> Grimsby’s Dave Drew to represent Canada at harness racing event /Pg 8 > Christina’s lights raises $7,000-plus for GBF/MS Pg 6 > Smoke alarm minimizes fire damage Pg 7 > Juvenile Aces are Silver Stick champs Pg 13 Thursday, January 30, 2020 Vol. 8 Issue 40
www.wn3.ca 100% Niagara owned & operated.
Proudly serving Grimsby, Lincoln, West Lincoln & Winona
Circ: 26,529
Grimsby council overhauls its operating system
Wanna jam?
John Baines offers a ukelele to his younger brother Matteo. The two were preparing for a jam session using some of the instruments provided by the Fun School of Music in celebration of Literacy Day at the Grimsby Public Library on Jan. 25. Also at the events were all sorts of arts & crafts, a menagerie of therapy dogs, live performances and much more. Marks - Photo.
By Mike Williscraft NewsNow While many items have been in a holding pattern for Grimsby Council over its first year, last week’s council meeting saw several major items brought up and approved with little or no prior discussion. Case in point, council opted to do a full overhaul of how it conducts business. A move to a committeeof-the-whole administrative style was approved. As well, council also adopted a new Code of Conduct, which includes a whistleblower policy that, in the minds of several councillors, was woefully incomplete when it comes providing a suitable process in which to file complaints. Because council got its first look at the proposed process changes - which will include dissolving all committees of council (and severing ties with lay members on its committees) - with its package on the Friday preceding the meeting, Coun. Reg Freake suggested deferring the document “to allow council a chance to digest” it. With insufficient support, that motion died. During discussion, Coun. Dorothy Bothwell outlined several short-comings with the report, among them: • Planning Committee’s (of which she is chair) meetings are long (avg. 2.75 hours) and since some municipalities keep planning separate, for that reason, she suggested that was appropriate here; • Currently, committee chairs are responsible for setting their agendas; See COUNCIL, Page 2
Livingston Extension needed by 2031: consultant By Mike Williscraft NewsNow Grimsby council and residents opposed to the Livingston Extension had better start boning up on how to file a Part 2 Order. That seemed to be the word from Monday night’s Public Information
Centre hosted by Niagara Region at the Casablanca Inn. While dozens of questions were posed throughout the session, which rain nearly three hours, the key and repeated questions were “why?” and “who decides?”. Consultant Paul Bumstead ex-
plained to the ballroom filled with about 120 people that projected growth plans in the area will require an additional east/west access by 2031 due to expected congestion along the South Service Road between Hunter and Casablanca Boulevard.
Jack Thompson of Niagara Region’s public works department said the extension is budgeted to cost about $10 million and it would take 8-10 years to complete from the start of the process. Attendees were grouped in tables See LIVINGSTON, Page 3