Stephen Vance, Editor
Well, it's over. September has arrived, the kids are back at school, and summertime fun is largely over until next year. Soon we will see a swarm of scarecrows take over the downtown area, in advance of the coming Scarecrow Invasion & Family Festival. For the first time this year we will also see scarecrows on display...
Stephen Vance, Editor
Now that my offspring are older, the Labour Day long weekend is an enjoyable end of summer break. But as I recall, when my children were younger, Labour Day weekend was a frantic, stressful time.While it may be a long weekend - a time for some beach fun or beverages on the deck for many – for...
Stephen Vance, Editor
Well, summer is winding down, and while we still have two or three months before we'll see the first flakes of snow fall from the sky, the bulk of the summertime fun will soon come to an end.Each year when I look at my calendar and see the Meaford International Film Festival and the Meaford & St....
Stephen Vance, Editor
Construction on Meaford's new library has begun, the Sykes Street bridge rehabilitation is more than half complete, and the construction of the new school is about to get underway – the urban core of Meaford is a busy place these days.Aside from being held up at the Sykes and Trowbridge intersection a little longer than usual due...
Stephen Vance, Editor
In this week's print edition of The Meaford Independent we are kicking off a seven-part series of articles called 'Coffee With a Councillor' (yes, it's true, our print paper often includes special features that do not appear online – support local media and buy a paper, dang it), and I am hoping that our readers get as...
Stephen Vance, Editor
I've heard a lot of people discussing and speculating about the tragedy that took place on the 7th Line last weekend. Issues such as this can be complex and emotions can drive conversations.There is much we don't know as yet about what took place sometime after 1 a.m. on Saturday, July 28. What we do know is...
Stephen Vance, Editor
If my 'in-box' over the week leading up to council's July 22 meeting is any indication, our members of council were no doubt bombarded with email messages and phone calls from residents on one side of the library issue or the other, likely making a tough decision even tougher.A week ago members of council absorbed the shock...
Stephen Vance, Editor
I have often written that the job of a councillor is a tough, often thankless job that requires those elected to make some difficult decisions, and the awarding of tender for the library project that will push the cost of the project to $7.1 million, $1.6 million more than council had previously approved, is indeed a tough...
Stephen Vance, Editor
Sitting in the council chamber on Monday afternoon was a little bit like sitting in Grade 11 history class in mid-June with the summer break teasing me from a distance.Don't get me wrong, I loved history class, it was one of my favourite subjects, but there comes a time when you just need a break, and while...
Stephen Vance, Editor
In recent months I have seen and heard many complaints by residents directed at council or staff that really should be directed elsewhere, and liability concerns and the insurance industry is a good place to start.Whether it is frustration about stepped up enforcement of Meaford's sign bylaw, anger over an attempt to surround park equipment with orange...
