tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27345428550806710642024-02-18T20:37:51.033-05:00THE STRAND BLOGAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16495038420778835026noreply@blogger.comBlogger203125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2734542855080671064.post-29638370972429446882018-01-17T21:32:00.000-05:002018-01-18T13:18:01.714-05:00HOPE FOR 2018?<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I can't take it much longer. The Trump presidency has been exhausting and it's only a year since the inauguration.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The man who refers to Africa and Haiti has "sh*t-hole countries" has tried my last nerve.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">When I think back over the past decade, it does not surprise me that politics has become so grotesque. We had an appetizer of this here in Fort Erie during the Great War Over Bay Beach. Talk about grotesque.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">So,here we are in 2018 and there are community groups working hard to fund a park at the Bay Beach Properties now that the twelve story Martin Tower and the mayor who pushed for it are long gone. Good news after years of struggle and lies.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Meanwhile, the mythical Canadian Motor Speedway has apparently fallen through its web of lies and misrepresentations. Good news that too.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Jim Thibert's Dream Marina may be built, although it will be a much scaled-down version of the once Trumpian Hoooge development that threatened to cut a wide swath into the scenic Niagara Parkway.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Geeze, will they ever get it right? As we watch precious wetlands and wildlife refuges fall to development, some wonder why coyotes and other wildlife are encroaching on residential areas. Hello? That's what happens when they're run out of their homes. Duh.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Wouldn't it be nice if local politicians and those who hand out building permits would just stop long enough to research and talk to people in the area before they rubber stamp some well-connected developer's plans. Just think of all the trouble that would have been avoided</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">had Martin listened to the people rather than his carpetbagger town planner regarding the Bay Beach Properties. But no, he didn't. Even when he <strike>almost</strike> lost his re-election by five votes (yeah, right) he didn't smarten up. Too far up the rears of developers to care what the people wanted - or didn't want. The Four Councillors, as they came to be known, are still involved in a lawsuit filed by the developer of the doomed twelve story tower at Bay Beach. The developer should really be suing the former town administration for misleading him into the mess. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">So, as I agonize over the mess in the US, my country of birth, I have to try to stay positive and remember that the fight to save Bay Beach has almost ended and the people are getting a park on the land fronting our only public beach in Crystal Beach. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(I also have to snicker at those who were all in favour of the tower and who are now back-tracking on their support of it. Sometimes a little </span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">schadenfreude</i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> warms my heart.)</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Not a bad start for the year.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">UPDATE: Anyone surprised that Sandy Annunziata is in the top five of regional councillors' spending? Sure does know how to work the gravy train. <a href="http://www.niagarafallsreview.ca/2018/01/17/the-most-and-least-expensive-regional-councillors">http://www.niagarafallsreview.ca/2018/01/17/the-most-and-least-expensive-regional-councillors</a></span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16495038420778835026noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2734542855080671064.post-48256863007316551782017-12-06T14:32:00.000-05:002017-12-07T17:51:13.704-05:00'TIS THE SEASON<span style="color: #990000; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="color: #990000;"><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">ALERT! SCAMMERS </span><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">ARE AT IT AGAIN!</span></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">New residents to the Ridgeway-Crystal Beach Area are being approached by Orma Bleeks who is trying to convince people to invest in a "design school" on the site of the former Ridgeway/Crystal Beach High School. This is a continuation of the work of convicted fraudster Gary Fraser. He is currently the subject of a law suit and has served time for previous conviction for real estate fraud. He was recently the subject of a CBC report about Syndicated Mortgages that has allegedly robbed residents in Toronto of thousands of dollars. Please do not invest in this project. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">And now, back to my previous post...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I never would have thought this would happen, yet it did and I'm thrilled about it. The community has come together to heal and to improve the public beach lands in Bay Beach.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It was fifteen years ago that the fight began to save the recently purchased property from being sold/given away to developers. It was a long and ugly fight that cost some residents their reputations and money. It divided the community along the lines of "for" or "against" a high rise on the land in front of the town's public beach in Crystal Beach.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Tuesday, December 5, 2017 should be noted in local history as the night that the community declared the Bay Beach War was officially over. A simple and delicious roast beef dinner at the Crystal Ridge Community Centre was shared by members of the community to celebrate the season and the initiative to provide for the proposed playground and park on the land fronting Bay Beach where a twelve story tower was once planned.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The Ridgeway Lions and the Friends of Crystal Beach teamed up to put on the event with the proceeds ear-marked for park improvements. It was announced that, with generous donations from other local sponsors, the fund for improvements has jumped thousands of dollars towards its eventual goal. Some of the work will begin in spring of 2018 with more to come as funds become available.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">As the community centre filled up with hungry diners, the <b>Sherkston Trinity Life Singers </b>provided a beautiful seasonal ambiance to the gathering. The hall was decorated beautifully thanks to Gayle Martineau and her crew from the Friends of Crystal Beach. The Ridgeway Lions, with the help of spouses and the Ridgeway Lioness Club cooked and served a family-style feast of roast beef and all the trimmings.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">As the music and singing played on, old friends and former enemies dined and conversed, joined together once again as a community with a common goal for the community.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">What a welcome and wonderful tribute to the season. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> <i>I started The Crystal Beach Strand in 2002 when parts of the Bay Beach Properties were in danger of being sold. The former Rebstock-owned properties, including the beach, was bought by the town in 2001 with gaming money. Everyone was thrilled that the popular beach property would become public. That changed in early 2002 with the proposal to sell off upland parking lots. And the fun began. I wish that the following years and the Bay Beach Story could be erased from my memory as it has effected my life greatly. I said and did many things that I am embarrassed by, but I was waging a war (in my mind) against greedy people who did not care about the community. I do not regret my part in the battles; I regret that any battle was necessary in the first place.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Now I can relax. My work is done here.</i></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16495038420778835026noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2734542855080671064.post-56493936662705679652017-09-06T21:54:00.001-04:002017-09-06T21:54:44.734-04:00SANDY ANNUNZIATA REVEALED<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> I simply can't do any better than<a href="http://www.stcatharinesstandard.ca/2017/09/06/herod-sandy-annunziata-delusional-or-selfless" target="_blank"> THIS.</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">From the article:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><b>"OK, time for the quiz.</b></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><b>In arguing that it is a good use of taxpayers’ money to expense trips to Toronto in order to chat about national/international current events and very occasionally name-drop Niagara, Fort Erie regional Coun. Sandy Annunziata is:</b></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><b>a) suffering from big-headedness</b></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><b>b) delusional</b></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><b>c) doing a great job promoting Sandy Annunziata</b></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><b>d) all of the above</b></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><b>e) none of the above; he’s selflessly enhancing Niagara’s profile and potentially attracting investment dollars to the region.</b></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><b>You have three seconds.</b></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><b>Time’s up.</b></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><b>The answer is (d), although (a), (b), or (c) would, I suppose, in this education-coddling world of ours, result in a passing grade.</b></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><b>People answering (e) can only be Annunziata’s close friends and relatives, members of the local Ontario Progressive Conservative Association or, perhaps, Jerry Agar."</b></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Annunziata is trying to build his brand in anticipation of running in a bigger pond. Maybe Sandy expects to take over for his mother's one-time employer, MP Rob Nicholson when he retires. I have to admire his chutzpah in getting the taxpayers to pay for his trips to Toronto to build his brand. Is he also getting paid to appear on Jerry Agar's show? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #333333;">You simply cannot make this stuff up. Read the whole article and the earlier one <a href="http://www.niagaraadvance.ca/2017/09/01/region-wild-west-on-councillor-expenses" target="_blank">HERE</a>.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Letter to the Editor re:Sandy <a href="http://www.stcatharinesstandard.ca/2017/09/05/letters-to-the-editor" target="_blank">HERE</a></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16495038420778835026noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2734542855080671064.post-39577352118334020002017-09-01T15:57:00.003-04:002017-09-02T13:57:53.824-04:00FAILED HAT TRICK FOR JIM THIBERT<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">All three of Economic Development and Tourism head <a href="https://www.niagarathisweek.com/news-story/7532865-no-developers-interested-in-redesigning-miller-s-creek-marina/" target="_blank">Jim Thibert's current pet project</a>s have so far failed. An earlier one, a golf course on the Niagara Parkway failed years ago.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I must say that I'm surprised and heartened by the good journalism coming from James Culic these days. His <a href="https://www.niagarathisweek.com/news-story/7501695-eight-months-later-and-still-no-update-on-speedway-project/" target="_blank">earlier article</a> on the lack of progress on the Canadian Motor Speedway project defies the hype coming from other sources and gets to the truth of the NOT-NASCAR Middle-Eastern project.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Other Kuwaiti-based investors bailed on a major marina project on the Niagara Parkway a couple of years ago and the project was put up for interested developers. No one came to that party and the present marina remains untouched.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The third, mentioned in the article is that Trump-supporting, bat-wielding, thrown-off-the-Buffalo-School-Board, developer Carl Paladino who now owns the Fort Erie Race Track. He has claimed that he will provide the much-needed improvements to the aging horse track when the Canadian Motor Speedway is actually being built. Good one, Carl. The rubes and Thibert fans bought that one wholesale. Carl is just like his idol Donald Trump. Need I say anything more?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And Mr. Thibert, the guy who sued me with taxpayer money, is batting zero right now and, if there were any people in position with real care for the use of taxpayer money, Thibert would be fired and replaced with someone who can actually get real projects done, not some guy who enjoys trips to exotic countries on the taxpayers' dime looking for business opportunities and new slot machines. Someone who can bring real jobs to Fort Erie, not some pie-in-the-sky developer BS. We've heard it before. I just came across <a href="http://www.forterietimes.ca/2012/05/19/call-centre-will-hire-40-people" target="_blank">an article </a>published a few years ago about all the jobs that were coming to a new call centre in the now-empty visitors centre across from the race track. Earlier, in 2011, <a href="http://www.forteriecanada.com/news_events/pdf/New%20Fort%20Erie%20call%20centre%20could%20eventually%20expand%20to%20300%20jobs.pdf" target="_blank">a call centre opened</a> on Garrison Road promising hundreds of jobs. Where is it now? Thibert and Martin once went on an excellent adventure to the Mideast to look for investors in projects like the ill-fated massive development of the Fort Erie Race Track that fizzled. And then Carl Paladino bought the track and, like most of his projects, will cause great stress to the people in its area. For an example, please visit the once-beautiful Ellicot Square Building in Buffalo now owned by Paladino. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">So, other than successfully suing me, Thibert missed his Golden Hat Trick by a mile. Time to hang up your skates, Jimmy.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Clarification: It's not like I don't want to see the marina improved and modernized. It's just that the ridiculous plans by the Kuwaiti-based developer would have cut a huge portion of the fabled Niagara Parkway into a giant, probably gated development. The people who paid dearly for the beautiful view from their homes on the parkway would have their views blocked by a gigantic development. Not fair at all. A new marina could be built without upsetting the existing vista. Except that some developers only see the profit figures; not the wreckage of natural assets. BTW, the poorly built buildings of one braggart developer have now developed big problems. Water damage to the foundations along with the short driveways. Looks like they will never be sold to anyone with a good pair of eyes. Should never have been allowed to be built as such. Where was the planning department as this eyesore developer was applying for building permits?</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16495038420778835026noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2734542855080671064.post-19067448843307936062017-08-30T09:51:00.001-04:002017-08-30T09:51:44.638-04:00NEWS<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A few things are happening that have an effect on our town.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1.) <a href="http://www.niagarafallsreview.ca/2017/08/26/ban-on-protester-from-town-property-overturned" target="_blank">Fred Braken</a> won his right to protest at town hall and other public places. You may disagree with Fred, but it has now been proved that he had a right to voice his opinion when and where he chose. Take note, Richard Berry. You were wronged as well.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2.) Warnings about<a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/business/housing-bubble-prices-1.4266589?cmp=news-digests-canada-and-world-morning" target="_blank"> housing boom</a> and tight market in light of Hurricane Harvey. It has also been reported that the building boom amid lax zoning have contributed to the devastation of Harvey.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3.) Community groups <a href="https://www.niagarathisweek.com/news-story/7527189-community-groups-step-up-to-pay-for-bay-beach-playground/" target="_blank">donate funds</a> to restore playground and landscaping to Bay Beach project. Perhaps this is the way to get what the people deserve for their public beachfront property - the last in Crystal Beach. Basically, that is how Waterfront Park was built - against the prevailing council's wishes with community funds from gaming and donations.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">While Cheetolini visits Corpus Christie to avoid touching or interacting with actual flood victims while wearing a hat for sale on his re-election website, we in Canada must learn from the mistakes made in the US and never elect someone who repeatedly lies.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We must not continue to let developers hold sway in getting zoning changes and packing in houses and apartments without a thorough study of the potential risks. Forget about the Ministry of Natural Resources or the Ontario Municipal Board. Their records indicate that they are more than happy to rule in favour of developers. Remember, one local developer openly bragged that he could build anything he wanted in Fort Erie as long as he was willing to pay for it. (BTW, you can view one of his poorly planned developments right in Ridgeway that remains empty because he defied zoning regulations and got away with it - except no one wants to live with it.)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Pay attention, Fort Erie. There is a lot going on behind the scenes. We have a sleazy local politician running for mayor already while rumours that a disgraced town official mulls over his chances. Some people have no scruples whatsoever. And like Trump, they could be elected. Except they'll have to cheat, which we've heard, they're already pretty good at doing.</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16495038420778835026noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2734542855080671064.post-74583533566285910332017-08-22T13:23:00.001-04:002017-08-22T13:23:28.915-04:00AS PREDICTED SEVERAL YEARS AGO: THERE WILL BE NO CANADIAN MOTOR SPEEDWAY<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Many thought that I was being "negative" for predicting that the Canadian Motor Speedway would never come to pass. A few of us actually looked into the background of the investors and surmised that the money was not there and that the developers were hoping for massive government help to finance the effort. The government has not been interested in investing tax payer money to support a foreign-based operation and the Kuwaiti banks behind the project are struggling. The Kuwaiti-based investors behind the abandoned marina development on the Niagara Parkway suffered a similar fate. Of course, that was another dumb case of over-development of an existing iconic roadway. You can't make this stuff up. It defies common logic. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Many people were lulled into believing the myth that McMaster was going to build its research and development module at the track blew up in developers' faces when the university reported that it was not aware of any such deal and eventually located the program in Hamilton.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Remember the long-gone motorway themed restaurant/bar on Garrison that was supposed to bolster the image? Changed hands two times since. Whatever happened to the local woman who pretended to be an "interested party" but was really the speedway's flack? And Erik Tomas who consistently reported on the "progress" of the development. How quiet he has become.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Once again, <i>Fort Erie Post</i>'s James Culic recounted the lack of progress in his latest <a href="https://www.niagarathisweek.com/news-story/7501695-eight-months-later-and-still-no-update-on-speedway-project/" target="_blank">article</a>.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">* The three properties that need to be purchased in order to fulfill the OMB mandate are still not in the hands of the speedway developers and property owners have not heard from the speedway developers in months.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">* The bank financing the speedway is in serious financial trouble. (We told you that a long time ago.)</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">* <span style="color: #333333;">Azhar Mohammad, the project director, has still not up</span><span style="color: #333333;">dated the Fort Erie Town Council about the lack of progress at the track although he promised such an update months ago.</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #333333;">And the myth continues as it has for almost a decade. The developers had a large group of locals all primed and ready to march to get their speedway. And, as many of us called it, the NOT-NASCAR TRACK myth ran very deep amongst the easily manipulated. </span></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And the noise! Who needs that?</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">This was a bad idea for the get-go and the Fort Erie location is ridiculous for a myriad of reasons. The promises of jobs and increased tourism were attractive to a job-starved community, but the potential cost to taxpayers is astronomical.With one race track already failing, why would anyone think that people would travel from all over North America to a place without proper infrastructure to view car races that are not NASCAR sanctioned?</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm sure there are a lot of ways to make Fort Erie even more tourism friendly without adding a behemoth race track spewing fumes and noise over some spectacular landscapes. I don't know, but I would venture a guess that Fort Erie's tourism future is in its fabulous waterfront and its closeness to the United States.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In a town where developers hold sway, it is frustrating to watch foolish mistakes turn up on the town docket. It took Buffalo over fifty years to finally realize the waste of its precious waterfront before it began a concentrated effort to restore and revitalized its waterfront. Now it is a shining example and major tourist draw where once there was blight. Fort Erie has even more potential in its waterfront. All those studies and the town still listens to developers before its people. Will they ever get it right?</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16495038420778835026noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2734542855080671064.post-28226459628468049072017-08-12T14:53:00.001-04:002017-08-12T14:53:26.876-04:00CRIPES! DID IT AGAIN.<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I sometimes have no control over my fingers when a computer keyboard is near and I read something on line that irritates me. Damn Facebook. I got into it when someone complained about the lack of response to a question of Ward 1 Councillor George McDermott and McDermott responded with a pat answer that could only come from a local politician in the tank to the people who really run this town. Certainly not the average people. Why do I keep doing this? And to top it off, there was a blog article about Crystal Beach that infuriated me because the "source"of article was none other than Laughing Sal Steve Boyd who is like Rip Van Winkle, still asleep after twenty-five years, dreaming of the reanimation of the long-dead Crystal Beach Amusement Park. The blog writer was shown all the bad things about Crystal Beach including a remarkably empty beach on Canada Day. WTF? It does look like the picture was taken further down from the public access beach on what has been insultingly called "private beaches."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Whatever, these two forays into internet outrage are rare for me since I vowed to stay out of politics except as an observer since the madman Donald Trump was elected president by some of my deluded fellow Americans and a lot of help from the Russians. I spent the last few months in shock and awe of this event. I have become obsessed with it. I listen to comedians like Stephanie Miller, Trevor Noah, Stephen Colbert and others take Cheetolini apart every day, but he's still there, every day, Tweeting something unthinkable and screwing up the US.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So, I usually do not get too upset (my "give a f*#k meter" is already on full) when I read the local news. Who cares if Sandy Annunziata is screwing up the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority? The whole organization is an oxymoron anyway. Like the Ontario Municipal Board is there to protect peoples' rights. Yeah sure. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And the Fort Erie Clownsil decided to go ahead with a report and vote on Bay Beach when its councillor, Don Lubberts was off dealing with a S.L.A.P.P. lawsuit by the Molinaros who got caught up in a real estate mess that rivals some of Trump's well-documented messes. Oh yeah, they (being those thwarted by the locals and circumstance) are still out to punish us and they're pulling back on helping fund the revitalization of Bay Beach. Anyone surprised? To paraphrase the famous remark by Captain Renault in <b><i>Casablanca</i></b>, "I'm shocked, shocked to hear that a vote was carried out while the councillor of the ward was away." from the aforementioned George McDermott, who claimed that he was very busy working to help the Fort Erie Racetrack.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Well, George, I've got news for you <a href="http://www.torontosun.com/2017/08/11/hard-times-for-some-in-horse-racing?token=50435dc083d2c6c2d782d3927160ef1c&utm_source=addThis&utm_medium=addthis_button_facebook&utm_campaign=Hard+times+for+some+in+horse+racing+%7C+SNOBELEN+%7C+Columnists+%7C+Opinion+%7C+Toronto#.WY5_xwF-mQc.facebook" target="_blank">HERE</a>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We all know that the Fort Erie Track is running on horse fumes and manure but some would rather throw taxpayers' money on the track than look to the future for Fort Erie and its people. Like many industries, horse racing is dying out and the only way it can remain viable is for a full casino to provide the needed patrons through the gates. From the article:</span><br />
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<b style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">By comparison, the privately-owned Fort Erie track doesn’t pay back to the racing industry, it receives rent from it. That makes for an expensive racing proposition.</span></span></b><br />
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<b style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;">What’s worse is the historic old track has fallen on hard times.</span></b></div>
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<b style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;">Fort Erie is badly in need of a major renovation that no one wants to pay for.</span></b></div>
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<b style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;">There simply isn’t a business case for a gaming site at the old track and even with generous taxpayer support for horse racing, the facility is in decline.</span></b></div>
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<b style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;">Fort Erie needs an investor with deep pockets to rebuild the track.</span></b></div>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;"><b><span style="background-color: white;">You can bet on one thing; without a significant private sector investment, Fort Erie is going to lose</span></b><span style="background-color: white;"> <b>this race. "</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And we come full circle. The Fort Erie Race Track land is owned by American Trump supporter Carl Paladino who has adopted many, if not all of Trump's business practices.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">He once ran for governor of New York with a baseball bat as his weapon of choice. He lost badly. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After almost twenty years of watching the politics of Fort Erie, I have pretty much given up hope that the powers that be in the town will ever do the right thing.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16495038420778835026noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2734542855080671064.post-58743818350813587472017-06-08T14:53:00.001-04:002017-06-08T14:54:15.814-04:00CHEESE SMUGGLER"S APPEAL DENIED<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I'm taking a break from the Comey Hearing to note that <a href="http://www.iheartradio.ca/610cktb/news/cheese-smuggling-cop-denied-appeal-1.2670260" target="_blank">Scott Heron was denied</a> in the appeal of the 2015 sentencing for his conviction in the infamous Cheese Smuggling Case. Scott Heron, a Niagara Regional Police officer has been suspended without pay since the lucrative cheese smuggling cabal came to light when another NRP officer was charged in a steroid smuggling case and sang like a bird. Disgraced Officer Geoff Purdy served up his colleagues as part of a plea bargain with the US federal justice system to lower his jail sentence in the US. Included in the Cheese Deal was Bernie Polino, a local restaurant operator. Bernie has pretty much disappeared after paying a fine and walking away from jail time. His own snack bar and his in-law's restaurant have since closed. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Another police officer was forced to resign over the smuggling matter as well.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Heron, who was a business partner of Bernie, was also involved in a fatal accident on the QEW in 2009 when he was a passenger in a truck driven by his friend Andy Passero, who was killed. (There were many unanswered questions at the time of the accident which remain unanswered to this day.) </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Heron has enjoyed a long reputation as cop who operates by his own moral compass, so there are many who are cheered by the decision, although many also feel that Heron and Polino got off easy. Heron will not suffer; he has many "friends" who owe him favours, thanks to his years as a police officer. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I remember too well the harassment I suffered from certain members of the NRP at the behest of a friend or two of these disgraces to the badge. </span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16495038420778835026noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2734542855080671064.post-11724434818160800432017-04-24T11:19:00.000-04:002017-04-24T18:55:20.682-04:00CBC REPORTS ON SYNDICATED MORTGAGESCrystal Beach is once again the centre of a land problem. This one may have cost over one hundred investors millions of dollars. The story was highlighted in a recent CBC report that was partially filmed in Crystal Beach.<br />
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See the report and read the accompanying article by clicking on the link below.</div>
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<a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/syndicated-mortages-1.4078124" target="_blank">http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/syndicated-mortages-1.4078124 </a></div>
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This is basically what we have been reporting about here for the past couple of years. It seems that Crystal Beach has been the victim of scams for decades. Some of us remember past broken promises and some of us will never fully recover from the devastating fight to save the public beachfront property from being developed into a twelve story high rise. </div>
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There is still one lawsuit against four Fort Erie councillors on the books initiated by the Molinaros, the developers of the high rise. Rather than placing the blame on the town, the developer chose to sue the four councillors who were trying to get the town to look further into the decision to give away valuable public waterfront property in exchange for an ever decreasing list of "amenities." In another court case over the title of the land, the town was found to be aware that there was an unclosed road allowance on the property, yet chose to ignore it. The recent decision in the matter proves that Ward 4 Councillor Don Lubberts was correct when he challenged former town attorney Heather Salter regarding the road allowance. This was part of the basis for the firing of Salter and a later lawsuit filed against Lubberts and three other councillors by former Ward 4 Councillor Tim Whitfield at the behest of a number of others. That case was finally dismissed after years of negative press and publicity against the four. The truth is that they were being punished for trying to save the public property for the people.</div>
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Fast forward to today's hot property market and a couple of savvy promoters and you have the makings of a scam. As the report shows, several people from the GTA thought they could make more by investing in a "syndicated mortgage" provider, although such investments can be risky. The developer of the properties, located in Crystal Beach, was a convicted fraudster, Gary Fraser.</div>
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History repeated itself and people lost money. Any time one drives down Erie Road, the results can be seen. Gutted and empty store fronts, most owned at one time by the syndicate give visitors the impression that business is not good in Crystal Beach. Simply not true but appearances would indicate otherwise. The truth is that there are property owners in the business area that are simply holding on to empty buildings for their own purposes, caring little about the rest of the area. The once-popular Pines Restaurant is an example. When the original, long-time owners retired, the restaurant was sold to someone who chose to not continue the legacy of the popular restaurant. It did not take long for that venture to fail and the building and its contents were eventually bought by the syndicated mortgage company fronted by Gary Fraser as its representative. The building has been gutted and stripped; a mere shell now for sale through a local realtor. Its demise recalls the fate of the stately, restored "tourist home" that once stood in Queen's Circle. It was bought by the mortgage company and gutted, eventually torn down along with its smaller cottages. That was what caught the interest of myself and others to a possible scam. That property was advertised as a future million dollar vacation resort, complete with a fancy brochure and staged pictures of elegance and upscale living. Then it was gone and remains an empty lot.</div>
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Promises never kept. Despite the hard work of interested people, there are still those who want to use the potential of Crystal Beach to cheat people, whether by scam or by selling off its best assets. We must remain vigilant to keep our treasured waterfront village from being used and abused again.<br />
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U<b>PDATE: I have noticed that there are many "hits" on a previous article on this blog about Gray Fraser being on the board of the Crystal Beach Business Improvement Area. He chose to resign that post shortly after his appointment. He cited the negative information about him as his reason. His resignation caused a rift in the board because he did have supporters, including Mia Russell who sold her storefront on Erie Road to his company. That store remains closed and abandoned like many of the other properties bought through the syndicated mortgage company fronted by Fraser. It is reported that the $400K price of the store was used to nearly double the mortgage on the store. Frankly, the store should have gotten no more than $200K in the condition it was in.</b><br />
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<b>At this time, I would like to acknowledge the help and hard work of the late R. W. who ferreted out much of the information that raised awareness to the syndicated mortgage and the actions of Gary Fraser in Crystal Beach. She helped warn potential buyers and sellers of the risk of involvement with this group. She used her skills as a realtor to discover the truth behind many of the promises and purchases of Gary Frser and his associates. She did this while suffering through the final stages of the cancer that claimed her life. Her mother, S. G. was a constant source of material for this blog regarding the matter and all three of us contributed information to the police and media in their investigations. It is still troubling to discover that so many still lost money through the syndicated mortgages of Mr. Ha and the promises of Gary Fraser. Those who came forward are to be commended for their bravery.</b></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16495038420778835026noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2734542855080671064.post-74075363124474560242017-01-31T15:28:00.000-05:002017-01-31T17:11:41.766-05:00TAXES RISE BY 5.8%Aren't you glad that the taxpayers are still funding the seemingly useless Economic Development and Tourism Corporation? Yep. All those jobs and new industries coming to Fort Erie. Can't keep up with all the good economic news.<br />
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Just take a look at the real estate listings with all the businesses up for sale. Makes one want to invest in this glowing market.<br />
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Not really.<br />
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Some day it will become apparent to everyone that the reason that Fort Erie is faltering despite new people (mostly retirees) moving in from other places is that its EDTC, headed by the flamboyant James Thibert has produced very little over the past decade or more. Show us the jobs and investments and we'll shut up complaining about the EDTC.<br />
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Now that the Chamber Maids and other fans of Thibert are on council, there will be no more talk about breaking up the "arm's length corporation" like The Four tried to do. They had good reason to want the EDTC returned to town hall as a department in order for it to be subject to more transparency, which was sadly lacking. It took a Freedom of Information filing to get any info from the corporation. In return, a lawsuit that was filed against The Four for conflict of interest in the firing of town attorney Heather Salter whose alternate facts regarding the title absolute for the Bay Beach Properties was challenged by Ward 5 Councillor Don Lubberts who, as it turns out, was right all along about an unclosed road allowance. Guess who may have come up with that grand idea?Thibert has filed another lawsuit against Lubberts for conflict over another muddled land deal that is still on-going years later. <b>(Correction: the lawsuit was cancelled.) </b> This information does not begin to tell the whole story of how certain cronies closed ranks and did everything in their power to S.L.A.P.P. four duly-elected representatives of the people.<br />
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Now, the Council of 2014 can face its constituents. One more year until they're up for re-election. Higher taxes often bring down candidates and we will continue to remind people of the actions of the Chamber Maids and their Fearless Leader. We're all a whole lot smarter this time around.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16495038420778835026noreply@blogger.com26tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2734542855080671064.post-545808809256670802017-01-26T13:04:00.000-05:002017-01-29T16:42:24.998-05:00FINALLY, THE TIMES REPORTS ABOUT "THE DECISION"<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It took almost two weeks for <i>The Times</i> to provide coverage of the recent decision regarding the title absolute of the Bay Beach Properties. The ninety-two page decision pointed out that the town was in error when its legal department claimed that an unclosed road allowance was closed. An appeal was filed by a neighbour of the property several years ago based on an much earlier title search that did show the unclosed road allowance running straight through the beachfront portion of the property as well as a road along the shoreline.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Times </i>Article <a href="http://www.forterietimes.ca/2017/01/26/bay-beach-road-dispute-settled" target="_blank">HERE</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">There is one glaring error to the article:</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">"<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The Town of Fort Erie purchased the Bay Beach lands in 2001 for $2.05 million with a plan to develop the lands and provide a return on investment."</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Not so. The property was bought to provide a public beach front and parking for residents and visitors. It was a recommendation of the C.A.U.S.E. Study of 1996 that provided a blueprint for the revitalization of Crystal Beach following the devastation to the community when the Crystal Beach Amusement Park closed in 1989. Shortly after the property was purchased, there was a move to sell off the north side of the property parking lots to fund part of the Friendship Trail. This was an idea promoted by a previous council and Wayne Redekop who was mayor. A group was formed to protest the sale of any of the Bay Beach Properties, citing a further C.A.U.S.E. recommendation that the parking lot land be sold ONLY to purchase more waterfront land. That plan was abandoned when the public became aware of the situation and a new councillor was elected in Ward 5 (Crystal Beach.) That young man, Tom Lewis, started the petition signed by thousands of residents and visitors who wanted all the Bay Beach Properties to remain in public hands.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">Shortly after the election of 2006, new mayor Doug Martin was convinced that a P-3 arrangement with a developer was just what was needed at Bay Beach Properties. That's when the meme/lie about "return on investment" was started by then town planner Rino Mostacci. So, the Molinaros promised major "amenities" to the property in exchange for the town giving over the shore front land so that TWO high rise (12 stories) towers could be built. Thus began the second protest which resulted in the election of some new councillors. The unpopular Martin was elected by a mere five votes over Ann Marie Noyes who opposed the Molinaro development. By then, the Molinaros scaled back their plan to one high rise. Appeals to the OMB and lawsuits were lost by the opposition to the tower and four councillors were put through the wringer because they were against the development although they never had the opportunity to vote against it. Remember that. The appeal regarding the title absolute was filed by a neighbour to the property. based on her belief that Don Lubberts was right about the original title and the still open road allowance as well as the town documents that showed incorrect PINs for several properties in the area.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">By 2014, the forces against The Four were able to place their own councillors in Ward 3, Ward 4 and Ward 6. Only Don Lubberts was able to retain his seat in Ward 5. Two of the new councillors, Kim Zanko (Ward 3) and Marina Butler (Ward 4) were prominent figures in the campaign to sully the reputations of The Four. The vexatious lawsuit against the four for conflict-of-interest was supported and financed by a group that has been labeled as "the Old Guard," familiar names to those who who follow the power structure of Fort Erie.The case was finally dismissed but the damage was done. </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">We're back to SQUARE ONE as the parking lots in the Bay Beach Properties are once again up for grabs to developers. Sixteen years later and the same people are in place to give away or sell a very important part of Crystal Beach. It is as though this piece of property is a pawn in a surreal chess game, one that is played for the future of the community.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">OFF TOPIC: it's a pretty sad day when the Canadian government has to assure people who are Canadian Landed Immigrants from one of the Trump-banned Muslim countries can travel to the US and will not be held. How reassuring.</span></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16495038420778835026noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2734542855080671064.post-18325121515648522552017-01-17T14:42:00.001-05:002017-01-17T14:42:12.575-05:00VINDICATION FOR THE FOURDECISION: a recent decision regarding the Title Absolute of the Bay Beach Properties has vindicated the position of four Fort Erie Councillors, namely: Bob Steckley, John Hill, Don Lubberts and Paul Collard during the contentious "Battle of Bay Beach" waged for over a decade in Fort Erie.Because of their efforts to make the town accountable to its taxpayers, The Four were slandered, vilified and sued. This as it is part of the campaign to ruin their lives and reputations of by a group that even gave a code name to their effort "4-2-0." One lawsuit was finally dismissed after it had achieved its purpose to punish The Four for the firing of former town lawyer Heather Salter. Part of the reason for that was that she was disrespectful to councillors who questioned her handling of the paperwork pertaining to the title of the Bay Beach Properties, especially the incorrect PINs in the title documents.<br />
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At long last, a decision has come down regarding the land title at the Bay Beach Properties. The ninety-plus page document calls for the proper PINs to replace those changed during the time the property was being considered as part of a high rise development. At the time, the PIN errors were pointed out to then town lawyer Heather Salter who maintained that the numbers were correct, even when confronted with proof that the numbers were in error. All that must be corrected, according to the decision. The case was brought forth by neighbours to the Bay Beach Properties who spent well over a hundred thousand dollars and years to be vindicated. Over a decade of fighting to save our public beachfront property from a high rise development cost many of us emotionally, financially and health wise. Hopefully, years from now as people enjoy our last public beach in Crystal Beach, that the dark forces who almost ruined our beach will be forgotten.<br />
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And, finally The Four are vindicated once again.<br />
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A group of "concerned citizens" put up this billboard on Garrison Road several years ago. This was part of the organized effort to ruin the reputations of The Four councillors. A brochure also appeared that also called out anyone who opposed the Molinaro high rise project on public waterfront property. Kimberly Zanko, who is now the Ward 3 Councillor, was the spokesperson for these efforts. Kim, aren't you proud of your efforts? Guess that getting elected made you forget your actions against four decent men who tried to do the right thing for the people. Of course, Kim, you had a lot of help getting elected - by the very people who plotted the ruination of The Four. It took several years but the real liars were finally exposed in court and in court decisions. </div>
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AND THE FOUR WERE RIGHT ALL ALONG.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16495038420778835026noreply@blogger.com12United States31.593509435457374 -100.5468757.9194724354573758 -141.855469 55.267546435457376 -59.238281tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2734542855080671064.post-30573775053142073742016-11-29T21:43:00.004-05:002016-11-29T21:43:50.181-05:00MOVING ONI am leaving Crystal Beach and moving on. This blog is now closed. Carry on.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16495038420778835026noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2734542855080671064.post-10974838865789128202016-11-11T12:49:00.002-05:002016-11-11T12:49:37.288-05:00WELCOME TO TRUMPWORLD<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I'm already having flashbacks to the Nixon years. Haven't had those for decades. Those original anxieties were bad enough but now I'm thinking that the Trump presidency will be way worse.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br />
</span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Back in the Nixon years, those of us on the left were afraid. I was a union organizer at the time, a very dangerous job, especially for a woman. We had to be very careful because the whole labor movement was under scrutiny, except for the trade unions that supported Nixon and the continuation of the War in Viet Nam. The rest of us had to deal with a National Labor Relations Board that was blatantly anti-union. Scary times for the group I was working for - women in the communications field who had no rights and were kept in lower paying jobs because they were women. We were on the front line of protecting the rights of pregnant women who often lost all promotions for simply going on maternity leave. That was just one part of it. we had to fight to allow women to advance to the higher paying jobs that they were barred from pursuing simply because they were women. Women who took these jobs were called "frame dames" and "switch bitches" among other things. Reproductive rights was a major issue; too many women were harmed and traumatized by back alley abortions and unwanted pregnancies - mainly because proper birth control was difficult to get in those days. Veterans were coming back from Viet Nam damaged and jobless; racism was rampant; health care was out of the question for the poor; and an enemies list was one of Nixon's hallmarks. we heard a lot about "Law and Order" long before the popular TV series. You did not want to get on the wrong side of the "pigs" as they were called. Many were Viet Nam vets still working out their aggressions; beatings were common. His resignation was anti-climatic; the damage had been done. Many of us became cynical.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br />
</span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And then, a few years later, Ronald Reagan was elected and it started all over again. Unions were practically wiped off the map. Regulations and the "trickle down theory" practically wiped out the middle class. By then, I had given up. Burned out, I was able to move to Canada and start the long process of becoming a Landed Immigrant. Best decision I ever made in my life.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br />
</span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Still, I could not abandon my American roots and I became involved in organizing ex-pats like myself in Canada to vote in US Federal elections. Of course, we lost more than we won. Dubya was a simple fool who was controlled by the so-called "military-industrial complex" into waging a lie-based war on the people of Iraq. But, then came Obama and the promise of better. Too bad that he was thwarted at every turn. Still though, things were improving. I was proud of America and its embrace of a Black man with a foreign-sounding name.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br />
</span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And now they have Trump. The Big Birther himself. I am very afraid for America's future. I see most of the gains made disappearing under Trump. His supporters fell for his lies, believing he will bring unskilled jobs back to the rust belt; activists for human rights will be quieted; free press will be punished; minorities and immigrants will be harassed and the hard fought health care reforms will be undone.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br />
</span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">These are not just predictions; these are campaign promises that Trump has vowed to keep. Even the wall between the US and Mexico will be touted as the answer to the "illegals" making their way into the US.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br />
</span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It's all based on hate. And it makes me sick. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Welcome to Trumpland.</span><br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16495038420778835026noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2734542855080671064.post-50565978277597869952016-11-01T16:39:00.000-04:002016-11-01T16:39:04.208-04:00HALLOWEEN IS OVER, BUT I'M STILL AFRAID<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is a nightmare that has extended past Halloween and will not be fully over after November 8. I'm a nervous wreck over many things, but the American election takes the cake. Although I am a proud permanent resident of Canada, I am still American-born and do have the right to vote in US Federal elections,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">which I have already done by absentee ballot. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I feel safe living here in this great country, but I worry about my native country that is a total mess right now and could go further down the hole if the con man representing the Republican Party is elected president. I come from a family of Roosevelt Democrats, although to be honest, my mother always voted for Dwight Eisenhower and my father always voted for Adlai Stevenson in the 1950s. We Democrats thought that the election of Nixon in 1968 and his re-election in 1972 was a very bad thing, but we all survived, even after Nixon resigned under threat of impeachment. We did not take any pleasure in seeing the presidency in shambles. Since then, we have seen the good, the bad, and the ugly in the Oval Office. Still, the US carried on.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Now, I'm not so sure for the future of the US - even if Hillary Clinton is elected. Like the backlash (or should I say blacklash) against Barack Obama since his election in 2008, the opposition to the first woman to be elected president will be strong and violent - much more violent than even the opposition to Obama. If Trump wins, so will fascism, in my opinion. Trump will soon be replaced with homophobic Mike Pence, the vice presidential candidate who knows how to move the right wing agenda through the system. If Hillary wins, the Republicans will investigate her relentlessly as they have already done to no avail. But it will seriously damage her effectiveness as president.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So, we have a no win situation, regardless of who wins. A truly scary thought.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Porgey sent in a comment today that sums up what many Canadians see regarding the US election:</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><b><i>"Canadians may feel helpless with the machinations going on within the United States, as what happens there, impacts us as well, CBC news had an account of Canadians, volunteering to support Hilary Clintons campaign, it appears that there are no laws forbidding Canadian citizens from helping our neighbours from a fate,that we consider on par with national suicide. The report they covered took place in Kissamee close to Orlando Florida. The Republicans at their convention, dodged a constitutional crisis when they chose another candidate over Ted Cruz. Teds, parents were both Canadian citizens, also they had voted in Canadian elections which according to State Department rules at that time, meant that they lost any rights to have American citizenship on their children."</i></b></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;">Seems like a century ago that Ted Cruz was a threat to the US. Meanwhile Cruz is probably hoping that Trump loses and is putting his next presidential campaign together. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;">Be afraid; be very afraid.</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16495038420778835026noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2734542855080671064.post-86354147056115543392016-10-14T13:55:00.001-04:002016-10-14T13:55:57.987-04:00NOW, YOU SHOW SUPPORT?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf1JqnP4CQHDad72vaIfvDCG0ghf-P_38l-tUtlQ7AuauDLdy9k9GNtsBER8a7UXxlg8hl7LaQc9oejAYQMrRjV5dVfA5WnC30C7oRdJ0BKUL0Y5YmRV_0uhNXINxp8J0OX5PtLME6vnGv/s1600/Dube5K.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf1JqnP4CQHDad72vaIfvDCG0ghf-P_38l-tUtlQ7AuauDLdy9k9GNtsBER8a7UXxlg8hl7LaQc9oejAYQMrRjV5dVfA5WnC30C7oRdJ0BKUL0Y5YmRV_0uhNXINxp8J0OX5PtLME6vnGv/s640/Dube5K.jpg" width="331" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is beyond the pale for those of us who lived through "The Condo Wars." Now, years later, Kris Dubé</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> who was once the main newspeak proponent for the twelve story condo tower that was to be built on the last piece of public beachfront property in Crystal Beach has decided that it was a bad idea after all. Stop the Presses and destroy all those pro-tower, anti-four councillors articles Dub</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">é</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> wrote when he was editor of <i>The Times</i>. He has now conceded that Crystal Beach is a "growing and thrives community." Like he just discovered this?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Kris is now a free-lancer at his former employer after a career move to an on-line newspaper that closed down after it had achieved its agenda. Much like the fate of the former ninja blog that spent a few years trashing anyone who opposed the tower, especially me and the Four Councillors, it is now gone, having achieved its agenda. Unfortunately, we remember and we will never forget the damage that was done to reputations, emotions and finances by those more interested in granting developers' wishes than what is best for the residents and visitors to our community.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And Kris's light-hearted <i>mea culpa</i> is an insult to anyone who worked and fought to save Crystal Beach from becoming an overdeveloped mess. He blithely dismisses the efforts of many people to keep our public lands from being given away to a developer by explaining that he "lived in the opposite end of town," as the reason for his support of the tower. Thus, he pointed out the biggest problem in Fort Erie: the divide of different parts of town. And that's why former mayor Doug Martin was able to be re-elected by five votes in 2010 despite being a poor leader. He and his followers used that divide to create even more of a division in Fort Erie and Dubé</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">, family friend of Martin, made sure that <i>The Times'</i> editorial opinion mirrored the mayor's. It worked extremely well in the 2014 election where two of the councillors (John Hill and Paul Collard) lost their re-elections; one (Don Lubberts) was re-elected; and Bob Steckley tried and failed to be elected as regional councillor. Any other place that values its honest and righteous elected officials would have re-elected The Four. Instead, they were sued, slandered and hectored by the minions of a group of non-elected people who work behind the scenes and who funded the lawsuit to protect their hold on the town. And Kris Dub</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">é has been their helpful public relations scribe at <i>The Times. </i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So, now Dub</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">é now lives in Crystal Beach and has discovered what many of us already knew a long time ago: Crystal Beach is a hidden gem and a treasure. The "gem" has been polished with the help of hard-working residents and groups who took the recommendations of the 1996 C.A.U.S.E. Study very seriously. Like the study asserted, Crystal Beach is a special place that needs to enhance and celebrate its location, lay-out and heritage. Many of the C.A.U.S.E. Study recommendations were adopted e.g. building height only to be overturned in order to satisfy the ambitions of those involved in the Bay Beach development deal.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> <a href="http://www.focb.net/" target="_blank">The Friends of Crystal Beach</a> has been doing for working for decades, despite the "really bad years" of red-lining, abandonment, dereliction and disgrace. The FOCB did not give up, despite little or no support from "the other end of town."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Kris is now enjoying one of the many events supported by the Friends of Crystal Beach. In addition, there are free Waterfront Park concerts featuring top-rated entertainment; Circle of Art Show in July; and the End of Summer Parade/Festival Labour Day weekend. The group meets all year, usually the last Thursday of the month at the Crystal-Ridge Library.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Perhaps Kris will go "Full Crystal Beach" and join. The FOCB will welcome him. Really.</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16495038420778835026noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2734542855080671064.post-57158995169152817372016-09-09T11:24:00.001-04:002016-09-09T11:30:08.930-04:00CATCHING UPI have been very distracted of late. As an American who still votes in US elections, I am concerned over the possibility of a racist, sexist con man being elected to represent the United States. I probably will not be able to relax until after November 8.<br />
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In the meantime, there are things going on that should be noted as the local media sources are hamstrung by their need to keep their advertisers happy, so the truth seldom makes its way to the pages of local papers.<br />
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Like the death of a local "character" which, if one reads Facebook and other sources, was just a guy with a beard who was often seen bicycling around Ridgeway and Crystal Beach. Truth: he was a very troubled well-known local drug dealer. Just about everyone knew about him: when he was "carrying" he braided his beard; had regular "business hours" in various places around town and was known to the police who allowed him to function unchecked. His presence in our community was troubling to many and an example of the failures of our mental health system. He joins a number of other lost souls who have come and gone in our community like the so-called Psycho Santa who wondered around town yelling incomprehensibly or "Queen Victoria" who once assaulted a local pharmacist. <br />
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Gary Fraser's presence is still being felt in the area. Another big development looms in Crystal Beach piloted by one of the Fraser-involved companies. Some of his properties have been sold, or so it appears. Still waiting for the other shoe to drop regarding this convicted fraudster.<br />
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There has been some discussion (I will reprint the remarks) regarding a possible charge for the use of the public Bay Beach. At this point, there is no charge except for the parking in the town-owned parking lots. Years ago, when the town first took possession of the beach, there was a small yearly charge for local residents resulting in a card used for free admission; everyone else had to pay a nominal amount to enter the beach. That plan was abandoned after a short time. Since then, the beach is free. It could be a good revenue source for the town but it has many problems, the first being theft by those collecting the fee. Sorry, it happens all too often in this town. Remember the old bingo days and the charge booth at the Waterfront Park boat launch? It may be more trouble than it's worth.<br />
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Another great year of events sponsored by the Friends of Crystal Beach, but there is one coming up in October that brings Crystal Beach major international attention - the 5K Run/Walk over the Thanksgiving Weekend (Columbus Day Weekend to Americans.) Every year it gets bigger and it is already shaping up to be a big, fun event. BTW, the next Friends of Crystal Beach meeting is on Thursday, September 29 at the Crystal-Ridge Library at 7:00 p.m. Everyone is welcome. Always looking for people who want to make a difference in their community.<br />
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I'll close for now with this:<br />
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Thanks to a brilliant presentation executed by Sally from the FOCB, Old Man Summer was memorialized in true Trumpian style at the End of Summer Parade. held on Saturday, September 3/(Photo by Rick Doan)Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16495038420778835026noreply@blogger.com23tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2734542855080671064.post-83271527229144119612016-08-03T17:38:00.001-04:002016-08-07T13:21:47.915-04:00CONVICTED FRAUDSTER MEETS JUSTICE AGAIN<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Meanwhile, across the river in Buffalo:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.post-gazette.com/life/travel/2016/08/07/Buffalo-has-transformed-the-lake-shore-into-a-trendy-destination/stories/201608070041" target="_blank">Buffalo has transformed its waterfront. </a> Just a reminder how a once disused and barren was changed into a great tourist attraction. Too bad Fort Erie mostly wastes its greatest asset. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(Note to our mayoral wannabe: you know that you won't get many votes out of Crystal Beach, mainly because people do remember your duplicity, but your petty little pay-back has been thoroughly noted and proper "credit" has been awarded to you by name. Of course, many of the people who were affected by it were from other parts of Fort Erie and they will remember too.)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">There are unconfirmed reports that convicted fraudster Gary Fraser has been arrested again. Fraser, who is the front man for a syndicated mortgage group has left his mark on Crystal Beach and Ridgeway on his way to fame and fortune. The trail of half-built and abandoned buildings has blighted the Beach, especially the empty business structures on Erie Road. There is a vast area on Ridge Road in Ridgeway that has been torn up in anticipation of another development from one of the companies that Fraser fronts.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">One woman who owns a building on Erie Road is probably breathing a sigh of relief that the sale of her building to Fraser fell through months ago, while others who sold to Fraser are grateful that they were paid before the bottom fell out.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And, just like other developers, Fraser was allowed to get away with problems in grading of the under-construction houses on Schooley Road. While the planning department and other departments at Town Hall seem to be on permanent vacation, developers seem to have no problem getting building permits even though there are serious mistakes in their plans. Take a look at those abominations at the end of Hibbard Street in Ridgeway that have short driveways and little hope of being bought except by fools. What? Was no one at work the day those plans were approved? Or was it a case of what a local developer has bragged that "I can get anything passed as long as I pay for it."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This blog put out the warning about Fraser long ago. (Look it up in the archives.) Hopefully, some listened. I do know of others who didn't and were roped into defending Fraser even though he served time for previous scams that robbed family, friends and even his own pastor from hundreds of thousands of dollars.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>UPDATE: Fraser has NOT been arrested - yet.The investigation is ongoing, but some properties owned by Fraser are now up for auction. Both Gary and his wife have not been seen in the area for a while; she was seen clearing out of one of their properties a few weeks ago. Like his previous situation that ended with his incarceration, he may be difficult to find.</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>ELECTION UPDATE: </b>Fort Erie Race Track owner, Carl Paladino is the chair of the Trump campaign in New York State. This morning, he embarrassed himself on MSNBC's Joy Reid show, but he really proved himself as a right wing nut job in a recent interview. He asserted that <a href="http://www.newyorkupstate.com/news/2016/08/carl_paladino_trumps_ny_co-chair_no_doubt_obama_is_muslim.html" target="_blank">President Obama is definitely a Muslim</a> because of his foreign policy. This is the guy who ran for governor of New York wielding a baseball bat. He lost in a landslide. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Another developer who thinks only of himself, like Trump. Hopefully Trump will suffer the same fate in his campaign as Paladino did in his.</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16495038420778835026noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2734542855080671064.post-44246963851129855482016-07-20T15:14:00.001-04:002016-07-23T12:02:13.021-04:00SPEEDWAY SPIN CONTINUES<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Well, James Culic's words have been spun so much that even he is getting suspicious. In his latest article about the much-delayed (will it ever happen?) Canadian Motor NOT NASCAR Speedway, he has added remarks by Regional Councillor Sandy Annunziata regarding his earlier article <i style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://www.niagarathisweek.com/news-story/6753351-failed-land-purchase-adds-more-delays-to-speedway-project/" target="_blank">Failed Land Purchase Adds More Delays to Speedway Project</a>. </i>In that article, Culic recounted the years of delays and the various statements by developers and politicians. He reported that Mayor Redekop, in a radio interview, said that the CMS is now scheduled to open in 2019.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In his <a href="http://www.niagarathisweek.com/news-story/6775582-speedway-developers-say-hurdles-won-t-stop-progress/" target="_blank">most recent article</a>, Culic writes: <span style="background-color: white; color: #5a5a5a; line-height: 18.2px;"><b><i>Politicians from From Erie say they have spoken with the developers of the proposed Canadian Motor Speedway (CMS) project and have been reassured that progress continues</i></b>. In Monday night's (July 18) Fort Erie Council Meeting, Mayor Redekop cut off Annunziata as he read his prepared statement about the delays and the earlier article:</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #5a5a5a; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; line-height: 18.2px;"><b><i>According to Annunziata, the original article “doesn’t provide the context CMS is currently engaged in with respect to property acquisitions.” The public relations team behind the speedway project were given multiple opportunities to respond to questions ahead of the publication of the original article, but they chose not to respond, saying it was a private matter.</i></b></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #5a5a5a; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; line-height: 18.2px;">So, Redekop stopped Annunziata in his mansplaining tracks and asked that he continue (with his butt hurt rant) after the meeting. Which he did, as he continued his remarks later. Again, Annunziata spoke on behalf of the developers - or seemed to:</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #5a5a5a; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; line-height: 18.2px;"><b><i>“I respect the public’s skepticism, I think it’s warranted after so many years, but I would also ask for a little more patience as we overcome a few more obstacles,” said Annunziata in his written comments.</i></b></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #5a5a5a; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; line-height: 18.2px;">So, there you have it. The long and winding road to a <b>NOT NASCAR</b> racing track in Fort Erie is paved with evasions, vagueness and droppings from the horse track.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #5a5a5a; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; line-height: 18.2px;">Another day in Fort Erie. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #5a5a5a; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; line-height: 18.2px;">Meanwhile, an <a href="https://www.thestar.com/life/travel/2016/07/22/8-things-to-do-now-in-buffalo.html" target="_blank">article in the Toronto Star</a> joins a long line of articles praising the rebirth of Buffalo, New York as a major tourist location. Used to be the other way around, but Buffalo has come back from near death. It can be done. Years of stagnation are giving way to a vibrant old/new city. A visit to the waterfront is a real eye-opener.</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16495038420778835026noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2734542855080671064.post-29524311659165405692016-06-29T16:03:00.000-04:002016-06-29T16:03:32.872-04:00TRUMP PLAYBOOK<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Instead of the presumptive Republican Party presidential nominee of the United States, Donald Trump, we have someone who follows the Trump Paybook and who assumes that the people of Fort Erie are "poorly educated" and do not have good memories or critical thinking skills. Not so at all. It's just that those of us who see the truth don't have the stomach. or the funds to go one-on-one with a psychopath. I submit that the next mayor of Fort Erie will use the Trump Playbook to win in 2018.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I received the following comment from "Corruption Fighter" this morning:</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>"if you think things are bad now......wait till Pissero makes his take over bid in 2018....he will make Redekop's wanderings over to the dark side a longed for memory....The OL Boy Club....f@cking Fort Erie for decades"</b></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;">And yet, people voted for Passero and his friends. In truth, it was Passero's friends from the Chamber of Commerce (A.K.A. Chamber Maids) who basically handed the Ward 2 seat to Passero after the death of Rick Shular. Rather than appoint the runner-up, the </span><b style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;">Council of Commerce</b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"> decided to spend thousands to have a by-election. Of course, you-know-who was backed by the Old Boys. And he won. Surprise. Stephen was still smarting from his loss to Wayne Redekop in the mayor's race. So, like Brutus, he has been working hard to discredit the mayor and place himself in the spotlight as the <i>heir apparent </i>to the throne of the mayor-ship of Fort Erie.</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;">To those of us who are Americans, the thought of Trump as president of the US is truly frightening. He tells lies easily and does not apologize for mistakes and he makes lots of them. He has conned and cheated his way into striking distance from the White House. I am very afraid for what could happen in the US if he is elected.</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;">On a similar but much smaller scale, the people of Fort Erie may be faced with the choice to vote for a Trump-like liar and con artist for their next mayor. Check this guy out: he supposedly has a business yet it does not really exist legally; his personal life is one of marital cheating and manipulation; he loves seeing his name and picture in the media and he associates with rather sketchy characters.</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;">Just a warning, folks. Do not allow your vote to be stolen from you by a narcissistic wannabe Trump.</span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16495038420778835026noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2734542855080671064.post-8602289313731685182016-05-26T19:58:00.002-04:002016-05-26T19:58:43.483-04:00RETURN OF TOWN TO OLD BOYS ALMOST COMPLETE<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Only one councillor and a couple of committee members left to go and the total removal of any possible chance for transparency is complete. The ouster of Ann Marie Noyes from her volunteer post as director of the gaming board was <a href="http://www.niagarathisweek.com/news-story/6692678-fort-erie-council-turfs-director-of-gaming-board-over-accusations-of-bullying/" target="_blank">finalized</a> pm Monday, May 23, 2016. This was a chance for the minions and movers of the Old Boys Club to rid themselves of another pesky person who asks too many questions and tries to bring honesty to the gift-that-keeps-on-giving corporation run by the oft-embattled Russ Wilson, who is taking his golden handshake and riding off into the sunset, in order words: beating a hasty retreat. But not before he and his buddies at town hall disposed of their chief inquisitor, former Ward 6 Councillor and not-mayor-by-five-votes, Ann Marie Noyes.</span><div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I received a first-hand account of the debacle from an attendee at the event. Here are some highlights:</span></div>
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<i> "All rise. Kangaroo Court is now in session. His worship Mayor Wayne Redekop is presiding. Mayor, the two parties have been sworn in and are obliged to speak in generalities, point fingers, and in general obfuscate the matter whenever possible". </i></div>
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<i>It was a kangaroo court plain and simple and our illustrious Mayor was in on the action. It was plainly clear from the outset from the way he ran the meeting during the delegate presentations that he was tired of the whole mess and just wanted to get on with removing her ASAP. </i></div>
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<i>The questions asked by the other 'interested parties' were merely an attempt to make it appear as if they were open minded and felt kind of obligated to ask a totally irrelevant question. Hell, one Councillor even used the word 'irregardless' which isn't even a word (check it out). {Editor's Note: I hate it when that happens} Councillor Butler got totally lost during the presentation because she couldn't connect the timelines to when John Hill was a member and not a member. None of her motions were seconded (her words) and they died on the floor. John seconded most of her motions which then entailed discussion. The committee members don't like that. </i></div>
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<i>Kris Knutt spoke very eloquently about his experience on the board. Trouble was he forgot to mention that <b>HE QUIT</b>. Too much work plus he was pissed big time that his buddy Russ was not selected for the CAO position. I am sure they told him it was a slam dunk and just a matter of time before he gets the job (and it was). </i></div>
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<i>Knutt further stated that he knows all about profession behaviour because he is in a corporate setting every day. Ya, right! Clerk at Staples I guess qualifies. He also said that the behaviour outside the meetings may have been 'cordial' but inside "EVERYONE BEHAVED UNPROFESSIONALLY". The very thing they accused AMN of doing apparently was done by all. Can you say double standard? I was praying that Don would pick up on that comment and sure enough he did. Seeing as there was unprofessional conduct by everyone could he be expecting to deal with the rest of the members being removed too? (paraphrasing). </i></div>
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<i>It was also very clear from the way Chair Graber answered, didn't or couldn't answer questions presented to him asking for examples of disrespect, unprofessional behaviour, and had the board 'officially' approached AMN regarding her behaviour and issued any kind of a warning. Usually you get three strikes. </i></div>
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<i>And then Graber complained she had met with the CAO and the Mayor regarding serious matters of concern at the board level (her opinion). This really pissed Graber and his cronies off so much they wanted to kick her out immediately. Then, it turns out Graber did the same thing without authorization or direction from the board to do so. "But, but, we are the executive. We don't have to have permission" he stammered. "But, isn't that the same thing you accused AMN of doing? Isn't that a bit of a double standard?" asked Councillor Lubberts. </i></div>
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<i>So, the delegations are over and it's a ten minute recess. "But wait a minute!!!!!" Graber yells out and starts to walk down the side ramp to get back to the horseshoe. This is really professional and it also shows a bit of the anger side of Mr. Graber. "There were things said about the board that just weren't right and I want to make sure we tell people here and at home the facts about our board" he spoke in a raised voice to the mayor as he walked down the side. Really professional for sure. Redekop said with a wink and a nod "don't worry Larry. We'll be setting the record straight when the report comes on the floor" nudge nudge wink wink. </i></div>
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<i>I was told there were plenty of lies being thrown around. Why they did that only God knows. It was a forgone conclusion that the clandestine meetings between Russ, the mayor, the CAO, etc. was enough to seal the fate of AMN. </i></div>
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<i>The lesson learned, and I hope that even those who are on the winning team now come to realize you don't mess with the old boys. They are mean, nasty, and will slice your throat if you get out of line. They have ways to deal with people like AMN. Look no further than what happened to the Fort Erie Four. And, John Hill's comment to Graber in the atrium following the end of Captain Kangaroo's Court was I guess I better stop asking questions or I will be the next one to be kicked off. Graber was speechless and looked like he was going to cough up his nuts. My guess is that if he had any nuts he probably would have. </i></div>
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Need I say More? The is still the question about the $400,000 uptick in revenue that allegedly was not distributed fairly if at all. Still lots of questions about that as evidenced by remarks on this blog in another thread. I will reprint them here.</div>
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<b style="font-size: 16px;">Firing a Volunteer</b> said: <span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; line-height: 18.2px; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="background-color: white;">Interesting council meeting last night, they removed Noyes from the gaming board. I guess she asked too many of the right questions that the old boys club committee didn't want to answer. From watching the council, the boards representative, made many general verbal accusations against Noyes regarding her behavior but when asked for specifics or examples was lost for words. He did comment that she went outside the board for information when she didn't agree with the information provided. Good for her. And God forbid she went to the mayor and the CAO to inform them what was going on behind closed doors. How dare she. Noyes's speech evolved around the process that was put in place to deal with bingo dollar distribution. She wanted the bingo groups informed and be part of the process. This behind closed doors, a who knows who, and what appears as preferential treatment needed a light shone on it. But those who know Noyes know her to be one for fairness and openness. Yes she asks allot of questions, too bad they got to close to the truth, so out she goes. Not to worry Russ Wilson will be "retiring soon" . I hope bingo organizations will start demanding answers when they do not get the increase dollars from gaming they deserve. Remember the OLG is the official rule makes here not the gaming board, the OLG gives the municipality set out the parameters, and the TOFE may be outside of them with this "new process behind closed doors selection</span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 13px;"> " </span><span style="background-color: white;">may run contrary to OLG policies. Bingo groups unite and fight for fairness and transparency.</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; line-height: 18.2px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Howie</b></span><b style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> </b><b style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;">said: </b></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; line-height: 18.2px; text-align: justify;"><b>Getting thrown under the bus last night was another one of the "Good" ones. AnnMarie in her fight for fairness in distribution of over $40,000 among the sixty plus bingo charities mixed it up with Russ and lost.Of no surprise Council sided with the good old boys....the establishment. I hope the OLGC cottons on and straightens this Council out on rules of engagement.,,,but too late for AnnMarie. No matter how right she was it was a guaranteed outcome. She was pissing in the wind. She was too polite to point out that some of the various bingo clubs that did benefit had members that sit on that Board. Time for charitable groups to stand up and demand accountability.</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; line-height: 18.2px; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="background-color: white;">Does it Ever End?<span style="font-size: 13px;"> </span>c</span></b></span><b style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; line-height: 18.2px; text-align: justify;">orrection Howie...it was $400,000, not $40,000. Can't help but wonder what recourse she might take. Perhaps that was why a recorded vote was taken.</b><b style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; line-height: 18.2px; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white;"> End? </span></b></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; line-height: 18.2px; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white;">Finally, <b>Corruption Fighter</b> remarked about the two local representatives at the region who voted to quash an audit of the Niagara Parks Commission. Closing ranks to protect more Good Old Boys.</span></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px;">In 2014, voters were fooled into voting out their only chance at some form of accountability thanks to a plan devised and co-ordinated by the "usual suspects" with a lot of help from the so-called "free press" (an oxymoron if ever there was one; ) some pretty dirty tricks; frivolous lawsuits and character assassination. And the easily gulled and threatened voters fell into line like lemmings.</span></span></span></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16495038420778835026noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2734542855080671064.post-47294256443712777932016-05-07T14:48:00.004-04:002016-05-07T14:51:47.651-04:00CRAITOR THE TRAITOR GETS THROWN UNDER THE BUSPremier Wrynn recently revealed that former MPP Kim Craitor was forced to resign in 2013 due to sexual harassment allegations against him. He has since said that the allegations were "unfounded," although a third-party investigation did determine that there was evidence of harassment by Craitor. Since then, one of the complainants<a href="http://www.niagarafallsreview.ca/2016/05/06/craitor-denies-sexual-harassment-allegations" target="_blank"> has come forward publicly</a>. She, along with other Niagara Falls employees at Craitor's constituent office, had abruptly resigned as well. His long-time aide had already left for greener pastures.<br />
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Accompanying the article is a head shot of Craitor, taken several years ago, which shows a marked resemblance between Kim and entertainer Wayne Newton. What struck me is that there may be some justice in the world as Kim thought nothing of throwing The Four Fort Erie Councillors under the bus in his support of Jim Thibert, the head of the EDTC and his frequent lunch/golf companion.<br />
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Of course, many of us had already realized that Kim was a liar. He told a whopper just after the provincial tourism minister gave $2 million to Fort Erie for "tourism initiatives." That announcement was made with great gusto at a Chamber of Commerce meeting. Craitor was quoted in the local press as saying that there was no decision yet as to where the windfall was going, but there were a lot of possibilities for its use. Of course, we knew that it would all go to the flailing Fort Erie Race Track and it did. Of course it did.<br />
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Frankly, I would never have guessed that Craitor would sexually harass his female office staff. I had other suspicions about him amid some pretty disturbing accounts about money losses in a provincially held program. Many of us thought his abrupt resignation was due to that. We never believed that he was just "exhausted."<br />
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Craitor pandered to the wrong people in Fort Erie and gave the rest the impression that he was working in their best interests. He was not; he was a Thibert groupie. While he was palling around with narcissists, he was setting himself up for his own demise. I hope that he resigns from Niagara falls Council. He is done like a duck's dinner.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16495038420778835026noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2734542855080671064.post-79724547202600582782016-04-09T12:28:00.000-04:002016-04-13T19:04:16.205-04:00OH, THIS IS SO GOOD!<h3>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">What a week of Good News! Russ Wilson will "retire" at the end of June. (Much more on that still to come to light.) Former Fort Erie CAO, now the CAO for the region has quit!</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Yes, it's official. Harry Schlange is once again moving to greener pastures. This time it's Brampton, the city that has gone through six CAOs in ten years. Good luck with that, Harry. It seems that Harry and Regional Chair Alan Caslin did not get along very well and that may be why Harry has moved on. According to an <a href="http://www.niagarafallsreview.ca/2016/04/08/regions-cao-quits-blasts-council" target="_blank">article</a> in the <i>Niagara Falls Review</i>, regional councillors held a private meeting in January where there was a vote to give Caslin the authority to dismiss Schlange. That vote failed.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In addition to Schlange, former acting CAO from the Town of Fort Erie, Ron Tripp and former planner from Fort Erie, Rino Mostacci eventually found their way to the region. In fact, Schlange was hired by the town during Mayor Redekop's first administration, but he quit after a short while, went elsewhere and then came back. (CLUE: bad idea to take back someone who quit.) All three of these former town employees, in my opinion, caused irreparable harm to the town. Schlange had problems working with certain members of council; Ron Tripp's "state of the art" drainage plan for the Bernard Road Beach has pretty much destroyed it and Rino Mostacci championed the reprehensible Bay Beach Condo Project. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The Burgoyne Bridge replacement project in St. Catharines seems to be at the centre of a lot of problems at the region. Way over the original budget, it is an example of bad policies and lack of transparency between staff and council. It also would appear that both Schlange and Ron Tripp, now a commissioner of public works, may be part of the problem. In addition, Rino Mostacci went to Markham after leaving Fort Erie and didn't last long there. Got right in the middle of a contentious issue regarding a new hockey arena. So, Rino returned to the region, like a bad penny. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><u>UPDATE:</u> Interesting <a href="http://www.bramptonguardian.com/news-story/6457608-confirmed-harry-schlange-tapped-to-resuscitate-brampton-s-beleaguered-bureaucracy-as-new-cao/" target="_blank">article </a>in the <i>BramptonGuardian</i> regarding Harry Schlange's long history. Hello? He was an official with Nortel in Brampton (that went bankrupt in 2009) where he met Mo Lewis, once the Brampton city treasurer who is now the Commissioner of Niagara Region's Corporate Services. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">According to the article, <i>"<b>Lewis departed Brampton in 2013, just as heat turned up on former mayor Susan Fennell and senior staffers. Lewis is one of several former and current staffers at the heart of a $28.5 million lawsuit filed against the City by developer Inzola Group, which alleges it was unfairly disqualified in the bidding process on the $500 million Southwest Quardrant renewal plan."</b></i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">So, Harry Schlange, former official with a now bankrupt company, came to Fort Erie to take a position as CAO; left shortly after to go to IBM and then came back and stayed on as CAO until 2011 when he left to go to Ottawa and then as the CAO of another community until he came back as CAO at the Niagara Region. He was instrumental in hiring of Mo Lewis. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The circle keeps getting smaller and smaller, doesn't it? Too many co-incidences.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Except there are no co-incidences.</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16495038420778835026noreply@blogger.com23tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2734542855080671064.post-57741688553521263322016-03-28T19:16:00.001-04:002016-04-07T15:06:53.158-04:00DOES THIS SOUND FAMILIAR?<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A fight to save a piece of public beachfront property from a developer is going on in Fort Myers Beach, Florida and it is an eerie reminder of the Great Bay Beach Conflict that took place over the past decade in Fort Erie. Below is an aerial picture of the shoreline in question. It could easily be mistaken for the public beachfront property on Lake Erie once owned by the Rebstock Family that the town of Fort Erie purchased in 2001.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Note the ironically-named Crescent Beach Family Park. That is the piece of public waterfront property a developer wants to buy in order to complete his "vision" for Fort Myers Beach. The whole state of Florida is an example of what happens when development is allowed to go on unfettered and Fort Myers Beach has so far escaped the ravages of this trend. Many people find places like Fort Myers Beach to be what is best about visits to the Sunshine State. Nice beach, walk-able amenities and entertainment amid the warmth from the cold, northern winters. There are plenty of places in Florida for people to go who wish the constant activity, lights and traffic. It appears that Fort Myers Beach is the perfect place for a restful vacation or a full-time residence.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://grandresortsfmb.com/" target="_blank">HERE</a> is a link to the developer's website and an <a href="http://www.news-press.com/story/news/2016/02/22/grand-resorts-presents-latest-concept-beach-development/80725706/" target="_blank">ARTICLE</a> that appeared after the concept was presented to the public. Brings back memories of the time the Molinaros put on a show to advise the townspeople of what a gift their proposed twelve story condo would be to the people of Crystal Beach. Actually, there were two condo towers in the first offer. (Spoiler Alert: we knew that was a ploy and that they would eliminate one of the towers as a "concession" to the people.)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">So, if you look at the aerial photo, The developer has bought everything to the right of Crescent Beach Park from the Salty Crab to the edge of the Gulfshore Grill.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Similar to how the Bay Beach situation played out,<a href="http://www.news-press.com/story/news/local/fort-myers-beach/2016/03/15/fort-myers-beach-election-brings-98-percent-voter-turnout/81823610/" target="_blank"> two of the most vocal anti-development voices were elected</a> to the Fort Myers Beach town council in a recent election that brought out a record number of voters. Like Fort Erie, the fight to keep the character and charm of the beachfront community resulted in a rift in the community. The local press acted in similar fashion to the local press in Fort Erie, definitely on the side of the developers and their advertisers. Hopefully, the newly-elected councillors will not have to face a vexatious lawsuit financed by a cabal of business people. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Sources say that, with the new council, the massive development will not be allowed in its present form. A much scaled-down approach might find approval. At least the developer is not proposing high rise hotels; he's staying with three stories. However, the plans call for a major traffic upheaval, similar to the marina project once proposed for the Niagara Parkway that would have included a view-eliminating roadway around the planned hotel.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">As I looked at the park the developer wants to buy, it looked a lot like the Bay Beach Properties, except with palm trees. All it needs is some Fowler's Toads to complete its similarity to the situation in Crystal Beach.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I sure hope that the good people of Fort Myers Beach do not have a ten year fight in their future in order to save their town from wrong-headed over development.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">UPDATE ON SPEEDWAY: Ministry head promises to work to <a href="http://www.niagarathisweek.com/news-story/6411945-door-open-for-motor-speedway-duguid/" target="_blank">open doors</a> for the Canadian Motor Speedway</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><i><b>"Last June, the Town of Fort Erie was turned down by the province when it sought funding to help pay for $42 million in upgrades needed for water and wastewater servicing for the site of the project.</b></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><i><b>The funding is necessary to cover infrastructure costs related to waterman(sic) and sewer servicing to the sprawling 800-acre site near Sunset Drive where the developers hope to build."</b></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #5a5a5a;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;">So, the town was turned down. So what does that mean? Figure it out. The taxpayers will be footing the bill for the upgrades in order to service the </span><span style="line-height: 22.4px;">multi-million</span><span style="line-height: 1.4;"> dollar project. Notice also that the town "sought funding help" for the project and was rejected. The infrastructure for the project is going to be the responsibility of the town, a town of 30,000 people, many of whom are not property tax payers. If anyone thinks their taxes will not be going up even more in the next couple of years, he or she is dreaming.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #5a5a5a;"><span style="line-height: 1.4;">I still say that Fort Erie cannot afford a project of this size. we are better off making what we have more attractive and visitor friendly. The old Peace Bridge cannot handle the type of traffic a major event would generate; there are few places for race car fans to stay in town; and the noise and traffic could be a nightmare to a town such as Fort Erie.</span></span></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">PLUS IT IS NOT A NASCAR TRACK AND WILL PROBABLY NEVER BE A NASCAR TRACK</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Coming Up:</span> </b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The lights in Ridgeway are causing headaches. Thanks, Marina. You are nicely fulfilling your Chamber Maid duties to a tee. Too bad you're screwing over your Ward 4 constituency.</span></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16495038420778835026noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2734542855080671064.post-33190579413702613872016-03-22T12:29:00.002-04:002016-03-22T12:29:51.711-04:00ROOKIE COUNCILLORS JOIN ANNUNZIATA IN RACKING UP LARGE EXPENSES<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Well, there it is. The least-productive Fort Erie councillors have joined their regional counterpart in running up large expenses for "governing" their constituents. In Fort Erie Council's case., along with large tax increases . Newcomers Marina Butler, Chris Knutt ("this is too hard"), and George McDermott reported well over a thousand dollars in expenses, while, the man, Passero, who cost the taxpayers over $50,000. for a by-election voted by the new council, rather than appointing the runner-up to fill the Ward 2 seat left vacant by the death of Rick Shular, used up an additional $1201.42 of taxpayer money.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Only Ward 3 Councillor Kimberly Zanko and Ward 5 Councillor Don Lubberts reported zero expenses.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One would assume that the amount of expenses correlates with the amount of work that the councillors did for their constituents, but it seems that the opposite is true this time. Marina Butler is basically a no-show in Ward 4 and Chris Knutt finds it too much work to represent Ward 6. Of course, neither has to worry much about getting re-elected in 2018 if they want. With the Chamber of Commerce basically controlling the election outcome and the council, there is little hope that there will be any change soon.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Too bad, Fort Erie. You had your chance; instead, you let yourselves be bullied and frightened into voting against your best interests while your former mayor and his friends mounted a vicious lawsuit against four councillors. Only one (Lubberts) survived the Old Guard financed lawsuit and the negative publicity. The case was dismissed, but the damage had been done. Insurance paid the councillors back for their massive expenses to defend themselves for a lawsuit that was born out of spite.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Off Topic: The death of Rob Ford brings out all the praise and accolades. I guess people's grief makes them forgetful. </span><br />
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<u>Expenses:</u></div>
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Appendix “1” to Administrative Report No. CS-06-2016 – 2015 Statement of Remuneration and Expenses</div>
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MAYOR & COUNCIL</div>
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<span style="font-size: 15.4px;"><u>Name:</u>Mayor Redekop</span></div>
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<u>Salary:</u> $56,904.09</div>
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<span style="background-color: #dd902f;"><u>Benefits:</u> $7,015.08</span></div>
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<u>Travel Allowance:</u> $0.00</div>
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<u>Expenses:</u> $865.00</div>
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<u>Total:</u> $64,784.17</div>
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<div style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 15.4px;">
<u style="font-size: 15.4px;">Name: </u>Councillor Butler</div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 15.4px;">
<u style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 15.4px;">Salary: </u>$13,301.37</div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 15.4px;">
<span style="font-size: 15.4px;"><u>Benefits:</u> </span>$2,727.00</div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 15.4px;">
<u style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 15.4px;">Travel Allowance: </u>$898.12</div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 15.4px;">
<u style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 15.4px;">Expenses: </u><span style="background-color: #fdef2b;">$1,822.38</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 15.4px;">
<span style="background-color: #cd232c;">$18,748.87</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 15.4px;">
<span style="background-color: #cd232c;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 15.4px;">
<u style="font-size: 15.4px;">Name: </u>Councillor Knutt</div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 15.4px;">
<u style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 15.4px;">Salary: </u>$13,301.37</div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 15.4px;">
<span style="font-size: 15.4px;"><u>Benefits:</u> </span>$6,794.40</div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 15.4px;">
<u style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 15.4px;">Travel Allowance: </u>$898.12</div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 15.4px;">
<u style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 15.4px;">Expenses: </u><span style="background-color: #fdef2b;">$1,897.13</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 15.4px;">
<span style="background-color: #d36a53;">$22,891.02</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 15.4px;">
<span style="background-color: #d36a53;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 15.4px;">
<u style="font-size: 15.4px;">Name: </u>Councillor Lubberts</div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 15.4px;">
<u style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 15.4px;">Salary: </u>$13,301.37</div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 15.4px;">
<span style="font-size: 15.4px;"><u>Benefits:</u> </span>$2,727.00</div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 15.4px;">
<u style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 15.4px;">Travel Allowance: </u>$898.12</div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 15.4px;">
<u style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 15.4px;">Expenses: </u>$0.00</div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 15.4px;">
$16,926.49</div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 15.4px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 15.4px;">
Name: Councillor McDermott</div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 15.4px;">
<u>Salary</u>: $13,301.37</div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 15.4px;">
<span style="font-size: 15.4px;"><u>Benefits:</u> </span>$6,775.08</div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 15.4px;">
<u style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 15.4px;">Travel Allowance: </u>$898.12</div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 15.4px;">
<u style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 15.4px;">Expenses: </u><span style="background-color: #fdf869;">$1,490.59</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 15.4px;">
$22,465.16</div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 15.4px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 15.4px;">
<u style="font-size: 15.4px;">Name: </u>Councillor Passero</div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 15.4px;">
<u style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 15.4px;">Salary: </u>$9,674.91</div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 15.4px;">
<u style="font-size: 15.4px;">Benefits: </u>$5,095.80</div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 15.4px;">
<u style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 15.4px;">Travel Allowance: </u>$653.37</div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 15.4px;">
<u style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 15.4px;">Expenses: </u><span style="background-color: #7dbef1;">$1,201.42</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 15.4px;">
$16,625.50</div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 15.4px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 15.4px;">
<u style="font-size: 15.4px;">Name: </u>Councillor Shular</div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 15.4px;">
<u style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 15.4px;">Salary: </u>$301.11</div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 15.4px;">
<u style="font-size: 15.4px;">Benefits: </u>$183.83</div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 15.4px;">
<u style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 15.4px;">Travel Allowance: </u>$20.22</div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 15.4px;">
<u style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 15.4px;">Expenses: </u>$0.00</div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 15.4px;">
$505.16</div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 15.4px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 15.4px;">
<u style="font-size: 15.4px;">Name: </u>Councillor Zanko</div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 15.4px;">
<u style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 15.4px;">Salary: </u>$13,301.37</div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 15.4px;">
<u style="font-size: 15.4px;">Benefits: </u>$6,794.40</div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 15.4px;">
<u style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 15.4px;">Travel Allowance: </u>$898.12</div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 15.4px;">
<u style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 15.4px;">Expenses: </u>$0.00</div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 15.4px;">
$20,993.89</div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 15.4px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 15.4px;">
SUB TOTAL</div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 15.4px;">
<u style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 15.4px;">Salary: </u>$133,386.96</div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 15.4px;">
<u style="font-size: 15.4px;">Benefits: </u>$38,112.59</div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 15.4px;">
<u style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 15.4px;">Travel Allowance: </u>$5,164.19</div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 15.4px;">
<u style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 15.4px;">Expenses: </u><span style="background-color: #cb008e;">$7,276.52</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 15.4px;">
<div dir="ltr">
$183,940.26</div>
</div>
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