Friday, July 26, 2024

Editorial

Number of Staff is Always a Hot Topic During Municipal Budget Talks

Budget season is never simple, there are many pressures, many needs, and never enough money to make everyone happy. Such is the nature of municipal budget season. On Friday of last week, members of council gathered for their first full day of budget deliberations. The focus of the first day of budget talks was the operating budget, with the capital...

It Has Been a Strange Winter…Be Safe!

This winter season has been a mixed bag of unseasonably warm temperatures with a burst of traditional winter weather here and there. While some might be loving the warmer than normal winter, with less snow than we are accustomed to, the fluctuations in weather and temperature present problems, frustrations, and even dangers. On my walk to the office on Monday...

Municipal Budget Season Has Begun

Though there are often complaints at municipal budget time, a quick look around the county will tell you that this year, by comparison, the Municipality of Meaford is starting off in a very good position to begin budget deliberations. As presented to council at Monday's meeting, the draft budgets for 2024 require a 5.57 percent levy increase, and a projected...

A New Year Begins

With 2023 now in our rear view mirrors, a new year is unfolding before us. A new year is often a time for hope. Hope for a better year ahead, hope for improvement, hope for growth and prosperity. As one year ends we tend to reflect upon the year that has been. We recall our successes along with our failures,...

Happy Holidays, See You in 2024

In just ten days, 2023 will come to an end, and a new year will begin. This week's newspaper is our final paper of 2023, and after we have delivered the newspapers on Thursday, our small team here at The Meaford Independent will be taking a break until the new year, with our next paper to be published on...

The First Year of This Term of Council is in the Books

On Monday of this week, council's final meeting of 2023 was held, wrapping up what has been a busy first year for this council. I have often written that I do not envy our elected representatives on council. It's a tough job that requires a very thick skin, many hours of work, and the pay, well, it isn't all that...

As the End of the Year Approaches, Municipal Budget Season is Around the Corner

When the holiday season that many of us are currently gearing up for is over, and the new year begins, council's attention will turn to the 2024 municipal budgets, and all signs indicate that it will be a rocky road toward finalizing the budgets for next year. Some members of Council have already openly expressed their fears of the coming...

Winter Weather Has Arrived, and a New Municipal Policy Will Keep Residents Better Informed During Stormy Weather

With the first round of snow squalls to hit us this season, the Municipality of Meaford was able to test their recently implemented 'Significant Weather Event' policy. I saw some confusion, along with some scoffing on social media, with some making an assumption that such a declaration meant that the municipality had ceased road clearing operations until the squalls...

Here Comes Santa Claus

The holiday season is fast approaching, and in Meaford the season will officially kick off next week, as the second annual Christmas on the Bay event will be held over four days at Market Square beside Meaford Hall, beginning Thursday, November 30. The Christmas on the Bay event includes a traditional market that is a nod to the traditional holiday...

A Nervous Council Approves Temporary Zoning For Johnny B’s

At Monday's council meeting, members of council unanimously voted in favour of a temporary zoning bylaw request submitted by the owner of Johnny B's auto repair shop, which was destroyed by fire in late May and has been operating on a farm property ever since. Though council unanimously approved the temporary zoning bylaw, it was clear that they did so...