Few things are more associated with environmentalism than protecting and planting trees. I was known as “the green guy” long before I was elected to council, which may be why I hear about trees so often, but I hear about it almost as much as I hear about bad traffic. So here are a fewContinue reading “If A Tree Falls”
Tag Archives: Brighton Ontario
Accessibility
Accessibility is an incredibly important issue, and one that’s often poorly understood. What is accessibility, and how does it play out in a small town context? How does our municipality address it? What does Accessible mean? Accessibility, at its core, is about who gets included. The Brighton Accessibility Committee, which just had our first 2023Continue reading “Accessibility”
The Politics of Snow Removal
Some people think that Canada’s national sport is hockey; I think I was in my 20’s when I was told that it is, in fact, lacrosse. Turns out it’s both. (Yup, there’s a law for that.) But whatever our national sport is, I think it almost goes without saying that our national pastime, official orContinue reading “The Politics of Snow Removal”
Budgets and the Cost of Councillors
Across Ontario, municipalities are approving budgets. It’s always a controversial time: my top priorities for spending might be your lowest priorities, and there’s always pressure to keep taxes low (yes, I say KEEP taxes low, because whatever you’ve heard our taxes are relatively quite low). Any spending at all is a travesty, according to some.Continue reading “Budgets and the Cost of Councillors”
Economic Development
Few politicians get elected without promising “jobs, jobs, jobs!” At the same time, it seems like the folks most interested in job creation don’t want to see those jobs be government jobs: there’s a long history in North America of distrust toward the public sector, and a commitment to free markets and privileging the privateContinue reading “Economic Development”
Thinking Globally, Acting Locally
The phrase “think globally, act locally” has been a touchstone of the environmental movement since the 1970’s, a constant reminder that the things that we do in our local context can affect other communities around the world. That’s a message that doesn’t always sink in: I once witnessed a council meeting (thankfully not here inContinue reading “Thinking Globally, Acting Locally”
Thinking Big in a Small town
We have a tendency to downplay small towns. The tropes are maybe just true enough to persist: small town folks, the story goes, are sheltered from the big wide world; nothing ever happens in a small town, and young people need to escape to experience the world; and even in reverse, there are a thousandContinue reading “Thinking Big in a Small town”
ROMA Wrapup
After just two nights and three busy days away, my brain took the rest of the week off. Apparently I’m not a young man anymore. The last day of the Rural Ontario Municipal Association 2023 conference was light on learning sessions, and the plenary sessions were sparsely attended as delegates left early. Too bad; theyContinue reading “ROMA Wrapup”
Public Consultations
This week started with a Planning meeting that included a public consultation about a proposed development near a wetland. Before, during, and after this meeting there has been significant public interest: councillors have been receiving emails, addressing comments on social media, and getting phone calls about the development, and through all of this communication we’veContinue reading “Public Consultations”
Municipal Budgets 1: Taxes
It’s that time of year. I suspect that we choose January and February to do most financial activities because it’s the one time of year that there isn’t anything more interesting going on. Can you imagine trying to write a budget document or file your taxes in July, when you’d rather be at the lake?Continue reading “Municipal Budgets 1: Taxes”