Guelph Politico: November 2016

Wednesday, November 30, 2016

The Politico Calendar for December 2016

We made it! The year 2016 is almost over, and as we race towards Christmas, and other holiday festivities, let's keep in mind the following political events for the month of December.

What was supposed to be a meeting to hear public delegations on the #GuelphBudget, has now biggie-sized to include debate and decision about the development at 75 Dublin St N. 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.

MANGEZ! Dine Safe Guide for November 16-30, 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.

Women's Drumming Circle During the Water Rally in September

For the last several months, the City of Guelph has been working on a formal Territorial Acknowledgement that can be read before council meetings and other City of Guelph events, and meetings. Last night at council, it was the first time it was read before the public...

LIVE BLOG: City Council Meeting for November 28, 2016

Tonight's council meeting brings to end two major storylines of the fall: the 75 Dublin St development and the Council response to Nestle's Permit to Take Water renewal. 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 November 30 Meeting?

After a week off, the #GuelphBudget process begins again with a night of public delegations. What will the people think of the proposed 2017 City budget?

The Majority Opnion Seems to be Against 75 Dublin Development

At council Monday night there will be a final decision about the proposed apartment building to be constructed at 75 Dublin St. N. The process has been very controversial with the speed at which it's been done, the effect on the heritage landscape, and the placement immediately next to Central School all being considerations. Public reaction seems negative for the most part, but there are three groups in particular that might tip the balance against the development's approval.

Guelph City Council will be deciding on how to officially respond to Nestle's renewal for its Permit to Take Water in Aberfoyle on Monday. But if you thought the situation would pass before Maude Barlow had her say, you'd be wrong.

GUELPH POLITICAST #57 - Ted Pritchard, Fair Tax Campaign

Condo living is a growing market in Guelph, and that wasn't just a high-rise joke. With Places to Grow breathing down our neck, the demand on the Royal City is to get higher and tighter, so the issues of condos should be of particular concern, and Ted Pritchard tries to make that case every year at budget time as he reminds council that not all homeowners in Guelph, it seems, are created equal.

City Council Preview - What's on the Agenda for the November 28 Meeting?

This coming Monday, council will be back in session with decisions on two of the most important issues of the fall, the City's reaction to the Nestle renewal for their Permit to Take Water and the development of the old tennis courts at 75 Dublin St N. What way will this all shake out?

Full List of New Committee and Board Appointments

This past week, city council named new committee chairs and board appointments that will carry on through to the end of the current term. The full list provided by the clerks office is below:

Burlington Transit Director Spicer New Guelph Transit Manager

Despite the fact that the firing of Guelph Transit General Manager Phil Meagher has yet to be explained, the City of Guelph is proceeding into the future with the announcement today that they've hired a bran new general manager. Mike Spicer, fresh from being the Director of Burlington Transit, has come aboard Transit Services in the Royal City to lead our system through difficult times.

LIVE BLOG: City Council Meeting for November 16, 2016

Tonight's #GuelphBudget meeting will deal with the budget items shared between the City and other levels of government, boards, and organizations. 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.

Métis Nation Flag Raised in Guelph and Across the Region

This week, the Grand River Métis Council are marking Louis Riel Day and the 200th anniversary of their flag by raising the blue and white over city halls around the region.

Perhaps taking inspiration from the young kids that came out for protecting local water resources at Committee-of-the-Whole last week, neighbours against the proposed apartment development at 75 Dublin Street North have made a video featuring Central Public School students who are not eager to learn and play in the shadow of a five-story building.

LIVE BLOG: City Council Meeting for November 14, 2016

It's time for the monthly planning meeting at city council, and with much of the focus this time of year on budget matters, this might be a short one. 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 November 16 Meeting?

This week's installment of the 2017 #GuelphBudget will deal with all the services, programs and organizations that split costs between the City of Guelph and various other levels of government and revenue sources.

City Council Preview - What's on the Agenda for the November 14 Meeting?

With much of the emphasis on the #GuelphBudget these days, this is a rather spartan agenda for the monthly planning meet with two statutory matters and a resolution to discuss, plus a number of committee appointments.

LIVE BLOG: City Council Meeting for November 9, 2016

Bradley Breedon will kick-off the coverage of the city council tonight, as the horseshoe gets down to the major issues surrounding the 2017 tax-supported operating budget. 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 November 9 Meeting?

The real meat and potatoes of crafting the 2017 budget begins tomorrow night with the presentation of the tax-supported operating budget. How well will staff handle the ying of lower taxes with the yang of government funding?

LIVE BLOG: Special Committee of the Whole on Water Taking

Water, water everywhere, but who has the right to take it? This is the questions that the committee, and about 37 delegations, will try and answer in this special meeting. You can click here for the amended agenda from City Hall, and you can click here to read Politico's preview of today'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.

Affordable housing, the new commercial policy, and the pilot project of the service review are all on today's agenda for Committee-of-the-Whole. You can click here for the amended agenda from City Hall, and you can click here to read Politico's preview of today'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.

The Puslinch Mayor Says What?

Guelph City Council will be discussing the Nestle Water renewal of its Permit to Take Water on Monday at a special meeting of Committee-of-the-Whole. When the matter was discussed at the end of September, council asked anyone who might be in favour of the renewal to make their wishes known. Be careful what you wish for.

GUELPH POLITICAST #56 - Ed Butts, Local Historian and Author

Every November 11, wreaths are laid and poppies are left at the Cenotaph at the corner of Woolwich and Eramosa. On this corner, in the centre of town, there's a wall of names memorializing those Guelphites that fought and died in the two World Wars and the Korean War, but how often does the average Guelphite in 2016 read those names? How often do we think about those lives lost, or who those people even were when they died in the killing fields of Europe and Asia?

LIVE BLOG: City Council Meeting for November 3, 2016

Tonight at a special meeting of city council, the contentious topic of infrastructure levies will be discussed as well as potential alternative options. 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.

Committee of the Whole Preview - What's on the Agenda for the November 7 Meetings?

Monday is going to be a very long day for Committe-of-the-Whole, with both a regular meeting in the afternoon, and a special meeting beginning at 7 pm. So what's all on the agenda?

Is this Why Phil Meagher Was Fired?

It was about a week ago that the City of Guelph quietly fired Transit General Manager Phil Meagher. No reason was given to the public about why such a key person in senior staff was removed, especially before the annual budget process was about to begin, but does the agenda for the upcoming Committee-of-the-Whole meeting offer an insight into why?