Saturday, October 18, 2025

Editorial

Sometimes We Forget That We Live in a Small Town

Stephen Vance, Editor I've seen some comments on social media recently suggesting that there isn't enough for our kids to do in Meaford, and that the municipality should be pumping more money into programs for kids. Some of those comments pointed to Collingwood and Owen Sound as examples of the kinds of services, facilities, and programs that should be available in...

Should Residents Trust When the Municipality Seeks Their Input?

Stephen Vance, Editor Some Meaford residents should be forgiven if they opt out of participating in the newly announced branding initiative being undertaken by the municipality. It was only five years ago that dozens of businesses and individuals participated in a branding exercise that resulted in the adoption of the slogan 'The Other Big Apple', despite the participants and the...

Goodbye 2015, Hello 2016

Stephen Vance, Editor Another year has come to an end, and what a year it has been in the Municipality of Meaford. 2015 was somewhat of a transition year in this municipality as a newly elected council with four rookies found their feet, while ratepayers hoped that the new councillors would stand by their campaign promises. For a scribe like me, a...

Tinkering With Winter Road Maintenance Procedures Could Save a Few Bucks, But Should be Undertaken With Caution

Stephen Vance, Editor Cut costs, residents said repeatedly leading up to and throughout last year's municipal election campaign. Cutting costs and fixing our roads are common themes in the council chamber, and this winter, Meaford residents might just get a taste of what cutting costs truly looks and feels like when our roads department begins some tinkering with response times...

Progress Made by Current Council Still Tarnished by Legacy Issues

Not to suggest that serving on a municipal council should be a walk in the park, but it has to be a frustrating enough job to begin with, let alone having to answer for the decisions and mistakes of previous councils. This municipal budget season has been a bit of a yawn-fest, which is a good thing actually. Municipal reserves...

Council Should Focus on Needs Not Wants

Stephen Vance, Editor Later this month, Meaford's council will vote to approve the 2016 municipal budgets – that is if they're done adding items. At their last meeting, our group of seven councillors almost seemed to be competing to add to the proposed increase in the 2016 operating budget, which as of the end of the November 23 meeting had...

Should the Georgian Trail Board be Dissolved?

Stephen Vance, Editor At the Monday, November 23 council meeting, a notice of motion was made by Councillor Jaden Calvert that in part makes perfect sense, but a paragraph at the end of the notice of motion makes far less sense.“Whereas, the Town of Collingwood passed By-law No. 2015-077 permitting the use of Pedelecson multi-use trails, including the Georgian Trail,...

Making Meaford Greener Has Required Champions

By Stephen Vance, Editor Meaford is about to reduce its streetlight energy consumption by more than 60 percent as they get set for the installation of new LED lighting. Not only will the conversion to LED lighting save energy costs, but it will also reduce streetlight maintenance costs by 80 percent. Talk about a bright idea: who says going green...

Hosting a Refugee Family The Right Thing to Do

By Stephen Vance, Editor After hearing from the recently formed Meaford Refugee Welcome group, Meaford councillor Tony Bell said it simply, and he said it perfectly – it's just the right thing to do. We've all read the news reports, and we've seen more video than any of us cares to, and we all know that there is a massive world...

The Party’s Over, Now Get to Work

By Stephen Vance, Editor For the first 14 years of my life, 24 Sussex was occupied by a Trudeau, and now after a surprising, if not stunning victory in the October 19 federal election, a Trudeau will once again take up occupancy at the limestone manse overlooking the Ottawa River – not just yet however, as the old structure has...