies (their ratings determine the interest rate the province has to pay) to reduce spending – some of those reductions might come out the hides of the municipal sector.
No one expects the near municipal rape of the Harris government, but those spending cuts have to come from somewhere.
Add to that the cost of the Official Plan and the costs it might create for the city. The transportation master plan (get transit in there as well) and whatever the new council decides it wants in its Strategic Plan; none of these are likely to reduce costs
Don’t forget the expanded winter control service to parking lay-bys and plowing links to primary sidewalks. Then there is the Ontario One Call service that requires all Ontario municipalities to join On1Call by June 19, 2014. Roads and Parks Maintenance annualized the cost to the city at $76,370 in 2015 plus a 25% contingency.
That comes perilously close to a $100,000 chunk out of the corporate apple and the city couldn’t register as much as a word in the way of complaint.
 Cathy Robertson has the unenviable task of knowing just when to get the snow plows out on the road and organizing her fleet so that the snow is plowed before people head for work. The Windrow in the drive way – sorry about that. The Burlington Economic Development Corporation managed to spend tens of thousands on report after report – now they will want funds to get into the game of actually doing some economic development. During the lead up to the creation of the reformed EDC all kinds of expensive ideas were flying around the room. This was an opportunity for the private sector to do what they like to do – take risks – with public money.
The Finance department adds that there might be upcoming reports from other sectors not yet brought to Council.
Mention was made of the opportunity to create a new strategic plan for 2015 and beyond, that can enable larger budget changes such as multi-year budgeting, which could shorten the review period and resource requirements, while maintaining the objectives of the Long Term Financial Plan.
That’s a little like the $60 million obligation the city took on to pay for the part of the Joseph Brant Hospital the city said we had to pay for – the requirement got laced into the budget and the taxpayers saw a new line on their tax bill. Don’t expect that cash grab to disappear once the $60 million has been collected.
Income tax was introduced to Canada as a First World War measure – that one is still with us. It is always wiser to have bureaucrats justify what they ask for every year – keeps them on their toes.
16% for the next four years eh! – and that’s the out of the gate number. Will Councillor Sharman manage to get himself re-elected and do his 0% increase for 2015 the way he did in 2011? He will want to be Mayor after that.
By Pepper Parr
July 28, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON.
They aren’t going to give up
There is something to be said about a city that has these small pockets of people who just don’t know how to give up. More than a year ago city council decided that despite the objections of more than a 300 people and against the staff recommendation they had in front of them, council decided they would sell a small stretch of waterfront land to an adjacent property owners.
 This is the view that will be lost to the public forever should the center property be sold. One wonders if the city would allow the property to be fenced off? Probably The first due date for the valuation of the property May 2014 but that had to be extended with no specific return date. The property in question is owned by both the city and the provincial Ministry of Natural Resources and they were apparently having both second thoughts as to whether or not the property should even be sold and the possible price as well.
 The view to the east from the foot of St.Paul Street. This would become one of the “windows on the lake” In their complaint the BWC argued that a “decision by Burlington City Council that is inconsistent with approved City policy and contrary to a staff report on the topic of the Water Street walkway/parkette.
 There are three parcels of land. The city currently owns the ones on the left and the right. The parcel in the centre is owned by the province and the city. The city said it would create “windows on the lake” with “minimal” amenities on the left and the right and sell the property in the centre to adjacent property owners. Deal hasn’t been done yet. Getting their complaint made turned out to be easier said than done. The Burlington Waterfront Committee first took their complaint to the provincial Ombudsman. Bureaucracies being what they are it took some time to get paper back and forth only to learn that people in Burlington do not get to take their complaints to the Ombudsman – they have to deal with Local Authority Services (LAS) which is a wholly owned subsidiary company of the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO)
In order to get your complaint before LAS one needs to lay all their cards in front of the city clerk who then normally asks for a fee of $100. That fee was waived for the Burlington Waterfront Committee.
The complaint is now in the hands of an independent investigator.
The issue has to do with an unopened road allowance known as Water Street that lies between Market St. and St. Paul St. in downtown Burlington. At one point Water Street, which no longer exists, was the main road along the lake’s edge.
Back when the city had an official waterfront advisory committee they looked into upgrading, improving and adding to the collection of Windows on the Lake. These are very small parcels of land the city owns that are at the edge of the lake and serve as places where people can sit on a bench an just enjoy the view.
When the Waterfront Advisory Committee was brought to an end the “unofficial” Burlington Waterfront Committee was formed and they have got their teeth into ensuring that the old Water Street land just doesn’t disappear into the hands of private people.
The BWC argues that if the City concludes the sale of this property, the public will lose this waterfront asset forever. At the October 2013 Committee meeting which was held in closed session, the Councillors directed staff to negotiate the sale and report back in six months despite delegations from citizens and from the Burlington Waterfront Committee (BWC) and a staff report that recommended retaining and using the land for public use. In May 2014 City Councillors extended the negotiation period with no end date. The BWC attempted to present its case again that the sale was contrary to City Policy, however the BWC delegation was ruled out of order as the specific issue on the agenda was limited to the status of negotiations.
Citizens get suspect when dates for decisions get pushed back with no real date set. Files like that tend to get lost which is what got this whole matter before the public.
 A group of citizens proposed a pathway through the properties – it never got off the ground. But when the idea was put forward – it wasn’t an election year. Burlington was the lead city in what is now known as the Lake Ontario Waterfront Trail that starts at Lake Erie and runs along the edge of Lake Ontario all the way to the Quebec border.
While the piece of land between Market and St. Paul streets is very small – it is an important part of the trail that former Toronto Mayor David Crombie created.
Like the famed Bruce Trail – these things start out as an idea and they grow. It takes council members with vision and a true understanding of what their city is about to ensure that its heritage is maintained and grown. Vision has always been a problem for this council.
Background links:
It started with the old Waterfront Advisory Committee
Waterfront Advisory died and so did the idea for more Windows on the Lake.
Private interests made their move to buy the land.
Selling the family jewels Part 1
Selling the family jewels Part 2
How the city decided to sell it.
It wasn’t a popular decision
 By Pepper Parr
July 27, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON
There are many views on the reformed Economic Development Corporation that has just held its first Board meeting. That occasion may have been the first time these men and women have met each other.
It takes time for a board to gel but Burlington doesn’t appear to want to give them even a little breathing room. At a city council workshop on commercial strategies and how zoning could be used to entice development to the city, much was made of the role the EDC was going to play in all this.
 Frank McKeown, then the Mayors Chief of Staff explains a concept to Ward 5 Councillor Paul Sharman, when the city was developing its Strategic Plan. Sharman is now in a race for his council seat, while McKeown serves as Executive Director of the reformed Economic Development Corporation of which Sharman is a city representative. EDC Executive Director Frank McKeown was in the audience and he wasn’t taking any notes. Much of the comment on what the EDC could do was coming from ward 5 Councillor Paul Sharman who also sits as one of the city representatives on the EDC Board. When that Board met a week after the city workshop there would surely have been much comment on where the direction for the EDC was to come from.
It is an arm’s length organization, funded by the city and responsible for carrying out the mandate the city gives it. What hasn’t been spelled it in really simple language is just what that mandate is.
There are some who know what it is, but they’ve not said very much about how they intend to deliver on the mandate.
To be fair, the EDC board will need some time to get its act together. The members of the Board do get paid for the work they do – there was some grumbling about that. Should they be paid? The private sector members are entitled to payment – those who hold elected office or represent a city agency should not be paid; that is called double dipping.
 One source, who has a considerable amount of experience with both the Planning Act and Community Improvements Programs, spoke on the condition that he not be identified, said that in “Burlington CIP’s are idea driven, not market driven . A CIP should not be presented without risk consideration – look around – the biggest empty office tower and shopping centre in downtown Hamilton was a community renewal plan; and so too, the downtown disaster mall in Brantford. At least for these projects we had three levels of government carefully reviewing the plans, full public participation is required, and the funding risks shared among three levels of government – the feds paying 50 cents on the dollar. All the marketing research firms said these projects would not fail – same guys who built the Titanic I guess.”
 Mayor Rick Goldring: He has a pro-active mode and when he’s confident he puts it to good use. . “So now, a new Burlington BEDC that has no cash flow, no experience, paying its Board, and modeled after the non-competitive Hydro utility which should be sold ASAP – go figure? Is it a panacea or political placebo?
“I have a lot of respect for both the Executive Director and the people in the planning department, but let’s not go in with rose colored glasses.”
Indeed let us go into this with our eyes wide open and with as much information as possible. McKeown has said the EDC he runs will be transparent; the hope is that he will be forthcoming with information on a timely basis.
 Councillor Jack Dennison, running again in ward 4 serves as a city representative on the Economic Development Corporation. Dennison has yet to see a deal he did not like. McKeown works with an 11 person board with just one member kept over from the previous board that has Gary Graham, Chairman Gowling Lafleur Henderson LLP; Rick Goldring City of Burlington; Paul Sharman City of Burlington; Jack Dennison, City of Burlington; Ruta Stauskas, Boehringer Ingelhein (Canada) Ltd.; Bonnie Prior; Appraisal Institute of Canada; Randall Smallbone Portland Investment Counsel; Michael Hanna Kylin Developments Inc.; Gordon Knack, MHPM Project Managers Inc.; Dr. David Conrath, Conrath Communications Ltd.;– President; Patrick Moyle City of Burlington.
We don’t know much about these people other than they applied to be members of the board. Dr. Conrath appears to have a very interesting resume while Kylin Developments has a web site that says they will do almost anything you want and they will do it well.
 By Ray Rivers
July 27, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON.
It sounds perverse perhaps, but this war against Russia may be the best thing for Ukraine. It has already succeeded in uniting a broken and divided nation. The western part wants to be part of the European Union (EU) community of nations and the eastern part, at least before the current occupation by terrorists, had wished they could back to the glorious old Soviet days. But as the conflict continues east and west are finding one common cause – a growing disdain for Russia.
Ukraine naively gave up its nuclear arsenal, the third largest in the world, to Russia in exchange for a treaty guaranteeing its security. Ukrainians must regret that decision now since Russia has broken its treaty commitment and invaded while the other signatories to the Budapest Memorandum washed their hands, as if their signatures meant nothing.
 There was a time when we saw Russian leader Putin as an ally – he is now being painted as a sinister and perhaps dangerous leader. Ukraine has long sampled all that Russia has to offer its satellites. Even after independence the country floated in the Russian orbit, putting off both EU and NATO memberships to avoid upsetting Mother Russia. But the example of a blossoming Poland, whose economy had rocketed following its EU membership, was just too hard to ignore for Ukrainians watching their economy decline in relative terms, and becoming one of the most corrupt places on the planet – even worse than Russia.
For all the respect world leaders accord the Russian Federation, its economy is smaller than Italy’s. Yet it punches above its weight on the global scene, given its historical place on the UN Security Council; its vast array of nuclear warheads, second only to the USA; and its huge land mass and natural resources therein. And, of course, it has sucked the EU into dependency on its natural gas, now so vital for their economies.
But Russia’s days as a fledgling democracy are over. Putin has jailed his political opponents. He has converted a once independent media into a smooth propaganda machine that turns out the facts the way he wants them to appear. No mistake about it, Putin has made the grade from elected President to virtual dictator. And true to form the downing of Malaysian jet liner by Russian insurgents in eastern Ukraine, using a Russian surface to air missile, likely co-ordinated by the Russian military is someone else’s fault.
So the alternate reality recently emanating from Russian media included a number of alternate theories, such as that dead bodies had been placed in the plane, a kind of ‘zombie’ vessel, and set to explode over rebel occupied territory to embarrass them, or that the Ukrainian air force had actually shot down the plane thinking it was Putin returning from Brazil.
Of course the west is partly to blame for this conflict – at least by how is has responded. NATO is in shambles, having been neglected for decades while member countries reducing their defense budgets every year. The pleas for more NATO support in the Baltic and south eastern member states have fallen on deaf ears as leaders reflect on what NATO was actually trying to accomplish in Afghanistan.
And Ukraine’s future EU partners are sleep walking, reticent to make Putin pay for his aggression and the disruption of a world order form which the Russian economy benefited so well – exports of natural gas for imported weapons to modernize Russia’s military.
 Is the future of the western world in the hands of these two men? It is not the west’s fault that the Ukrainian army was run into the ground over the last couple decades, nor that it has taken the nation this long to realize that a brighter future lies sleeping with the rest of Europe and not Russia. And it isn’t the west’s fault that Ukraine is on the cusp of bankruptcy as a result of corruption and its treasury having been plundered by the former president. But it is our fault that we have not reacted more quickly and more substantially. Doing so might have caught this current conflict in the bud.
The world order has changed again, though it seems only a few years ago that Russia was a partner rather than an enemy. Whether it is Putin’s unobtainable strategy, his ego or his disdain for the west, he has changed the way we will look at east-west relations for a long time. And even if Putin pulled back his mercenaries in Ukraine and stopped shelling their common border, he’d still have to explain the Malaysian air tragedy for which he bears ultimate responsibility. And after this is over Ukraine will have found its inner self and Russia, hopefully, found a new leader.
Corruption Airliner Shot Down Airliner Blame Game Putin The Nuclear Issue Russia Gone Rogue Propaganda Ukraine Conflict
Russian alternate Reality Canadian Support
 Ray Rivers writes weekly on both federal and provincial politics, applying his more than 25 years as a federal bureaucrat to his thinking. Rivers was a candidate for provincial office in Burlington where he ran against Cam Jackson in 1995, the year Mike Harris and the Common Sense Revolution swept the province. He developed the current policy process for the Ontario Liberal Party.
 By Staff
July 27, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON.
With no ward debates planned, except for ward 4 where a debate is scheduled for October 1 with Maureen Tilson-Dyment moderating a panel of three journalists, who will have questions for the candidates. Get a ticket to this one.
Without debates in each ward, all the best candidates can do is knock on doors and hope that people spread the word.
What we might be seeing is a media release campaign where candidates send out their statements and positions on issues and hope that media pick up what they produce.
The Gazette will be publishing almost everything it gets.
Some candidates, notably Jennifer Hlusko running in ward 6, are making exceptional use of social media. Hlusko gets something out on her blog almost daily and covers a wide range of issues.
 The Skyway Plaza is seen as a location with an absentee landlord who does not want to talk to anyone about improving the property. The city has wanted to see something done with this location and the sitting council member appears to have made it an election issue in his ward. Direct the Director of Planning and Building and request the Executive Director of the Burlington Economic Development Corporation as follows:
Prepare a series of re-development options for the site based on intensive mixed use re-development and approach the owners of the property with the redevelopment plans; and
Investigate and report on the authority available to permit the use of incentives for re-developing the site, and
Provide an estimate of the resources needed to prepare and implement a Community Improvement Plan.
And it didn’t take the planner very long to pull together a committee and start figuring out what they could take back to Council in September. They had a committee set up within a week.
The Economic Development Corporation had yet to hold its first board meeting when the Staff Direction was approved. It would be interesting to hear what the Board thought of the Sharman idea.
Not quite so fast was Smith’s response. There is a public that has to be involved. “In preparing to run for city council” Smith said, “I have studied Community Planning in other cities, notably in Toronto. I can tell council that Burlington needs to do a couple of things to establish any Community Improvement Planning (CIP) process; we need to have a CIP specifically sanctioned in our Official Plan – and that is already in place. However; according to the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing: “The Planning Act requires that public meetings be held before a community improvement plan can be considered by council”.
Smith has been campaigning since April on a 3 for 5 platform; three policy ideas for Burlington’s Ward 5. Basically he is focusing on how the city plans, how people get around the city and how we pay for the city we want.
 There is a single ice pad arena at the rear of the plaza that the city felt could be part of a land assembly to do something significant. Smith however has several major concerns including the failure to follow proper council procedure. The staff direction “was not presented to the public for discussion – unless you count my proposal on my website (3for5.ca) nor was the idea presented to a committee as is the accepted and normal practice.”
Smith adds that: “This proposal for a staff direction to study a CIP was also not circulated to council prior to their last meeting of the summer. Rather it came as a surprise agenda item. This oversight makes me question the skill, ability and experience of a sitting city Councillor at the end, rather the beginning of his term and makes me further question his motives.”
Smith points out that the East End of Burlington is a gateway to the City for the vast majority of residents, businesses, and visitors. Lakeside plaza is only one of many under-utilized resources in the East End. The present Councillor may not agree, but the East End should be playing a major role in the development of the city.”
Smith wants whatever is done “to be a legitimate process”, and adds that we “need to remember Burlington has an engagement charter that is supposed to be city policy, Community Planning is too important to the future of our city and to Ward 5 to have it be predetermined by yet another secret back room deal, we’ve had enough of those in the past few years.”
 A very large park space is adjacent to the recreation centre which is at the rear of the plaza – which many feel has the makings of a significant opportunity to develop the east end of the city.
 Frank McKeown, then the Mayors Chief of Staff explains a concept to Ward 5 Councillor Paul Sharman. McKeown went on to become the Executive Director of the reformed Economic Development Corporation which Sharman wants to do something to revive the east end of the city. Smith added: “Far too often with the present Ward 5 Councillor, public meetings and engagement mean window dressing; in other words, tell citizens what the city has decided after decisions have already been made. We can’t let this continue to happen! We need to go beyond the present Ward 5 councilor’s timid and sneaky proposal, a proposal that illustrates his record as a city Councillor, a record that can be summed up best as Ready, Fire, Aim!”
The gloves are off in ward 5.
Background links:
How that staff direction got passed.
By Pepper Parr
July 21, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON
He will begin his second year of life on Tuesday. HRH Prince George Alexander Louis of Cambridge, the fourth in line to the Throne and the person, who will at some point become the Monarch of Canada, is also the recipient of a handsomely bound Book of Best Wishes from the people of Burlington.
The idea for the Book of Best Wishes came from the community and was made real by a small committee of four people: Joe Veitch, Susan Fraser, Selina McCall and publisher of the Burlington Gazette Pepper Parr.
Once the fundamentals were in place the group met with the Mayor to get a buy in at that level. While the initiative came from the community, it was important for the city to be onside. The Mayor loved the idea – “cool” he said, and then suggested that the signing period be extended a few days to include Canada Day.
 No fancy “apps” in the classic binding business. Our binder is in the business of restoring ancient volumes and making presentation copies of original work. We are looking forward to their doing our binding for 50 years and then some. Joe Veitch recruited the volunteers needed to be at the tables, where people could sign the sheets and write their greeting.
 This banner, which stood 7 feet high was set out wherever the public was invited to sign the Book of Best Wishes. The challenge now is for the “trust” running this project, to determine what the picture will be for next year. Joan Krygsman and Selina McCaul, designed the banner. First time out on this project, we learned a lot of lessons – almost everything ended up costing more than we had planned.
Many wondered why they couldn’t see the finished product, when they were signing. We had people at a number of places on the same day – and we didn’t know how many signatures we were going to manage to collect – and thus didn’t know how thick the book was going to be.
Special metal plates had to be made for the gold embossing that was to be stamped into the leather. We would set the type, send it to the book binder, who would have the metal plate made. We had to do some guessing as to how many signatures might be collected – that would determine the thickness of the book and also the size of the plate that had to be made.
The book couldn’t be shown to anyone until it was bound and it couldn’t be bound until all the pages with signatures had been collected..
To get around this problem we endured the expense of having a demonstration copy made – a book bound the way the actual version was to be bound, but with blank pages inside.
One doesn’t just send a book to a Prince. Anything of any significance that gets sent to members of the Royal family, goes through the offices of the Governor General at Rideau Hall in Ottawa. Rideau Hall, home of the Governor General has staff that communicates with the various members of the Royal family – well not the Dukes or Princes or the Duchesses personally – but with their staff. All this communication is bound by more protocol than you can imagine.
Because the Book of Best Wishes was a new idea, it took a bit of talking to convince Rideau Hall to go along with us; it wasn’t until they saw a picture of a sample binding that they understood just what we had in mind.
 Citizens signing the Book of Best Wishes at the Burlington Library on New Street. The Mayor convinced us to set up in Spencer Smith Park on Canada Day – that worked out very well.
 Burlington Gazette publisher Pepper Parr works with binder Keith Felton on the way pages will be gathered together for binding into the first Book of Best Wishes being sent to HRH Prince George Alexander Louis to celebrate his first birthday. The volume was ready in a few days and shipped to Ottawa where it had to be x-rayed before it could be accepted and then sent off to Kensington Palace where the Prince will celebrate his very first birthday.
We have no idea if the Prince will actually see the book – who knows how Royal Families work, but we believe that the parents will see and handle the book – and perhaps wonder just where Burlington is anyway.
The project has been organized as a “trust” so that its members can replicate themselves and ensure that a Book of Best Wishes is sent to the Prince every birthday of his life.
There is more to the project – stay tuned.
 By Pepper Parr
July 21, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON.
The Skyway Plaza, an east end commercial location that is as close to a suburban slum as Burlington is going to see, has suddenly become headline news – especially in ward 5, where Councillor Paul Sharman senses he might be facing a tough opponent in the October municipal election.
Forlorn looking Skyway Plaza – looking for someone to save the place – but the owners seems content to leave it as it is. Has the Council member made the site an election issue? There is a basement bowling alley that hasn’t been used in years. There was once a Swiss Chalet; the Shoppers Drug Mart has a very faded sign and you’ll not have a problem getting a parking spot. To the rear of the plaza, there is a single pad arena that could use an upgrade.
Councillor Sharman has been doing everything he can for the past three years to get something going, but has gotten absolutely no traction with the absentee owner of the property. At one Standing Committee meeting, then city manager, Jeff Fielding suggested that the city could pool the property it has to the rear of the plaza and come up with a major development opportunity. What would it take to get to that point, asked Sharman? A staff direction would get us started, replied Fielding. But that wasn’t enough.
Sharman has made phone calls – dropped into offices in Toronto – nothing.
When Council went into a Workshop setting a week or so ago to look at ideas and opportunities to put some oomph into the commercial side of the city’s finances – Sharman was all over the idea of doing something with the best opportunity he has of raising his profile during an election year.
During that Workshop July 7th, mention was made of Community Improvement Programs (CIP). There wasn’t much more than a mention of CIP’s during the Workshop, but that mention was enough to get Sharman moving.
At the city council meeting of the 14th, Councillor Sharman put forward what Councillor Taylor called a Walk On motion, that few saw before it was actually presented. Sharman didn’t inform his colleagues – other than the mayor – but he did manage to get a majority of council to allow the motion.
Sharman explained in a telephone conversation. that getting the memo on the motion he had planned to put forward was left in the hands of the Clerk. Apparently planner Bruce Kruchelnicki was drafting at least a part of the document and was to send it along to the Clerk – who apparently failed to get it out to the other members of Council.
That comes pretty close to saying the dog ate my homework excuse – limp and lame if you ask me.
Much of the debate on the Sharman motion was at times contentious, if not nasty, but they managed to agree on a Staff Direction that went as follows:
DIRECTION REGARDING LAKESIDE PLAZA
Direct the Director of Planning and Building and request the Executive Director of the Burlington Economic Development Corporation as follows:
- Prepare a series of re-development options for the site based on intensive mixed use re-development and approach the owners of the property with the redevelopment plans; and
- Investigate and report on the authority available to permit the use of incentives for re-developing the site, and
- Provide an estimate of the resources needed to prepare and implement a Community Improvement Plan. (SD-23-14)
A Recorded Vote was requested by Councillor Dennison on the above recommendation, resulting in the following:
IN FAVOUR: Councilors Craven, Dennison, Sharman, Lancaster and Mayor Goldring
No one in Halton has done a CIP in more than 20 years; no one seemed to know all that much about the things – until Councillor Meed Ward informed Council that the downtown development group knew all about the things and that all they had to do was ask Special Business Area Coordinator Jody Wellings, who has been looking for ways to make a CIP work for the downtown core and Aldershot, but no one has actually asked Ms Wellings to do anything – yet.
Back in the 70’s and 80’s the provincial government made some money available for CIP type projects – but that tap got turned off and it isn’t likely to get turned on again.
However Wellings knows her stuff and she will get more than a chance to set out some of the potential at a meeting planned for tomorrow. Unusual for a team to get put together quite that fast. Is the force behind all this the Sharman Staff Direction or is it the EDC exercising some of the muscle it is supposed to have?
What was evident during the debate was the total lack of process – matters like this get brought to a Standing Committee, where input from staff enhances the debate. But that wasn’t the route Councillor Sharman wanted to take – he has an election he wants to win, and he needs an issue that puts more space between him and what looks like a strong contender.
The city owned area, with a very large play field area is right behind the plaza – this is what the city hopes to attract developers to – possible? With discussion about spending money for community improvement elsewhere in Burlington on the table, Ward 1 Councillor Rick Craven mentioned that Aldershot likes the look of those Community Improvement Projects as well.
The reformed Economic Development Corporation (EDC) looks as if it is going to become the financial saviour of the city. During the workshop on the 7th – several references were made on how the EDC could work with the city and the role it would play in getting the Skyway Plaza situation fixed. Executive Director Frank McKeown was in the audience, but he wasn’t taking notes.
The EDC board met for the first time on the 15th – the day after Council approved the Staff Direction requesting that it jump into bed with the city on this one. Sharman is a city representative on the EDC board.
The elephant in the room is the massive shopping centre planned for the other side of the Burlington/ Oakville border – blocks away from Skyway. Why all the fuss and bother over a Council Workshop and a Staff Direction? Burlington now knows that it cannot expect to pull in the kind of revenue it used to on development charges – it now has to expand the tax base on the Industrial, Commercial and Institutional (ICI) sector and it has reformed the EDC to make that happen.
The end run that Sharman did at Council before it rose for the summer looked like corporate shenanigans – not a good sign.
The expropriation done at Plains Road left at lot to be desired in terms of the way a property owner was treated. More on that on another day.
 By Staff
July 20, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON
There is something about a pleasant summer evening when one can take in some entertainment and smell the trees and the mid summer blossoms.
 A summer dance event – eight choreographed pieces with an impromptu flash mob event anyone can take part in. Could be fun. KooGle Theatre Company is presenting “A Magical Evening of Dance”, supported by Dance Ontario and the Halton Dance Network through an Ontario Trillium Grant. Co-Directed by Leslie Gray and Joanne Ferguson. Burlington’s outdoor dance event features the works of 8 local professional and emerging choreographers, with over 40 local dancers, ages 9-senior.
The event will take place on August 12, 14, 19 and 21, 2014 at 7pm, Central Park Bandshell, 2311 New Street, Burlington. Pay-What-You-Can (suggested $5-10). If it rains the show will move inside the Music Centre.
Also looking for all ages to join a flash mob. One of the dances in A Magical Evening of Dance will have a flash mob portion for local community, dancers and non-dancers to participate. Rehearsals will take place on Sunday July 20 from 7-9pm, Saturday August 9 from 1-3pm and Tuesday August 12 approx 2-4pm. Email info@koogletheatre.com for more information. You do not need to be available for all show dates (August 12, 14, 19 and 21 at 7pm) but the more the merrier.
Flash mobs are a different form of social organization. The Gray’s have to be given credit for using this approach to an event. The eight choreographers will be doing something they have thought through and worked on for some time. The flash mob will come out of the audience at an appropriate time in the program and do their thing. Leslie Gray has absolutely no idea what she is going to have to work with. Whoever shows up is in. The fist opportunity to be part of this event – which could be a lot of fun – is Sunday evening. I know – short notice but there are other evenings when you can show up and get your time in the limelight. Dates are in bold above.
Try it.
 By Pepper Parr
July 19, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON.
Well – it wasn’t transparency at its best was it?
Interim city manager Pat Moyle took Council through his take on where the city is in terms of its growth; what has to be done and wasn’t isn’t as necessary as it used to be in terms of where the city is in its growth.
He then took Council into a closed session where he clearly got into the nitty gritty of it all and had council agree that at least part of the “new” structure should be put in place now.
Next thing was to tell the public. There was a little confusion as to just how this was going to be done. Moyle explained that he had staff meeting the following day after which he would issue an announcement. He said that would happen at around noon on the Tuesday.
 She started out as a life guard for the city a long time ago. If there was a project she believed in she gave it her best. Community engagement and someone to manage the cultural opportunities were files she wasn’t able to completely close. Kim Phillips however was the best Clerk Burlington had in the past 50 years – no small feat. Then – not a word until Thursday when a laudatory media release on General Manager Kim Phillips and Director of Engineering Tom Eichenbaum whose retirements had been made public at the Monday Council meeting. Tucked in at the bottom of that media release was the following:
With the retirement of Phillips and Eichenbaum, the city is making the following organizational changes:
Corporate strategic initiatives and engineering will be amalgamated into a new capital works department, responsible for the construction and renewal of the city’s capital assets, including buildings, roads, bridges and culverts.
Allan Magi will become the executive director of capital works effective Aug. 1, 2014.
On an interim basis, the clerks and fire departments will report to Pat Moyle, interim city manager, and parks and recreation will report to Scott Stewart, general manager of development and infrastructure.
Nothing earth shaking there. Moyle has explained in the past that the fire department is the largest staff expense and should report directly to the city manager. It was just difficult to understand why it took two and a half days to get all that out – and so very little in terms of detail.
Both Moyle and his predecessor Jeff Fielding knew that it was time for both Phillips and Eichenbaum to move on. With the legal problems on the pier resolved there was no reason to continue to pay Eichenbaum. There was nothing useful coming from the pen of Phillips – that gave Moyle an opportunity to cut the payroll by close to $400,000.
It also cleared the decks and left some room for whoever is brought in as the new city manager, probably sometime in February of next year, to create their own staffing structure.
Moyle, who saw Burlington through the lens of the regional Chief Administrator where he served for six years, has a very clear big picture. With Director of Finance Joan Ford running the financial side of the city and Scott Stewart running the departments that matters, the city should be able to get to the end of the year with the staffing compliment it has.
All the departments have submitted their 2015 budget numbers which will get to the public almost the day after the new council gets sworn in. It is at that time that the public will get a close look at the Results Based Accountability (RBA) the city has embraced.
Former city manager Jeff Fielding brought that concept to Burlington. He put it to very effective use in London Ontario where he was city manager. RBA is not a new idea but it is certainly a different approach to the running of a city. It took London sometime to get the hang of it – it will take Burlington even longer.
This city’s finance department is as good as it gets – their challenge is going to be to get the rest of the crew at city hall on board.
Accountability was not a word that got much use as the city bid good luck and adieu to Phillips and Eichenbaum.
By Staff
July 20, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON.
The latest challenge to Enbridge’s plans to expand the flow in its Sarnia to Montreal pipeline and begin shipping diluted bitumen from the Alberta tar sands took place at a dig on a portion of the Line 9 pipeline in North Dumfries Thursday morning.
 Line 9 runs right through rural Burlington; a break would leak highly toxic oil into creeks and streams that run through the city into Lake Ontario. There was a similar action earlier this week in Etobicoke. The Chippewas of the Thames First Nation has won the right to appeal the March National Energy Board decision that had seemed to clear the way for the controversial project.
And in a further blow to Enbridge’s potential bitumen export plans through an ocean port in Maine, massive public intervention has convinced the South Portland city council to block tar sands passage through that city. On July 9, the council voted 6-1 to “prohibit loading crude oil, including tar sands, in bulk onto marine tank vessels and would block construction or expansion of terminals and other facilities for that purpose” at a meeting attended by nearly 500 people. A ratification vote is scheduled for July 21.
Burlington hasn’t been quite that aggressive – it isn’t in our DNA, but we did send a letter to Enbridge telling them we weren’t very happy and the city did organize a meeting at which residents were able to talk directly to Enbridge staff. Line 9 runs right through rural Burlington and while it hasn’t sprung a leak yet – or at least not one the public knows about – ther is a concern that many feel is just not being addressed.
“This isn’t just about line 9 – or Northern Gateway. Should there ever be a break in the line it will have an immediate and direct impact on the creeks that run from the Escarpment to Lake Ontario.”
In a statement the protesters said: “We know that there is a lot of public debate about oil pipelines because we are beginning to see that the old ways of doing business are no longer acceptable because of issues like global climate change and species extinction.”
In an echo of Enbridge’s actions in Hamilton and elsewhere along Line 9, it has been revealed that Trans Canada has given $30,000 to one of the Ontario towns in the path of its pipeline in return for a promise that the town will not comment on Energy East. Enbridge handed out monies along Line 9 to municipal governments and police forces including nearly $45,000 to the Hamilton police department.
 Line 9 crossing on Walkers \Line – also happens to be a favourite spot for the Regional Police to hide their speed traps – talk about toxic! The grant to Mattawa came with a written agreement that stated “the Town of Mattawa will not publicly comment on TransCanada’s operations or business projects. It has never been revealed if there were conditions attached to the Hamilton grants from Enbridge, but the Hamilton 350 Committee is continuing to seek provincial intervention to block the police from accepting corporate donations.
Background links:
Did Burlington get bought off?
Listen to the evidence.
 By Pepper Parr
July 18, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON.
The fat is about to get dropped into the fire.
The Burlington Executive Air Park Inc., has hired a locally based firm of consulting engineers to guide them as they seek site plan approval.
 Vince Rossi, president of the Burlington Executive Air Park and believed to be the sole shareholder of the private company, has hired a firm of local engineers to help him prepare an application for a site plan. Amazing – after paying out more than $60,000 in fees to the city of Burlington for court cases that needn’t have taken place, Vince Rossi has seen the light and decided that he will seek permission to change the lay of the land he owns between Appleby Line and Bell School Line.
The city was in the last stages of a process that will result in the imposition of a revised site plan by law which was due to go to the Development and Infrastructure Sanding Committee last week. That report was apparently withdrawn and it will not go to Standing Committee until the fall by which time the Air Park will have filed their site plan and come under the old bylaw rather the one that has been vetted by every agency and council within the Region.
Is the city letting an opportunity slip through their fingers?
Will it ever see a site plan application from Burlington Air Park Inc.?
 There is a reported $400 million + in mortgages on the property. More questions than answers on this file. The elephant in the room is the 200 acres of land and the $4 + million in mortgages on the property.
What is now out on the table is Mr. Rossi’s latest gesture to the community – perhaps a let’s kiss and make up? His Letter to the Editor, published yesterday irritated a few people but appears to be a yawn to most.
Link to the Letter
By Staff
July 16, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON
The fish aren’t biting and there is a line up at the library for internet access.
This summer break is – relaxing. Brought along several books and enjoying th time over lazy evening meals that go on until the wine bottles are empty.
Writing like crazy – lots to publish when we get back.
Was thinking about the major stories as we get into August and take better looks at all the candidates who have nominated themselves for public office.
 Will this stretch of land remain public or will it get sold to private interests and be lost forever to the pubic? Former Mayor Mary Munro has some strong views on any sale Wondering where things are with the provincial ministry of natural resources and that bit of property south of Lakeshore Road along the edge of the lake that your city council is prepared to sell but the natural resources people are thinking about.
The Gazette has moved into a summer mode – that doesn’t mean we are not publishing – we just aren’t publishing as much.
There will be material up every day and we can monitor events from the cottage – just as long as we are able to hop along to the library where there is WiFi access.
Catch you full time on the 21st
By Staff
July 16, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON.
John Sweeney has said he will not be running for office even though he blew $100 to nominate himself as a council member in ward 4. He hasn’t withdrawn – yet. He wants to keep his name out there and be able to comment on what he feels are matters of interest – and he certainly has things to say about the structure of the new Economic Development Corporation.
 wev Sweeney asked Mayor Goldring and Ward 4 Councillor Jack Dennison to comment on several questions:
Here is what they had to say:
Sweeney points out that “they did not answer all of the questions. They did some of the politician “side-step” or just answering the portion of a question that they wanted to instead of just answering in its entirety. They do however confirm that the Board of the BEDC will be compensated and the costs will increase but they are not sure by how much.
Dennison points out that he, Councillor Sharman, the Mayor, the city manager and General Manger Scott Stewart will sit on the board – Stewart will not have a vote.
“The burning platform, according to Dennison “is the fact that Burlington is the slowest growing city in the GTA and the oldest city.
As a result, our increase in assessment growth is projected to be .50% in 2014 compared to 1.5%, 3 years ago and 3% 10 years ago.
This slow growth, if not acted upon, will create tax rate increases higher than we would like and service reduction as well.
In addition any additional growth we can get from the ICI Sector pays approximately double what residential pays for identical assessment, while generally not putting additional strain on infrastructure.
Sweeney wanted to know: Why the rush to get this done? Is there a phased option? Repurpose BEDC right now and then spend some more time on the specifics of the hold/devco options. The current budget for BEDC is established and approved why not wait until next year and makes this part of the OP and also secures the support of the Council in place after the election since they will be executing it.
The response: The new BEDC will be a more structured, focused and purposeful organization that will take some time to transition.
Councillor Jack Dennison sits on the board of the reformed Economic Development Corporation – expect him to urge that they be both direct and aggressive. First, get the new board and CEO in place. Secondly, focus on more aggressive strategies around attraction and retention and then pursue development opportunities that could include land banking and partnering with developers
Why is it “For Profit”? Why not a “Non-profit” structure?
We want BEDC to have the potential to act as a developer if necessary. That does not mean that BEDC has to generate profits no matter what.
If the end result is to have a Servco capability, this could save tax payers money and potentially have a for profit component that could also reduce the continual strain on the city operating budget.
3/ Is there an increased cost? Different skill sets, higher salaries, more people?
Yes – although the specific details are yet to be clearly defined.
4/ Is the current BEDC Board compensated? Will the new BEDC Board be compensated? How much? Will the members of the interim board be eligible for the new board?
The governance of the new BEDC will be created similar to Burlington Hydro which does pay directors. Last year, directors were compensated in the $10 – $12k range.
5/ Who will have the “controlling” interest on the board of directors?
The board will report to council in the same way Burlington Hydro reports to council.
There will be 3 reps from the city on a board including the City Manager or designate, Mayor and one Councillor.
6/ How will we measure and ensure that we focus on economic development and jobs instead of making profit for the various “ventures”?
The focus will be on jobs and assessment growth. Making “profit” could be a secondary outcome.
7/ If I am a private developer that does not want to/need to work with BEDC Inc., am I at a disadvantage? How will I be supported? Do I have to pay for it?
 Mayor Rick Goldring may find himself talking to a lot of business people about the new economic development corporation. Absolutely not. The role of BEDC will be to guide developers through the process. In fact, I see the potential for a rep from BEDC to literally knock on doors of landowners to advise them of the tremendous potential they have and offer to help. Existing, aging strip malls are a classic example of an opportunity to rezone as mixed use with retail and office below and residential above, all using existing services.
8/ Is it really appropriate to have allow this organization to spend up to $1,000,000 without going to council?
Currently the budget of BEDC is over $1 million so they can spend their budget the way they see fit. Another view was that the budget approval does have a level of specifics and Council is expecting that funds be spent with-in those guidelines.
Expect to hear more on this once the public, particularly the business community gets a clearer idea as to just what is happening at BEDC. Executive Director (why didn’t’ they make him president) Frank McKeown has his work cut out for the next few months getting some clarity out into the public realm.
By Vince Rossi
July 15, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON.
It has been suggested that I am suing a number of people who have publicly opposed the expansion of the Burlington Executive Airpark to try to shut them up. Nothing could be further from the truth.
 Mr. Rossi focuses on the water testing reports – which are a serious concern. Most people think it is far too early to tell if the water table is being contaminated. Little is known about where much of the landfill came from. \that it was dumped with out a site plan is seen as outrageous to almost everyone. Mr. Rossi makes no mention of his “unlicensed landfill operation”. The fact is I welcome debate on the future of the Airpark, the important role it plays in our community, and the future potential it represents in terms of jobs and economic opportunity.
The reason I am suing is because despite repeated attempts to reason with this small group of people, they continue to knowingly spread false information that is damaging both to the Airpark and to me personally.
Seven different reports by independent third-parties including Halton Region, the Ontario Ministry of the Environment, Environment Canada, and Pinchin Environmental have found no safety issues with the commercial fill we have been using as part of the planned expansion of the Airpark. These same reports conclude that local well water and soil quality are not being negatively affected by any of our expansion activities.
Despite this overwhelming evidence, the opponents of the Airpark continue to engage in fear-mongering. They rely on a single report that is full of errors and omissions – so much so that it has been discredited by the provincial environment ministry.
If they were being completely transparent, they would admit that this is a run-of-the-mill commercial dispute. Nothing more.
The leader of this group owns a horse farm just north of the Airpark. She apparently feels that we cannot co-exist even though the Airpark at its current location since 1962. It’s equally apparent that she feels she is unlikely to gain much sympathy if the public knew the true nature of the dispute, and that it revolves around her own financial interests.
 There is the belief in the minds of many that the tonnes of landfill dumped on air park property without adequate testing has the potential to seriously damage the water table. Rossi argues that six of seven reports prove him right – then why the problems with Freedom of Information requests ask the citizens of rural Burlington. Despite all the evidence to the contrary she and others insist in referring to the single flawed report. Trust me, if I could get them to stop suggesting that local well water is being contaminated without having to go to court, I wouldn’t be in court. As it is, going to court is my only recourse.
 Vince Rossi, president of the Burlington Executive Air Park and believed to be the sole shareholder of the private company, at a meeting in a barn one property away from the end of one of his two runways. The Airpark is a key transportation and training facility that also provides a vital humanitarian role, facilitating organ donation flights and patient transfers to local hospitals that don’t have heli-pads or landing facilities. Police, military and search and rescue teams regularly use the Airpark, as well.
In short, the Airpark is an essential community and regional asset, and the case for expansion is compelling. It will create even more opportunities for employment, training and economic development in our area.
I welcome discussion on the future of the Airpark and I am more than happy to work with my neighbours and the community at large to find a way forward. My only request is that we stick to the facts.
Vince Rossi is the owner of the Burlington Executive Airpark.
By Staff
July 16, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON.
Burlington got the McMaster University DeGroote campus but it doesn’t seem to make all that much of a difference to the city – stuck out in a field the way it is.
The campus was supposed to be located in downtown Burlington but like many things planned for the downtown core – that one got away.
Halton regional council voted Wednesday of last week to throw its support behind Wilfrid Laurier University’s efforts to establish a full service campus, adjacent to the Mattamy National Cycling Centre (Milton velodrome).
 Velodrome construction: site has room for a full scale campus if the province goes along with Wilfred Laurier University setting up a satellite campus. seems to be a better deal than Burlington got with McMaster. The campus would provide a range of undergraduate, liberal arts, science and professional programs and a full range of student services for approx. 2,500 students.
Milton has pledged to donate 150 acres of land to Laurier for a new campus including 100 acres of protected land and 50 acres within the proposed 400-acre Milton Education Village (west of Tremaine Road, between Derry Rd. and Britannia Rd.)
Burlington has never managed to exercise the clout it should have at the Regional level. Chair Gary Carr is reported to have said to one candidate for municipal office that Burlington doesn’t seem to fully appreciate the role it can play and gets out-muscled by both Oakville and Milton. The leadership needed by Burlington at the Region just never seems to materialize.
Burlington Council members often go to the Region with different agendas and objectives – frequently not as a team with a consistent objective. We saw that with the Beachway issue.
John Taylor who is experiencing a full-scale snit over the advocacy for safe bike lanes on New Street when the re-surfacing of that road takes place in the near future, argues that the Burlington city council does not pull together all that often. Others argue that because it is a small council – 7 people – it develops a sense of collegiality but at the same time allows each council member to go their own way.
The council members tend to get very territorial as well and fail to recognize that while they are elected to represent a specific ward they are also in place to look after the interests of the city as a whole.
At one city council workshop Councillor Craven spoke in favour of rules that would keep council members out of the turf of another council member. Councillor Meed Ward gave did her best to set him straight on just what the role of a council member is.
Councillor Taylor found himself stepping in for a ward 1 resident in the Beachway who had no water for nine months (don’t ask why – it gets complicated in the Beachway). Councillor Craven was livid.
As much as Mayor Goldring would like to believe that he heads up – doesn’t lead – a collective that is working towards the same goal – it isn’t so.
Milton had no problem agreeing on the donation of a large piece of property in a prime location – 2500 students. Imagine something like that happening to Burlington?
By Pepper Parr
July 14, 2014
BURLINGTON. ON.
We received an email on Friday advising us that:
The office of The Duke and Duchess thought it extremely kind of the people of the City of Burlington to think of Prince George in this way. The book of greetings left Rideau Hall this afternoon for London and will be delivered to Kensington Palace on Monday, July 14th. Baby George will have it in time for his birthday!
The people who worked very hard during the month of June to make this happen were delighted. When the project was in the thinking stage the group, organized as the Burlington Royal Reading Trust, didn’t realize that their lead hand was going to have hip replacement surgery which would keep him off his feet for a number of weeks.
Joe Veitch took the reins and pulled together the volunteers who manned the tables at the Seniors’ Centre, the library and Tansley Woods, while Susan Fraser covered Hayden High and the Haber Recreational Centre.
Interim city manager Pat Moyle was kind enough to get us a pass on the fees for a tent and a table that was set up on Canada Day in Spencer Smith Park.
It was truly a collaborative event – and with the first year behind us we can now move forward and make this an annual event that will have Burlington seen as a city that appreciate and acknowledges its history – which will be a lot better than that magazine award that says we are the best mid-sized city in the country.
 Spine of the Book of Best Wishes with its gold embossing and finely tooled markings. Our binder Felton Bookbinding in Georgetown did superb work for us and Cora Brittan did excellent work as the calligrapher – while she was nursing a broken ankle.
Unfortunately few people got to see the quality of the binding and the superb calligraphy because the Book of Best Wishes was sent to the Prince.
 Cover of the leather bound book of Best Wishes that went to Prince George for his first birthday. We did have a duplicate copy of the book with blank pages so next year people will be able to see what we are sending. We will also have the calligraphy work done further in advance and make copies for the public to see.
The original plan was to have the Book of Best Wishes presented to city council where members would formally sign the book while the Town Crier rang his bell and addressed the members of Council.
Democracy being what it is and communications frequently showing us that we sometimes get it terribly wrong we found ourselves with a Town Crier who was double booked, a city council agenda with 12 delegations and a mis-communication with a city general manager and the Clerk’s office.
 From the left: MP Mike Wallace proudly displaying the Book of Best Wishes that went to the Prince as a first birthday card, Councillor Jack Dennison, Joe Veitch, without whom the Book of Best Wishes would never have been done; Mayor Rick Goldring who was an early supporter of the project, Councillor Marianne Meed Ward, originator of the Book of Best Wishes idea and publisher of the Gazette, Councillors John Taylor and Rick Craven.
We ended up with a table outside the council chamber where people could sign the book.
With the signature forms from Canada Day in hand it was a mad dash to Georgetown to get the pages sewn together and fitted in the custom made case and the shipped to Ottawa.
We made it – and the book will be at Kensington Palace by the time you read this.
We have no idea how the Duke and the Duchess of Cambridge are going to react to the birthday greetings. We have been told that we can expect a letter from the Palace – that would be nice – and we will share it with you if such a thing arrives.
The Post office isn’t going on strike is it?
By Staff
July 18, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON
Time for a bit of a break.
Time for some sunshine and cool waters of a Northern Ontario lake.
The Gazette has moved into a summer mode – that doesn’t mean we are not publishing – we just aren’t publishing as much.
 There was a time when the city didn’t have more than $14 million of taxpayers money sitting at the end of Brant Street. There are those who think it should have been left the way it was. There will be material up every day and we can monitor events from the cottage – just as long as we are able to hop along to the library where there is WiFi access.
 There is material being written on two very significant retirements; the background on why what you knew as the Burlington Art Centre, now re-branded as the Art Gallery of Burlington where the wee cafe is no longer there and many are wondering if there is any relationship between the people who had the contract and a local lawyer who wants to put a restauranteur in jail. Stay tuned for more on that story.
Catch you full time on the 21st
 By Staff
July 11, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON
Is there a member of Council so put off by the case being made by the cycling community for bike lanes on New Street that he has actually said to people he might withdraw his name from the race?
 Every report put out by staff gets a thorough going over by Councillor John Taylor. Ward 3 Councillor John Taylor does wear his emotions on his sleeve and he does get exercised with how we manage the re-building and maintenance of our roads.
Councillors Taylor and Dennison both look for ways to scrape money away from any budget line they can find and apply it to road repair – which both men will tell anyone who cares to listen that we are millions of dollars behind on.
New Street is due for major work and the cyclists have argued, quite convincingly, that this is the time to get bike lanes in – once the re-build is done it will be 30 years plus before there is another opportunity to put in really safe bike lanes.
In many of the staff reports that get sent to Council we are seeing consistent reference to the need for a project to be walk-able and cycle-able.
The cycling community has become quite a bit more aggressive in their push for safer bike lanes. One advocate points out that planners often talk about providing a service and watching that service get taken up. “Build it and they will come” is the catch phrase. Build more roads and the cars will find those roads. Build a transit line and people will find it – not so much in Burlington but certainly in most municipal situations.
The cyclists argue that if more bike lanes are built – and they are safe bike lanes – we will see more people using bicycles to get around the city.
 Councillor John Taylor All this appear to have Councillor Taylor very exercised. We got a call from a source we see as very reliable saying that other council members are talking about Taylor’s concern over the re-build of portions of New Street. We spoke to a senior staff member who commented that he had heard the same thing.
Is John Taylor thinking of throwing in the towel and withdrawing from the October election? He has served the city well for the past 20+ years – but age, energy level and overall health do change the way we look at things.
There is a time to leave public office – and John Taylor may have decided this is that time for him.
And that presents some very serious problems. Taylor has been such a success in ward 3 that no one has come forward to run against him. Cory Judson did his best – but he moved to Stoney Creek and started a family. Lisa Cooper, a several time candidate, sees herself as sitting in the wings waiting for Taylor to leave.
Should John actually decide to spend more time smelling the roses – he owes it to the ward to work hard in the next month or so and find a candidate that understand the political process at the municipal level and then do two things: Work to get that person elected and stick around to mentor them during their first year.
John Taylor is a little bit like the American Library of Congress – he knows it all and we need him to make that background and history available to others.
And while we are at it – could we appoint Taylor to the Hamilton Harbour Commission – John still has a lot to say.
We were able to reach John Taylor, who said he has never run from a difference of opinion and he is not pulling out of the race. But there are still those three sources – all very reliable, and none of them have a vested interest – they all speak very highly of John, know him well and respect the work he does.
There may be more to this story.
By Staff
July 11, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON
Ray Rivers, our lead columnist has done a column every week for the past 14 months. In each column he adds extensive background links for those who want to delve in the subject in more detail. Creating all those links is a chore but one we do willingly.
Rivers did a column on the new federal prostitution laws and expected more than the usual response he gets. Was it the subject or the summer? There is that wonderful British comedy: “No Sex please – we’re British” that just might apply to Burlington?
 The British farce, which premiered in London’s West End on 3 June 1971, was unanimously panned by critics, but played to full houses until 1987. It did not share the same success with American audiences, running for only 16 performances on Broadway in early 1973. It did not run in Burlington.
Whatever – Rivers decided it was – we’ll let him tell his story in his own words: “I think I’ll just take a break for a couple weeks – I have had no responses to the last column – which I thought might have got some interest – It’s summertime and the readers are easy – the fish are jumping and the cotton is high….”
See you in a couple of week’s Ray.
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