Saturday, May 24, 2014

SPEAKING OF CONFLICT OF INTEREST

Long-time conflict-challenged Martha Lockwood has come alive to report her findings regarding the Bay Beach situation on that Facebook group commandeered by the ninjas:


"Steve you said in a previous post that the Molinarosstill owned the area used for 

parking along Erie Road. That is true for now. They are in the midst of selling it


 and are concentrating their efforts in areas that welcome them. Interestingly enough 

in the midst of all of the sabotage of the Crystal Beach project, Mayor Vance 

Badaway invited them to Port Colborne to show them areas of their waterfront he 


would love developed (see Nickel Beach). Its amazing how some communities have


vision and others do not. It will be a long time before anyone is interested in investing 


significant amount of money in this area."



Oh, Martha, getting careless with the truth, again are you? Are you enjoying putting down the

people of Fort Erie who did not want a high rise on public beach front property?  And where did


you get this inside information?  Still hanging onto the Molinaros?  Vance Badaway has never 

invited the Molinaros to look into developing Nickle Beach. Port Colborne recently received 

word that a major grant will be given to Nickle Beach in order to renew the sand dunes which 

could result in a coveted Blue Flag designation.  There is fierce opposition in Port Colborne 

to any high rise buildings along its waterfront. In fact, some are lamenting the four story condo 

apartment building that was built on the waterfront several years ago.  Townspeople have 

vowed that will never happen again on the Port waterfront.



So the "vision" that Martha is talking about going on in Port Colborne is exactly what should be 

going on in Fort Erie.  


Just this past week in Port Colborne, The Elm Street Naturalization Park officially opened

its first phase: a leash-free dog park drawing visitors and their canine friends. It is all part

of a 24 hectare park being developed by the Niagara Region on the former site of the Elm

Street Landfill and Organics Composting. I doubt if its economic impact was part of the 

consideration to ask for the support for the parkland. Port Colborne manages to blend public 

parks with businesses and established residences.  It can be done with smart planning.


Perhaps Martha should keep herself out of the limelight. She can still be sued for conflict of 

interest for her votes on the Bay Beach Issue while her domestic partner had a direct pecuniary 

interest in the Bay Beach snackbar/tee shirt shop. Some of us still remember her support of 

cheese smuggler Bernie Polino as he grabbed the snack bar lease from the long-time lessee, 

Charley Boy's.



(Editor's Note: In all honesty,  I really pushed hard for someone to file suit against her, but those 

who could deferred, thinking that was not the best strategy. The knowledge of Martha's other 

lies cost her the voters' trust and she lost the election in 2010. Even then, she filed for a 

compliance audit against the man who beat her in the election: Don Lubberts. This produced 

nothing and cost the taxpayers thousands of dollars.)


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