The Politico Calendar for November 2016

November is a time for Remembrance. And budgets. And you will get plenty of both and so much more in this November edition of the Politico Calendar. 

City Council Preview - What's on the Agenda for the November 3 Meeting?

It's rare to get a Thursday night council meeting, but when you do, you better believe it's about something contentious. This coming Thursday, council will get together to talk more about the capital budget for the coming year and ten years hence, but in the context of the controversial infrastructure levy that's being proposed. 

MANGEZ! Dine Safe Guide for October 10-31, 2016

Twice-monthly, Guelph Politico posts the latest inspection results from the Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health Unit inspection of local restaurants, hotels, cafes, grocery stores and other businesses that handle food. We call it "Mangez!", and this column highlights the latest inspections done by WDGPH, and the results they've posted.

GUELPH POLITICAST #55 - Guelph Black Heritage Society

It wasn't too long after Upper Canada was established at the turn of the 19th century that the white settlers loyal to England started being joined by the Black slaves from the newly minted United States looking for somewhere they can be free. After Guelph was founded in 1827, the British Methodist Episcopal Church became a beacon, a safe space, for those people on the road to freedom along the Underground Railroad, and the Guelph Black Heritage Society want to reclaim that history.

City Quietly Cuts Transit Manager Loose

The post on the City website is brief, and to the point: "The City of Guelph has parted ways with Phil Meagher, general manager of Guelph Transit. We thank Phil for his contributions and wish him well in his future endeavours." Somehow, the way this was buried on the City's website, it's doubtful that the City wishes Meagher well in the future.

LIVE BLOG: City Council Meeting for October 24, 2016

Tonight's meeting will be mostly about Guelph Municipal Holdings Inc, and the responding to the Province's review of Places to Grow. To follow all the action starting at 5 pm, you can click here for the amended agenda from City Hall, and you can click here to read Politico's preview of tonight's meeting. For the complete blow-by-blow of tonight's council meeting, you can follow me on Twitter, or follow along below via Storify.

City Council Preview - What's on the Agenda for the October 25 and 26 Meeting?

The annual budget process begins on Wednesday with a review of all the non-tax supported and capital budget projects. Here's the preview of that first, special budget meeting of city council, plus, the meeting from the day before. 

Metrolinx Building New Bus Storage in Kitchener, But What Else?

Today Metrolinx and the Ontario government announced that it was building a new bus storage and maintenance facility to "improve transit service for commuters in the Kitchener-Waterloo region, and help meet current and future growth." The new space will house 20 single and double-decker GO buses, and will replace the current leased bus storage space in K-W, but you know what we could really use in the area? More bus service to and from Guelph.

Ontario Making Slight Changes to Provincial Elections

There's been a lot of talk about electoral reform on a federal level and on a municipal level lately, so why doesn't the province join in on the fun, albeit on a smaller scale?

City Council Preview - What's on the Agenda for the October 24 Meeting?

Before council dives wholeheartedly into the 2017 budget, October's last city council meeting will cover provincial planning, federal money for transit and the always contentious subject of Guelph Municipal Holdings Inc.

Important Upcoming Meeting Dates

This is certainly a busy fall season for political events, and the next several weeks are no exception, so if you've got money on your mind, put the following dates into your calendar.

Province Initiates [Some] Action on Water Bottling Companies

That splash you heard this morning was the Province of Ontario finally answering the call of thousands of community activists to finally doing something about companies taking millions of gallons of water per day for a pittance and shipping it out of town.

GUELPH POLITICAST #54 - Memories of Protesting Walmart

It was a battle that unfolded for over a decade! An epic conflagration between small town Davids and corporate Goliaths. The Royal City has left its mark many times on history, and one of the most recent was during a decade long battle between a dedicated group of community activists and the world's largest retail. Having said that, can you believe that its been 10 years since Walmart opened in Guelph, and now we have two of them?

It Was the City's Choice to Cancel Free Ride "Perk" for Storm Fans, Says Clack

Since Guelph Politico first published an article on the sudden cancellation of the Free Ride Friday program there's been a lot of confusion about who's responsible and why. So as Storm fans are left by the side of the road without their usual ride downtown, the Deputy Chief Administrative Officer for Public Services at the City of Guelph admits that it was the City's decision.

MANGEZ! Dine Safe Guide for September 16-October 10, 2016

Twice-monthly, Guelph Politico posts the latest inspection results from the Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health Unit inspection of local restaurants, hotels, cafes, grocery stores and other businesses that handle food. We call it "Mangez!", and this column highlights the latest inspections done by WDGPH, and the results they've posted.

VIDEO: Enthusiastic Crowd Demonstrates Against Planned Right to Life Memorial

For a last minute protest on a Friday before a long weekend, the rally against the so-called Garden of Grace at the Basilica of Our Lady brought out a number of very enthusiastic people of all genders concerned about the placement of a blatantly political monument on the grounds of Guelph's biggest tourist attraction.

GUELPH POLITICAST #53 - Friends of the Guelph Public Library

Ten years ago, council was talking about building a new main public library, and 10 years later... they're still talking about it. But back in the heady, care-free days of the aughts, the goal seemed a lot closer, and a group of citizens thought they'd put their money where their mouth is by showing council what an appetite there was for a new, modern, state-of-the-art library and cultural centre. One decade, and a half a million dollars later, those people - and many, many more - still come out every year to show their love of books.

Creepy Clown Phenomenon Hitting Guelph Now?

From Texas, to Philadelphia to New England to Western New York, the creepy clown phenomenon is a thing, and it seems to be spreading, even to the campus of the University of Guelph.

City Sets Meeting Time for Exclusive Discussion on Water-Taking

Following council's unanimous decision last week to discuss a motion to come out against further water-taking in the area as a political body at November's Committee-of-the-Whole, Mayor Cam Guthrie has upped the ante by announcing a special meeting to be exclusively about the issue.

City Council Preview - What's on the Agenda for the October 11 Meeting?

Because of Thanksgiving Monday, your typical monthly planning meeting will be moved to Tuesday, and fittingly, there are a couple of leftovers for council's consideration. 

LIVE BLOG: Committee of the Whole for October 3, 2016

Corporate Services and Public Services are on tap for this second Committee-of-the-Whole meeting. You can click here for the amended agenda from City Hall, and you can click here to read Politico's preview of todayt's meeting. For the complete blow-by-blow of today's committee meeting, you can follow me on Twitter, or follow along below via Storify.

Follow the Adam-Vent Calendar All Month Long in Patreon Funding Drive

In February, I launched the Patreon campaign for Guelph Politico, and it while it hasn't been a wild success, it is an ongoing effort. Admittedly, I've fallen down on the promotion of that fundraising effort, so I decided to do what all great fundraisers do: a pledge drive. October will be my pledge month, and to raise awareness we'll be looking at Guelph Politico's greatest hits all month long.