Tag Archives: Guelph
Passing the buck to taxpayers
Instead of taking prompt action to correct a serious problem with excessive water bills, Mayor Karen Farbridge denied compensation to a condominium complex that received a water bill for $25,000 for a month. The average water bill for the complex … Continue reading
Filed under Between the Lines
Where, Oh Where, is our new Chief Financial Officer?
When the city approved its 2012 budget, it was signed, among other senior staffers, by Deputy Treasurer Susan Arun, acting as Chief Financial Officer (CF0). Former CFO Margaret Neubaur was fired last May. Susan Arun was installed as a … Continue reading
Filed under Between the Lines
The lullaby of Carden Street
This is an essay on how your tax dollars have been squandered to meet the closed-door agenda of the Mayor and her majority supporters on city council. What most taxpayers don’t realize is their money has been spent on projects … Continue reading
Filed under Between the Lines
A solution to the demise of the new downtown library
More than five years ago, I protested the Council decision to rebuild the derelict Loretto Convent and turn it into a civic museum. The cost was originally pegged at $12.7 million that was subsidized by some $6 million in federal … Continue reading
Filed under Between the Lines
Let them eat chocolate almonds at the Cutten club
If you ever wonder how our elected officials use public money to entertain themselves and their guests, look no farther than the Mayor’s office. Seems the Cutten Club is the watering hole for politicians and senior staff. Apparently it is … Continue reading
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It seemed like a good idea at the time – Part Two
Members of the Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Board of Health (WDGPH), sounded miffed and unimpressed over the city’s decision to return three councillors to the board. Guelph council asked the health board to hire a mediator to sort out the dirty details involving … Continue reading
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Guelph’s $33 million Microbe Motel set to reopen
Down on Watson Road the world’s largest chemistry set is about to start accepting limited amounts of wet garbage to feed its hungry hoard of miniscule microbes. Known as the Wet Waste Management Plant, the chemical reaction of trillions … Continue reading
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The death of trust in Guelph politics
Looking back at the 2006 election campaign in which Karen Farbridge’s favourite talking point was “putting Guelph back on track”. She also emphasized that transparency and public input would be hallmarks of her administration. Most voters liked what they heard. … Continue reading
Filed under Between the Lines
A comment from the editor of guelphspeaks.ca
For the past five years, I have been closely following the operations of our city. And, I have been critical of decisions made without regard to the unintended consequences. Because I am critical of the operations of the city, I … Continue reading
Filed under Between the Lines
