Everyone tells me I need to use Social Media and I guess they’re right – but I find it confusing and it takes a lot of time which is the one thing I don’t have.
James Burchill, one of the city’s most shameless self-promoters, which is what has made him the success he is explains that “one of the main reasons this important task doesn’t get done is simply because it takes time. Let’s let him tell his story.
 By James Burchill
August 31, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON.
Social Media is time sensitive – if you’re going to do it – you have to do it right. Social media updates, these micro messages (while short) still require time to plan, to write, to consider the overall strategy (more on that later) and time to publish.
Time management and performance studies show an interruption costs us about 15 minutes of lost time before we are able to regain our former productivity. Assuming you had to stop 3 times a day and tweet, and 2 times a day to update your Facebook page, that’s 1 ¼ hrs just there — 17% of your day.
Think about it, add a little buffer to this and you’ll easily spend 20% of your time on this task … that’s easily ONE DAY PER WEEK spent on social media!
We can all write, they teach us this basic skill from a very early age but documenting your required groceries, or penning a letter to Aunt Maggy is not the same as crafting compelling copy for business use.
And being able to perform when required and ‘get creative’ takes practice and training. You’ve heard of writer’s block, – it’s a real phenomenon and professional writers have techniques to combat this wasteful problem.
 Then there’s the issue that all professional writing is not created equal. I’ll let you in on a secret, within the hallowed halls of writers there exists a snobbery; a class system of sorts. At the risk of having ink spilled on me at the next writers ball, some writers craft content to inform, others to compel. Persuading your prospects and client to engage and interact with you is key.
If all you needed is time and the ability to write well then you are good to go – but it isn’t that simple. In fact it is quite complex. You need to know about the technology too. You need to know how to leverage the various platforms properly and ensure you don’t goof or post to early or too late. You need skills to make these byzantine platforms turn chaos into a symphony of concordant content.
Simply put, you need to know how to use the tools. And to keep things interesting, the programmers behind these tools keep changing the game! Blink and you’ll miss an update or some other neat new function.
It requires an overall integrated marketing strategy; working in a vacuum sucks – literally.
Creating any marketing messages and syndicating them at random is a recipe for failure. And if you imagine social media is all hip, cool and “off the cuff” then you are dancing with disaster.
Better to think of your marketing messages as sled dogs, they all need to be pulling in the same direction to gain traction and make head way.
It does yields results, if you do it right. And outsourcing the task gets it done on time and as agreed. You get results – guaranteed.
And further to this, the actual efforts yield, SEO lift, increased exposure and legitimate back-links to your target URL are huge values. SEO means Search engine optimization.
 You also get additional results in the SERPS (Search Engines Results Page) listings – and any time you can secure another top 10 slot, it’s a space your competition cannot.
Google’s mandate has always been to provide the best answer (content) to those searching. Google is always updating its algorithms to single out and better reward unique content. So if you thought re-hashed, spun, or scraped content would work … Think again.
It becomes clear that making social media work for you means getting help. OK I’m biased because this is service my team and I offer our clients, so I’m not going to get into magical numbers that “prove” how much of a good deal it is to outsource. But if you sit down and really look at all the twiddly bits & pieces that go into this task each day/week/month … it adds up quickly and outsourcing costs a fraction of the typical annual salary equivalent.
Leads generated from social media content marketing are more likely to convert into business. The science behind this is solid and speaks to millions of years of behaviour. Think crowd sourcing, social proof, ‘monkey see, monkey do’ and a myriad of other psychological precepts.
Social Marketing content gets found – the first part of a successful online marketing strategy.
Social Marketing content gets shared – necessary for your message to move through the market.
Social Marketing content works 24/7/365. You pay once for its creation and syndication and it just keeps on working. The same can be said about articles too, the Return in Investment (ROI) is amazing!
 James Burchill is the founder of the Social Fusion Network that sponsores a monthly get together where people network and do some great business. SFN is about connecting, promoting and supporting local business using social media and in-person networking events. It’s FREE to join your local SFN and membership includes all our chapters. He also sponsors the semi annual mini-trade show at the Burlington Performing Arts Centre. Learn more
 By Pepper Parr
August 31, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON.
Those people who earn their living as artists – have a rough row to hoe. Artists get asked to do any number of things for free. We all assume that their art is far too expensive and we want to buy too cheaply, hold it until the artist become famous and then sell for a fortune.
 Margaret Lindsay Holton Burlington artist, Margaret Lindsay Holton is having a family-friendly SOLO art exhibition in the Hamilton Beach Rescue Community Hall at 316 Beach Blvd, on the Hamilton Beach Strip, Sunday, Sept.14th, 2-5pm. FREE lemonade, with free parking at the back of HBRU. ‘
 Summer Haze; Piano improvisations on a century-old Bell Upright – Performed by Margaret Lindsay Holton Holton ranges over several disciplines – never adverse to trying something new and different. Along with her art, Holton will be releasing a CD, Summer Haze; Piano improvisations on a century-old Bell Upright.
Pinhole photography is something Holton has been doing for years. She describes this as “the oldest known form of photography on the planet first used in Asia around 500 B.C, and in the West, around 500 A.D.
For Holton this is photography without the use of lens or fancy gadgetry that lets a small pinhole of light into a completely blacked-out cavity. This incoming ‘pinhole’ of light creates a reverse image of what the pinhole is facing, in other words, a ‘negative’. Today, from this ‘negative’, a ‘positive’ print is pulled using conventional darkroom developing techniques. In other words, the ‘positive’ photo image is what you see as a ‘finished’ photograph.
 Leaves you with the sense that you are seeing both summer and the beginning of the fall colours. Holton is fascinated that any ‘image’ can transfer without any mechanical intervention. She likes how this process forces her to ‘slow down’ in the act and art of taking pictures. Pinholing is the epitome of ‘slooow photography’. An exterior shot, on a good bright, cloudless day, can easily take 3-4 minutes of exposure depending on the camera she am using. She only get ONE shot per camera. Interior shots can take anywhere from 10 to 20 minutes, again, depending on the incoming pinhole light source.
 Sugar Shack: Crisp feel, strong colours – about as Canadian as you can get. Hamilton Spectator art critic Jeff Mahoney had this to say about Holton pin hole work: “Perhaps more than any of the other arts, photography is the horse that memory rides on. Music can take us back, but it is not documentary in nature. And literature, for all its reach, precision and poetry, remains essentially abstract, from a sensory point of view, everything left to the imagination.”
“A memory is not what happened, it is not the thing that is being remembered. It is a shadow of what is being remembered, and a picture is a shadow of that shadow.”
“We try to get at memory to get at the life, the time, the emotion behind them. But the sources are no longer available and immediate to the direct senses. Their residue in the brain gets mixed up with static; extraneous feelings, psychic noise, dream and mental error. We use pictures and other media to get at memory, to fix it. And that confuses an already confused issue even more. Pictures are partial stories, subject to perspective and quality of light, leaving out much — smell, sound, touch, temperature, heart rate, context.”
“How are all these ideas contained in Holton’s art? In two ways. Computerized photo collage and pinhole photography. In the first, the collages, Holton uses computer manipulation to layer several colour photographic images, sometimes of the same subject taken from different and/or overlapping angles, sometimes of different subjects. Now this is what memory looks like. Or at least feels like.”
“Memory’s Shadow confirms our impression of Holton as an important mixed-media practitioner, with a genuine artist’s eye and a probing intellect.”
This is an artist worth spending some time with.
 Moody, soft use of colour leaves a sense significantly different than the Sugar Shack piece. Directions: If driving in from either Niagara or Toronto on the QEW, take the Eastport Drive ‘turn off’, and then turn into the ‘Hamilton Beach Community’ via Beach Blvd. Beach Blvd is only one long road for the length of the beach strip. The Hamilton Beach Rescue Unit – 316 Beach Blvd – is on the west side.
If you want to follow Holton – make a note that she is partaking in ‘Doors Open’ on Sept 27th at the Different Drummer Books, signing copies of a new WW1 short story anthology, ‘Engraved: Canadian. She has one story in the 16 piece anthology.
 By Pepper Parr
August 31, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON
People get the government they deserve.
If voters do their homework and read the election material they can arrive at a conclusion and decide who they want to vote for. The voters usually get it right.
However, the voters need information – and they are entitled to quite a bit more than what appears on the handouts candidates give people at the door.
Burlington doesn’t have much in the way of a tradition of pulling candidates together and letting them debate each other.
Given that it looks as if the Mayor is going to be acclaimed – because he has done such a great job? – some of the steam has gone out of our municipal election.
Most people don’t fully appreciate that the men and women they elect to council are also our Regional representatives. Given the disastrous flood damage August 4th – there are people in this city wondering just what the Region has done and what they are doing now about the consistent flooding in wards 4 and 5. Many in ward 6 also wonder what the Region has in mind for the Air Park.
 There are some good races. Ward 6 is perhaps the best example – with seven people having declared themselves for the seat held by Blair Lancaster – which she won by just a couple of hundred votes
The Burlington Gazette will be hosting a debate amongst the ward 6 candidates.
The following invitation was sent to all the candidates who have declared their candidacy.
TO: Burlington Ward 6 City and Regional Councillor Candidates:
It appears that the current battle for Ward 6 Councillor may be the most contentious in many years—and rightly so. There are many serious issues in this Ward and each of you has a pressing need to make your positions on these understood.
After numerous requests and a great deal of consideration, The Burlington Gazette has agreed to host a Ward 6 – All Candidates Debate.
We have secured the beautiful theatre at Dr. Frank J. Hayden Secondary School on Wednesday, September 24th from 7pm. to 10 pm., for this event.
I will be moderating the debate; the format is quite simple. Each candidate will be provided two minutes for opening remarks and two minutes for closing remarks – the order of these will be determined by a random drawing of your names, in your presence, immediately prior to the debate at 6:45 pm.
I have recruited a panel of experienced journalists who will create and direct questions to each candidate. You will be given a limited amount of time for a direct response to the question asked of you. That will be followed by a period of time for an all-candidate debate on the question.
The debate itself will conclude at 9:15pm., after which we will take questions from the audience until 10 pm. I will direct and monitor the questions from the floor to maintain a civil and respectful evening for all participants.
You are encouraged to bring your supporters – as well as your marketing material, which you may wish to distribute before and after the event. The Gazette will be promoting this event and we anticipate that each of you will want to do the same.
I’m certain you’ll agree that this debate will provide you with an unsurpassed opportunity to reach the critical mass of concerned constituents and active voters, in the most efficient and powerful manner.
In order to set up the theatre to accommodate everyone, we need to know that you will be participating and the estimated number in your group of supporters who might attend. If you choose not to attend please advise us – no later than Friday, September 12, 2014.
I wish each of you success in your campaign endeavours.
Pepper Parr
Publisher
Burlington Gazette
The Hayden High School theatre will hold 220 people – the debate just might turn out to be the primo event in this election cycle. Several of the candidates are excellent speakers.
 By Pepper Parr
August 30, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON
There he was – standing at the entrance to Spencer Smith Park, white bucket in hand, hustling for loose change and paper money if you had a mind to give that to him. Mike Wallace was beating the bushes in that folksy style he brings to the public part of the job he does – all for the benefit of the Flood Disaster Relief fund.
 Mike “Joe Cool” Wallace out shilling or flood victims.  The bucket guys were everywhere. People going to the Ribfest almost had to run a gauntlet to get in – the Rotary was not letting you forget that there was a need and they were there doing their darndest to fill it.
The damage done to homes went from damp floors to water that was up to the ceiling in basements and inching its way into the rest of the house.
The Mayor’s home was flooded and so was that of Mike Wallace, Burlington’s member of parliament; proving that the rain gods don’t discriminate.
Wallace just got the inventory from his insurance company and said “it look as if we are going to be OK – but I am still doing small pieces of clean up. I couldn’t find the iron yesterday – it was in one of the boxes the restoration people did when they cleared up the mess from the water that seeped into the basement.” Wallace added: “We didn’t have water above our knees but after a foot, it really doesn’t matter, does it” he said.
“The dumpster was just taken away from my house this morning”, he added.
Wallace mentioned that he had not heard a word from anyone at city hall about how his office might help out. Most people thought the help was going to come from the provincial government – which is true – but what most people don’t know is that all of the provinces have an agreement with the federal government that gets federal money to the provinces when there is a local disaster.
 Crowds were good -weather held – and coins were being put in those buckets. Enough? We will know Tuesday morning. The Ontario Disaster Relief Assistance Relief (ODRAP) request to the province to be declared a disaster area hasn’t been accepted by the province yet – even though Burlington is beavering away collecting money – there is $150,000 in the bank with many more thousands in the pipeline and on its way into the account the United Way has set up for the disaster relief fund.
By Pepper Parr
August 30, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON
Burlington slides to the end of the month of August wondering if we really had a summer and asking questions about the challenges some of our neighbours face.
For the more than 1000 households impacted by the flood the month of August was somewhere between “another damn flood” to horrific – that may have wiped some people out.
 Catherine Brady talks to a volunteer about providing tax receipts for those who choose to donate real paper money. It has taken the organized part of the community almost a month to prepare a response and to get a major fund raising drive underway along with the processes that will put aid in the hands of the people who desperately need it.
The community itself has raised just over $150,000 to date. The target has unofficially been set at $2 million.
The Burlington Community Foundation was asked to take on the task of putting together a community based Disaster Relief organization required by the province if there is to be any provincial funding added to what the community comes up with.
The Ontario Disaster Relief Assistance Program (ODRAP) allows the province to match what the city raises on a two for one basis. The funds dispersed by the Disaster Relief Community have to adhere to pretty strict provincial policies and procedures.
The Disaster Relief committee, chaired by Ron Foxcroft will have two components: fund raising and the dispersement of funds raised by the community and those funds provided by the province on a two-for-one basis.
The province has yet to say that they are actually going to give Burlington any money. They didn`t give Toronto any money when it had the huge flood nor did Mississauga get funding. The number of homes seriously damaged in Burlington is much higher than it was in those other communities.
The deciding factor for the province will be the need but most importantly – how well the community comes through for those who need the help. Premier Kathleen Wynne has been to Burlington a number of time and she personally asked Eleanor McMahon to stand as the Liberal candidate for the constituency – and of course she won. But that provincial cheque is not in the mail yet.
Former Burlington city manager Tim Dobbie will be handling the dispersement of funds part of the Disaster Committee. There will be a public Roll Out Event on Wednesday September 3rd at the Central Park Arena at 10:00 where details will be provided.
 Frank , a Rotarian steadies the stack of buckets that will be used at all the entrances to Spencer Smith Park during Rib Fest. This weekend at Ribfest, the Lakeshore Rotary Club will host the annual event that brings more than 175,000 people to Spencer Smith Park, where they take in concert events and chow down on those ribs.
This year the event involves all four Burlington Rotary clubs whose volunteers will be at the entrance gates and walking around the park with white plastic buckets that they want to see filled with loose change – preferably twoonies.
Enjoy the ribs, take in some of the music – just don’t leave the park with any loose change in your pocket. Those buckets will take paper money as well.
Link to related stories:
 By Ray Rivers
August 29, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON.
The Premiers of Ontario and Quebec have met and agreed to work together as never before, building their economies and reducing barriers to the movement of goods and services between them. Other parts of Canada, the west, through the New West Partnership, and the Atlantic provinces, are doing something similar. With a federal government mostly missing-in-action in so many ways, it is inevitable that provincial leaders would look to some kind of sub-national organization as a alternative.
 The Father`s of Confederation thought they got it right – but the Senate they wanted isn`t the Senate we have today. Inadequate federal leadership was all too evident as the leaders of Canada’s provinces and territories got together for their annual summer meeting at the Council of the Federation in Charlottetown this week. The premiers hold two of these joint meetings a year in what is emerging as an evolving component of Canada’s political landscape. Though invited, this PM doesn’t attend, preferring to deal with the jurisdictions individually.
The agenda kicked off with discussion of the tragic systematic disappearance of aboriginal women. Stephen Harper’s misunderstanding and misrepresentation of that issue last week has been greeted with outrage and disgust. Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Ontario, as well as the first nations organizations, have called him on his insensitivity and his resistance to getting at the root causes.
Harper has also isolated himself on pensions, even though the provinces had demanded enhancement to CPP at their last meeting. According to recent polls. only 15 per cent of Canadians are “very confident” they will have enough money to retire “comfortably” and 69 per cent believe the federal government should take the lead. In fact 63% of Canadians believe that existing premiums should be increased and 55% say the provinces should move on their own if the federal government doesn’t. So Ontario’s premier Wynne is receiving a lot of attention for her plans to introduce a provincial pension plan to supplement the CPP.
Provincial leaders are also addressing the need to eliminate the barriers to trade among themselves, something the Harper government has been pushing. And provincial regulations are problematic since they can restrict the free movement of goods and services and impair cross border labour mobility. Saskatchewan’s Brad Wall no sooner finished grandstanding on the need for Ontario to become more open than he realized his New West Partnership may also be a culprit. And the good news for those of us who want to see B.C.’s excellent wines in the LCBO is that Premier Wynne has agreed to… consider it.
The Council of the Federation is becoming a significant force on the Canadian political scene, a scene where an ideologically constipated federal government is putting real meaning to the term ‘conservative’. As the Council wraps up its meetings it is no surprise to see the perennial demand for renewed federal finding for health care and infrastructure. Of course these demands will fall on deaf ears. Mr. Harper’s government has given its last word and closed the taps.
As the Council meeting was drawing to a close in lovely Charlottetown, the leaders posed as if in an 1864 remake of the Fathers (and Mothers) of Confederation. This was another successful Council meeting, again demonstrating how to mobilize consensus among so many Canadian leaders representing such diverse provincial and regional political perspectives. One has to wonder whether the Council of the Federation doesn’t really capture what the real Fathers of Confederation had originally been contemplating when they invented the Canadian Senate. And wouldn’t this body or something like it be a perfect replacement for our current chamber of lost souls?
 Prime Minister Stephen Harper – can put up a really good fight. Given how out-of-touch the PM is on so many issues of national significance, it is little wonder that his numbers are dropping and people beginning to ask whether he’ll even be around for the next election in 2015. It wasn’t that long ago that Harper was considered invincible and destined to win another majority government. But the polls are telling a different story as we get closer to the election.
Atlantic Canada seems ready to give the new Liberal leader the vast majority of its seats, as Trudeau’s popularity in that part of the country climbs to a new high. And Ontario is once again turning to Liberals in numbers that bode for a potential ‘majority’. But it is always a long time in politics until the next election. Then there is the west, which will follow Harper, as night follows day, except possibly for Vancouver Island where marijuana is the leading agricultural cash crop.
Recent gerrymandering, politely called re-distribution, will hand Harper more than 20 potential new seats compared to a mere 2 for the Liberals. Finally, nobody knows where Mr. Mulcair’s hold on the vast majority of Quebec seats will end up.
 Will the Trudeau mystique holdÉ Despite what everyone concedes is a good performance by Mulcair as opposition leader, he and Harper are downright boring, compared to the energetic Trudeau. And after nearly a decade of the same old tired face in your face, Canadians are ready for a change. Harper’s vision of a nation converted from pot smoking Libs to little obedient red necks has failed to materialize, or perhaps this is just a new generation rejecting the past, as they always do.
As the Canadian economy starts to sputter from the fallout of the international crisis in Europe next year, some folks might wonder if Harper will take his own ‘walk in the snow’ and allow a fresh new leader to replace him. There are a good many potential candidates including Peter MacKay, Joe Oliver, James Moore, Lisa Raitt and John Baird. With the exception of Baird, who has demonstrated strength in his foreign affairs ministry, these candidates also carry enough baggage to keep them from breaking out of Harper’s musty closet.
And it is unlikely that Mr. Harper will let go of the reins just yet. He is a strong-willed and confident individual who will, no doubt, expect to be there for his party, winning again – just as his favourite anti-Christ, Chretien, used to do.
So expect him to be there for an autumn vote if his numbers continue to fall and it smells like at least a minority Conservative government. And if he can manage to arrest that ‘Mr. out-of-touch’ look, he might well call a spring election in the hope that Mr. Trudeau’s magnetism will have come down from its high.
Background links:
Ontario- Quebec Council of the Federation Aboriginal Women Wall on Aboriginals Atlantic Polling Ontario Polls
Harper’s Decision Harper’s Succession Replacing Harper Harper will Resign Gerrymandering
Ray Rivers writ es 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.
Editor`s note. When ever Ray Rivers has a chance he will get in his view that the Senate should be abolished and that marijuana should be made legal. He just can`t help himself.
By Staff
August 29, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON.
We all know what Rib Fest is – we get ourselves to Spencer Smith Park where we have to look through a haze of smoke to see the lake. The crowds are usually very good, the eating tables tend to have places to sit down and chow down on those ribs – they ain’t bargain prices but that is not the purpose of the event.
 Last year Premier Kathleen Wynne tried her hand at flipping ribs. Her tutor on the right didn’t think the Premier should give up her day job. The event is the largest Ribfest in Ontario. That happens because the Lakeshore Rotary, that has just 65 members, manages to pull together 600 volunteers to make it happen.
The funds they raise support: Community Living Burlington; Compassion Society; Hamilton Food Share; Salvation Army; RCBL Scholarship Foundation; Athletic Scholarship Foundation; Kenyan Scholarship program; Joseph Brant Hospital; Sew-on-fire Ministries; Wheel Chair and Specialized footwear and Earth Day.
This year they have been asked to lend strong support to the Flood Disaster Relief Funds drive.
Mayor Goldring called Linda Davies, President of the Lakeshore Rotary Club, and asked her if she would help out with the need to raise funds. Davies immediately called the other three Rotary presidents in Burlington and by the end of that day they had pulled together a team and had their show on the road.
RibFest 2014 was going to be another super-duper event and at the same time it was going to become a “premiere” fund raising occasion for disaster relief.
You are going to see dozens of people wandering the grounds and at the gates, carrying plastic buckets and asking for a donation of at least a Twoonie.
With attendance at the 175,000 level – the flow from RibFest could add as much as $250,000 to the public fund raising drive.
During the Kick off lunch OnSite, an organization that does set up work on the grounds, put up a donation of $500 and said they were challenging two people to take part in an event that was a twist on the ALS dunking campaign.
Sometime during the weekend these gents will be dunked with – not cold water – but BBQ sauce. One of the two asked how much it would cost him to get out of taking part in the event. It is going to be a different RibFest this year.
The entertainment line-up is superb:
Friday August 29th
 Noon to 2:00 pm Mike Stevenson and Friends
2:30 to 4:30 The Kat Kings
5:00 to 7:00 pm The Groove Corporation
7:30 to 9:00 Elton Rohn; a tribute to Elton John
9:30 to 11 Simply Queen; a tribute to Queen.
Saturday August 30th
 11:30 to 1:00 Grindstone Blues Band
1:30 to 3:00 – Stinky and the Hotrods
3:30 to 5:00 Runaway Angel
5:30 to 7:00 Community Soul Project
7:30 to 9:00 Justin Time
9:30 to 11:00 Freedom Train
Sunday August 31st
11:30 to 12:30 Bare Blue Sea
1:00 to 2:00 No Sugar Tonight ; a tribute to the Guess Who
2:30 to 3:30 Tim Park and the Younger Guys
4:00 to 5:0 IN2U
5:30 to 7:00 The Soul Project
7:30 to 9:00 Images in Vogue
 9:30 to 11:00 The Spoons
Monday September 1st
1:0 to 2:30 Corey Lueck and the Smoke Wagon Blues
2:45 – Rib judging events
3:00 to 4:00 Desire; a tribute to U2
4:30 to 5:30 Scarecrow; a tribute to John Mellencamp
6:00 to 8:00 David Love Band
By Pepper Parr
August 29, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON.
There has been some movement – is it enough?
 Ron Foxcroft has been appointed chair of the Burlington Flood Disaster Relief Committee which will Roll Out its Action Plan September 3rd.
The public will hear how things are going to roll out on Wednesday, September 3, 2014 – 10:00 a.m. at the Central Arena Auditorium.
There have been meetings galore and the structure is in place – with lots of small details to get completed. The Flood Disaster Relief Committee was formed by the Burlington Community Foundation (BCF) at the request of Mayor Goldring.
Colleen Mulholland, president of the BCF, swung into action and began pulling together the team that will both drive the fund raising campaign and set up the process and procedures for distributing funds as well.
Foxcroft has business interests in both sports and trucking. Best known for inventing the internationally celebrated Fox 40 whistle – which is officially sanctioned by the NFL, CFL, NCAA and the NBA – Ron was a professional basketball official for three decades. Off the court, he’s also a legend among community supporters – recognized as the 1997 Hamilton Citizen of the Year, 2011 Burlington Entrepreneur of the Year and holds an Honorary Doctor of Law from McMaster University.
Foxcroft understands the plight of the people who were flooded in this city. His basement was flooded three years ago. On August 4th he was scrambling to make sure his pool didn’t overflow and flood him once again.
Foxcroft, who is the ultimate team player, says his first email at 5:00 am is from Mulholland and his last is from her at 11:00 pm. “This lady is a dynamite organizer and has a Rolodex worth dying for”, said Foxcroft
Foxcroft is off to New York for an National Basket Ball association meeting but will be back in town for the Tiger Cats game on Monday. Asked exactly where that game would be played – because it doesn’t look as if the spanking new stadium is going to be ready – Foxcroft said “the big LED signs that will be used during the game are in a Fluke truck – and the drivers of those trucks know where to drop them off.”
 We reminded Foxcroft that if Burlington had taken up the challenge to have a stadium built in Aldershot back in 2010 this problem wouldn’t exist. “True” said Fox, “but you know, we didn’t give Burlington all that much time. We met on boxing day and needed an answer by the end of February. Foxcroft who is the ultimate private sector guy was reminded that he bought Fluke Trucking in less time than that.
Watch Foxcroft create a superb fund raising team. “We’ve already got some major commitments, but we know that all we have is 60 days to get this done.
The total donated via the Burlington United Way fund raising site is now at $150,000.
Tim Dobbie, a former city manager of Burlington is going to head up the funds distribution side.
By Pepper Parr
August 27, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON.
The announcement was going to be made sometime on Wednesday – but it didn’t arrive so Burlington still doesn’t know who is going to be Chair of the local Disaster Relief Committee that is required by the province before funds can be made available to people who have suffered hugely from the August 4th rainfall.
 Mayor Rick Goldring does a television interview, wearing, for what is believed to be the first time his Chain of Office A couple of weeks ago Mayor Goldring asked the Burlington Community Foundation (BCF) if they would take on the task of creating the Disaster Relief committee. BCF president Collen Mulholland, whose home was flooded, took on a herculean task of pulling together a team and has been in meetings with the 22 agencies that are part of what makes the city work as well as liaising with the provincial government through the offices of Burlington’s MPP Eleanor McMahon to ensure that the province has the information it needs. It is Flamborough MPP, also Minister of Housing and Community services, Ted McMeekin, who signs off on the Burlington request to be designated a disaster area.
We believed the BCF wanted a big announcement with major donations from several of the philanthropists and corporations to beef up the donations to date, which are at the less than $150,000 level.
Perhaps the people the BCF has been talking to needed to have their photographs updated for the announcement.
 The scale of this map doesn’t allow us to show just how many dots there are – but each represents a home that was damaged in the August 4th flood. For those who have not been directly impacted – it is difficult to appreciate the scope of this disaster. The Region advised us earlier today that 2053 applications have been received for the $1000. Exgratia payment the city will give people who have had sewers back up into their homes. That amount to more than $2 million dollars the Region is going to pay out.
Could that money have not been spent on preventive measures instead of being given to people who are at the desperate stage?
We are advised that the announcement as to who the chair will be and what will exist in terms of sub-committees to get things moving will be made on Thursday. The flood took place 23 days ago. Since that time the Samaritan’s Purse has done basic repair to more than 50 homes in Burlington.
Why is it that some organizations can get things into gear and have them moving while others – well, what can one say?
 By Pepper Parr
August 27, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON.
Got a note from Joshua Miller, that’s the kid that delivers the Post to my dear three times a week.
The note Josh left me with the paper said: We wanted to let you know about a change in the Post distribution as of September 3rd. The Burlington Post will no longer have a Wednesday delivery, but will continue with a Thursday and Friday delivery.
Josh has had his time cut back by a third – the Post apparently is going to reduce their publishing schedule to just two days a week.
These decisions are always financial – the revenue just isn’t there to support three issues a week.
Odd – because when you go to lift that Thursday edition out of the mail box and catch the flyers before they fall out of your hands you might arrive at the conclusion that the Post is a very healthy business.
Burlington needs all the local media it can get and while the Post was limited in the coverage it gave many of the events and city Advisory Committees – it will now do even less.
The Burlington Gazette will continue to do the job it has been doing for more than three years. We publish seven days a week and everything we publish is on-line in the archive.
By Pepper Parr
August 27, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON
There is a strange dichotomy at this time in this city. There are those who were flooded and those who weren’t. Those who were are, in some cases, devastated while others live their day to day lives and hope that we will have a nice fall because summer appears to have forgotten us this year.
 Graphic of the rainfall pattern August 4th. On August 4th 190 mm of rain fell on a part of the city in 3-4 hours causing havoc and devastation for the more than 2,600 homes that were flooded.
On May 13th 75 of the same homes flooded when 60 mm fell in one hour. Most people had adequate insurance, however many did not. The majority of the homes affected were in the South East part of Burlington. About 1,000 homes flooded in Ward 5, perhaps more than 15% of the homes south of the QEW between Appleby and Burloak.
About 1200 homes between Walkers Line and Guelph Line in Ward 4 flooded, mostly due to sewage back up. The Mayor’s home is reported to have experienced 4 to 5 feet of sewage in his basement. There were hundreds of others in other wards. For homes that received overland flooding there appears to be zero insurance coverage.
In notes left on the Burlington Sewer Backup Victims Coalition web site, Ward 5 Councillor Paul Sharman explained that the sewage back up happened because all of the houses in the badly hit areas were built prior to 1974 when the building code changed.
Prior to 1974 it was normal to have gutter down spouts and weeping tiles plumber into the sewage system. After 1974 those were not plumber in. Without storm water in our sewage system the risk of flooding is minimized.
 Ward 5 Councillor Paul Sharman Sharman says he has personally spoken to “about 500 flooding victims. I still have perhaps another 700 or more to speak to in coming weeks.”
Some of those flooded on May 13 had their insurance cut off; they were left totally unprotected for the August 4th flood. Many have had their insurance coverage drastically reduced, while deductibles increased to as much as $5000. Most people want to understand why the flooding occurred to them and not others. Everyone is anxious about whether the next significant looking rainstorm will cause their home to flood again and about what they can do to protect their homes in future. Multiple flooding victims believe the value of their home is compromised.
Sharman wants to see the Region and the City and our home owners have to take steps to get the water out of our sewage system so that this terrible flooding does not happen again. He points out that on July 9th he successfully got Regional Council to undertake a region wide flooding study to assess the hydraulic design of our sewer systems that might help provide relief in future. The study is being accelerated for high risk areas of the city.
The Region is paying out a $1000 “Ex Gratia” grant to those who experienced sewer back up.
There is a subsidy of up to $2,725.00 or 50% of the cost, to install a backwater valve, a sump pump and disconnection of weeping tile and redirection of gutter down spouts.
Sharman has provided more information in his remarks on the Sewer NAME web site than any other member of Council including the Mayor and the Region.
At the Regional level there is a communications bureaucracy that consists of a Director, a manager, advisors and specialists. One would like to think that with that level of resources, which you the tax payer pony up every quarter when the tax bill is sent out.
The Red Cross have now knocked on the doors of 10,000 plus homes. 62 of which have been identified as high priority cases. Some may have to be demolished.
At an August 15th meeting between about 20 Ward 5 home owners and the Region Chief Administrative Officer (CAO), the Region`s Commissioner of Public Works and the Commissioner and Medical Officer of Health, home owners were advised that those who suffered multiple flooding and live in high risk flooding zones will receive free of charge implementation of backwater valves and sump pumps.
The Burlington Community Foundation (BCF) was asked by the Mayor to form the Burlington Flood Disaster Relief Committee which is now leading fundraising efforts. That organization expects to announce it’s chair today and then make public the Roll Out plans that will give people access to various forms of funding on September 3.
 The fund raising is coming along: The most recent number is $142,665.00 – which is a long, long way from the $2 million target that Councillor Sharman has mentioned
While raising funds is critical – what is more important is an understanding from those who were not flooded on just how devastating this has been for those who were flooded.
For them – it has been brutal
By Pepper Parr
August 26, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON
The flood has only begun as far as the flow of information is concerned.
A graphic from the Weather Network shows just how much rain fell on Burlington August 4th. We are still struggling with the impact of that raifall. The four Burlington Rotary Clubs are pulling together at RibFest this weekend collecting funds for the Disaster Relief program. This is a significant opportunity for the community to help out – we don’t have details yet on exactly what the Rotary Clubs are doing – they will hold a media event later today and tell us more.
Tomorrow – the name of the chair of the local Disaster Relief Committee will be announced along with the sub committees that will be set up.
On Wednesday of next week there will be a major Roll Out event at which all kinds of information will be made available.
The Burlington Community Foundation (BCF) has been managing this community effort and will have a Disaster Relief portal set up on their web site. It is expected to become THE source for information.
Ward 5 Councillor Paul Sharman, whose ward was heavily hit by the flooding, said that the community is going to have to raise $2 million – which if the city actually gets a 2 for 1 deal with the province, will result in $6 million available for distribution.
“We need more than the two million” said Sharman “but that is the target”. It isn’t clear if this is a Sharman target or a BCF target.
 What has been disturbing is the very poor flow of information from city hall. A lot of people over there are beavering away at stuff – but there is no flow of information to the public. The section of the city web site with Flood Relief information says:
The City of Burlington and Halton Region are committed to helping people as quickly as possible following the storm of August 4 that resulted in extensive flooding in many areas of the city.
The city is taking this matter very seriously and has additional staff in place to meet ongoing needs. Please check this web page frequently for what the city is doing to respond to the flood and the needs of people in Burlington.
They then refer people to the United Way web site but don’t give people the specific address to log in and send in donations.
When asked about the poor flow of information Councillor Sharman said: “I don’t know about that – that isn’t my job. My job is to take care of the people in my ward.
 A very large part of the reason for so little information is – wait for it – the Elections Act – which sets out when incumbents running for office can use city facilities to talk to the public.
Given the crisis Burlington faces – someone could just say – to hell with – I’m going to tell the people in my city what has been happening. Given that the Mayor isn’t running against anyone yet and isn’t likely to have a challenger – he could step out and talk to people.
Lackluster leadership.
By Staff
August 25, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON.
The first official data on mosquitos that are carrying West Nile Virus was released by the Region this morning.
A batch of mosquitoes trapped last week in Oakville has tested positive for West Nile virus (WNV). This is the second batch of WNV positive mosquitoes for Halton this year. In Halton, only one other batch of mosquitoes from Milton tested positive for WNV this year.
 This is how West Nile virus is transmitted. “We know West Nile virus is here in Halton and it’s usually just a matter of time before we begin to see more positive results,” stated Dr. Hamidah Meghani, Halton Region Medical Officer of Health. “Halton residents should always protect themselves against mosquito bites and get rid of mosquito breeding sites.”
Urban areas are more likely to have mosquitoes that carry WNV. The types of mosquitoes that transmit WNV to humans most commonly breed in urban areas in items that hold water such as bird baths, plant pots, old toys, and tires.
The following are steps that residents can take to protect themselves and their families from mosquitoes:
Cover up. Wear light-coloured, long-sleeved shirts and pants with tightly-woven fabric.
Avoid being outdoors from early evening to morning when mosquitoes are most active and likely to bite, as well as at any time in shady, wooded areas.
Reduce mosquito breeding sites around your home by getting rid of all water-filled containers and objects. Change the water in bird baths at least once per week.
Use an approved insect repellent, such as one containing DEET.
Make sure your window and door screens are tight and without holes, cuts or other openings.
A map showing the locations of standing water sites that have had larvicide applied is here.
To report standing water or for more information about West Nile virus, please visit Halton.ca/wnv, dial 311, or call Halton Region at 905-825-6000 or e-mail wnv@halton.ca.
 By Staff
August 25, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON.
Halton Regional Police sent out a notice last week that they intended to do a methodical grid search for a man missing since late July.
The search, which took place today resulted in the discovery of remains that are believed to be those of 24-year-old David Thomson.
 The remains of a body believed to be that of David Thomson were found in a heavily wooded area in the Appleby Line and Upper Middle Road part of the city. The investigation has been ongoing since August 13th, when the Halton Regional Police Service were first made aware by family members that he had been missing since July 28th.
Since that time investigators have been following up on a number of credible leads and tips, including sightings of David in and around Burlington.
On Monday August 25th, 2014 members of the Halton Regional Police Search Incident Response Team conducted a thorough and methodical grid search in and around the area of Appleby Line and Upper Middle Road in the City of Burlington. Investigators had previously conducted a general search of the trails and pathways in the area.
Today’s search resulted in a body being located in a heavily wooded area northeast of Appleby Line and Upper Middle Road.
Police are unable to confirm the identity at this time, pending the results of an autopsy; however it is believed to be David Thomson. No foul play is suspected.
Next of kin have been advised.
Linked story:
Search announced
By Staff
August 25, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON.
INCITE A Single Moms Support Group, a local non-profit organization, will be closing its doors as of August 31, 2014, due to financial reasons.
 INCITE did great promotion for their events and turn out was usually quite high – the business model they had proved to be unsustainable. “As the Board of Directors, we are pleased to have provided support, encouragement, guidance, direction and opportunities for empowerment; to single moms and their children in our community, since April 2011.
Due to the passion, vision and direction of Executive Director, Beth Hudson, our organization has helped hundreds and truly made a difference in the Burlington community. For the last 3.5 years, INCITE has offered single moms a Weekly Support Meeting, Weekly Children’s Program, Social Outings, Philanthropy Events, Affordable Advice and a Good Samaritan Program.
We are proud that INCITE accomplished so much in such a short time, touching the lives of countless people. INCITE, with support from the community, through our Good Samaritan Program helped single moms-in-need through difficult times offering assistance with Christmas help, back-to-school supplies, furniture, food, toys, bikes and much more. Though many of our families were struggling, they gave back and helped others in the community through our Philanthropy Events; including volunteering at Wellington Square’s Community Dinners, the Rotary’s Ribfest and Amazing Bed Race, Salvation Army’s Christmas Toy Drive, as well as facilitated an “Extreme Makeover” on the Shifra House, a local shelter for young Moms.
INCITE A Single Moms Support Group quickly gained recognition across Canada and the United States, providing a rare and unique, but much needed support system, for single moms. Our popularity grew to over 11 000 visitors on our website annually and INCITE was showcased in the Toronto Star, Hamilton Spectator and Burlington Post, as well as on CHML and Cogeco TV. INCITE also produced The Single Mom Show, a web-based show that offered professional guidance from experts, for Single Moms everywhere, as well as produced An Agenda For Single Moms, a book specifically for Single Moms that focussed on taking stock and goal setting.
We were very blessed and are extremely grateful for the support we received from the community. Though there are many to recognize, we want to especially thank Verico Designer Mortgages, Astra Print, the Central Rotary, Halton Region, Rick Burgess, Jeff Lewis, and The Centre for Skills Development & Training, for their on-going support.
 There were cheques, some very healthy cheques – there just weren’t enough of them. Thank you also to our amazing team of Volunteers and Staff, present and past. All of you added something very unique and valuable to the organization, team and families. We all greatly appreciate your passion and contributions, that ultimately made INCITE the success that it was, touching and changing lives.
We want to thank all of the Single Moms that participated in the group, offering their support, feedback, wisdom and experiences; ultimately helping other single moms along their journey. It definitely has been an incredible and memorable experience for all involved.
Thank you to all of you for your support these last few years and for your understanding during this difficult time.
Beth Hudson, the Executive Director of the organization that the annual operating cost was “around $36,000” – that amounted to $3000 a month. Hudson added that when they were refused charitable status by the federal government – that was the “nail in the coffin”. We could see it coming and there was nothing we were able to do to keep the doors open and the program running.”
There is one event – a weekend retreat in October that will take place. As for Beth Hudson -she will begin to work on a web based – national organization to be known as “Answers for Woman”.
Hudson reports that one in five families are run by single Moms.
 By Pepper Parr
August 25, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON.
My neighbour Rob, who is prone to stunts, pranks and practical jokes ,sent me an Ice Bucket Challenge. Jeez I thought, I’m going to have to do this or he won’t loan me his drill anymore and he does have a snow blower. So I was gearing myself up to walk across the street and submit myself to the dunking.
The President of the United States can duck these things – but I was pretty sure I had to go along with the gag. My one condition was that the event be filmed and the kids be on hand.
Then I came across the missive from School board chair and Ward 6 candidate Jennifer Hlusko who was passing along a piece form Macleans magazine.
Why the Ice Bucket Challenge is bad for you
The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge is bad … The marketing gimmick is very clever. It is short, immediately understandable, and like the most popular forms of slacktivism, it is easy to do, entertaining to watch, and narcissistically self-promoting. As a result, the ALS Association has received more than $70 million so far, compared to only $2.5 million during last year’s campaign.
We, as individuals and as a society, have finite resources to donate to medical research and other worthy causes. When we decide where to spend our charitable dollars, we need to consider three factors:
1. Where is the greatest need?
2. Where will my dollars have the greatest influence?
3. What is the most urgent problem?
The ALS challenge fails all three of these test.
 Did the School Board Chair get dunked? How did increasing ALS donations from $2.5 million to $70 million get defined as a failure. The people who went along with the dunking will send their donation and probably not cut back somewhere else.
The beauty of the human hearts is the way it can expand to meet the need.
Hlusko needs to think about an “expanded heart” procedure – and please – lighten up.
By Pepper Parr
August 25, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON.
It is coming together. It’s taking a little longer than many people had hoped but it looks as if they are going to do it right – right from the get go.
There will be a media release on Wednesday announcing who the chair is going to be along with additional information on just what the local Disaster Relief Committee can do and can’t do.
 Colleen Mulholland,BCF president, is stick handling the biggest project her organization has been asked to do. They are going to give her a T-shirt. On the following Wednesday, September 3, there will be a Roll Out event at a location in the east end where the full program will be explained along with the procedures people need to follow.
While the Burlington Community Foundation (BCF) has not yet announced a theme, based on the words BCF President Colleen Mulholland uses continually “Above and Beyond” just might be the call.
“This is a huge problem and there are hundreds of people who are hurting – hurting badly” explained Mulholland who is getting by on around four hours of sleep each night.
She is pumped over the size of the challenge and is stretching her team to the limit.
The BCF has encountered a number of desperate situations where they have had to dip into their own coffers to help out.
Their Annual Golf Tournament, being held September 4th, will be asking people to dig deep into those pockets.
A “portal” is being set up on the BCF web site that will have all the forms; all the details and answers to all the questions they think people will be asking.
That team leading this event are covering all the bases. There will be T-shirts for volunteers to wear; there will be coin boxes at every possible retail location. Great opportunity for the Burlington Downtown Business Association to show what they can do – and hopefully both malls are on board as well as all the supermarkets.
This stuff works – but you have to work to make I happen.
 Sandra Baker on the left talks with Burlington Community Foundation president Colleen Mulholland during days when things were not nearly as hectic. On Friday – donations sent via the United Way collection point were at $140,000 but come Monday morning there was just $141,600.00
More is needed – that Above and Beyond call to action is vital.
In the very near future major donations will begin to flow in – but this is a grass roots effort – this is community helping community. We too are Samaritans – or we can be if we choose to do be.
By Pepper Parr
August 24, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON.
Sometime soon – the Burlington Community Foundation will announce who the Chair of the local Disaster Relief Assistance Committee is going to be, and the flow of information for those unfortunate people who lost so much during the August 4th flood will begin.
It is going to be a complex process – governments just don’t hand out money willy- nilly.
The program, known as ODRAP, for Ontario Disaster Relief Assistance Program, is intended to assist those whose essential property has been extensively damaged as a result of a sudden, unexpected natural disaster such as a severe windstorm, tornado or flood.
The ODRAP program contains a private component and a public component. The public is used by the municipality to recover as much as they can of the cost of the flooding to the city. Burlington will be working with Halton Region on this.
 Each dot represent a home that was damaged in the August 4th flood. The data shown here was as of August 11th – there is more to show, The private component is intended for people who lost property and suffered significant damage to their homes. The first step in what will prove to be an exhausting process, was for the city to request that it be declared a disaster area. That happened on August 14th, when the city passed a resolution asking the Minister of Housing and Community Services to make that declaration.
That declaration has yet to be made by the Minister – but it is expected to happen in the very near future.
The program provides financial assistance within the declared disaster area, to restore private property to pre-disaster condition, when the cost of restoration exceeds the financial capacity of the affected individuals, municipality and community at large.
 While people worked at creating the administrative structure needed to get donations from the public and funds from the province into place – church groups were out on the street giving aid to clean up basements where needed. The Samaritan`s Purse expects to have partially restored close to 100 homes. ODRAP is not a substitute for adequate insurance coverage and does not provide full cost recovery.
The city enters into a legal agreement with the province, which calls for the city to (a) raise funds locally ($140,000 has been raised as of Friday, which the province “may” match on a two for one basis and (b) create the local Disaster Committee.
The province defines all areas damaged by the disaster, and whether all or a specified portion of the municipality is to be declared a disaster area.
When a disaster area is declared, a legal agreement is established between the Minister and affected municipality for accountability purposes.
The public component of ODRAP provides assistance to municipalities, when damage is so extensive that it exceeds the capacity of the affected municipality to manage. Burlington will be going after the province for the damage done to its infrastructure – the Region will be right in there with the city.
Municipalities within the declared disaster area may receive repayment/reimbursement of up to 100 per cent of eligible costs for uninsured municipal damage associated with a disaster.
The Private component of ODRAP requires individuals to bear the initial responsibility for their losses. If the losses are so extensive that individuals cannot cope on their own, the municipality and the community at large are expected to provide support.
The private component of ODRAP is intended to provide the “necessities of life” to help those impacted by a natural disaster get back on their feet, when it is beyond the capacity of the municipality or community to assist.
Local fund raising is what gets things rolling. To date people have donated $140,000. Once the local Disaster Relief Committee is fully operational, there will be a drive to pull in donations from people in a position to write big cheques as well as a major drive to the commercial/corporate sector.
The province may match funds up to a 2 to 1 ratio to settle the claims, up to 90 per cent of the estimated eligible amount.
Once the Disaster Relief Committee is set up, with the sub-committees it will require, one of their early tasks is going to be getting information out to the community and then receiving and settling the eligible claims of the victims as efficiently as possible.
The Disaster Relief committee members cannot be members of council and should have no conflict of interest in the collection and distribution of funds. The committee should avoid selecting members, who will likely be submitting claims for damages.
The disaster relief committee and its sub-committees, act autonomously from municipal council, operating within provincial guidelines to raise funds and settle claims. The committee ensures that all claims are dealt with fairly and equitably. Depending on the severity of the disaster, the disaster relief committee may operate for a period of several months or for up to one year or more, in order to receive and settle all claims.
 Seeing much of your house sitting at the curb waiting to be hauled to the dump, was very painful and expensive for hundreds of Burlington residents. The Region increased the collection days so that we didn`t see these piles of refuse on the streets for very long – which made it easy to forget how extensive the damage actually was. Members of the Disaster Relief Committee receive no remuneration. They can be reimbursed for expenses, however, such as travel to meetings.
Usually program administration, financial records and payments are made by a municipality upon the recommendation of the Disaster Relief Committee. The program administration costs of the Disaster Relief Committee are incremental to normal municipal administration activities, and are eligible for reimbursement from the Ministry. These costs could include:
A program manager to assist the disaster relief committee with day to day operations, fundraising and claim settlement;
An insurance adjuster to assist with reviewing claims;
Secretarial and other support staff fees, audit fees, stationary, printing, advertising and postage costs;
Rental of office space and furniture if necessary.
All administrative expenditures of the local disaster relief committee must be documented and kept separate from fundraising. No administrative costs are to be deducted by the disaster relief committee, from the locally raised funds. All donations must be channeled directly to the disaster relief committee to be matched with provincial funds up to 2:1 and used for claim settlement.
The responsibilities of the Disaster Relief Committee are as follows:
1. Appoint a chairperson and appropriate vice-chairs for sub-committees, where established;
2. Appoint a treasurer and a secretary, if one is required. The treasurer should not be a member of the committee but should be a municipal staff person or, depending on the scale of the emergency, a paid contract position;
3. Establish a disaster relief fund and bank account to receive donations;
4. Register as a charity with Revenue Canada to receive a charitable registration number, if not available through the municipality;
5. Solicit donations to the fund and organize fundraising activities;
6. Establish procedures for the receipt, appraisal, and settlement of claims for losses and damage;
7. Advise the municipality to issue advance payments in exceptional circumstances not exceeding 50 per cent of the estimated eligible payout;
8. Distribute claim forms;
9. Advertise the existence of the fund, availability of assistance, and terms on which assistance will be provided;
10. Appraise damage for claims less than $500 and, if necessary, hire professional adjuster(s) for claims greater than $500;
11. Approve payments in a consistent manner based on reports from the adjuster and/or program manager, and in accordance with ODRAP guidelines and the committee’s procedures;
12. Advise the municipality to make payments to claimants using the municipal financial system;
13. Hire auditors to review the activities of the fund and prepare an audit report; and
14. Submit an audited report to the regional Municipal Services Office for review and final payment of the provincial contribution.
ODRAP is not an alternative to adequate private insurance coverage and sound risk management practices. Claims from households and businesses should be directed first to insurance companies to determine the policy holder’s coverage.
 For homes that didn`t have, or could not get adequate insurance the ODRAP program might pay as much as 90% of the cost of replacing essentials. Burlington hasn’t dealt with a disaster of this magnitude before – there will be a learning curve and it will take a bit of time to get it all running smoothly. The names of some very competent people are being tossed around to head up the Disaster Relief Operation. Let us hope that those who can make things happen, step up and take on the task.
It would have been useful if city hall, the Mayor in particular, had kept up a steady flow of information during the period of time, when procedures are being put in place. The paucity of information from city hall was embarrassing – distressing as well. The public was told that City Talk – the city`s in house magazine that tells you what the city has done for you will be distributed to every home in the city.
By Pepper Parr
August 23, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON.
“We should have the door to door work wrapped up in a few days” said Peter Hodgson, lead Red Cross person on the task of learning just how many homes were damaged in the August 4th flood, and the extent of that damage.
 Peter Hodgson, lead Red Cross volunteer points to maps that show how many homes were damaged and where they are located. The volunteers will have covered in excess of 10,000 homes, explained Hodgson. Their data gets sent to the Region, where it is plotted on maps, which will allow the city to quantify the damage.
Mayor Goldring had explained at the city council meeting earlier in the month that “we need to know how extensive the damage is”. It is extensive and it is tragic.
For Hodgson the story is much more than numbers on a map. There are some truly tragic situations out there. “We were working with a man who had an extensive “collectibles” collection in his basement. “This was his retirement – and it was gone. The man valued it at more than $1 million.”
The dots indicate a house that was flooded. This was not a small disaster. There was an apartment building that had some affordable housing units in it. The owner of the building had moved a tenant with little in the way of personal means into a basement unit a few days before the flood so he could renovate the unit they lived in. All was lost.
There was an elderly couple who had suffered extensive damage to their house – all of which was more than they could cope with – but they didn’t want to leave their home.
Hodgson wasn’t able to say, but the sense is that there may be some homes that have to be torn down.
 Red Cross volunteers get training on what to do at eah house they call on. “We don’t talk about poverty in Burlington, but it is there” said Hodgson “and it is situations like this that bring these people to the surface – they have no resources to fall back on. The Red Cross is able to help out but just for a very short period of time.”
“We have people sleeping on air mattresses on the floor in some places” said Hodgson. “We opened up Evacuation Centres but they didn’t really get used – but we had them in place if needed.
The Red Cross has a Memorandum of Understanding in place with the Regional government- which allows them to move into a community on a couple of hours’ notice.
Their volunteers were on the streets within hours doing the door to door work. At the same time the Samaritan’s Purse had crews ripping carpet out of flooded basements and doing power washing, while the fire department put a calendar up on their website showing times, when fire fighters were available to help people with the clean-up.
While all this was going on, citizens were making donations to the disaster relief funds – the total on Friday was $140,000
 By Staff
August 23, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON.
David THOMSON is 24 years old – he has been missing from his residence in the Appleby Line and Dryden Avenue part of town since Thursday July 28, 2014.
Missing since the end of July – HRPS will conduct a search for David Thomson on Monday Halton Regional Police Search Incident Response Team (SIRT) will commence a methodical search operation in parks and wooded areas around David’s home on the morning of Monday August 25th 2014
This operation is expected to last several hours during which time the public will see an increase in police activity between Appleby Line and Burloak Drive, north and south of Upper Middle Road.
In the meantime, Police are asking local residents and businesses to check their properties including shed’s, garages and/or outbuildings for anything that would assist in locating David.
David is described as Male/white, 5’10, 160 pounds, medium build, fair complexion, short blonde hair, blue eyes. He was last seen wearing a white t-shirt with a Canadian flag on it, blue jeans and running shoes.
Anyone with information that would assist in locating David are urged to contact the on duty Staff Sergeant at 905-825-4747 ext. 2310
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