Dec 5 - Local News & Events You Need to Know

Plus: An editorial look at the Council’s decision on Monday night to allocate $100,000 more to Vision 2050

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Editorial

First up today is an editorial look at Council’s decision on Monday night to allocate $100,000 more to Vision 2050, bringing the price tag for this strategic planning project to $180,000 and counting.

And listen, I’ve already heard since publishing this late last night that I’m “wrong” and Council didn’t actually approve the budget.

Yes, I hear out members of council when they contact me with concerns. Even at 11 at night. I’m approachable that way, what can I say?

I’ve been watching every meeting for over a year now and have seen various Council members suggest these future allocations somehow aren’t “real” budget decisions.

Yes, they are.

Council set $100,000 aside in a reserve fund for a specific purpose. Approving an upper limit budget allocation is an endorsement of that line item in principle. That budget allocation means those funds are not available for another purpose.

We are not playing some cat-and-mouse game where community members try to identify the precise and undefined moment when Council members might be open and receptive to public feedback and discussion around this budget item.

The public deserves to know now so they can communicate their feedback to their elected representatives ahead of the discussion in which the decision to hand those funds over will be made.

As always, I’m happy to be proven wrong and welcome evidence to the contrary. But we will not pause reporting on the decisions Council is actually making. When we see your elected representatives supporting expenditures in principle by making room for them in the budget, we’re going to tell you about it.

Council voted to allocate $100,000 to Vision 2050 implementation. That is what actually happened, in open session, on video.

Yes, they will receive and consider a more detailed project plan when it becomes available. In the meantime, we will not pretend this vote didn’t happen. With that out of the way, here’s what we’re actually talking about:

Letter to the Editor

There are two (or many more) sides to every issue and today, we hear the industry perspective in the conversation around West Grey’s aggregate policies.

In case you missed it, the Saugeen Preservation Society reached out earlier this week and shared their concerns in this letter to the editor.

Michael McSweeney shares a response on behalf of the industry association he represents here:

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