Tag Archives: Ald. Lori Baldwin-Sands

08.27.11
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STMHA says policy not self righteous, it’s about playing hockey

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Last week’s letter from Jennifer Swales read here charging rule changes adopted by St. Thomas Minor Hockey Association smack of discrimination prompted a flurry of emotional letters to the editor, phone calls and emails.

In summary, under the new rules, if a child has received a subsidy for house league hockey, they cannot try out or play on a travel team.

“Individuals who made this rule based on ‘financial concerns’ for the parents smack of righteousness and assumptions and we all know what that does,” Swales charged.

In response to her email of Aug. 16, STMHA president Chris Smith offered the following rebuttal.

“Our Board of Directors are not ignorant to the economic landscape of our city, nor are we trying to ostracize any families, however you must understand our economic pressures,” stressed Smith.
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07.30.11
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Watermain break the least of the worries at STEGH?

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It’s been a trying seven days for the administration at St. Thomas-Elgin General Hospital.

A week ago Friday, the hospital was the victim of a watermain break that forced a shutdown of water to the west wing of the facility, which includes the emergency department.

Hospital spokeswoman Cathy Fox alerted the Times-Journal to the situation shortly after the break was discovered.
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07.16.11
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Transit overhaul may prove uncomfortable not just to riders

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Public transit comes under the scope Monday at city hall and
when council finishes digesting an operational review, the wheels on the bus will turn less frequently.

In a comprehensive report from Edward Soldo, city manager of operations and compliance, council will be asked to endorse a series of recommendations that will radically
alter the transit framework in St.Thomas.

Soldo is calling for the provision of transit services — currently the domain of Aboutown Transportation of London — to be tendered, with a request for proposal (RFP) to be
brought before council in September.
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07.09.11
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Glorious morning sheds light on closed-door council voting

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The June 30 ground-breaking ceremony at the Elgin County Courthouse thrust MPP Steve Peters into the MC spotlight – not unfamiliar territory for the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly.
It was an opportunity to savour the fruits of nearly three decades of personal lobbying.
“There was a period where I was concerned, but I think today just alleviates any of those concerns. It’s been a long time to get to this point, but it’s very gratifying to see that there’s going to be a future,” he observed.
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06.11.11
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No financial accountability? Then no public funding

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Members of city council will don their referee shirts Monday as the Downtown Development Board and North America Railway Hall of Fame escalate their funding feud.

The jousting dates back to last summer when the DDB, under chairman Mark Cosens, “loaned” NARHF the sum of $10,000.

Now, the DDB wants the sum repaid, however it is being stymied at every turn by NARHF.

Dan Muscat, current DDB chairman, is attempting to obtain records from NARHF to determine the status of the loan.

“This situation is a city council issue as it is the past DDB board (under the leadership of Cosens) that sanctioned the loan,” asserts Muscat, in a letter to council.
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04.16.11
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Health unit budget a case of shuffling deck chairs

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Not a good week for the guiding light over at Elgin St. Thomas Public Health. But then again, CEO Cynthia St. John hasn’t enjoyed many shining moments over the past year or so.

Following last Saturday’s revelation St. John has called in city police to investigate the actions of a dismissed inspector, we learn she was summoned to appear before Elgin county council Tuesday to shed light on the health unit’s 2011 budget.

Council has expressed concerns about a number of increases in this year’s budget versus the 2010 edition.

Specifically, a whopping increase in the service/repairs line item from $30,000 last year to $208,460 this time around.
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