The Voice of Pelham, September 13 2017

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Wednesday, September 13, 2017

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Hummel: "I'll pay for the audit" Whistleblower ready to write a cheque The VOICE

The cruise from Hell

BY MIKE HOCH

Special to the VOICE

B

Mayor Dave Augustyn tries to prevent Rainer Hummel, right, from speaking before Regional Council in June.

VOICE FILE PHOTO

Town Council draws "line in the sand" Pelham says it will no longer cooperate with Region's review of Town finances

BY SARAH WHITAKER and DAVE BURKET

The VOICE

The Town of Pelham has drawn a “line in the sand” over allegations of impropriety within the financing of the new Community Centre and an alleged development charges scheme.

Councillors approved, unanimously, a motion that states Council and staff "categorically deny all allegations"; that the Town will no long participate

in the Region's review of Pelham's finances, as "it lies outside their sphere of jurisdiction"; and which demands the review "be ended immediately.”

"They have no business in our business," said Councillor Peter Papp, who seconded the motion, noting that Town Council, not Regional Council, is legally and legislatively responsible for what happens with the Town's finances.

Councillor Gary Accursi tabled the motion following a presentation by

CAO Darren Ottaway in response to a July interview with the developer Rainer Hummel, published in the Voice, as well as Hummel’s late June presentation to the Region regarding his concerns over Pelham's financing of the Community Centre.

Ottaway, accompanied by Town solicitor Callum Shedden, went through each "key fact" one-by-one, asserting that all but one of the 28 claims made

EING ACQUAINTED with the editor of the local paper might ensure timely delivery, but the flip side is that you’re an easy target for a Column 6 badgering—I mean invitation. This is especially true when the editor discovers you’ve had what many would consider a very interesting career, one that should surely be chock-full of interesting events.

In fact, I do consider myself extremely lucky to have had two of the best jobs in the world. I call it my 20/20 career. The first 20 years I spent as a fighter pilot in the RCAF (by far the best job) followed by 20 years as a commercial airline pilot (second-best job).

Although there are a plethora of stories to choose from (some humorous, some tragic), I’ve decided to recount my one-week adventure aboard the USS Ranger aircraft carrier, one of the highlights of my aviation career. Please fasten your safety harnesses.

In the spring of 1989 I was stationed in Cold Lake Alberta, flying the F-18

See SAND back page

See COLUMN SIX Page 17

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Column Six

$100 million here, $100 million there, it's only money

BY DAVE BURKET Rainer Hummel, the real estate developer who called out the Town of Pelham’s now abandoned land-forcredits scheme, says that he is prepared to spend $50,000 from his own pocket to commission an independent, third-party audit of the Town’s books pertaining to its controversial East Fonthill financing and land acquisition practices.

Hummel makes the offer in an Op-Ed appearing in this week’s edition.

The developer found himself the target last week of CAO Darren Ottaway. In a lengthy presentation in front of Town Council during its regular meeting on September 5, Ottaway sought to discredit the assertions Hummel made in testimony before Regional Council in June and in an extended interview with the Voice in July.

After Ottaway’s presentation, Council passed a resolution stating that the Town would no longer cooperate with the Regional Audit Committee’s scrutiny of its East Fonthill finances, a move that has provoked sharp criticism.

Our story on the meeting, Council’s decision, and Regional response to it starts on this page. Hummel’s Op-Ed, and reader comment, appears on page 4.

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Page 2

The Voice of Pelham, September 13, 2017

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IN THE NEWS

PUBLISHER’S CORNER

by Dave Burket

Temporary Treasurer becomes permanent

The last opportunity?

In the we-never-saw-that-coming department, it’s hard to beat a $50,000 surprise offer to Pelham taxpayers to cover the cost of auditing their books. That’s the number that developer Rainer Hummel settled on after speaking with various accounting firms, he says, who estimated the cost of a proper forensic audit of Pelham’s finances at between $20,000 and $50,000. Story on the cover; his Op-Ed on page 4.

As we said in late spring when the Region initiated its examination of Pelham’s East Fonthill land transactions, the Voice will play no one’s puppet. Sniping between different Regional councillors there may be, but this is irrelevant.

Dismissing widespread public concern about Pelham’s finances as somehow politically motivated is a smokescreen.

Council no longer has an excuse to reject an independent, third-party audit. With the cost now covered, is not the only reason to say no is that there is something to conceal?

On that score, this may be the last opportunity to exit the mess with one’s reputation more-or-less intact. If what has been presented as true to the public is in fact not true, if creativity has been employed to mislead, and you know it, then you also know that the honourable thing to do is to go public—particularly if you were led down a garden path, only to find quicksand at the end. Someone said to me recently, “Better an honest man than a clever man.” It’s the clever men that got us where we are. We need honest men, and women, to get us out.

Familiar faces: “We look too happy” says pharmacist Glen Sisak, now his own boss in his own pharmacy, the new PharmaChoice in Fonthill Marketplace, a few doors from Food Basics. He’s referring to the photo in his ad on page 9, but we think it’s perfect. You may remember Sisak as one of the friendlier staff at Shoppers Drug Mart in Fonthill, his home for many years. Along with the equally chipper assistant Zenia Winnicki, Sisak is now (happily) on his own… Oscar Mike Golf: Ex-fighter pilot and airline cap’n Mike Hoch finally tells us a tale this week. I say finally because I’ve been after the poor guy for months to part with some tasty morsels from his years in the sky. His OMG Column Six does not disappoint…

Jim, we hardly knew ye: Jim Pitt is saying sayanora. That’s the trouble when you take a little time off—you don’t want it to end. The door is open any time, Jim! Thanks for the good work… Multiple Voices: There’s a pleasing number of letters on a range of topics this week. We aim to present as many of your voices as possible, meaning I’ll hold a story if a reader has something to say. Happily, that includes Nick Saltarelli, back in action on page 9… It's Pelham, so...white bread: There’s a sandwich on page 9, too. You have been advised.

Teresa Quinlin has been named the Town’s Director of corporate services and Treasurer.

Quinlin served in the role on an interim basis since May, after former Treasurer Cari Pupo was fired for still unexplained reasons.

Quinlin’s appointment was confirmed by bylaw during the Town’s regular council meeting last Tuesday.

According to a Town news release, Quinlin’s skills and knowledge in the corporate financial services sectors are considerable, including working at Niagara College for 21 years. Her experience includes “leading and executing significant capital projects, budgeting, scenario planning, financial reporting, and risk management.”

Lunchtime crossing guard service stopped

Students at Glynn A. Green Elementary School were sent home with a note on the first day of classes last week, informing them that the Town would no longer be providing crossing guards at lunchtime. According to the Town’s Public Relations and Marketing Specialist Marc MacDonald, crossing guards on Pelham Street at the intersections of Port Robinson Road and Highway 20 reported fewer and fewer students leaving school at lunchtime last year. The Town completed a

Voice on vacation!

remains unclear when—or if—the elevator will be in service. CIBC declined to comment.

Lyme fundraiser

Several groups have taken up fundraisers for 15-yearold James Eliopoulos, currently being treated by a Florida clinic for Lyme disease. The Fenwick Lions will hold a fish-fry this coming Friday, September 15, at Centennial Park in Fenwick with all proceeds going to the Eliopoulos family.

To date, $45,193 has been raised toward a $100,000 goal.

Warrant Study—i.e., whether the continuing presence of a crossing guard was warranted—and concluded that the service ought to be ceased. It was not immediately clear how such a study, if conducted during the summer, would properly indicate crossing demand during the school year. The cessation will remain in effect, says MacDonald, until such a time that another study recommends otherwise. Students are permitted to leave school only if written parental consent has been provided. Glynn A. Green’s principal Pam Voth declined to comment.

Smile for the camera

The Niagara Regional Police Service (NRPS) is “continuing to utilize enhanced technology by means of an Automated License Plate Recognition (ALPR),” according to a police news release. ALPR is a series of cameras affixed to the roof of a police vehicle that automatically takes photos of license plates, capturing the date, time and GPS coordinates of the detection, and then displays an image of the plate and vehicle. Each plate image is then compared with a database, which is updated and downloaded each morning.

This list is provided by the Ministry of Transportation Ontario (MTO) and the Canadian Police Information Centre (CPIC). If the on board computer recognizes a plate as being on this list, an alert is given, indicat-

CIBC elevator to nowhere

Residents perplexed by the out-of-order elevator in the previously open walkway between CIBC and Zest may or may not continue to be confounded. The elevator, a CIBC initiative intended to improve accessibility to the bank, was seemingly finished this summer but has been barricaded off since completion. CIBC suffers from a dearth of parking spaces out front, while accessing the branch from the back lot requires a steep hike up to street level. It

See IN THE NEWS Page 19

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Vol.20 No.48

CELEBRATING OUR 20TH YEAR

Wednesday, February 8, 2017

DSBN wants portion of Town park

111 Hwy. 20 E., Unit 5, Fonthill 905-892-9054 www.healthycupboard.ca

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The Comfort Maple myth

Vol.20 No.39

Wednesday, November 30, 2016

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Oops: No fire trucks for you

Haist Street traffic-calming measure a little too effective

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Column Six

Growing up British

Vol.20 No.32

Wednesday October 12, 2016

FREE

Apple Day comes to Fonthill

BY JULIE MANNELL

Special to the VOICE

W

BALLOONING INTEREST Grade 6 student Jinja Shepherd explains her experiment on static electricity at the Glynn A. Green Public School's annual science fair last Friday. See story, page 3.

NATE SMELLE PHOTO

Public meeting tonight on school issues

BY VOICE STAFF As questions continue to mount regarding an email that Pelham Mayor Dave Augustyn quietly sent to a District School Board of Niagara trustee last summer, Augustyn has agreed to address the issue at a public meeting scheduled for this evening, Wednesday, Feb. 8, in Fenwick.

Nancy Beamer, speaking for “Names Matter,” a Pelham citizens group lobbying the DSBN to reverse its decision to rename a local public school, confirms that the meeting will be held at Fire Station #2, known locally as the Fenwick Fire Hall, starting at 7:00 PM. While the Mayor has agreed to ap-

Under pressure, Mayor to address email revelation, other E. W. Farr matters pear, says Beamer, DSBN officials associated with the school-naming process have either declined to attend or have not yet responded to the group’s invitation.

DSBN Chair, Dale Robinson, to whom Augustyn’s email was addressed last June, has declined to appear, says Beamer, asserting that she would be

“on holidays.” The Voice was unable to independently confirm Robinsion’s intentions. She did not respond to repeated requests for comment on E.W. Farr-related matters before presstime.

Beamer, whose group maintains an email list of some 580 residents, says that all members of the public are invited and encouraged to attend the meeting.

“We would especially welcome parents and children who are unhappy with the name change,” she says, referring to the contentious decision by the DSBN to consolidate two Pelham See MEETING back page

HEN I WAS young, my father and I would go for long drives along the rural routes of Pelham. We’d blast George Thurgood and roll down the windows because we loved the smell of the breeze, the sensation of crisp Niagara wind beating our cheeks and tangling our hair against our summer-kissed skin.

My father was not a sentimental man. He worked in factories and had a Gordon Lightfoot mustache and never shed tears over injuries.

Yet something about the Pelham landscape, the hilly backdrop to his childhood and the childhoods of our ancestors, drew him in. He’d stop by a farm or a gathering of woods and, surrendering his manly veneer, tell me a story about the town.

This place is precious. This is the earth that granted us life. Here is the place where we happened upon love or here is a site of devastation.

On one particular drive sometime in the late ‘90s we stopped at a tree with a plaque.

“This tree looks dead,” I said to my father.

“It sure is getting there, Julie.”

The Comfort Maple is supposedly Canada’s oldest See COLUMN SIX Page 14

Part 2 of 2: Coronation to embarkation

BY VOICE STAFF

A construction error was discovered following the opening of a traffic calming chicane on Haist Street north of Hwy 20 last Monday that prevented large vehicles from passing through.

One resident living in the neighbourhood said he contacted the Town after seeing a small schoolbus get stuck as it tried to get through the new traffic calming measure. Later that day while driving behind a cement truck, he said that he became concerned for the public’s safety when the truck had to turn around because it couldn’t get through.

“If a small school bus and a cement truck can’t make it through what about a fire

BY HEATHER McLAREN ROHRER

Special to the VOICE

A

Repair measures underway last week to correct a construction error in the chicane. truck or an ambulance?” he said.

While waiting for the contractor to return to fix

the mistake, the Town has taken measures to temporarily allow passage for vehicles through the neigh-

VOICE PHOTO

bourhood in the short-term.

Manager of Public Works Ryan Cook said that after discovering the issue with

the chicane the morning it first opened, the Town See CHICANE Page 5

Petition-inspired changes coming to 2017 Summerfest

BY NATE SMELLE

The VOICE

Representatives from the Pelham Summerfest committee Candy Ashbee and Bill Gibson presented council with a final report on the 2016 Summerfest at the Council meeting on Monday, Nov. 21.

Prompted by a story in the Voice in August about a merchant petition to move Summerfest from Pelham Street, in September Town staff met with various stakeholders to hear their complaints, promising at the time that changes in the way Summerfest was mounted would be con-

sidered.

The main concerns identified during the community engagement process were security, parking, ensuring customer can access all businesses in town, and liability for damages. How to get all Pelham Street businesses to participate and finding ways to make it beneficial for them to set up a booth were also determined to be of high priority for the committee as they plan for next year’s event.

Gibson told Council that the committee is addressing these concerns in a variety of ways. To improve parking, they intend to create bet-

ter signage for out-of-town visitors to designated parking areas and shuttle services. To make participation in Summerfest more enticing to local businesses, they plan to implement a tiered-charge for booths. Under the new system, Pelham Street business owners will be charged the least, other local businesses will pay a slightly higher fee, and vendors from outside Pelham will pay the most. In response to more specific issues for individual businesses, they will also slightly alter the footprint of the event and make adjustments to security.

Another way the committee plans

Debbie

Get

to improve the 2017 Summerfest is by sponsoring and working with the organizers of the Thursday Night Bandshell Concert series to select the artist performing on the first night of Summefest. They also intend to make more use of the smartphone app they launched in 2016.

"We are really going to push it this year," Ashbee said.

“It really helps to get people to see what events there are so they can plan out where they are going.

We will be able to actually help the merchants and local businesses adSee CHANGES Page 5

FTER LUNCH ON Saturday, Mum and Dad had my afternoon cut out for me. Mum had more brass than anyone I knew, and it had to be cleaned. In addition there was the set of silver fish-knives and forks which were never used, but which had to be cleaned and put back in their velvetlined box.

Next was a walk to the newsagents to pay for the daily delivery of the Daily Mirror. As I said, Dad was a printer, but when he was 37 he had been rejected for a job, as being too old, by the printers of the Beano.

For that reason, my favourite comic was not allowed in the house, but while I was paying the papers, the newsagent let me have a 'shoofty' at the Beano. I'd explained my predicament and he understood completely.

Sundays were different again. Dad would play golf on summer mornings and billiards in winter. Then he'd stop for a 'refresher' at the local and would pick up the prawns, cockles, winkles or whelks we'd be having for tea later. Meanwhile, Mum was roasting the 'joint' and potatoes. I got to make the Yorkshire pud, and mint

See COLUMN SIX Page 14

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Your Fonthill real estate connection.

BY VOICE STAFF

While shopping in Fonthill between Friday and Sunday, keep an eye out for Beavers, Cubs and Scouts in front of local stores with bushels of apples.

As part of the annual Apple Day campaign, Scouting youth of all ages will be trading apples for donations.

The yearly fundraising drive is an important way for young Scouts to connect with the communities they are serving, says Leah Marie of Scouts Canada.

“The Apple Day campaign holds a great tradition of being able to have youth interacting within the communities they live in,” she says. “All of the Apple Day donations stay directly within the group that re-

The goal is to have these youth develop into confident and well-rounded individuals

ceives them, enabling youth to have experiences that build character, challenge them, and allow them to try new things. The goal is to have these youth develop into confident and wellrounded individuals, better prepared for success. Apple Day helps to achieve that.”

“Any money raised during Apple Day goes towards improving the Scouting program by providing more outdoor adventures for youth, camping equipment, canoes and paddles, training and many other endeavours that the youth want to experience,” says Marie.

Scouts Canada has some 100,000 members across Canada, and carries out programs for boys, girls

Joining their principal, Karen Simpson, at the Sept.

19 Council meeting as part of a delegation from EL Crossley Secondary School, students Abby Loewen and Neenah Williams presented Council with a list of reasons that they should immediately approve the construction of the new sidewalk proposed along Hwy. 20. The asphalt side-

walk/trail is slated to be built between the south side of the road from Timmsdale Crescent to the high school.

Because of the large volume of motor vehicle traffic travelling at high speeds through this area, and because of the necessity for students to tread this path on a daily basis, many residents would like to see the sidewalk go in sooner than later.

After delivering to Council a petition containing

Many residents would like to see the sidewalk go in sooner than later the names of 450 students calling for a safer walk to school, Simpson handed the

podium over to Loewen and Williams to plead their case.

Loewen told Council that because there are a lot of students who have work placements and coop placements during the school year, this is the only route for many of them to travel.

As one of the students facing this predicament, Williams said she has had no other option but to walk along the dangerous highway.

www.pennylanesold.com

H EATHER AND P ENNY L ANE S ALES R EPRESENTATIVES

BY JOHN SWART

VOICE Correspondent

and youth ages 5-25. This year the 3rd Fonthill Group, which includes Beavers to Ventures (youth ages 5- 25) will be hitting the streets to drum-up support.

Over the weekend, Scouts will be set up in Fonthill outside Sobeys, Tim Hortons, Target Gas station, Fonthill Shopping Plaza and the Pioneer Gas station at the corner of Hwys 20 and 24.

Town Council approves sidewalk to serve E. L. Crossley

BY NATE SMELLE

The VOICE

Cell 905.933.3049

T

Second year Beaver with the 3rd Fonthill Group, Russell Letford offers a fresh apple to shoppers in Pelham during the 2015 Apple Day campaign.

SUPPLIED PHOTO A longtime Canadian tradition, Apple Day began in 1932 in Saint John, New Brunswick, when Scouts handed out 21,000 apples as a way to say thank you to the community. In return for their generosity, many people offered them donations. From then on Scouts have reached out through Apple Day to raise funds for their programs.

Office 905.892.1702

Column Six It doesn’t get better than Autumn

Longtime Scouting tradition dates to 1932

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Request made of community still peeved at name change

See DSBN Page 9

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Column Six

BY VOICE STAFF The District School Board of Niagara is requesting that the Town of Pelham cede a portion of Cherry Ridge Park for use as a soccer field to serve the students of the new Wellington Heights Public School, formerly the E. W. Farr Memorial Public School, in Fenwick.

Currently under renovation and expansion, the new school will combine students and staff from the previous school and Pelham Centre, where classes are being held while construction continues.

Two letters, containing virtually identical text but signed by different authorities, were sent last week to nearby residents of the park, as well as to parents of Pelham Centre students.

“The DSBN is currently building onto Wellington Heights Public School on Alsop Drive,” states the letter. “The size of the school's addition means the existing small soccer field will be eliminated.

The Town and the Board have been discussing the possibility of working together to create a field for both the school and the

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Pined -Sol Pelham’sPelham’s Health Food Store

In an effort to bring further attention and deterrence to driving while impaired by alcohol or drugs, the Niagara Regional Police Service reports the names of those people who are charged with an alleged criminal impaired driving offence in the Region. None of the following charges have been proved in court.

In addition to being charged, these individuals are also bound by a Ministry of Transportation 90-Day Administrative Driver’s License Suspension and are prohibited from operating a motor vehicle on a roadway.

The public is encouraged to contact the Niagara Regional Police Service Traffic Safety Hotline or Crime Stoppers to report those who are driving in contravention of the suspension.

The following individuals have been charged criminally with impaired driving by alcohol or drugs, driving with a blood alcohol concentration above 80 mgs of alcohol in 100 ml of blood, or refusing to provide a breath / blood sample.

Clinton T. MOROCCO, 29, Niagara Falls Gregory E. HALES, 47, St. Catharines Meghan MOORE, 31, Thorold Lacey GELZ, 29, Kenmore NY David W. FIDLER, 58, Port Colborne Sarah LIDDIARD, 33, Lincoln James D. CHRISTOPHER, 27, Buffalo NY Justice MURPHY, 20, Thorold David A. MAXWELL, 45, Lincoln Kevin DE MELO, 33, Toronto Kent W. HEASLIP, 50, Niagara Falls Cindy J. DELAMATTER, 48, St. Catharines Andrew R. ARKELL, 26, St. Catharines Colin M. CHERRIE, 23, Lincoln Dana C. A. ROPER, 24, St. Catharines Sherry L. GRAY, 51, St. Catharines Anton LEBEDYNETS, 27, Kitchener Katrina S. RAHMAN, 22, Fort Erie Kristine B. MARR, 47, St. Catharines Dayna FUCIARELLI, 21, Hamilton Brett R. COATES, 57, Milton Ahamad KHAN, 48, Fort Erie Omar U. CALLEJAS, 36, St. Catharines Marie M. CLOUTIER, 54, Niagara Falls Robert D. E. FRANCE, 52, West Lincoln Shane R. ADAMS, 32, Lincoln Jay V. COSBY, 51, Niagara Falls The Niagara Regional Police Service is committed to reducing impaired driving offences through education and the apprehension of offenders through enforcement programs like RIDE. Impaired driving is still the leading cause of criminal deaths in Canada and destroys thousands of lives every year.

OF THE WEEK!

George and Ellen Schmidt on board the Klondike Spirit in Dawson City, Yukon!

NRPS impaired driving charges

“I start work at 2:30 PM and school lets out at 2:15 PM so I can’t take any other route,” Williams explained.

“I have had friends, family, teachers and other community members reach out to me in the past about how this is unsafe and how there should be another alternative for us.”

Looking ahead to winter, when she will need to walk this path three or four times See SIDEWALK Page 2

HERE IS NO BETTER time to cycle than Fall. It matters not whether you’re new to the sport, a seasoned recreational cyclist, racer, touring rider or mountain biker; we all have reason to look forward to autumn.

Summer’s heat has faded, and the streams of sweat that ran from soggy helmets into our eyes are now just slight perspiration. Fitness is peaking from lots of saddle time, making those tough climbs of Spring a breeze in Autumn.

It’s hard to beat the feeling of beginning a crisp, cool Fall ride with a slight shiver, knowing your efforts will soon warm you perfectly.

The hues of Autumn are outstanding.

A Pelham route as simple as following our southern boundary is one that would make most Toronto cyclists jealous, especially when our forests and fields are ablaze with colour.

Begin from Harold Black Park, and zig-zag south along Effingham Rd toward the Welland River.

If you’re new to cycling, it’s important to know south is the direction away from any hills.

If you avoid the morning and evening weekday rush hours caused by those travelling through Pelham between Wainfleet See AUTUMN Page 3

Indulgence Bakery Mossimo’s Pelham Street Grille Sobeys Fonthill DeVries Fruit Farm Beamer’s Hardware & TV Fonthill Library Black Pearl Fish & Chips Bob’s Boys Antiques Moku’s Fonthill Fitness Fenwick Pie Company McDonald’s Fonthill Legion Semenuk’s Gas Bar Target Store Tim Horton’s Giant Tiger Pelham Town Hall Shoppers Drug Mart Zee Lube Express Care Lazy Loon Minor Bros Stores Avondale Stores A-1 Market Sobeys South Pelham Broken Gavel Restaurant Grill on Canboro Petro Canada Mtvl. Hwy. Renewed Thrift & Vintage Ridge Berry Farm Circle-K

www.thevoiceofpelham.ca

The Voice of Pelham, September 13, 2017

Page 3

TOWN COUNCIL NEWS

BY VOICE STAFF The ten or so interested citizens who attended last week’s Town Council meeting to observe discussion on two matters near Hurricane Road must have been initially pleased when it was arranged that their issue be moved to earlier on the agenda. However, 45 minutes in on CAO Darren Ottaway’s extended presentation on East Fonthill (story on page 1), their faces displayed considerably less enthusiasm.

Ottaway eventually ceded the podium after nearly an hour, and following a brief—though poignant— presentation on Alzheimer’s disease, Hurricane’s issues came to the floor.

Harland Young, the president of Carriage Hill condominiums, spoke to Council regarding a report on flooding that had been received at the August 21 meeting.

“I want to take this opportunity to restate the need that this project proceeds as soon as possible,” Young said, as pictures from 2014 showing a vast river bisecting Pelham Street at Hurricane were projected on the screen.

The water, according to Young, finally drained into Carriage Hill’s property, as well as into other basements along the street. After this incident, Young presented to Council, requesting that action be taken in the 2015 budget to remedy the matter. This action, according to Young, was carried out in 2015, but has only reduced

the quantity of water.

“It is believed that we have not had as severe a rainstorm as those experienced in the spring of 2014,” he said. “The need [for action] remains.”

Residents of Carriage Hill have been pleased to see regular progress on the project, including the installation of a sidewalk on the east side of Pelham Street, as well as extensive geotechnical surveys. But, as Young continued, residents wanted to again urge council that the entirety of the project be included in the 2018 budget.

The Public Works report received by Council on August 21 stated that the cost for this undertaking would be close to $1.5 million, and that one way to manage this amount would be to split the project over two years.

The matter will be decided during the 2018 budget consideration.

“We have been patient,” Young said. “We’ve been keeping the [condo] owners up-to-date, and the confidence that we’ve instilled in them has stopped you from getting nuisance calls.”

After discussion concluded, Young and several Carriage Hill residents were free to leave, but those there for the other Hurricane Road issue—traffic—had to wait a little longer.

Council first considered a request for development charge relief for 1145 Pelham Street. Mike Hassani, the property owner, was issued a permit to demolish the previous building in 2011.

Typically, when a building is demolished to make way for new construction, the developer is issued a relief from the development charges based on the size of the old building—in Hassani’s case, a relief worth some $47,600. But in order to receive this rebate, the building application must be submitted within five years of the demolition permit.

Hassani missed this deadline by 35 days.

Pelham’s Department of Community Planning and Development suggested that Council “may wish to consider” offering the relief because Hassani’s planned three-story, mixed-use development “will provide employment opportunities, residential housing options and taxation over the long term which will benefit the community.”

Some members of Council were initially skeptical.

Councillor Rybiak expressed concerns that Hassani had missed the “generous time provided,” and wondered if it were wise to make an exception in this one situation.

Town Director of Planning Barb Wiens conceded that voting in favour of Hassani could be setting a precedent.

“I’m kind of in a quandary,” said Councillor Junkin.

At first, he had thought that the relief was warranted, but then was likewise troubled by the possibility of setting precedent. “If five years isn't enough, then is it six years, or is it seven years?”

Councillor Papp asked whether there were any

special circumstances that had delayed Hassani’s efforts.

Upon learning that Hassani was in the audience, Council invited him to take the podium and respond to their questions. According to Hassani, the garage that had previously occupied 1145 Pelham Street had contaminated the ground, necessitating extensive cleaning.

“We had to dig down eight feet,” Hassani said.

“We took all the dirt out— we begged everyone to take the contaminated dirt, and it took a while to find a place in Thorold.” After the building’s demolition, water was discovered on the property, and Hassani said that this prompted the digging of another hole and the installation of four pipes.

As Council prepared to vote, Councillor Junkin raised his hand. “After hearing of this gentleman’s tribulations with the property, I’ve changed my mind and I will support the staff recommendation [to provide the relief].” The relief was awarded unanimously.

Finally it was time for the Hurricane Road traffic matter to be discussed. In July, a petition with some 50 signatures was presented to Council, and Public Works was directed to review all possible traffic-calming measures along Hurricane.

Their report recommended that the Town begin a pilot program of “traffic cushions,” small humps that can See COUNCIL NEWS Page 19

Sulphur Springs still waiting No plans for closed road beyond considering study in 2018 budget

BY SARAH WHITAKER

Special to the VOICE

Sulphur Springs Drive and the necessary studies required to get the road fixed are back on Council's radar but it is likely to be 2018 at the earliest before any work is done to get the road re-opened.

After the Voice questioned Mayor Dave Augustyn on why, after almost 18

months, Sulphur Springs Drive remains closed, the Mayor raised the issue at the Tuesday, Sept. 5 Council meeting.

Noting he thought the study needed was underway, Augustyn asked what the status of the road was.

Public Works Director Andrea Clemencio explained staff is not proSee WAITING Page 19

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Page 4

The Voice of Pelham, September 13, 2017

www.thevoiceofpelham.ca

OPINION

The opinions expressed in submitted commentary and letters to the editor are those of the contributors and not necessarily those of the Voice of Pelham.

The Voice of Pelham is a 1211858 Ontario Limited publication David Burket, Publisher 2-1428 Pelham St., P.O. Box 1489, Fonthill, ON L0S1E0

COMMENTARY / OP-ED Rainer Hummel Stop the dodging: I'll pay for the audit

M

AYOR AUGUSTYN and Pelham Town Council are putting more time and effort into attacking me personally and threatening legal action instead of openly addressing the many concerns held by the community. Since I voiced my concerns, I have received many messages of support from Pelham and I continue to call for more accountability and transparency from Mayor Augustyn and Town Council.

What was most disconcerting in the Town’s presentation last week was that it boiled down to a personal attack on a taxpayer, including the wholly misguided claim that my coming forward was merely politically motivated. This line was echoed by the Mayor in another personal attack during a recent radio talk show.

Here are the unexciting facts. Five years ago I was one of more than 50 citizens asked to sit on a group of committees looking into the manner in which the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority was functioning. This included several environmentalists, business leaders,

community activists, and Niagara residents. Neither this committee, nor the

Rainer Hummel.

SUPPLIED PHOTO

numerous other committees and boards I’ve sat on over the years, have anything to do with Pelham's questionable practices.

The NPCA’s problems, whatever they may be, are their own. This is an embarrassingly flimsy straw for the Mayor continuously to grasp.

Why is such a personal attack against a taxpayer being conducted by a municipality anyway?

Is it not the responsibility of the taxpayer to hold elected officials to account?

Why does Pelham feel the need to bully taxpay-

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The Voice

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www.thevoiceofpelham.ca PUBLISHER & EDITOR Dave Burket publisher@thevoiceofpelham.ca REPORTERS Samuel Piccolo, Sarah Whitaker ADMINISTRATION Lori Gretsinger office@thevoiceofpelham.ca CONTRIBUTORS John Swart, Larry Coté, Nick Saltarelli, Carolyn Botari, Melissa Wells

ers when they exercise their democratic rights and obligations?

The personal attack on me appears to be a warning to any other ratepayers who question the administration’s taxpayer-funded spin campaign. It reeks of guilt. It seems little more than an attempt to deflect from the real issues.

The truth is usually quite simple and requires little in terms of explanation.

It is only when volumes of spin and 300-page-plus documents need to be produced that an alleged “explanation” starts looking more like a cover-up.

I stand by what I have said.

The Town has repeatedly publicly threatened legal action against me yet does not file a lawsuit.

Why not?

If I have said something incorrect then please sue me and end these childish threats.

It seems like the municipality was able to dig deep into the public purse to produce the original 300-page report, and once again finds ample taxpayer dollars to produce the latest round of spin.

See AUDIT Page 6

Letters Not happy being fed false numbers in Wainfleet I'm very curious to know if you will receive the same criticism from Andrew Watts as I did when I pointed out the same information your article did [Big turnout for protest rally in Wainfleet, Sept. 6, p. 3].

It would appear that Mr. Watts doesn't like any information that won't help to scare people into joining his cause to "save Wainfleet.” I pointed out on their group Facebook page that the projected population numbers were incorrect and that

I know I wouldn't have attended if not for the false information the OMB had already dismissed a hearing regarding the Lakewood development.

Let's just say he was less

CONTACT YOUR ELECTED OFFICIALS Member of Federal Parliament

Electoral District: Niagara West

Dean Allison, MP 4994 King Street Beamsville, ON L0R 1B0 Dean.Allison@parl.gc.ca 877-563-7900

Mayor of Pelham David Augustyn mayordave@pelham.ca 905-892-2607 Ext 317 Members of Pelham Town Council

Member of Provincial Parliament

Ward 1 Councillor Richard Rybiak rrybiak@pelham.ca 905-892-2105

Sam Oosterhoff, MPP 4961 King St. East, Unit M1 Beamsville, ON L0R 1B0 sam.oosterhoffco@pc.ola.org 905-563-1755

Councillor Marvin Junkin mjunkin@pelham.ca 905-684-4870

Electoral District: Niagara West-Glanbrook

Members of Niagara Regional Council Councillor David Augustyn mayordave@pelham.ca 905-892-2607 Ext 317 Councillor Brian Baty brian.baty@niagararegion.ca 905-892-5317 Town of Pelham 20 Pelham Town Square P.O. Box 400 Fonthill, ON L0S 1E0 905-892-2607

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Richard

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than thrilled to have any information other than his own shared to the public.

I'm very curious how many people would have attended the community meeting had we not been fed false numbers regarding the development plans for Wainfleet. I know I wouldn't have attended if not for the false information.

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The Voice of Pelham, September 13, 2017

Page 5

OPINION Letters

FOLLOW THE MONEY By Jim Pitt

continued

Home prices up, commercial real estate down, scrutiny rejected

In praise of handsome designs The developers of Fonthill Flats, and the developer of Suites on Pelham, soon-to-be-completed on North Pelham Street, should be commended for their projects. Their buildings set a design and quality standard that hopefully will be emulated by future developers. Both buildings are scaled to their lot size, and their designs and exterior finishes are perfectly suited to a small-town Ontario community such as Fonthill. As the new owners of the former Keith’s Restaurant property plan their project, they might look to their right and to their left for inspiration.

Ginette and Patrick O’Hara Fonthill

Stop hiding behind closed doors It just blows me away.

Again Town Council is meeting behind closed doors, and to what end? According to news reports, to hire a flippin' real estate agent to sell 20 acres of East Fonthill property.

Yes, CLOSED DOORS. How many insults can Pelham Town Council pile on top of the people of Pelham. Do they think we are ejits? For crying out loud. Do they not know that their closed-door meetings are enraging the already enraged people of Pelham?

So, Pelham Town Council, you now don't have a leg to stand on if you continue with these closed-to-thepublic, closed-door meetings. I will not be listening when you all start shouting out: "UNFAIR! UNFAIR! We are a transparent and honest council. How dare the people of Pelham demand a forensic audit of Town of Pelham because they don’t think we are running the

Town competently and honestly. How dare they ask us to explain ourselves!"

And then, after Council has crowed this to the heavens, they still continue to meet BEHIND CLOSED DOORS to discuss hiring a real estate agent when everyone is already suspicious of Dave Augustyn filtering opportunities to his real estate professional family, and their friends, when he should have recused himself of any real estate land dealings years ago.

I cannot believe that the Town Council of Pelham is so unaware of the existing public opinion against them that they would continue to shroud themselves in what looks like suspicious behaviour, behaviour that incites mistrust, a mistrust that is growing rampantly in the minds of the people of Pelham.

Man, oh, man. The muSee CLOSED DOORS next page

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HE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS have shown how predicting the future can be a difficult task.

In a little over two months, interest rates have doubled from 0.5% to an eye-watering 1%. These increases were not expected this year, but for various reasons, mostly the massive amount of debt consumers have taken on, you can expect more in the near future. These increases will continue until we get back to more normal rates, around 4%.

If the regulators have their way a new stress test for mortgage borrowers will be introduced later this fall.

A mortgage at 2.5% earlier this year is but a fond memory. With rate increases, stress tests and other new requirements, it is not difficult to see mortgage rates at 4.5% coupled with the stress test of another 2%, and we are back to a more normal 6.5%. Hope you all locked-in.

The housing market continued to return to a more balanced level— that's realtor-speak for sales and prices falling.

In Pelham we bucked the trend and home prices climbed 11.7% from July to August. That's a price increase from $529,000 to $591,000 on average.

At this rate it could soon cost more to own a home in Fonthill than in, say, North York. You know, that community up Yonge Street in Toronto, with services and a viable transit system. It

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The Mayor said it best when he petulantly proclaimed in an interview with the St. Catharines Standard, "rubber stamp" approval of municipal debentures "is how it should be done, and that’s how it has been done in every other debenture until this issue came up—this sideshow for political purposes.”

Take that, Regional politicians.

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truly is different here.

The number of sales, however, fell 15% from 26 to 22 year-over- year.

The sales in Pelham were likely homes in the higher price range and 22 home sales is a pretty small sample.

Niagara-wide, prices went up as well. Average prices rose 4% from $376,000 in July to $391,000 in August. July’s dip may have been a mere blip or August’s rise could be a blip, who knows, but the fall selling season is upon us and the market will continue to send mixed signals.

The most frightening stats concerned commercial real estate. Yearover-year sales were down 44% and prices were down a whopping 60%.

Well, you have to admit, there sure are a lot of new retail and commercial spaces around the Region now. Maybe we’ve reached saturation levels.

Real estate goes down, who knew? I wonder if this will impact the pending sale of 20 acres in East Fonthill.

I’m sure the Mayor has a handle on it.

And it’s good that the Town is looking to hire a realtor, a completely unnecessary action that will cost us only about $600,000 we could have saved in commissions and used to repair a culvert or three. he Mayor and Council have announced that they will no longer put up with the scrutiny from the Region concerning financing in the East Fonthill area. They have laid

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Page 6

The Voice of Pelham, September 13, 2017

FOLLOW THE MONEY continued from Page 5 How dare you tell the Town of Pelham how to spend the money that you just cosigned and ultimately are on the hook for. What do you think you're doing, representing concerned taxpayers in the Town of Pelham?

The Mayor and Council in the Town of Pelham are the only authority that the taxpayers need to bend to, and they shall, they always do. With words like the ones quoted above, one might wonder what the role of Regional government is. Well, apparently in Pelham at least, the Region has no role and it’s time it was made aware of it. So stop the bullying, Region, or else.

I started this little enterprise as a few letters to the editor. That became a regular column and I have been at it since February.

Except for one correction, the Town has said little about these columns, but they do read and re-read them. That I know.

Everything I’ve presented has been based on the facts I could find on the Town’s own website. Those facts have been dwindling of late. I thank the Town's I.T. person for keeping the site up-to-date. It must cost a fortune to run because, as

AUDIT continued from Page 4 Would it not be far more productive and transpar-

far as I can tell, the Town’s website is the most expansive and enormous of any municipal site in the Region, including the Region's.

Occasionally on my morning walks I thought I could detect a black SUV slowly following me, but it was just my imagination; I’m still here. The present Mayor and Council have embarked on a dangerous path financially and have proven to be inept at expensive land transactions.

These transactions are affecting the quality of life in town. Traffic is way up and services, such as road repairs and regular maintenance, are suffering because of a misguided sense of what the priorities of this Town’s governance are.

If you are fed up and want action, then you must speak up. Don’t be afraid of these little petulant petty politicians.

There is one year, one month, and nine days until October 22, 2018, the date of the next municipal election. I suggest that the Voice start a "Countdown Clock to Cleaning House."

Me, I’m taking a break. A little recharge, a little time away from the misdirection and magical thinking coming out of Pelham Town Hall. It’s been quite the eye-opener.

ent to follow the example of the Regional Councilor for Pelham, Brian Baty, and ask for an independent, third-party forensic audit?

There are only three is-

Letters

www.thevoiceofpelham.ca

continued

Goodbye walkway, hello elevator I was meeting a friend for lunch at Zest restaurant recently, parked in one of the few spots behind, and started walking up the path beside the CIBC and discovered that it basically isn't there anymore.

There is a new structure which appeared to be inaccessible with, I think,

an elevator. The old path is probably not supposed to be used but is not marked as such.

So, what is going on?

The few parking spots that used to be on Pelham Street on the other side of the bank are gone, perhaps for the sidewalk tables. The few spots in the

back are essentially useless unless one chooses to walk around the whole block.

It certainly is difficult to support local businesses if there is no parking!

Becky DeRose Fonthill

Demand to end scrutiny proves Council isn't listening I never buy the St. Catharines Standard but it just happened that we stopped for a burger at Harvey’s on Thursday and a gentleman across from us had a copy of the paper, which he was holding open with a particular headline facing me: Pelham demands end to scrutiny.

I immediately broke out laughing aloud.

I found their DEMAND outrageous, insulting and a

further sign that the Mayor and Council are not listening to, and seemingly not caring about, what the public is saying.

To me this latest DEMAND just increased the divide between the Mayor and residents. Instead of opening the books he just closed them, again with his claim they have done nothing wrong.

Thursday evening at the Bandshell people were

talking and my suspicions were correct—the DEMAND

by Council just increased public concern. The common phrases being used by a wide demographic of people ranged from, “What are they hiding?” “It’s our money they are playing with.”

“They have no respect for the residents.” And, “We want an outside forensic audit.”

The Mayor claims that he and Council are listening, but

wherever you look residents are saying the Town isn’t listening. Residents feel that everything the Town Council does has a shade of gray to it and questions never get fully answered.

The CAO says the Town has FACTS. So do the residents and here is one. Watch this video and decide for yourself:

CLOSED DOORS

they aren’t getting off this destructive cycle anytime soon.

The Town of Pelham does not need to go to the expense to hire a real estate agent to sell the Rice Road property. Put an official Town of Pelham ad in the local newspaper, just like

other communities do. Task the job to Darren Ottaway.

With the title of Chief Administration Officer, and an annual salary of $176,000, it is assumed Ottaway has the education and municipal administration experience to handle it. That is, unless the Mayor and Council al-

ready have someone in mind who they want to award a lucrative commission to.

Let’s see.

Five percent of $12 million? That’s $600,000. Not bad for being in the right place at the right time, eh.

Pamela Robb Fonthill

developer did not even yet own, in exchange for some $3 million dollars’ worth of “Development Charge credits,” and was this credits scheme even legal?

Second, can parkland legally be purchased with Development Charges?

Third, why did the Mayor and his Town Council agree to pay $928,000 dollars per acre for this land when the going rate was approximately $150,000 to $200,000 per acre?

I could go through all the tit-for-tat items the Town

asserts in its personal attack against me and discredit virtually every one of them. I'm not playing the Town’s game of obfuscation.

A Town this deeply in debt cannot afford to have the taxpayer continue to fund its spin campaign. The truth is the simplest remedy, so I wish to once and for all put the issue to rest, and do so in a prudent and responsible manner.

I am willing to pay the $50,000-dollar estimated cost of a forensic audit from my own pocket, so not

to further burden the ratepayers of Pelham. I ask that the terms of reference be dictated by the Region and that the Region choose a non-partisan, independent, forensic auditor to review the issues presented at Regional council with respect to land transactions and actions taken by the Town of Pelham on behalf of its taxpayers in the East Fonthill secondary plan.

I will be attending the Regional Audit Committee meeting later this month

continued from previous page nicipal elections cannot come soon enough for me.

The Mayor and the Council of the Town of Pelham are on a hamster wheel generating narcissism and arrogance, and it sure looks like

sues here: First, did the Town do a secret deal with a developer, wherein the Town agreed to buy land from the developer, land the

If your message for Pelham isn’t in our pages,

Then it isn’t being seen.

The Voice

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There is no longer any excuse not to conduct a forensic audit

and I will be bringing a certified cheque made payable to the Regional Municipality of Niagara, in trust, for $50,000, so that a full accounting of the actions of the administration of Pelham can finally be independently reviewed.

If I am wrong I will apologize. If I am correct, then I trust that the democratic system under which we all live will take the appropriate course of action.

There is no longer any excuse to not conduct a forensic audit. Not unless there is something to hide.

The rights of taxpayers do not come from the generosity of government, but from the taxpayers’ willingness to allow those they’ve elected to govern in their name.

www.thevoiceofpelham.ca

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The Voice of Pelham, September 13, 2017

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Page 8

The Voice of Pelham, September 13, 2017

DEMAND continued from Page 6 https://youtu.be/PyqDlyeDJ9A Someone gave me the link to watch the Pelham Town Council meeting of July 24 and I went to my computer and looked it up. The video was almost as disturbing as the council DEMAND that started this letter. Our Regional Councilor Brian Baty stood before Council and you clearly see on the video that he was very respectful and very clear in his words.

Councilor Baty made a simple request: “Please consider allowing an independent forensic audit.”

He went on to say he has been “INUNDATED by calls and emails” from residents all ages and demographics from across Pelham all asking for an outside forensic audit. He summarized by saying the clear majority of residents have lost trust in the Mayor and Council.

Councilor Baty had a very

good closing comment, saying that “If Council has nothing to hide then let’s clear the air,” “Let the truth come out,” and, “This is what everyone wants.”

An immediate response came from Councilor Rybiak, who in a subdued tone of anger and disrespect, began badgering Councilor Baty to retract his request and give up any notion that there should be an outside audit. Council seemed to think that only a small handful of residents had concerns. The councilors pushed back at Councilor Baty, demonstrating they did not listen when Councilor Baty said he was INUNDATED by calls which would suggest there is more than a small handful of residents. Councilor Rybiak seemingly took on the role of Town psychologist, labelling residents with what he thought to be a clinical disorder. He called residents with an opinion “Cynics,” and tried to include Mr Baty.

Obviously not knowing the definition of cynic he doesn’t

realize a cynic is a person who believes that others (in this case, Town Councilors) are motivated by purely self-interest rather than acting for unselfish reasons (the good of the public). I think residents would agree that’s what they believe here, and that’s what they are fighting to change.

This latest attack and DEMAND against the residents amplified our concerns that the Town is not listening. Residents asked for a third-party outside independent forensic audit. Council has not complied with that request. Who knows how much of our dollars they are spending to push back and keep saying they did nothing wrong. Why not agree to a forensic audit if they have nothing to hide?

Someone else suggested this is reminiscent of the 1973 statement by Richard Nixon when, denying the allegations of Watergate, he responded, “I’m not a crook.”

Nancy Freeland Fonthill

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The only solution for Hurricane residents is to request turn restrictions at Highway 20 and Hurricane, and demand that the Region, which is responsible for Highway 20, widen the road with another lane. I'm told by an official that this suggestion was previously cut from the budget.

Meanwhile accidents will continue to “pile-up,” so to speak, and we will eventually have fatalities either on Hurricane or on Highway 20.

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The Voice of Pelham, September 13, 2017

Page 9

COMMENTARY / OP-ED Nick Saltarelli Sam Oosterhoff, Patrick Brown and the Election Clock

S

ince the by-election nine months ago, media coverage of Sam Oosterhoff has focussed almost entirely on who he is and what makes him tick, rather than reporting on what he’s been doing and, more importantly, on actual results he’s delivered to his constituency. Sam Piccolo’s must-read interview in last week’s Voice offered considerably greater insight.

It’s apparent from his answers that Sam is personable, intelligent and articulate. These are good and essential qualities in a lawmaker. There were encouraging indications of flexibility in his answers— the phrase, “I think that...,” was peppered throughout the piece, however open to an interpretation of tentativeness that may be.

But Oosterhoff once again demurred on the question of his acceptance of alternative sexual mores and his support for the civil rights of those who espouse them, saying only that those in the LGBT community must be treated with dignity and respect.

Well, yes. To do otherwise would violate the law of the land.

Regardless, he comes across as sincere, well spoken and astute. If I were to offer some coaching it might be to avoid platitudinous “we have to” and “we need to” prefaces when addressing questions of societal deficiencies. Better “I commit to” and “I shall.”

If one is to be effective at marshalling positive change it is not enough to moralise—he or she needs to make a commitment, to lay out unambiguous targets, and then deliver on them. We should expect no less from our elected representatives.

The interview touched upon what Sam has been doing these past nine months but activity itself

is not measurable, only results are. What the piece did not do was ask and answer the question “What specifically have you personally accomplished since winning the seat?” Sam may expect this will be an especially pointed question leading up to June 7, 2018.

Doubtless the author’s name at the top of this piece has raised a skeptical eyebrow or two. That’s fair. In these pages I have been critical of Mr. Oosterhoff’s candidacy and subsequent election, challenging his experience and qualifications, and adding my voice to mainstream media concerns of hubris and of leveraging financial and strategic support from his church to upset and un-

seat a more experienced, and more qualified, secular candidate.

There’s no question that religious freedom must be protected in our society, but there’s equally no question that religious influence has no place in politics or law. On that score, there is a widely held perspective that Sam Oosterhoff’s essential motivation is not so much to represent the diverse interests of his party and constituency as is is to influence provincial policy consistent with his and his key supporters’ core beliefs.

To the PC Party this perception is a liability, because whatever legislation Oosterhoff proposes, no matter how well intentioned, it will be open to a cynical re-

There's no question that religious freedom must be protected in our society, but there's equally no question that religious influence has no place in politics or law

ception. His announcement in the interview of his private member’s (as opposed to PC Party-sponsored) bill on palliative care is a case in point. While admirable on its face, one cannot be certain it is borne altruistically out of his stat-

ed objective of “allowing choice in end-of-life care,” rather than an undeclared, faith-based end-run on the decriminalisation of doctor assisted suicide of the terminally ill—in essence

using tax dollars not to allow choice but to limit it.

Regardless of one’s views on the matter, it is a political hot potato with province-wide implications. A divisive subject best avoided as the election clock ticks down.

Sam correctly perceives political conservatism as a spectrum, that not all conservatives see things in a single, common light.

Early on he corrected the interviewer, adding, “Progressive” to Sam Piccolo’s reference to the Conservative party to which Oosterhoff belongs, but he notably avoided applying the See CLOCK Page 12

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Why the Town of Pelham bought a sandwich, not just the bread New developments are REQUIRED to include land dedicated solely for the purpose of a park, and the East Fonthill development falls into this category.

Since the Town of Pelham did not own this land, it had to acquire it.

OR

But first, the land needs a valuation.

The PLANNING ACT provides options for how a municipal council can value parkland dedication land.

Pelham has a designated PARKLAND DEDICATION RESERVE. The parkland in East Fonthill, therefore, was not acquired with property taxpayer funds. As parkland dedication fees are collected, the reserve is REPLENISHED. Given that the local real estate market increased considerably since the time of the appraisal, and two pieces of bread were just sold for over $500k per acre, the Town saved parkland funds by negotiating the transaction two years ago and before recent nearby construction; another example of Pelham being the most vibrant, innovative, and caring community in Niagara.

Which do you think has greater value?

The Town of Pelham’s POLICY is to value the land at the day before building permit stage. By doing this, the Town achieves the highest possible value for the land. So what does that mean? Well, think of a sandwich. In this case, the two pieces of bread represent unserviced land, or the absolute bare minimum and its

value is minimal. The sandwich, or land at the day before building permit stage, however, has much GREATER VALUE. What the Town charges for parkland can be no different than what it pays for parkland – always the sandwich, not just the bread. And if you’re wondering how this affects your pocketbook, it doesn’t.

Find out more at: www.pelham.ca/ParklandFAQ

Page 10

The Voice of Pelham, September 13, 2017

Classic Car Show a hit Fenwick Lions event pulls in dozens of exhibitors, thousands of fans

BY SAMUEL PICCOLO

S

The VOICE

OME 2,500 PEOPLE descended upon Centennial Park in Fenwick on Saturday for the long-awaited draw for a 1970 Chevelle Malibu. The “Fabulous” Fenwick Lions, who organized the raffle, also arranged for the day to be a classic car show, with 200 vehicles turning out to spend the day waiting for another owner to join their ranks. At 3 PM, the Lions pulled out a steel cage full of some 7,800 tickets, and conscripted Emilie, a local FM radio personality, to pull the winning name.

The moment was, unfortunately, anti-climactic. The winner, Chrissy Simmons of London, was not in the crowd, and didn’t answer her phone when she was called by one of the Lions, who left her a message. At some point later on Saturday, Simmons no doubt played back one of the more enjoyable voicemails she’s ever received.

It was about this time last year when a small group of Lions was on clean-up duty after one of their bi-weekly fish fries. The team of Steve Schilstra, Andrew Dominey, Ryan Van Lochem, Mel Jackson, and Scott and Doug Kernicky were bouncing fundraising ideas around when one of them said: “We have to get a car.” So they did.

By the end of last year, the group had bought the ’70 Chevelle, and in January they had printed 10,000 raffle tickets and started selling them.

“The community support has just been incredible,” said Dominey.

At $10 per ticket, the group grossed well over $70,000, the proceeds of which will go directly to the Fenwick Lions’ philanthropic efforts.

“We’ve supported twenty guide dogs in the past,” said Schilstra, “and we’re looking forward to giving this money away for number twenty-one.”

The Fenwick Lions, which have a membership of about 50, are always looking for new members interested in working for the community. Van Lochem joined only last year, but he said already the work had been rewarding. Being a younger member, he was pleased to see how well all the generations of Lions integrated together.

Lions, an acronym for Liberty, Intelligence, Our Nation’s Safety, have been around for century, and number 1.4 million members worldwide. Founder Melvin Jones’ personal motto was, “You can't get very far until you start doing something for somebody else,” and this is a sentiment Dominey echoed.

“We just want to help out our community,” he said. The “Fabulous” Fenwick Lions were certainly not lacking in enthusiasm on Saturday. Several had their faces painted to resemble true lions in the morning, and there were yellow-shirted members bounding around all day, barbecuing burgers, selling tickets, and answering questions.

There was a lot of work to go around.

So many people attended that some Lions had to work as traffic cops, waving cars in and out of parking zones, trying to keep things organized.

The show cars took up the entire front field at Centennial Park, as well as one baseball diamond and part of another field too. The range of cars was stunning.

Some dated back to the early 20th century—Model Ts, and even a 1906 British field gun. Newer cars too, including one as recent as 2015, though still carrying the look-only instruction. “Warning,” one sign said. “If you value your life as much as I do my car, you won’t touch this…”

“It’s just the right amount of a joke,” its owner said.

Many of the older cars depicted a longgone era, when gasoline was cheap and parking spaces were large. A few cars, including a ’64 Impala, were set up with little trays by the windshields with fake fast food on them. You half-expected to see an attendant roller-skating up with a milkshake.

“Times have changed,” said Dave Csikos, who had his Model T there on Saturday and has loved cars since he was a kid and his father introduced him to them. Csikos has observed a generational shift—young people do not seem to like old cars as much as previous generations did. He knows of a lot of former car owners who have died and left their antiques to their kids, who either sell the cars or let them sit in a garage.

“They want to get a lot of money for them, so they wait. But soon, the cars are going to be going for cheap.”

He expects that in the coming decades, antique cars will be devalued as fewer people will be interested in investing the money and time needed to maintain them. Car

So many people attended that some Lions had to work as traffic cops

technology is certainly accelerating this trend. In the near future, there could very well be a generation with few memories of “human-driven” automobiles.

Saturday’s attendees were inclined to think that this would be a loss. Classic car owners tend to sit out in the sun for long hours, engaging in endless conversations about engine sizes and bodies and transmissions.

Even the less-technical discussion focused on the past. Two old friends, who seemingly hadn’t seen each other in years, met up among the cars and talked of their old GM days.

“They moved me all around Glendale at the end,” one said. “I supervised just about every different department.”

“I only retired because they shut the plant down,” the other replied.

Another older man, sitting on a lawn chair behind his car, pulled down his shirt to show his neighbour the scar on his chest from open-heart surgery. He pointed to where his pace-maker was put in.

“I’ve got seven grandchildren, so I thought I stick around for a few more years.

Make sure that they stay away from the drugs.”

His neighbour shook her head sadly.

“Yes. That’s a really problem right now.

It’s just different from how it was when we were young.”

They were quiet for a minute, the music from a live band in the distance echoing across the park. They looked over to where kids were horsing around in the playground, oblivious to the coming close of one automotive chapter and the opening of another. A boy banged about and flicked some bells, distracting an inflatable toy attendant from her phone, which was distracting her from her job. It was a beautiful late summer afternoon. The band played on as the cars started to leave.

www.thevoiceofpelham.ca

www.thevoiceofpelham.ca

The Voice of Pelham, September 13, 2017

Page 11

Left, a '73 Corvette named "Sharkbite" reveals its golden goodness.

Far left top, Lions Ryan Van Lochem and Ken Suthons spin the tickets as Giant FM’s “Emilie” prepares to pick the winner.

Far left bottom, this ’64 Impala comes with a meal tray and lunch. Don’t look too closely at the food though.

Bottom centre, a portion of the vehicles on display.

Below, the "Mayor of Fenwick," Gary Chambers, left, receives $688 in 50-50 winnings from Lion Ken Suthons.

VOICE PHOTOS

Page 12

The Voice of Pelham, September 13, 2017

Clock ticking on PC positioning continued from Page 9 adjective to himself, preferring “comprehensive,” and downplaying the social conservative label bestowed upon him by the media. But it is not the Comprehensive Conservative Party, it is the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario. The adjective is important as a promise of the direction of governance to be taken by the party if, and when, the electorate deem to elevate it and Patrick Brown to power.

Stephen Harper’s rebranding of the federal party, shifting it hard right while dropping the adjective

Mr. Brown took note and adjusted the party line accordingly

and, with it, allusions of social progressiveness, was to my mind the beginning of the end of his and his party’s leadership of this country. It was followed by regressive pronouncements and prejudicial policies and

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positions taken before and leading up to the last federal election that caused the majority of the electorate’s skin to crawl, and ultimately triggered the landslide victory of Justin Trudeau’s Liberals.

Mr. Brown took note and adjusted the party line accordingly. The Ontario party would be wise to heed the federal lesson and clearly state to those who would elect them the direction it will take if proven victorious next spring.

That means getting its ducks in line and its candidates onside. Inconsistency, ambiguity and divisiveness in the party serve only to play well into the messages of the alternative political platforms.

Nick Saltarelli is currently a paid-up, card-carrying member of the Ontario Progressive Conservative Party.

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On the first day of school last Tuesday, the renovated school opened as scheduled but it was not totally finished. Our DSBN Trustee Dale Robinson was on hand for this proud first day.

Isn't it amazing that she can show up on this day, but refuses to come to a meeting when invited by the members of the community? However, we must be annoying the DSBN enough that director Hoshizaki has blocked emails from our group, and we are even blocked from viewing DSBN Twitter posts. One trustee I spoke to during the summer actually said to me that in a

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few years people driving by the school will say, “’What a nice name,’ because they will not remember the history behind it and no one will associate the name with the Duke of Wellington.”

Well, we the people who live in the area will be reminded of “the history behind it" every time one of our children, grandchildren or great grandchildren go to the school! Families who have lived in this area for generations will remember.

Even though you have not heard from Names Matter for awhile does not mean we have not been busy. Planning has been ongoing. The recent controversy started by the Teachers Federation over the Sir John A. MacDonald name certainly puts a more relevant light on our struggle. We have been in touch with the Federation and are in the process of sending letters to the CBC and to all the people who spoke on the issue.

Remember, we are not advocating the removal of all things named Wellington, only the use of it as imposed on us in 2016 by the DSBN. As with most histori-

cal persons, there is often something in their background that is offensive,

Isn't it amazing that she can show up on this day, but refuses to come to a meeting... but at the time the name was used these people were being honoured for accomplishments in their day.

They were making history! People made decisions based on their knowledge at the time. It was not until many years later when the historians wrote about people and revealed the facts.

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The Voice of Pelham, September 13, 2017

Page 13

Wellington Heights opens Principal declares first day a success, though not one without challenges

BY SAMUEL PICCOLO

The VOICE

The school formerly known as E.W. Farr Memorial Public School, formerly known as Fenwick Public School S.S 9, opened for the first day of classes last week with its new, controversial name, Wellington Heights.

Some 280 students streamed in on Tuesday morning, their first-day-ofschool sadness-excitement seemingly augmented by the new building. Principal Mark Leduc said that students were eager to explore.

"The kids came in this morning all excited, wanting a tour of the whole school," he said.

While E.W. Farr’s original hallway was incorporated in to the new structure, it can be distinguished, at least on the inside, only by its faded floor. Leduc touted the new technology in Wellington Heights’ new classrooms, saying that he was happy to see students proud of their school and was confident that this would translate into an excellent learning environment.

The school’s staff echoed Leduc, though, perhaps, with some lingering nostalgia. Sherry Corbeil, the French teacher, taught at Pelham Centre for 19 years before moving this year.

It was sad to leave the old building, she conced-

ed, though seeing her new classroom and all included in it quickly boosted her spirits. Brook Teal, another veteran of Pelham Centre, expressed similar sentiments. Teal was particularly enthused by the view from his new window—out on to Wellington Heights’ back field, still pristine with fenced-in freshly-lain sod.

For over a decade, the view from Teal’s former classroom was a brick wall. “‘The monotonous wall,’ I used to have students call it,” Teal said.

The field that Teal’s room faces is smaller than a regulation soccer field, and, despite all the loads of dirt dumped before the sod was laid, is still far from flat. Additions to the existing E.W. Farr structure meant that the previous soccer field has been built over. During construction, hundreds of loads of dirt were dumped in the back field, previously characterized by a deep gulley.

The sod recently planted on top of this still-uneven ground is fenced off and it will be at least six weeks before students can play on it. Further, the school’s gym remains unfinished, though Leduc said that if the inter-school sport season begins before construction is completed, the gym at the old Pelham Centre is available for use.

“We’ll make it work,” he

The kids came in this morning, all excited

said, referring to the gym, the field, and the unfinished library, among other things.

Leduc had been presented with another surprise on Wellington Heights’ first day of operation. A drainage pond on the south side of the school was full with several feet of water by Tuesday afternoon. Leduc said that he had initially been concerned by the planned presence of such a pond, but had been assured that the sandy soil in Fenwick would drain immediately. Upon seeing the quantity of water on Tuesday morning, he contacted the superintendent, and said that the DSBN planned to install a fence around the area immediately. By Thursday, it had been done, though not in a manner judged entirely safe by some parents.

“I'm surprised and disappointed the Board wouldn't

A storm water pond predicted not to retain water was unfenced on the first day of school. A temporary barrier has since been installed, but is not sufficient say parents. SARAH WHITAKER PHOTO automatically fence off the storm water reservoir,” said one parent who declined to be named. “It's obviously created to hold water and it is simply common sense to fence it. It's an accident waiting to happen.”

Said another parent, “It’s a danger that a school shouldn't have,” noting that balls still go under the temporary barrier and that her child has to beyond it to retrieve them.

The DSBN is likely hoping that things eventually will go smoothly at the new school. While the decision in early 2016 to close Pelham Centre and merge the school with E.W. Farr was relatively uncontroversial, things quickly changed when the name “Wellington Heights”

was announced.

Opponents of the name even took to running a float in the Canada Day parade this year to publicize their cause. And then, earlier this year, the DSBN petitioned the Town for permission to use a portion of Cherry Ridge Park to make up for the soccer field’s absence.

Residents of Cherry Ridge Estates, the subdivision that borders the school, many still angered that the DSBN was intent on calling the school Wellington Heights despite their objections, successfully lobbied the Town to reject the request.

Over the past year it has become clear—perhaps painfully so for the DSBN— just how important the local school is for Fenwick res-

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idents. Councillor Richard Rybiak said this spring that he had received more feedback over this issue than regarding the new Community Centre.

The age of the school site surely has something to do with this passion. The first public school in Fenwick was built in 1844 on land leased for five shillings.

Thirty years later, it was replaced with a more permanent brick structure, and in 1910 two more rooms were added. In 1904, Edgar Walter Farr became principal of the school, a position that he kept until 1938. E.W. Farr, as his name was later abbreviated, was, among other things, the president of the

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AMMO continued from Page 12 2017 and the DSBN has no excuse.

They had access to the information and they chose to ignore it. Their choice of a name connected to our colonial past suggests that they could not find any Canadian name worthy to adorn our local school. This is particularly galling when schools are provincially funded by our tax dollars and are supported by the local community.

While the DSBN seems intent on honouring a small

part of Britain's past, it has done a great disservice to the village of Fenwick by removing a large part of our local history.

Presently, our issue has reached the "top of the pile" and is being looked at by the Ombudsman, and we are expecting to hear from them soon. The Privacy Commission has also been in touch with the DSBN over some information they failed to submit in one of the Freedom of Information requests we made.

Once again we must remember the the DSBN has access to lawyers etc. for delaying tactics using our tax

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and every parent can do a little.

Contact information is on Facebook at Name our school in Fenwick. This is an independent group started by parents who have children in the school and are working toward the same objective—to have the offensive name removed from our community public school.

Burke also said, “When any work seems to require immense force and labour to affect it, the idea is grand.”

Well our idea is grand and we will prevail.

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dollars to fight us. Doesn't seem right.

Our school area is getting a new superintendent. Since the DSBN says it only considers the concerns of the school community (people with children attending the school in question) now is the time for all parents who are unhappy with the name to band together and start to take action.

We need at least 100 families to express their opposition to the name.

Back in the 1700s Edmund Burke said, “Nobody made a greater mistake than he who did nothing because he could only do a little.” Each

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BALLOONING INTEREST Grade 6 student Jinja Shepherd explains her experiment on static electricity at the Glynn A. Green Public School's annual science fair last Friday. See story, page 3.

NATE SMELLE PHOTO

Public meeting tonight on school issues

BY VOICE STAFF As questions continue to mount regarding an email that Pelham Mayor Dave Augustyn quietly sent to a District School Board of Niagara trustee last summer, Augustyn has agreed to address the issue at a public meeting scheduled for this evening, Wednesday, Feb. 8, in Fenwick.

Nancy Beamer, speaking for “Names Matter,” a Pelham citizens group lobbying the DSBN to reverse its decision to rename a local public school, confirms that the meeting will be held at Fire Station #2, known locally as the Fenwick Fire Hall, starting at 7:00 PM. While the Mayor has agreed to ap-

Under pressure, Mayor to address email revelation, other E. W. Farr matters pear, says Beamer, DSBN officials associated with the school-naming process have either declined to attend or have not yet responded to the group’s invitation.

DSBN Chair, Dale Robinson, to whom Augustyn’s email was addressed last June, has declined to appear, says Beamer, asserting that she would be

“on holidays.” The Voice was unable to independently confirm Robinsion’s intentions. She did not respond to repeated requests for comment on E.W. Farr-related matters before presstime.

Beamer, whose group maintains an email list of some 580 residents, says that all members of the public are invited and encouraged to attend the meeting.

“We would especially welcome parents and children who are unhappy with the name change,” she says, referring to the contentious decision by the DSBN to consolidate two Pelham See MEETING back page

HEN I WAS young, my father and I would go for long drives along the rural routes of Pelham. We’d blast George Thurgood and roll down the windows because we loved the smell of the breeze, the sensation of crisp Niagara wind beating our cheeks and tangling our hair against our summer-kissed skin.

My father was not a sentimental man. He worked in factories and had a Gordon Lightfoot mustache and never shed tears over injuries.

Yet something about the Pelham landscape, the hilly backdrop to his childhood and the childhoods of our ancestors, drew him in. He’d stop by a farm or a gathering of woods and, surrendering his manly veneer, tell me a story about the town.

This place is precious. This is the earth that granted us life. Here is the place where we happened upon love or here is a site of devastation.

On one particular drive sometime in the late ‘90s we stopped at a tree with a plaque.

“This tree looks dead,” I said to my father.

“It sure is getting there, Julie.”

The Comfort Maple is supposedly Canada’s oldest See COLUMN SIX Page 14

The Voice PUBLISHED INDEPENDENTLY IN PELHAM

Vol.20 No.39

NIAGARA’S BEST-READ WEEKLY SINCE 1997

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Special to the VOICE

A

Repair measures underway last week to correct a construction error in the chicane. truck or an ambulance?” he said.

While waiting for the contractor to return to fix

the mistake, the Town has taken measures to temporarily allow passage for vehicles through the neigh-

VOICE PHOTO

bourhood in the short-term.

Manager of Public Works Ryan Cook said that after discovering the issue with

the chicane the morning it first opened, the Town See CHICANE Page 5

Petition-inspired changes coming to 2017 Summerfest

BY NATE SMELLE

The VOICE

Representatives from the Pelham Summerfest committee Candy Ashbee and Bill Gibson presented council with a final report on the 2016 Summerfest at the Council meeting on Monday, Nov. 21.

Prompted by a story in the Voice in August about a merchant petition to move Summerfest from Pelham Street, in September Town staff met with various stakeholders to hear their complaints, promising at the time that changes in the way Summerfest was mounted would be con-

sidered.

The main concerns identified during the community engagement process were security, parking, ensuring customer can access all businesses in town, and liability for damages. How to get all Pelham Street businesses to participate and finding ways to make it beneficial for them to set up a booth were also determined to be of high priority for the committee as they plan for next year’s event.

Gibson told Council that the committee is addressing these concerns in a variety of ways. To improve parking, they intend to create bet-

ter signage for out-of-town visitors to designated parking areas and shuttle services. To make participation in Summerfest more enticing to local businesses, they plan to implement a tiered-charge for booths. Under the new system, Pelham Street business owners will be charged the least, other local businesses will pay a slightly higher fee, and vendors from outside Pelham will pay the most. In response to more specific issues for individual businesses, they will also slightly alter the footprint of the event and make adjustments to security.

Another way the committee plans

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to improve the 2017 Summerfest is by sponsoring and working with the organizers of the Thursday Night Bandshell Concert series to select the artist performing on the first night of Summefest. They also intend to make more use of the smartphone app they launched in 2016.

"We are really going to push it this year," Ashbee said.

“It really helps to get people to see what events there are so they can plan out where they are going.

We will be able to actually help the merchants and local businesses ad-

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Column Six

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Debbie Pine

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Growing up British

Haist Street traffic-calming measure a little too effective A construction error was discovered following the opening of a traffic calming chicane on Haist Street north of Hwy 20 last Monday that prevented large vehicles from passing through.

One resident living in the neighbourhood said he contacted the Town after seeing a small schoolbus get stuck as it tried to get through the new traffic calming measure. Later that day while driving behind a cement truck, he said that he became concerned for the public’s safety when the truck had to turn around because it couldn’t get through.

“If a small school bus and a cement truck can’t make it through what about a fire

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Column Six

Request made of community still peeved at name change The District School Board of Niagara is requesting that the Town of Pelham cede a portion of Cherry Ridge Park for use as a soccer field to serve the students of the new Wellington Heights Public School, formerly the E. W. Farr Memorial Public School, in Fenwick.

Currently under renovation and expansion, the new school will combine students and staff from the previous school and Pelham Centre, where classes are being held while construction continues.

Two letters, containing virtually identical text but signed by different authorities, were sent last week to nearby residents of the park, as well as to parents of Pelham Centre students.

“The DSBN is currently building onto Wellington Heights Public School on Alsop Drive,” states the letter. “The size of the school's addition means the existing small soccer field will be eliminated.

The Town and the Board have been discussing the possibility of working together to create a field for both the school and the

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FTER LUNCH ON Saturday, Mum and Dad had my afternoon cut out for me. Mum had more brass than anyone I knew, and it had to be cleaned. In addition there was the set of silver fish-knives and forks which were never used, but which had to be cleaned and put back in their velvetlined box.

Next was a walk to the newsagents to pay for the daily delivery of the Daily Mirror. As I said, Dad was a printer, but when he was 37 he had been rejected for a job, as being too old, by the printers of the Beano.

For that reason, my favourite comic was not allowed in the house, but while I was paying the papers, the newsagent let me have a 'shoofty' at the Beano. I'd explained my predicament and he understood completely.

Sundays were different again. Dad would play golf on summer mornings and billiards in winter.

Then he'd stop for a 'refresher' at the local and would pick up the prawns, cockles, winkles or whelks we'd be having for tea later. Meanwhile, Mum was roasting the 'joint' and potatoes. I got to make the Yorkshire pud, and mint See COLUMN SIX Page 14

See CHANGES Page 5

The Voice PUBLISHED INDEPENDENTLY IN PELHAM

Vol.20 No.32

NIAGARA’S BEST-READ WEEKLY SINCE 1997

Wednesday October 12, 2016

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Apple Day comes to Fonthill Longtime Scouting tradition dates to 1932

The goal is to have these youth develop into confident and well-rounded individuals ceives them, enabling youth to have experiences that build character, challenge them, and allow them to try new things. The goal is to have these youth develop into confident and wellrounded individuals, better prepared for success. Apple Day helps to achieve that.”

The VOICE

Joining their principal, Karen Simpson, at the Sept.

19 Council meeting as part of a delegation from EL Crossley Secondary School, students Abby Loewen and Neenah Williams presented Council with a list of reasons that they should immediately approve the construction of the new sidewalk proposed along Hwy. 20. The asphalt side-

walk/trail is slated to be built between the south side of the road from Timmsdale Crescent to the high school.

Because of the large volume of motor vehicle traffic travelling at high speeds through this area, and because of the necessity for students to tread this path on a daily basis, many residents would like to see the sidewalk go in sooner than later.

After delivering to Council a petition containing

www.pennylanesold.com

H EATHER AND P ENNY L ANE S ALES R EPRESENTATIVES

BY JOHN SWART

VOICE Correspondent

T Second year Beaver with the 3rd Fonthill Group, Russell Letford offers a fresh apple to shoppers in Pelham during the 2015 Apple Day campaign.

SUPPLIED PHOTO A longtime Canadian tradition, Apple Day began in 1932 in Saint John, New Brunswick, when Scouts handed out 21,000 apples as a way to say thank you to the community. In return for their generosity, many people offered them donations. From then on Scouts have reached out through Apple Day to raise funds for their programs.

“Any money raised during Apple Day goes towards improving the Scouting program by providing more outdoor adventures for youth, camping equipment, canoes and paddles, training and many other endeavours that the youth want to experience,” says Marie.

Scouts Canada has some 100,000 members across Canada, and carries out programs for boys, girls

and youth ages 5-25. This year the 3rd Fonthill Group, which includes Beavers to Ventures (youth ages 5- 25) will be hitting the streets to drum-up support.

Over the weekend, Scouts will be set up in Fonthill outside Sobeys, Tim Hortons, Target Gas station, Fonthill Shopping Plaza and the Pioneer Gas station at the corner of Hwys 20 and 24.

Town Council approves sidewalk to serve E. L. Crossley

BY NATE SMELLE

Cell 905.933.3049

Column Six It doesn’t get better than Autumn

BY VOICE STAFF While shopping in Fonthill between Friday and Sunday, keep an eye out for Beavers, Cubs and Scouts in front of local stores with bushels of apples.

As part of the annual Apple Day campaign, Scouting youth of all ages will be trading apples for donations.

The yearly fundraising drive is an important way for young Scouts to connect with the communities they are serving, says Leah Marie of Scouts Canada.

“The Apple Day campaign holds a great tradition of being able to have youth interacting within the communities they live in,” she says. “All of the Apple Day donations stay directly within the group that re-

Office 905.892.1702

Many residents would like to see the sidewalk go in sooner than later the names of 450 students calling for a safer walk to school, Simpson handed the

podium over to Loewen and Williams to plead their case.

Loewen told Council that because there are a lot of students who have work placements and coop placements during the school year, this is the only route for many of them to travel.

As one of the students facing this predicament, Williams said she has had no other option but to walk along the dangerous highway.

“I start work at 2:30 PM and school lets out at 2:15 PM so I can’t take any other route,” Williams explained.

“I have had friends, family, teachers and other community members reach out to me in the past about how this is unsafe and how there should be another alternative for us.”

Looking ahead to winter, when she will need to walk this path three or four times

HERE IS NO BETTER time to cycle than Fall. It matters not whether you’re new to the sport, a seasoned recreational cyclist, racer, touring rider or mountain biker; we all have reason to look forward to autumn.

Summer’s heat has faded, and the streams of sweat that ran from soggy helmets into our eyes are now just slight perspiration. Fitness is peaking from lots of saddle time, making those tough climbs of Spring a breeze in Autumn.

It’s hard to beat the feeling of beginning a crisp, cool Fall ride with a slight shiver, knowing your efforts will soon warm you perfectly.

The hues of Autumn are outstanding.

A Pelham route as simple as following our southern boundary is one that would make most Toronto cyclists jealous, especially when our forests and fields are ablaze with colour.

Begin from Harold Black Park, and zig-zag south along Effingham Rd toward the Welland River.

If you’re new to cycling, it’s important to know south is the direction away from any hills.

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Despite all of the controversy, despite the pond, despite the gym and field, despite the bits of Tyvek wrap still visible his office window, Leduc was in good spirits on Tuesday afternoon. Two boys who had deliberately missed their buses so that they could walk home—even though they had forgotten their permission slips to do so—were in the office being castigated by the secretary

Posted September 7 Central Region Ads included WHEN IT WAS NEW One day 60 years from now a 70-year-old will find this photo in some to be printed all participating Ontarioonpapers digital archiveThis andad say,is"When I was 10by I walked down this hallway the first day of school and it seemed so big. I can still smell the paint."

SAM PICCOLO PHOTO

continued from Page 13

SAM PICCOLO PHOTO

and a teacher for their impudence. As Leduc left his office he addressed them gravely.

“Gentlemen,” he said to the teary-eyed boys, who looked to be in Grade Three. “You have buses. The expectation is that you’ll be on those buses. It’s for safety—we need a note if you’re going to walk, all right?”

The two nodded solemnly. Leduc smiled at them and continued on.

“Ah, kindergarteners!” he said, as he entered the foyer. Parents were streaming in to the building, in some cases pulling behind them their anxious tots, in others trying to keep up as the not-so-anxious ones raced ahead and had to be called back before they were lost to the new school.

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The Voice of Pelham, September 13, 2017

Page 17

COLUMN SIX continued from Page 1 Hornet, when my commanding officer informed me I had been selected for an exchange tour of duty with the United States Navy (USN). The exchange program is designed to ensure that NATO allies share the latest weapons and tactics information so that when required they can operate in a cohesive manner.

Within two months my wife, 4-year-old son, and I were packed-up and on our way to Naval Air Station Lemoore, located in the San Joaquin Valley about 20 miles from Fresno, California. For us it was quite a thermal shock getting used to the constant 100 F temperatures, but not as much of a shock as it would be for the poor Navy exchange chap who would soon be going the other way—to the joys of 40-below in Cold Lake, Alberta.

Fast-forward two years and I’m approaching the end of the Navy tour. As a reward for good behaviour (“undetected crime” as fighter pilots call it) the exchange officer is sent to an aircraft carrier for a series of take-offs and landings to achieve a carrier qualification, or “Carrier Qual.”

I started an intensive three-week training program that consisted of flying the carrier landing pattern night and day, but at land-based runways equipped with an optical landing system called the Fresnel Lens, nicknamed “the meatball.”

This system of lights is located on the left side of the runway, next to the touchdown point, and is manned by Landing Signal Officers (LSOs), who grade every landing.

The object of the game is to keep the meatball (an amber light) centred horizontally between a line of green lights. If the ball is centered you’re on the glide path; above the green line you’re high and below the line you’re low. Keeping the ball centred to touchdown will ensure you catch one of the four arresting cables on the deck of the carrier. They bring you to a full stop from 150 miles per hour in about 300 feet, which is highly useful, considering that the entire landing deck is only 600 feet long.

At the end of my landbased training I was receiving good grades from the LSOs and starting to feel confident about going to the “boat.” I can even remember thinking, “How tough could it be?”

The answer was going to become crystal clear.

The day finally arrived for our squadron to head out to the carrier, the USS Ranger, which was steaming up and down the California coast near San Diego conducting flight training operations.

Some eight pilots and 30 maintenance personnel boarded a twin-engine turboprop affectionately called the “COD,” for “carrier onboard delivery,” for the 30-minute flight to the boat.

What struck me odd about the COD was that each seat had a four-point harness, and those seats were facing the rear, not the front, of the aircraft. It turned

Maybe, I thought, it's time to reassess how tough this really could be

out this was another highly useful design, keeping everyone from bouncing off the fuselage when 25 tons of airplane came to a thundering halt wrenched by the arrester cable on the deck of the carrier. After this landing that seemed more like a controlled crash, we were onboard.

The aircraft door opened and we scurried off the flight deck and made our way into the bowels of the ship to find our rooms.

Within minutes I experienced sensory overload. The smell of jet exhaust was everywhere, the vibrating hum of the ship’s engines interrupted by the locomotive sound of the steam catapults and the beehive of activity all around me had my head spinning. Maybe a good night’s sleep would have me ready for the next day’s flying activity.

Following our morning briefing I made my way up to the bridge and a location called “Vulture’s Row,” a spot that affords the best seat in the house for watching aircraft land and take off.

Here I was standing 40 feet above the deck right next to the landing area. It was absolutely amazing the amount of activity crammed into a football field-sized area.

The forward two catapults were operational, launching aircraft off the bow of the boat, while landing aircraft were smartly moved out of the arrestor cables and taxied into positions that had them hanging over the side of the deck, waiting to get back on the catapult to do it all again. This was obviously not their first rodeo.

The aircraft in the flight pattern at this time were F-14 Tomcats, the twoseat, twin-engine, swingwing fighter made famous

by Tom Cruise in the movie “Top Gun.” (As it happened, the USS Ranger herself also featured in the film.)

After I watched one successful F-14 landing, I could see another on final approach, about 15 seconds away from touchdown. The approach was good and the Tomcat hit the deck with the tail hook successfully snagging an arrester cable.

But the deceleration that quickly slowed the previous aircraft wasn’t there.

The arrester gear had broken somewhere below deck.

Much to my surprise the F-14 continued at high speed to the end of the deck still hooked on to the cable.

The Tomcat careened off the side of the deck toward the ocean. On its descent, I saw a small puff of smoke as the canopy flew off. It was followed almost immediately by much more smoke and the bright plume of two rocket motors from the cockpit as the aircrew were launched safely clear 300 feet into the air.

Two seconds later the lads were automatically separated from the ejection seats and floating down in their parachutes, waving and joking with the LSOs on the carrier deck as they descended precariously close to the ship.

General quarters was sounded and the boat went into a hard left turn—at least as hard as a 1,000-foot-long ship can do one. A rescue helicopter appeared from out of nowhere to scoop up the aviators from the ocean.

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The USS Ranger, departing San Diego in February 1987.

Once the shock of witnessing all this dissipated, the first thought I had was, “These guys were very cool to be so nonchalant in their parachutes while only seconds before they had to make the life-or-death decision to abandon their

multi-million dollar aircraft.”

Maybe, I thought, it was time to reassess how tough this really could be.

The boat basically went dead in the water for the next 48 hours while an investigation was carried out

US NAVY PHOTO

into the cause of the accident. This afforded me an opportunity to go on an extensive tour and visit all the departments that it takes to support a 5,000-man crew and keep 75 aircraft combat See COLUMN SIX Page 18

Coming Soon!

Friday, September 22 Mini Horse Show Modified Tractor Pull Dakaka Prince—Outside Stage Stonewall—Outside Stage Big John T-Bone Little—Arena Stage Saturday, September 23 ATV Expo Wainfleet Idol Iron Farmer Demo Derby

Page 18

COLUMN SIX continued from Page 17 ready.

It was all very interesting but I was constantly embarrassed asking for directions every time I headed to a new location. Unlike in a passenger ship there were no signs, no windows, just a maze of endless passageways, bulkheads and watertight doors with annoying one-foothigh sills aptly called “knee knockers.” They even has a 24-hour hamburger joint that looked remarkably like a McDonalds.

Day Three on the boat had me sitting in my F-18, waiting to start up and head back to Lemoore to do some more touch-and-goes at the airfield. The Navy has a rule that you must have done some land-based training within four days of landing on the boat. Because of the mishap, we had exceeded this limit so we had to go back home for a few times around the pattern, then gas-up and return to the carrier.

When cleared for launch, I started up and proceeded to taxi from my parking spot at the aft starboard side of the carrier (I do know a few Navy terms) and cautiously headed toward the forward catapults, or “cats.”

I guess I had “rookie” written all over the cockpit because the deck marshallers were soon giving me the “Get your head out of your ass” sign for going incredibly slow. Yup, they really have signs for this…

Once at the cat, I deployed the launch bar and was hooked onto the mechanism that would soon accelerate the 18 tons of F-18

The Voice of Pelham, September 13, 2017 to 150 miles per hour in about 300 feet. When given the all-clear I advanced the throttles to full power and smartly saluted the catapult officer. Within seconds I was rammed back in my seat, hard. Next thing I knew I was off the end of the deck, flying nicely away.

It did take another minute or two before my brain caught up with the aircraft and I was able focus on the next job at hand, getting back to Lemoore.

Everything went well back at home base, and soon it was time to head back to the boat. Just after lunch, four F-18s launched, with me in the lead returning to the aircraft carrier, which was still steaming off the coast near San Diego.

As Los Angles Centre air traffic control handed us off to the radar control of the Ranger I found it ironic that there I was leading four F-18’s to land on an aircraft carrier, yet I was the only one of the four that had never done it.

I had the ship on my radar and as we broke out of cloud at of 5,000 feet I could just barely see a small speck at 20 miles.

Was that tiny speck the same 1,000-foot-long monstrosity I left just a few hours ago? I recall thinking that maybe this was tougher than it looked.

I closed the formation and we came up the right side of the boat at 600 feet above the water and 450 mph, splitting into a left hand turn as we reached the bow.

As I headed downwind and slowed to landing speed, the Ranger still looked remarkably small even at a mile and a half away—which in avi-

ation distance is practically right in front of you.

I turned onto final approach with landing checks complete and the tail hook down (embarrassing if you forget).

I called the LSO and reported the ball in sight (meaning I was lined up and on glidepath).

The work load increases exponentially from this point to landing and thank goodness all the training kicks in, since it keeps you from thinking about landing on a postage stamp that’s moving at 25 miles an hour, pitching up and down.

It was almost a surprise as I smacked into the deck. My body was thrown forward until my head just missed hitting the instrument panel. I made it.

Before I got a chance to pat myself on the back, the marshallers were waving furiously for me to raise the hook, fold the wings and taxi out of the landing area.

One of my squadron mates was only 15 seconds behind me.

Oh boy, another “Get my head out” sign.

I scurried to my parking spot and shut down the jet, then while still sitting in the seat, took a deep breath and reflected on what just happened. I was really starting to believe this was harder than it looked.

The next day we had another early morning briefing before we started flying operations. As the ”guest” Canadian exchange officer, I had the lowest priority to get qualified, so I wasn’t scheduled to fly for about three hours.

It was back up to “Vul-

tures Row” to watch the flying circus.

This time in the pattern there were A-6 Intruders from Naval Air Station North Island in San Diego. The A-6 was the Navy’s bomber, with a two-man crew of pilot and bombardier sitting side-byside. This aircraft was made famous in the book and later the movie, “Flight of the Intruder,” starring Danny Glover.

I watched the A-6s do a series of touch-and-goes getting ready for their arrested landing. I saw the lead aircraft approach with its arrestor hook down and looking good.

The aircraft touched down and snagged a cable, but then lurched left and right, then suddenly veered very hard right and headed toward the front of the boat, where, unfortunately, there were four F-18s chained to the deck, getting prepped for flight.

The first two were brandnew F-18 D models belonging to a Marine Corps squadron. The other two were F-18s from my Navy squadron.

Within a nanosecond of heading toward the parked F-18s I saw the canopy of the A-6 pop off, followed by the now- familiar flash of two rocket motors as the pilots ejected.

The now pilotless A-6 smashed directly into the first two F-18s, spinning them completely around although they were still secured to the deck.

Then the A-6 careened off the port side and dropped straight down into the Pacific.

Because the parked F-18s were being prepared for

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The next thing I knew I was off the end of the deck and flying away nicely

flight, numerous crew were jumping over the side into safety nets trying to avoid the approaching disaster.

General Quarters was sounded and again the Ranger went into a hard left turn. Unlike during the first accident, this time the deck was almost immediately covered in two feet of fire retardant foam since it was now soaked with hundreds of gallons of jet fuel.

Our two unfortunate A-6 Naval aviators were now in their parachutes, but unlike the F-14 lads these fellows were on a collision course directly for carrier’s bridge.

When they hit the bridge they were still about 20 feet above the deck as their chutes collapsed and lost their ability to float. Later reports indicated that both men sustained some broken bones, but all things considered they made out okay.

Once things settled down, an entire muster of the ship’s company took place and surprisingly to me the only injuries were to the A-6 crew. Have I mentioned that carrier operations were beginning to seem harder than they looked?

The boat went dead in the water again as an investigation into this second accident was convened.

It turned out that the A-6’s

tail hook had broken off, leading it on its fatal collision with the F-18s. This break in the action provided me an opportunity to go to the hanger deck and inspect the damage done to the Marine fighters. These aircraft with less than 50 hours of flight time and costing about $100 million dollars would never fly again.

As I headed down to my bunk I was starting to get concerned about flying again the next day. I had finally reached the conclusion that this was harder than it looked.

I’m happy to report that the rest of my carrier qualification went without a hitch. As a matter of fact, by the time I did my sixth trap (carrier landing) I felt quite confident. Entering the catapult for my final launch back to Lemoore, I was saddened as I knew this would be one of the highlights of my aviation career and something I would never do again.

Once back at home base it became obvious that I’d seen more than most pilots see in their entire time in the Navy, and in fact some of the more seasoned pilots were calling this short stint at sea the “Cruise From Hell.” 4

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WAITING

The Voice of Pelham, September 13, 2017

and Roland Road. The road has been closed to traffic in that area since.

A second section of the road, north of the current closure, is also beginning to fail, with some of the road washed away.

Clemencio noted there are serious consequences if this section fails completely as there is no secondary access to Sulphur Springs.

Councillor Marv Junkin noted he hoped Council can get the money needed or the study approved in 2018, noting it's a “crime” the road is closed.

"The longer we let it go, it's not going to get any cheaper to fix," said Junkin.

Councillor Gary Accur-

continued from Page 3 ceeding with any further investigation of Sulphur Springs at this time because there is no funding to undertake the studies needed.

Clemencio added the budget amount of $35,000 asked for in 2017 was cancelled by Council and the Town does not have the resources or capability to do a study of the scale required at Sulphur Springs.

In spring 2016 heavy rains and waterflow eroded a section of the road, which traverses 12 Mile Creek between Effingham Street

COUNCIL NEWS continued from Page 3 be bolted into the asphalt, and are more affordable than conventional speed bumps.

This recommendation is to be included in 2018 budget discussions. Public Works also said that it was investigating the costs involved in two concrete landings on the southwest and northeast corners of Hurricane and Station Street.

While petitioners had asked for a fourway stop sign at this intersection, Public Works concluded that this would do little

IN THE NEWS

to calm traffic on the road. According to the report, stop signs reduce speed only within 30 metres of an intersection, and that “allway stop control should not be used as a device to control vehicle speeds.”

Perhaps realizing that this report would likely be immediately unsatisfying to the residents present, Councillor Papp asked if there were some temporary measures that could address the problem. “Speeding enforcement?” he suggested.

The Mayor promised to mention it to local police. All but one member of the audience left.

Angela Evans, an associate professor in the Department of Psychology, released the findings in “Verbalizing a commitment reduces cheating in young children,” recently published in the Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry.

The study was developed in Brock’s Social-Cognitive Development Lab along with Brock graduate student Alison O’Connor and University of Toronto Professor Kang Lee. It was Evans’ interest in how children are socialized to become honest that led the direction of her research. Other studies have shown that children over the age of five were more likely to be honest if they promised to tell the truth, but promises were shown to be ineffective in children under five.

“We thought that this was likely due to younger children’s difficulty with understanding the word

continued from Page 2 ing which camera captured the image and the potential violation. A traffic stop can then be initiated by the officer.

Police say that ALPR allows officers to target: Stolen vehicles and/or plates; expired validation stickers; suspended drivers; wanted persons and/or persons of interest. The device is currently being used in one of the vehicles within the NRPS Traffic Enforcement Unit. The vehicle will be operated throughout the Region on a daily basis.

Preschoolers aim for honesty

A Brock study suggests that children aged three to five will make an effort to do what is asked of them, especially after committing to the request out loud.

si, who lives on Sulphur Springs, said he would rather the Town spend the $35,000 on construction than on an engineer's study, noting he hopes when the request comes to Council for the 2018 budget it includes numbers for a design build and other options.

Clemencio noted staff continue to monitor the blockade during regular road patrols and continue to stay in touch with local residents.

No direction was given to staff, which means the current plan to ask for funding in the 2018 budget is the next step to getting the road re-opened.

‘promise,’” Evans said.

The study found that 80 percent of children cheated by peeking at a toy after being told not to or agreeing not to peek. However, asking children to make a specific, verbal commitment out loud not to peek at the toy significantly reduced the rate of cheating to 58 percent. It also took much longer for the children who spoke their intention aloud to sneak a look at the toy.

“We would like to assess whether a verbalized commitment without the word ‘promise’ would be equally effective for older children, compared to asking them to promise,” Evans said. “We are also interested in examining other novel methods for promoting honest behaviour with both children and adolescents.”

No mention was made of techniques useful for promoting such behaviour among politicians.

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Page 20

The Voice of Pelham, September 13, 2017

www.thevoiceofpelham.ca

The Voice of Pelham

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SAND continued from Page 1

by Hummel was refuted. The one claim Ottaway did not refute was the absence of an entry regarding a transaction in the Development Charges Reserve account, noting the transaction referred to by Hummel was not in the Development Charges Reserve and therefore an entry for it doesn't exist.

The CAO noted that for some of the allegations to be true it would require a "significant conspiracy" between Town Council, Town staff, the Town solicitor and the firm he works for, the development company Fonthill Gardens, and the law firm of Sullivan Mahoney, which created agreements that were presented to Council.

Each of these firms, said Ottaway, has its own checks and balances in place and it would be “impossible” for such collusion to exist.

Ottaway also pointed out that Hummel claims the Town borrowed money for Community Centre construction but used the funds to buy back development charges credits already issued when the Town decided to cease its landfor-credits scheme. The claim ties together two separate transactions that took place at the same time but are not connected. They're tied together, said Ottaway, to create a story.

Calling the Hummel presentation to the Region an "extension of the [Regional Councillor David] Barrick motion," and, "politically motivated rhetoric,” Councillor Accursi asked how the issue falls within the Region's jurisdiction.

Shedden said both the motion made by Councillor Barrick and

Regional Council allowing Hummel to make a presentation do not fall within Regional jurisdiction at all, adding he doesn't know why the Region has taken on the issue or why it's dragging on so long.

"It doesn't make sense to me from a Municipal Act point of view," said Shedden.

Members of the public were afforded an opportunity to ask questions during the Town’s “Evening with the Experts,” held at Fire Station #1 in late April, in answer to the allegations, commented Councillor John Durley, noting there should be no question that these transactions were carried out properly.

"People should look at the facts and not rumours floating about," said Durley.

The “Experts” meeting referenced by Durley was criticized by some in the audience at the time as incomplete and poorly managed, with only a narrow set of permissible topics allowed and answers that were evasive or incomplete. Then-Treasurer Cari Pupo, who fielded many of the questions as the CAO and some councillors looked on from the audience, was fired three weeks later.

Once Accursi made the motion, which included circulating Ottaway's presentation to Region and all municipal councils, posting it to the Town's website and publishing it in local newspapers, councillors discussed specific wording within the motion.

Papp suggested the motion be broadened to include all of Pelham's affairs, while Councillor Richard Rybiak suggested the motion stick solely to the financial review, cautioning there may be a time when Pelham needs the Region to be involved in Town busi-

ness.

(That time came sooner than expected when a report later this same Council meeting on Regional transportation was heavily criticized for not including Pelham's transit system and the Region's oversight of working with Pelham on that issue.)

Council heeded Rybiak's warning and kept the motion specific to Pelham's financial review.

Reaction to Council’s decision, and reaction to an interview that Mayor Augustyn gave afterward to the St. Catharines Standard, was sharply critical.

The Standard story, headlined, “Pelhams demands end to scrutiny,” quotes the Mayor as asserting that the Region ought to “rubber stamp” municipal debenture (loan) requests such as Pelham’s, that’s “how it should be done.”

Asked for clarification, Augustyn told the Voice, "I stand by my quote in the PostMedia publications."

Augustyn asserted that since provincial legislation governs whether borrowing municipalities meet debenture guidelines, the Region's role is properly limited to cutting the cheque.

"The Region is essentially doing the work of the province in ensuring that the debenture falls within the 'Annual Repayment Limit.'"

But Augustyn's remarks struck some as suggesting that the Region ought to provide the Town with a blank cheque, no questions asked.

“It is outrageous that any level of government in this country would demand an end to scrutiny,” said Regional Councillor David Barrick, whose motion last spring before Regional Council started the investigation into Pelham’s finances.

“Mayor Augustyn seems to think

he is ruling in Pelham as a monarch,” Barrick continued. “To state that councils—Town or Region— are there to simply 'rubber stamp' is delusional, and his threats to sue when asked a few questions are akin to a child throwing a temper tantrum when they don't get their way.”

I stand by my quote in the PostMedia publications

Barrick said that as Budget Chair he has no plans to change how he approaches Pelham, adding, “I really hope Pelham's comments that they won't cooperate doesn't mean they are willing break Freedom of Information legislation.”

Regional Councillor Brian Baty, who this summer called on Pelham Town Council to consider commissioning an independent audit to allay public concerns, was similarly disinclined to heed the “end to scrutiny” call.

“It appears that the Mayor and Council are planning to end the examination of the Town’s finances as it relates to the East Fonthill property,” said Baty.

“This follows the several attempts by the Mayor to prevent the presentation at Regional Council

by Mr. Hummel. If successful, then the logical question from taxpayers will be, ‘Where and when to we

get honest answers to the questions asked?’ and, ‘Why is certain information as identified by Mr. Hummel not public information?’”

Baty asserted that neither the Town’s initial response to the Region’s questions, nor its public “experts” meeting in April satisfied residents’ concerns, which Baty described as more prevalent than Council is willing to acknowledge.

“My view is that concerns are widespread. Countless members of the public have shared their opinions that a third party, independent review is required to clear the air on these matters. I do not share the view that debenture issues should be ‘rubber stamped’

by Regional Council, as we must always be vigilant that the taxpayers’ interests are respected before assuming more debt, either at the Region or on behalf of local municipalities.”

Asked whether the Town would consider commissioning an independent audit, Mayor Augustyn would not respond directly, suggesting instead that Council's rejection of further Regional scrutiny "answers your question."

Rainer Hummel, who aired his concerns about the Town’s landfor-credits scheme back in 2016, says that Augustyn’s “rubber stamp” comment was the final straw.

“He wants a blank cheque with no credit limit, yet it needs to be co-signed by the other municipalities who are prudent with their spending,” said Hummel. “This guy is out of control.”

Shortly afterward, Hummel informed the Voice of his $50,000 offer to underwrite an audit of Pelham’s books.