Stephen Vance, Editor
There's something in the water in Meaford that produces fantastic volunteers. I began suspecting so not long after I moved to Meaford more than a dozen years ago.In fact, there is so much volunteer activity in this town that it's here that I developed a true appreciation for the value of volunteers. Prior to moving here, I...
Stephen Vance, Editor
As I was bouncing around town on Canada Day I ran into a number of folks who wanted to talk not of fireworks and maple leaves, but rather the upcoming municipal election.
“Where are all the candidates?” was a common question asked of me by residents as they dabbed at beads of sweat on their foreheads.I understand people's...
Stephen Vance, Editor
This weekend we Meafordites will join our fellow countrymen and women in celebrating this fine nation of ours during Canada Day festivities.
While I've never considered myself to be an overly patriotic person, I have bounced around this beautiful blue ball we call home, and I can say with certainty that there's nowhere else I would rather live....
Stephen Vance, Editor
As frustrating as it was, the recent breakwall repair funding ordeal gave us a glimpse of how a democracy and elected representatives should work, and Meaford owes thanks to our local MP Larry Miller, who went to bat for the municipality when the federal government was refusing to honour their harbour lease agreement with the Municipality of...
Stephen Vance, Editor
We learn a lot of lessons throughout life, and for many of us some of the most important life lessons take place once we've become parents. With Father's Day arriving this weekend, I took some time to reflect upon the lessons I have learned since becoming a father nearly 20 years ago.Responsibility
It's easy to feel like...
Stephen Vance, Editor
The older I get, the less I like party politics, and this provincial election campaign has reminded me how thankful I am that we've had the sense in this province to keep party politics out of our municipal elections.When I was much younger I was an enthusiastic party politics guy. Over the years I have carried a...
Stephen Vance, Editor
Everybody loves good news, and Meaford's council certainly had plenty of it during Monday's council meeting as the independent auditor presented her report on the 2017 financial statements. The good news is that Meaford is in better financial shape than we've been in years, but don't assume that will mean lower taxes, because as the auditor cautioned,...
Stephen Vance, Editor
Like many shops and offices in the downtown area, our office was invaded on Tuesday – invaded by throngs of children from SVE school who were getting a tour of local businesses to discover what they do and how they do it.The visits were in conjunction with the Meaford BIA, and while it made for a busy...
Stephen Vance, Editor
We've been hearing more and more about the challenges of dealing with waste disposal and particularly recycling programs, and in the years to come, we'll be hearing much more on the topic. And while over the past few decades the onus has been placed upon consumers to separate household waste into trash, recyclables, and in some communities,...
Stephen Vance, Editor
Over the years I have badgered this current council as well as the previous council for their messy handling of the annual community grant program, so it's only fair to dedicate some ink when they finally get it right.
In previous years I have highlighted council's seeming inability to follow rules – their own rules, which they put...
