Municipal Ontario
User Fees Under Siege
SARNIA -- Although the St. Clair Parks Commission has made some changes to its original user fee structure, Sarnia Mayor Mike Bradley continues to call for a report on the costs of the city taking over Centennial Park. (Sarnia This Week)
County Creates Haz-Mat Committee
WYOMING -- Lambton County is ready to address the contentious issue of hazardous waste, just before the trucks carrying sludge from the notorious Sydney tar ponds begin arriving in February. (Wallaceburg Courier Press)
Drain Buffer Policy Opposed
LEAMINGTON -- If 15 growers are representative of the remainder, then the majority of Leamington farmers are not in favor of grass buffer strips along open drains. (Leamington Post)
Dry Hole Disappointing
MITCHELL -- The Municipality of West Perth came up dry in search for water to better serve the Ward of Mitchell. (Mitchell Advocate)
Tax Rate May Take A Tumble
SAUGEEN SHORES -- The Town of Saugeen Shores began its annual balancing act last week and early indications are pointing toward a decrease in the tax levy. (Shoreline Beacon)
Four-Pad Unaffordable?
HAMILTON -- Hamilton may not be able to afford its proposed $17 million four-pad arena for the Mohawk Sports Park until at least 2008, even if the city partners with a private developer to construct it, say politicians. (Hamilton News Mountain Edition)
Salaries To Be Scrutinized
OAKVILLE -- Halton regional council's salaries will be put under the microscope for the first time in about seven years. (Milton Canadian Champion on haltonsearch.com)
Maverick Jumps In Mayoral Race
TORONTO -- Former MP John Nunziata has joined the race for Toronto's mayoralty, promising to support expansion of the island airport, end corruption at City Hall and make Toronto the world's fittest city. (National Post)
Composting Goes Curbside
DURHAM -- If you open your door and find a green container sitting on your front porch over the next few weeks, you'll know it's a welcome to curbside composting in Durham. (infodurhamregion.com)
Library Appeals For Funding
PORT HOPE -- The Port Hope Public Library needs a substantial increase in funding from the municipality to avoid cutting services, hours of operation, or its book-buying budget. (Northumberland Today)
New Rules To Tame Town Halls
KAWARTHA LAKES -- A policy to regulate activities at town hall meetings has been approved by city council. (Lindsay Daily Post)
Crackdown Plays No Favorites
KINGSTON -- The City of Kingston has been told by its own bylaw enforcement department to clear dangerous rooftop ice and snow from city buildings or risk punishment. (Kingston Whig-Standard)
Provincial Libs Talk Muni Policy
TRENTON -- It was billed as a round-table discussion on the new Municipal Act, but Liberal municipal policy for the upcoming election also got some play. (Trenton Trentonian)
Smoke Eaters Pumped
MALLORYTOWN -- The Front of Yonge Fire Department took a giant leap forward in technology with the purchase of a $200,000 pumper unveiled by firefighters and township council Tuesday. (Recorder and Times)
. . .And They're Not The Only Ones
WASAGA BEACH -- The Wasaga Beach Fire Department got some early Christmas presents this year, with upgrades on some important pieces of firefighting equipment. (Wasaga Beach News on SIMCOE.COM)
Mayor Packs It In
MIDHURST -- After a municipal career spanning 15 years, including nine years as mayor of Springwater Township, Helen Coutts said she believes it is time to step aside. (SIMCOE.COM)
Conflict Case Takes New Twist
ORILLIA -- Orillia city councillor Doug Downey says the man accusing him of conflict of interest may not be legally entitled to take the matter to court. (Orillia Packet and Times)
Landslide Smoke Vote
ELLIOT LAKE -- The city's long-awaited and controversial no-smoking bylaw passed unanimously at Monday's council meeting. (Elliot Lake Standard)
Union Demands Local Control
KIRKLAND LAKE -- The union representing water treatment specialists and physical services workers in Kirkland Lake defends its campaign to keep the town's water system under local control. (Northern Daily News)
Boil Orders Can't Cool Mayor's Confidence
ATIKOKAN -- The mayor of Atikokan says he still has confidence in the township water system despite residents having to boil their water on two separate occasions over the last month. (Thunder Bay Source News)
Municipal Atlantic
Power Rates In For A Jolt
SUMMERSIDE, PE -- Residents served by Summerside's electrical utility may also see their rates surge beginning in April. (The Journal-Pioneer)
Silence On Severance
SACKVILLE, NB -- Officials are declining to comment yet on any details of a severance package that will be offered to Sackville Town Police officers who don't receive employment with the RCMP. (Sackville Tribune-Post)
$2.5M Pumped To Water Infrastructure
SAINT JOHN, NB -- Saint John received a $2,550,000 investment to upgrade the city's water infrastructure. (Communications New Brunswick)
Ex-Cop Paid While Town Appeals
STELLARTON, NS -- The Stellarton Police Department is paying more than $800 per week to an officer who has not worked with the force since being fired two year's ago. (New Glasgow Evening News)
Smoking Issue Re-Ignited
HALIFAX, NS -- A Halifax regional councillor is determined to spark up the debate over the city's smoking bylaw again. (Halifax Herald)
School Board Ponies Up Last Year's Taxes
PLACENTIA, NF -- The Avalon West School Board finally paid its 2002 taxes to the town of Placentia, and the entire episode has infuriated the Schools Federation president. (The Charter)
Snowed Under
PORT AUX BASQUES, NF -- Keeping on top of the back-to-back storms in recent weeks is proving difficult for the town's work crew. (Gulf News)
Getting Wired
Internet Inn
MEADOW LAKE, SK -- The Woodland Inn became Saskatchewan's first accommodations inn to offer SaskTel's high speed Internet in all of its guest rooms. (Meadow Lake Progress)
Another Muni Ezine
LUNENBURG, NS -- The Municipality of the District of Lunenburg is joining a growing number of Canadian municipalities that publish their newsletters electronically. Check out their latest editions in pdf format on their website at www.modl.ca
Dial-Up Dissed
MAYERTHORPE, AB -- Along with the absence of fast-food, movie theatres and shopping malls, dial-up internet services are common place in many homes and businesses in small communities such as Mayerthorpe. (Mayerthorpe Freelancer)
Councillors Keen On Computer Plan
ROCKY MOUNTAIN HOUSE -- Rocky Mountain House Town councillors amended a policy to include themselves in the municipal "computer purchase plan." Second story down. (Rocky Mountain House Mountaineer)
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