Saturday, January 3, 2015

THIS YEAR OFF TO A NOT-SO-GOOD START

Cripes, 2015 is already off to a bad start. One of my political heroes, Mario Cuomo died on New Year's Day hours after his son Andrew was sworn in for a second term as governor of New York. Mario had served three terms as governor and would have had a fourth term except that he came out strongly against the death penalty.

Then I read that Niagara Falls potential medical marijuana grow-ops are meeting fierce opposition from residents and, council is backing them up, claiming that city staff misled council. Councillor Ionannoni said: "I feel extremely duped." Applications for the former Redpath Sugar plant and the former Kimberly Clark plant were granted based on the applicants' plan to run a "nursery for trees, plants and shrubs." The public meeting was not attended by many neighbours of the proposed sites since the cultivation of medical marijuana was not mentioned in the public notice. When the true plan came to light, residents showed up in large numbers to a special meeting of council on January 2. 

I can only see how Fort Erie town staff (especially developer-friendly town planner Rino Mostacci) pushed through the Bay Beach proposal despite fierce opposition by the people. Unlike Niagara Falls, Fort Erie council fell in line behind the high-rise crazed Mostacci and ignored those opposed to the rape of publicly owned beachfront property. (I know. Still smarting from that outrage as well as the outrageous lawsuits brought against four councillors.)

In April, we may finally be done with the Conflict of Interest lawsuit against Bob Steckley, John Hill, Don Lubberts and Paul Collard. Sadly, Rick Shular will not be able to recant the lies he told under oath, but he did manage to connect EDTC GM Jim Thibert to the plot to sue the four. A new judge will hear the case which, IMHO, should have been thrown out before it even got started. No word on the separate COI case against Don Lubberts that was filed by conflict-challenged Jim Thibert. The taxpayers may be paying for the case against Lubberts like they paid for the slander suit against me brought forth by thin-skinned Thibert. Some day the truth will come out and everything that was said on my blog about Thibert will be verified.

UPDATE: It appears that there was a murder in Ridgeway over the weekend. No media coverage of a man's body found in his house on Prospect Road. He was a victim of "blunt force trauma." 


Well, it certainly got cold in the past day. By Saturday, Polar Bear dippers will get a real treat in the icy cold weather. No worries though, lots of Chili for everyone at the Chili Cook-off after the dip.



Meanwhile, in Buffalo, the Canalside ice rink is open. Too bad someone doesn't do that here.

20 comments:

  1. I hope that all Fort Erie residents will finally get clued in regarding the Conflict of Interest Charges. The local papers didn't print the transcripts, we had to read them here.
    Why ever would Pissaro be wanted on Council again, when he testified against fellow Councillors. Wasn't he one of the four who voted to pay off Heather Salter to just leave?
    Didn't Pissaro break his pledge to keep confidential town matters confidential?

    His cakes looked great, didn't like his icings though.

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  2. I hear Olaf's head is gone. Did it blow off like in the movie or did the nasty resident stalker pull it off, I am wondering?

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  3. Heard on NPR that Como could have been president but didnt think he could beat the first Bush, going strong with 85% approval rating going into the election after his sucess in the 1st gulf war. Then Clinton came along, said the right things and beat the old "read my lips" guy. George junior came along later and decided he wanted a war too. A long war. How might things have been different if Como had seen his way? We will never know, but he sure was a good speaker.

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  4. Any predictions for 2015 anyone???

    1)higher taxes, 2)more over priced under worked staff for Town Hall 3) Pissaro grabs Shular's seat, 4)10 million $$ lawsuit (brought here by Dirty Doug and not The Four btw) disappears, 5)Jimmie Dirt Bag crowned King, 6)Jimmie Dirt Bag asks and receives more millions, 7)COI lawsuits found to be frivolous, 8)Donnie Lubberts outvoted 6-1 on every issue but no says a word, 9)ocal papers continue to support gross waste of tax $$$ through continued silence 10) Bonito's lips surgically removed from Jimmie's a$$ 11) Marina Butler continues her empire building 12) Bonito given min wage job by Butler (no worries Greggers they are all min wage) 13)Butler found in COI 14) Jimmie Dirt Bag found in COI 15) Zanko manages to keep campaign promise and build new High School(decided looong ago there Ward 3) 16) common sense returns to FE(too late suckers)17) Fort Stupid wakes up to being riipped off for the last 3 0r 4 decades by the ol boy network with help of Town Staff and CoC.............



    anything else???

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  5. My number #1 prediction is an investigation by the Provincial Ombudsman will be done, regarding the unusual money manipulations of $2 million dollars of Provincial Funds, slated for Recreation and Tourism enhancement, to the owners of the Race Track, to be unlawful and in"Breach of Trust' causing the EDTC manager to be charged with unlawful diversion of Provincial funds. causing his removal from office.

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  6. Chili Cookoff ? Business improvement? Have you looked at that water coming into the beach? You going to expose your skin to that gooey gunk? No polar bear would even drink that funky mix of decaying detergent and fermented sea slime, nevermind walking into it without being poked with a sharp stick. How bout those goofy sunglass wearing on a cloudy day baseball hat clad party monitors there to make sure no one has a good time in the surf with rubber suits on. We dont deserve this. Junk food. Toxic water. Spectators on shore laughing at the fools. Could be a warm up for whats to come in the next few months in the council chambers when what people really need is common sense.

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  7. What is all that nutty stuff on the Ninjaws site about in fighting and year old meeting notes? Peter who? That must be one tiny world those guys? are focused on. Perhaps drinks have been used to fuel the typing instinct? Sure looks like it.Ninjars are back? From where? The wine cellar? Oh well, hard to follow, but if it makes them happy and keeps them out of trouble why not. Seen worse but have to reach to remember when, Maybe they should go back down to the cellar.

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  8. I have talked to several potential investors who are pulling out of Fort Erie because Pissaro was appointed to the Bridgeburg BIA. I have taken this up with town hall but evidently they are not ready to move forward from the last four years. Investors are watching and taking note! The small town games still evident in Fort Erie today are being received loud and clear by the business community! Why won’t council listen to the desire for change by an overwhelming majority who rejected Pissaro’s attempt to run our town into the ground like he did Ward 1 when he turned it into WARD LAST? Pissaro is nothing but a CHARLATAIN and a SCOUNDREL and should have taken the message when he was resoundingly defeated by the good people of Fort Erie. But now he is right back where he was in a position that has caused untold grief for a young women who had to suffer through his micromanagement and harassment!!! ON HER BIRTHDAY!!! And if things couldn’t get any worse for Fort Erie, rumours abound that Pissaro’s lacky GREGORY MICHAEL BONITO aka NINJA SENSEI RON plans to run in a Ward 2 byelection. Gregory Michael Bonito’s relentless ninja attacks against the character of hard working taxpayers of Fort Erie in defense of the snake oil salesman caused division and suffering. We need a councillor who can move our town forward in one at-large direction and not play children’s games behind a keyboard! We need people who will put FORT ERIE FIRST! Not cut from the same self-serving cloth as Pissaro and Jimmy T! I hoped that the renewal from a new mayor and council would put Fort Erie on the right track to growth and prosperity. I don’t think this is happening. The same nepotism and hypocrisy are evident at town hall today as they were before. The average voter has had ENOUGH! Full disclosure and accountability is DEMANDED by investors looking to come to Fort Erie, and this is not happening! Sweeping under the rug is the same game for the last four years and it’s becoming obvious that our leadership is not ready to move forward. Fort Erie is becoming a joke and now I have no choice but to say I am from NIAGARA and not Fort Erie to my business associates. Where there is smoke there is fire. And town hall is up in flames!

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    1. Well, I've certainly had my problems with Bonito. His whole silly ninja persona is evidence of an immature loser, His foolishness cost him at least one job and his marriage. He thinks that rubbing up against people in power will make him a star. Pathetic really. As to Passero: there are no words. The people of Fort Erie dodged a big bullet when he lost his bid for mayor. But, he is like the demon in Poltergeist: he'll keep coming back until he is either stopped or he seizes absolute power in Fort Erie. Just remember: Passero has ruined every organization that he has been a part of. Shorewalk, Kinsmen Pool Effort, Bridgeburg BIA, Fort Erie Council and the list goes on and on.

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  9. Coming to ruin this blog too Peter? Don't get too close to "not my town". He will rat you out in a blink of an eye.

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  10. What investors coming to Fort Erie? Any chance of names or at least some indication of what businesses those named were proposing to establish here in town? Any chance of some of that full disclosure mentioned? Or is that only full disclosure at town hall, the rest of us only hear about it when... say.. another big $hit box store shows up to vacuum up the spare change drifting around town and put a lot of smaller places out of business? Somthing like a TGIF restaurant opens next to the Bank Bistro and ruins that little outfit? Have to be careful what you ask for "Not My Town". Theres room for a pizza place on Jarvis. Probly the only place in the townsite that doesent have one. (Whats up with that??). That is the type of investment opportunity we see here for the most part. Undereducated drifters with too much tatoos throwing pies because it isnt roofing season. This 30 km from a world class tourist attraction that receives over a million visitors a year,and the only group who seem to recognise this fact is the seasonal Zoos...sorry..."Safari Niagara" (zoos brought up the image of caged animals and cut into the bottom line). The Tourism office here... the EDTC, sitting on their hands paid in full and looking the other way, (when theyre not down south somwhere).If Town is in flames the people here for the most part seem to be warming their hands in the glow. After all the local hockey "scene" gets more coverage than what is going on at the twice monthly meetings in the chambers. Fort Erie ex home of Tim Hudak, contender for the leader of the province and blew it. The list goes on when it comes to why people dont invest here. Mostly its a lack of a lot of spare money to spend. This is probly the most business friendly council elected in many years. Lets hope they us that fact in a smart way. Enough fast food places and strip malls, cracker box housing developments and sweet contract to incompetant paving companys. See if they have the guts to approach large multinational companys like Toyota or GM to get some parts manufacturing going here. Then we will revisit this subject of attracting investment here. Lets see if the present council (and related expencive "arms length" departments) have what it takes.

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    1. Exactly. One need only look over to Buffalo to see what investment and commitment can do. Buffalo was once on the bad lists. Now it is on a number of "most improved" lists because of the fabulous waterfront redevelopment and breaks for companies who wish to relocate to Buffalo. It can be done, Fort Erie.

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  11. Who in Crystal Beach hates the good deeds that Friends of Crystal Beach perform all year round?

    Who is intimidated by a community organization with no personal financial motives?

    Who would sabotage a decorated Olaf bicycle display that children would enjoy looking at?

    It would take a man's strength to pull off a double bolted thick plywood circle attached up onto a hydro pole. It depicted a yellow balloon with a Happy Face with F.O.C.B. across the bottom.

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    1. Every community has a few who are angry and want to destroy anything that is nice. I've seen it way too much in Crystal Beach. We still have some low-lifes around who bring down the town's reputation. Too bad.

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  12. An answer to John? We already had Ford and Chrysler coming to Fort Erie , back in the 1980s we told them we did not wan';t them here, chased them away, after a while nobody knocks on our door any more, The Safari Niagara is one bright spot, thousands come to the concerts that are held here during the summer months, and they are getting better at it, also they are listed as one of the ten best private places to visit for recreation and animal parks in all of Canada.in all of Canada , Marineland which is also privately owned did not make the list. Yet Fort Erie will not provide a summer bus to that location , or any bus to Stevensville.

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    1. Don't forget: the transit does not run on Sundays or holidays anyways. You're screwed in this town without a car and it doesn't have to be that way. I once offered the scenario where everyone at town hall was without the use of a vehicle for a day. Sent it to the local papers. Not one response from the powers that be. They don't care about public transportation. They figure they'll never need it. Let the peasants find their own way around the Niagara Peninsula. Not our problem. Except for a couple of voices speaking in favour of the transit users, there has been the sound of crickets.

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  13. Recap The auto companies tried in the late 1960s I made a mistake .but we have sent others packing, they do get the message Fort Erie is closed. So why the lie, that the last council , was not receptive to business.???

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  14. Local simpleton and regional councilor agrees that green energy act is costing ontario jobs and money. However he voted in favour of installing solar panels on region building. The initial investment out of the taxpayer pocket obviously.

    Is this guy serious? Was his mother not there to help him with this one?

    Hopefully this isn't a sign of things to come.

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    Replies
    1. Just your typical Sandy Annunziata grandstanding move. Oy Veh. Four years of this? Wonder if he'll plagiarize something and try to take credit for it?

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  15. Is there not a pond in the centre area of the horse track? Wouldnt this be a pretty good area to begin outdoor skating for people that want to be outside on a sunny winter day and not in a gloomy "hockey" arena? Get some use of that tax burning piece of real estate? The skate area could be expanded as time went on. We are pretty sure that facility has town water service for the water needed. What else is needed? Might even create a few seasonal jobs for a few people.

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