Thursday, April 18, 2024

Editorial

Embracing Our Differences

By Stephen Vance, Editor Ah Mother Nature. She is unpredictably moody, seems to have difficulty making up her mind, and can at times be more of a tease than... well... let's just leave it at that.   This past week in Meaford as the temperatures began to increase, and the snow slowly melted away, I found myself waking each morning excited about...

Teamwork Really Does Produce Results

By Stephen Vance, Editor Something happened at Meaford Hall on Tuesday evening that doesn't happen often enough in our community. Members of council, municipal staff, the Chamber of Commerce, and the community itself gathered to celebrate a significant achievement.   On Thursday of last week the Municipality of Meaford was presented with an award from the Economic Developers Council of Ontario (EDCO)....

We Voted in Favour of Increased Taxes

By Stephen Vance, Editor As the 2011 budget inches closer to completion there will be increased pressure on members of council to find areas to slash costs in order to have a tax increase that is as low as possible, or even better many would suggest, to have no increase in taxes at all.   In recent weeks I have myself received...

Why We Shouldn’t Complain About Water Rate Increases

By Stephen Vance, Editor A lot goes on behind the scenes in order for the water to flow from your tap as you fill your kettle for your morning coffee. And in a post-Walkerton world, provincial legislation is making every attempt to ensure that the water that goes into that kettle is as safe as possible. But that safety which...

Role of Member of Parliament: Law Maker, Not Law Breaker

By Kaisha Thompson, TMI Columnist This past weekend MP Larry Miller put forward a solution to the ever growing coyote problem, he stated that: “What the MNR needs to do when it comes to unregistered guns and what have you, they’ve got to start turning their heads the same way as they do with commercial fishermen that break the law.”...

Happy Holidays From The Meaford Independent

By Stephen Vance, Editor It has been a heck of a year in Meaford!   With so much going on throughout the year in our little corner of the planet, it can be easy to forget that there is a world beyond our own problems. It can also be easy to forget that in the grand scheme, what we see as problems,...

Consent Agenda Shouldn’t be a Rubber Stamp Agenda

By Stephen Vance, Editor There was a stunning display of unity amongst our seven members of council on Wednesday, as they voted on blocks of resolutions without discussion or debate.   Along with the new procedural bylaw adopted by council at their inaugural meeting on December 6th comes a new method of conducting council meetings.   The changes in how our council meetings are...

Don’t Let The New Procedural Bylaw Exclude You

By Stephen Vance, Editor The one bit of actual business that will take place at the inauguration ceremony for the new Meaford council on Monday December 6th at Meaford Hall will be the adoption of a new procedural bylaw.   If our new council is determined to re-gain the trust and support of the general public, then they might be wise to...

…In With The New

By Stephen Vance, Editor On Monday December 6th at 5 pm at Meaford Hall, Meaford residents will be able to witness the inauguration of their new council.   The seven member council elected by Meaford residents on October 25th features a healthy cross-section of the Meaford demographic with councillors as young as 30 and others in their retirement years. The new council...

Hey Santa! Here’s My Wish List

By Stephen Vance, Editor Dear Santa,   I know it is early but since you will be in Meaford on Saturday to kick off the annual Christmas Window Unveiling event, I thought I would prepare a wish list for you so that you could take it with you when you leave.   It was really hard to narrow down my list this year. I...