It appears the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) conference at the beginning of this week in Ottawa proved productive for many communities in attendance.
In the case of the St. Thomas delegation, the gathering had Mayor Joe Preston smiling on more than one occasion.
At the beginning of June, we outlined some of the key meetings Preston and company had lined up with provincial ministers and the link to that item is below.
We caught up with Preston yesterday (Friday) to get an executive summary of what transpired, from a St. Thomas perspective.
“I took a very powerful delegation with me,” praised Preston.
Along with Preston were city manager Michael Bradley and councillors Lori Baldwin-Sands and Steve Peters.
Tag Archives: Steve Peters
‘She did it the right way’ – former MP Joe Preston’s take on Karen Vecchio’s representation in Elgin-Middlesex-London
In announcing at the end of July she would not seek re-election, MP Karen Vecchio praised St. Thomas Mayor Joe Preston as someone who “will always be one of my confidants.”
And, speaking with Preston this week, he reciprocated with a quip he has laid on me more than once.
“I took five minutes and taught her everything I know.”
While it is generally acknowledged she first got a taste of politics working in Preston’s constituency office, the former Elgin-Middlesex-London MP reminded me that Vecchio’s introduction to political representation goes back even further.
Many years ago she went door-to-door campaigning for Bill Aarts as he sought a seat on St. Thomas municipal council.
Share this:
Residential growth in St. Thomas to push west from Wellington Road
A week after city council received a growth analysis study predicting the population of St. Thomas will almost double by 2051, members Monday evening (June 17) got an insight into where many of those newcomers may live.
A sprawling residential development stretching from Wellington Road northwest to Major Line is being proposed by two developers.
Landrise Developments/Don West Construction and Lecram Inc. have acquired the majority of land in the Sandymount Development Area with a proposal to add almost 1,500 housing units, including single detached homes, townhouses and high-density apartments.
Share this:
Going from trying to get houses built to helping farmers produce food for those who will live in those houses, the impact of a cabinet shuffle on MPP Rob Flack
Editor’s note: City Scope has a new Facebook page at http://facebook.com/St.ThomasCityScope
You could say Rob Flack is going back to his roots.
His agricultural roots, that is.
Late Thursday afternoon in the Doug Ford cabinet shuffle, the Elgin-Middlesex-London MPP found himself part of the major shake-up, becoming Minister of Farming, Agriculture and Agribusiness.
He had been Associate Minister of Housing as a member of the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing, a posting that was part of a cabinet shuffle last fall.
Flack was given a specific mandate on attainable housing and modular homes reporting to Paul Calandra, the new Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing.
It’s a return of sorts to his early days following his election in 2022.
Flack had been appointed one of two parliamentary assistants to Lisa Thompson, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs in July of that year.
Share this:
A unanimous decision by the Southwestern Public Health Board of Directors takes the wind out of city council’s sails
How quickly the table can turn when you come face to face with an individual or group you have taken issue with.
Such was the case at the March 11 meeting of city council.
To set the scene, at the Feb. 2 meeting, Dan Sheridan, the city’s Director of Finance advised Southwestern Public Health had presented its 2024 levy to the city and it came at a 37 per cent increase over last year’s levy.
For this year, the city is obliged to pay just over $1.5 million, up from $1.1 million in 2023.
That revelation generated blowback from several council members.
Coun. Steve Peters wondered if there was an appeal process.
Coun. Gary Clarke took it a step further, “let’s vote no and see where it goes. This is an outrageous budget request.”
Share this:
The St. Thomas Police Service CIRT unit is ‘another tool in our toolbox to make sure we provide and deliver on responsive services’ – Chief Marc Roskamp
Before being sworn in as St. Thomas Police Chief, Marc Roskamp left no doubt as to one of his priorities.
In a conversation with the deputy chief in November 2022, Roskamp stressed, “If we’re healthy on the inside, we will be healthy on the outside to deliver services to the community.”
He continued, “From a public safety perspective, I believe so strongly in the health of the community and its citizens. And one of my main priorities will also be to build up the resiliency of our members of the police family.
“In recent years, there has been a shift in police culture and some of that is the direct result of the dynamic nature of policing, the pandemic and the widespread social challenges that we have been facing.
“And this has changed the collective heart of policing in many ways and the wellness of officers.”
Share this:
‘Always leave the campsite better than you found it’ – St. Thomas developer Doug Tarry on his purchase of downtown railway lands
Proposed residential development on land currently owned by the Elgin County Railway Museum is an opportunity to revitalize that portion of downtown St. Thomas, stresses Doug Tarry.
The St. Thomas developer made that observation almost three years ago, and this past Tuesday (Feb. 20) city council unanimously agreed to declare certain parcels of land that partially comprise Jonas Park to be declared surplus to the city and those parcels will be sold to Doug Tarry Limited (DTL) for future residential development west of the Elgin Country Railway Museum.
Back in the summer of 2021, Tarry sought to purchase eight acres of railway land immediately west of the museum at $300,000 per acre for a low-rise residential development that would front onto a new street to be created off Ross Street and north of Jonas Street.
Share this:
‘I will say that it was my intention to continue to be in St. Thomas but sometimes opportunities come up.’ – City manager Sandra Datars Bere to depart for top job in London
We got wind of this just over a week ago and the move was confirmed on Tuesday of this week. City Manager Sandra Datars Bere will assume the same post up the road in London, effective at the beginning of May.
Her last day at city hall will be at the end of April.
She returned to St. Thomas as city manager on Jan. 10, 2022. So, for the second time in about 15 months, the hunt begins for a new city boss.
Datars Bere stepped in following the retirement of Wendell Graves at the end of February 2022.
She served as the city’s director of social services from 2006 through 2010, before moving on to continue her municipal career in London and Bruce County.
Mayor Joe Preston admits the city has big shoes to fill.
Share this:
Bicentennial celebrations are planned this year for Old St. Thomas Church which is ‘very much a part of southwestern Ontario history’
Construction began on Old St. Thomas Church in 1822 and was completed two years later, and so this year marks its 200th anniversary.
We spoke with Steve Peters, who sits on the church restoration committee, on the founding of what was originally known as St. Thomas Anglican Church, located on Walnut Street.
“Daniel Rapelje, the first settler of St. Thomas, had two sons pass away in 1819 and he had buried them on this land and then in 1821, he donated land for the church and cemetery.
“Construction began on the church in 1822 and was completed in 1824 and opened when the first minister was appointed.”
It is considered an example of Early English Gothic Revival architecture.
The first incumbent, the Rev. Alexander Mackintosh, served from 1824 to 1829 and was also the village’s schoolmaster.
