Tag Archives: St. Thomas Cemetery Company

06.06.26
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The City of St. Thomas is proving to be a very forgiving landlord when dealing with The INN and Indwell

At last Monday’s (June 1) council meeting, members unanimously agreed to waive the outstanding rent arrears owed to the city by the city’s emergency shelter, The INN, and Indwell Community Homes, which operates Railway City Lofts on Talbot Street and The Station on Queen Street.

Indwell is also re-purposing the former Balaclava Street Public School into 78 supportive housing units, equipped with essential supports to assist residents.

In her report to council, Danielle Neilson, the city’s Acting Director of Social Services, advised that The INN leases 10 Princess Ave. from the City of St. Thomas and depends on municipal and provincial financial commitments, as well as other grants, bursaries, and fundraising to keep its doors open.

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02.07.26
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‘While Bill C-14 falls short in some areas, it is an important response to the growing problem of revolving door bail and catch-and-release justice’ – MP Andrew Lawton

Bill C-14 proposes reforms to Canada’s bail and sentencing laws, including changes to reverse-onus provisions, bail conditions, sentencing factors, and restrictions on house arrest, to increase public safety.
Elgin-St. Thomas-London South MP Andrew Lawton, who sits on the House of Commons Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights, has put forth an amendment that will strengthen our criminal justice system by ensuring that criminals cannot vouch for people who have been criminally charged to be released on bail.
Lawton’s amendment was adopted this past week by the committee and bars anyone convicted of an indictable offence in the last 10 years from acting as a surety for another accused.

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01.24.26
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The Parks and Recreation Master Plan: ‘Working to keep the residents of St. Thomas in St. Thomas and playing in St. Thomas’

The early feedback on the city’s draft of the Parks and Recreation Master Plan and the Community and Aquatic Centre Feasibility Study appears positive, based on the steady stream of residents who attended the drop-in open house this past Thursday (Jan. 22).
Held in the lower level of the Joe Thornton Community Centre, it was an opportunity to read through and ask questions about the two documents that will help guide future decisions related to parks, recreation facilities, and services across the community.
A considerable amount of attention was directed toward the aquatic centre, an ambitious undertaking that is likely eight or ten years down the road.

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01.03.26
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Numerous attempts to bury the problem now leave the St. Thomas Cemetery Company staring down a financial crisis

For the second time in a decade, the St. Thomas Cemetery Company has begun the process of abandoning St. Thomas Cemetery (West Avenue) and South Park Cemetery, south of the city.
In 2015, the board of directors had served notice that it would seek to abandon the two burying grounds if the long-standing city grant wasn’t reinstated.
And in October of that year, city council voted to extend the cemetery board of directors a financial lifeline of sorts by way of a $20,000 operating grant. Combined with the first instalment in April of $30,000, it left them $9,000 short of the amount requested during 2015’s budget deliberations.

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10.14.23
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St. Thomas Police Service five-year collective agreement “meets the modern moment” – Chief Marc Roskamp

city_scope_logo-cmykIt’s being deemed a “groundbreaking” contract with its commitment to resources to support the wellness of uniform and civilian members of the St. Thomas Police Service. A contract likely to be emulated across the province.
The five-year deal was negotiated over the summer with the current agreements set to expire at the end of this year.
Wage increases of three per cent are included in the first three years of the deal, increasing to four per cent in the fourth year and five per cent in the final year (2028).
Other highlights include the updating of maternity and parental leave provisions as well as sick and family leave provisions.
Specialty unit remuneration has been adjusted and this would include role positions like breath technicians.
We sat down this week with St. Thomas Police Services Board chair Dan Reith to delve into the deal.

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09.11.21
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Is it safe to say St. Thomas finally has a community grant process in place?

city_scope_logo-cmykWell, a new wrinkle in the city’s much-maligned grant policy.
As evident in the agenda for Monday’s (Sept. 13) council meeting, the city’s director of finance is now a gatekeeper in the grant application process, taking some of the heat off the mayor and council.
And, it’s not good news for two of the more recognized organizations in the city.
In his report to council, Dan Sheridan reminds members “Successful applications under the current (grant) policy are more likely to be for special events or one-time start-up funding for new community initiatives that align with council’s strategic priorities.”
Sheridan continues, “Grant applications that request funding for expenses that an organization incurs through its normal course of operations are not recommended for approval.
“These could be salaries, advertising or facility repairs, for example. Even costs that are one-time in nature can be considered operating costs if they are used to support the organization’s normal course of operations.”
Quite a tightening of the rules in what has been a loosey-goosey undertaking in the past.

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07.28.18
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Doors closed on nominations, let the campaigning begin in earnest

city_scope_logo-cmykAs of 2 p.m. yesterday (July 27) the window of opportunity to file nomination papers for the Oct. 22 municipal vote closed. The lineups are set, let the serious campaigning begin.
There were no new additions in the mayoral race at the deadline, so incumbent Heather Jackson will be challenged by Coun. Steve Wookey, former MP Joe Preston and musician/small business advisor Malichi Male.
In the hours and days leading up to yesterday’s deadline, the ranks of councillors seeking re-election and those vying for one of eight seats up for grabs swelled to 19.
Late entries include former alderman Lori Baldwin-Sands; Lesley Buchanan, St. Thomas Cemetery Company manager; Greg Graham; Rose Gibson in her fifth attempt to gain a seat; John Laverty, long associated with St. Thomas Energy/Ascent Group; Michael Manary, who unsuccessfully campaigned in 2006 and 2014; James Murray; and Kevin Smith. Continue reading →

09.17.16
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Ascent 2015 financial statement will spark your interest

city_scope_logo-cmykIt’s a much anticipated document and it can be found in the agenda for Monday night’s city council meeting.

We are referring to the city’s consolidated financial statements for 2015 which include details of its investment in Ascent Group Inc.

Not sure whether it is meant to offer reassurance to ratepayers, however that portion of the document opens with “The city owns 100% of Ascent Group Inc. which in turn owns 100% of St. Thomas Energy Inc., Ascent Energy Services Inc., Ascent Solutions Inc., Ascent Utility Services Inc., and Ascent Renewables.

Once you digest the Ascent Group financial statement we, as ratepayers, would be better off owning a fleet of wheezing Russian Ladas.

If you thought the 2014 Ascent picture was grim, hold on. Continue reading →

10.31.15
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A hoped-for sane policy for community funding grants

city_scope_logo-cmykWith no sane or sensible guidelines currently in place, council is about to grapple with how it dishes out funding to community groups.

At Monday’s meeting of council, members will receive a report entitled Policy on Granting Funds to Community Organizations, a framework that should have been in place years ago.

No better example of the helter-skelter approach utilized in the past than the dithering this summer over whether St. Thomas Cemetery Company should be granted $59,000 in funding.

A debate that appears more grounded in personality conflict than sound financial sense. Continue reading →