Joanne Smith

Mallon's Corporate Impressions
Stride Orthopaedics & Footwear
Marlin Travel
North Country Cycle and Sports
Bragg Custom Cabinetry
News
Click here to see more
Subscribe
Community Calendar
Click here for full listings.
Poll
Are you pleased that the labour dispute at the LCBO was resolved without a strike?


Total Votes: 228
View Results Past Polls

Market Research

Do you own your own home?
Who's Modo
User Submitted Photo Gallery
Submit Your Own Photos
Email
2012-10-14 at NOON

Major issues on tap at city council Monday night

By tbnewswatch.com
Need a repair in a hurry?MINUTE MUFFLER has 8 service bays and specialize in Heavy Duty and Performance exhaust systems. Not just mufflers. Call 345-3441Click here for details.

City council looks to be in for a long night Monday with a number of major issues up for debate.

Municipal Golf Course, RegenMed and the proposed event centre are all on the packed agenda. Consultants working on the Phase 2 Feasibility study will come before council to present their recommendations on the facility.

A report found the downtown waterfront is the best location for an event centre because it would benefit the area in the short and long term.  The facility along with a new pedestrian overpass and 200-stall parking structure is valued at roughly $106 million.

In other business, city staff will give council funding options for continued support of ReGen Med. The troubled tissue bank has already received more than $1 million from the city and it’s looking for another $300,000 to keep the operation a float.

An attempt will also be made to try and keep Municipal Golf Course open for one more year.   Council will decide whether a committee should be set up to look at ways of making the course sustainable.

Click here to submit a letter to the editor.
iCar

Click here to report a typo or error

Tbnewswatch.com(41)

Comments

We've improved our comment system.
jimmyboy says:
Well...this should be most entertaining...I'll be tuning in for sure...I can hardly wait to read the stories that come out of it...and equally the posted comments. :)
10/14/2012 12:54:37 PM
tsb says:
Let's stick all the important stuff in one meeting that will go on for 8 hours, and then the other four meetings this month will have nothing and be over in 45 minutes.
10/14/2012 1:02:19 PM
The Badger Mountain Hermit says:
Spend money like drunken sailors.
10/14/2012 1:40:08 PM
collie says:
i take offence i never spent money like these clowns!!! former sailor here lol
10/14/2012 5:13:31 PM
CM Punk says:
It troubles me that this city council led by a flip flop mayor are playing with what seems to them "monopoly" money.
We as a city need to really fight this as the agenda on this particular meeting has great effects to the taxpayer as a whole.
Come next city election, we need to put forth valid and worthy opponents against the clown show that is there now.
If we don't enforce change, we will be having the same discussion over and over.
Let the people decide what is best as we as a city are in a financial crisis but councils short memory thinks its easy street.
Many of you will disagree or some of you think I am negative. I am stating an opinion that I am sure many will agree.
We don't need to look far that our fair city is heading into the wrong direction with its spending.
Its like a kid asking his parents who have no job for expensive toys.
Lets take it to the council and address that we run the city and not them.
10/14/2012 1:48:18 PM
collie says:
AGREE 100% here and your comments sound familiar.
10/14/2012 5:16:04 PM
Karl Falckh says:
I think you have Thunder Bay confused with Dryden. Who says we're a city in 'financial crisis'? Do you actually follow what's going on in the Lakehead or are you one of the people who like to veto anything good that the city has going for it? To say Thunder Bay is 'in a financial crisis' it not an opinion, it's a lie. You people who sit behind your anonymous pseudonyms spew out so much bull in this site that pretty well nothing is believable anymore. Use your real names and you might even research your 'facts' a little and learn something. Right now you've got zero integrity.
10/14/2012 7:11:15 PM
eastender says:
This city is comprised of a large percentage of retired people on fixed incomes, along with another large percentage of people at or just barely above the poverty level, also a huge proportion of TBay's citizenry are unemployed or unemployable. The property taxes on these groups of people are already at the breaking point. Taxes that will go to pay for the spoiled brats toys should go for food and shelter, not for some fat cats idea of entertainment. These people are in financial crisis, they make up the majority of this cities population. The rest of the middle class that have decent jobs are also being pressed hard to keep their Mastercards below the limit, and meet their mortgage payments. The only people who are for this arena are the upper income people, who can afford to pay the extra taxes, and they are a small vocal minority. Thats why they dont want to put this to a plebicite, they would lose, hands down. Opinion? Lie? You are naive, a liar, and highly opinionated.
10/15/2012 2:26:56 AM
tsb says:
Yeah, the city is largely composed of retired people, so lets do everything we can to neglect the people who aren't retired to encourage them to move away sooner.

10/15/2012 12:42:42 PM
Karl Falckh says:
Eastender, I'm not an upper income person, not even close. However, I know enough to realize that this multiplex is a great thing. I have no vested interest in it either. And how am I a liar and naive when basically all I said was 'the city is not in a financial crisis'. Cities that have 25 million bucks put away for a new multiplex, which the city urgently needs to ensure its future, are not experiencing a financial crisis. I'd say there are a lot of people experiencing personal financial crisis, but not building a multiplex is not going to pull them out of it. The other thing I mentioned is that people like you like to hide behind ficticious names and hurl insults, and you proved that point to me quite nicely. Have a nice evening.
10/15/2012 5:42:01 PM
tiredofit says:
Karl, I once did post with my real name and surprisingly I received an anonymous (or so they thought, idiots don't know about caller ID)from someone complaining about my post, thus this is the reason most will use an alias.
10/15/2012 4:53:16 PM
realitycheck411 says:
You write: "Come next city election, we need to put forth valid and worthy opponents against the clown show that is there now."

Though you bring an interesting perspective to those in charge on our city council, you might be remiss to remember that only 46.53% of our population came out to vote in the last election. While many like to complain, apathy for our municipal environment is a disgrace. Yet, I suspect, given that voting %, many come to this open forum and complain, but did not actually vote - a democratic contradiction of foulness.
10/14/2012 10:31:36 PM
eastender says:
What we really need are informed voters, then it would'nt really matter how manycame out. A voter not aquainted with the issues is kind of useless, they usually vote for the prettiest face, a relative or someone from their nationality. kind of useless if you ask me. The apathy in this community is appalling. Alll they do is complain when they get the dirt and the whole shovel shoved down their throat. Sad really!
10/15/2012 2:33:46 AM
truthseeker says:
This one is for you CM Punk. Regarding your comments, as the great Kurt Angle would say:

'It's true, it's damn true.'
10/15/2012 8:22:18 AM
whitecrow says:
Mountain Hermit ---- Spend money like drunken sailors.

Sorry Mountain Hermit I was a sailor and take exception that all of us were drunk when we spent our earnings . Are you sure you are not looking in a mirror and seeing a Drunken Mountain Hermit ?
10/14/2012 4:22:19 PM
eastender says:
Some sailors drink, some spend money and drink. Not all sailors drink and spend money. Dont be offended, its just a metaphor to emphasize a point. Be proud of your calling, its a tough and dangerouse job. Hey, maybe thats why some sailors drink and spend money.
10/15/2012 2:42:21 AM
collie says:
LMAO
I was a sailor and some times in some ports I was a Drunken Sailor but Canadian Forces do not pay that well so couldnt spend as much!!
Dont get the wrong impression I drank socially and the motto was and is Work hard Play hard and after being at Sea for long periods of time standing 5hrs on 5 off 7hrs on 7 off getting out on the town and letting loose was what ya needed. so it is a valued coin of phrase and I dont take offense to it as see earlier my lol added and again Navy didnt pay that much before lol!!
10/15/2012 6:32:23 PM
p.o.ed taxpayer says:
Wouldn't surprise me to hear that this admin and council made a promise to Delta Hotels and if they back out now they are once again putting the city in legal jeopardy...If you want people to support this then stick with the FWG replacement that can be done like S.S. Marie for 25 m. Since we apparently have that money on hand all we would require is a little more for land improvements...Let all of the taxpayers have a say and not just those with an agenda or vested interest.
10/14/2012 4:54:50 PM
nvjgu says:
They better not give regen med the money or Im going to want them all out of there. There asking for flood donations and they give regen med all that money, Thats pathetic.
10/14/2012 5:00:01 PM
chezhank says:
Municipal Golf Course does not even appear on council agenda for Monday.
When did RegenMed get get put on the agenda at the eleventh hour......Friday @5:00 pm.
Both items should be put off until another date,giving people an opportunity to speak to the items should they so desire.
Time for a new city clerk!
10/14/2012 5:19:40 PM
jonthunder says:
Our Mayor and Council, CEO, McGuinty, and Lance Armstrong will all take a lie detector test...and the results will be.......@%@#@#$^@#
10/14/2012 9:06:43 PM
Chaos says:
106 million is chump change for these guys. They will add 1000 dollar bill for each, man woman and child in one night and not lose a wink of sleep. You must think they have no grandchildren.
10/14/2012 9:12:42 PM
fastball says:
Give your head a shake. Of course it's going to have to be subject to additional funding from provincial, federal, and private sources. The mayor said something about the city having 20-odd million dollars already in a fund...so that's a chunk already.
I want a new facility to watch sports, concerts and other top-notch draws, so I'm more than willing to have my taxes go up by a few bucks a month to pay for it. It's equal to a case of beer or so a year or one dinner out - worst case scenario.
10/15/2012 9:59:40 AM
CLETE says:
If you are not happy with city council get out and vote! Put up or shutup!!!
10/15/2012 6:19:06 AM
bobhitchman says:
Our CCC-City Council Clowns certainly will have their hands full on Monday. Any real Council would spread and allocate their agenda out over several Mondays. That way proper consideration can be given to each issue.

These are the same Clowns as the last council. 8 years will be enough. We need new young blood to run the city. Not a bunch of burned out hasbeens in their senior years. Jeff Irwin received 2,264 votes last time for mayor. We need people like him running to move the city forward. Young, full of energy and smart ideas.
10/15/2012 7:39:21 AM
The Badger Mountain Hermit says:
Perhaps it's time for a Tea Party Demonstration in front of City Hall.
10/15/2012 8:48:15 AM
Tom Sanderson says:
Don't suggest! Organize it and they will come.
You do to much thinking and yapping and no doing.
10/15/2012 10:34:15 AM
TBDR says:
Dear people living outside Thunder Bay... ^ This is not an accurate representation of our city's population. All the troglodytes like to hang out in one place here. We aren't all this negative...
10/15/2012 9:53:54 AM
Tbay99 says:
When someone does not agree with a tax and spend mentality it does make them negative. Governments across Canada at the federal provincial and municipal level are cutting spending yet thunder bay is doing the exact opposite. Maybe instead of being negative like you say, these people are being REALISTIC.
10/15/2012 10:25:09 AM
happy gardener says:
Just wondering....
Who actually owns ReGen?
Why don't all the affluent volunteers on their board kick in $10-$15K of their own money as shares to keep it going until they hear from the province?
Will Aldo declare a conflict of interest again tonight as he indicated the last time they came begging for tax payers dollars? (his daughter is employed there)
10/15/2012 11:50:33 AM
daxxis says:
So, what would you have a city administration do? Not tax, and spend nothing?
Where would we be without the collective benefits of taxation and spending?
I admit, I'm not always thrilled with 'what' is being spent on which projects, but the 'tax and spend' line is goofy at best.
Any majore project like the event centre, has a cost/benefit analysis attached to it. The net benefit has to outweigh the cost or it wouldn't go through. Press council to put up the numbers and see what benefits there are and to who they go to. THEN complain and whine about it, if warranted.
10/15/2012 12:05:25 PM
CM Punk says:
If the city thinks the provincial and federal governments are going to pony up $70 million for their complex, they are mistaken.
A previous comment spoke about the low voter turnout, that is most likely because the people going against the "city council club" that is there now have no chance to get in.

Another spoke of that we are not in debt, I do not know the numbers for sure, but I do recall Hobbs and Johnson speaking of the city deficit as well as being behind in infrastructure at around $16 million.

i am sure we all recall the hospital where it cost 3x what they originally said it was estimated. So take the 106 and times it by 3 or 4 times that amount.
A previous comment said it best, they know if they put it to a public vote, it would get rejected big time.

I am sure Fricot has money for RegenMed.
I also remember a few years ago when Aldo used to live on Cherry Ridge and he made a big stink about his house taxes. Ahh that good old days.
Some of us do not forget.
10/15/2012 12:40:49 PM
eastender says:
Further to your comment , Punk,(respectfully). We paid over 60 million for the marina and what did we get, some landfill, landscaping, a pond, and a smallish building, along with refurbishment of the baggage room. Not to mention a big hole in the ground. So,if anyone thinks that 107 million is the final amount for a multiplex you are living on a cloud. I'll bet you are looking at close to 200 million bucks. Dont forget there will be a future push for an addition to the existing city parking lots,and that wont be cheap.
10/15/2012 7:36:12 PM
1234TB says:
Happy Gardener...Aldo's daughter doesn't work there anymore. Get your facts straight before you make inappropriate comments. As for the rest of the naysayers on this board, if you want change get off your butts and do something about otherwise I would suggest you stop complaining about everything our elected officials are trying to do for the City.
10/15/2012 1:00:00 PM
happy gardener says:
6 months ago she did work there,and I don't feel it was an inapproiate comment.
I like the rest of the taxpayers are sick of ReGen Med asking for an endless stream of money.
10/15/2012 2:28:41 PM
Conker2012 says:
Best outcome from tonights meeting:

Either cut off regen med or demand partial ownership as a silent partner. If we do give them money again (hopefully not) and they ever turn a profit we could atleast recover some of the costs if we were a silent parter.

Cut the loss on Municipal golf course and sell it for a profit. Use the profits to help the whining flood people so council doesn't hose the rest of the citizens with a tax hike to ofset the costs. BTW all handouts should come with a sewer checkvalve installation as a prerequisite.

Finally Start the process of government begging for multiplex funding. At the rate that this sort of thing works if we start now we could get approval by 2022. Look how long it too to twin the highway east of Tbay or the Marina funding.
10/15/2012 3:31:11 PM
1234TB says:
happy gardener...it is inappropriate and I quote "Will Aldo declare a conflict of interest again tonight as he indicated the last time they came begging for tax payers dollars? (his daughter is employed there".

You didn'tm ention six months ago in your post, you talked about tonight. Like I said, get your facts straight before making comments about people.
10/15/2012 4:56:36 PM
1234TB says:
happy gardener....how do I know you speak for all the taxpayers? Are you the self appointed spokes person?
10/15/2012 4:59:56 PM
wayne says:
RegenMed has already received $1.2 million of our city tax dollars and when they received $250k some months ago, they said that was the last time they were going to ask for more money.

-----------
[Oct 1st] The company is working on a business sustainability report at the request of the Ministry of Health; the report is to be completed later this month.

The report, Sander and Fricot said, is intended to identify what the company needs to be sustainable, and build its case for provincial funding.

And if after all that the government is still not involved, Sander said it may be time to “give up on the dream.”
-------------

Dear RegenMed: Time to give up on the taxpayer nightmare! Submit your business sustainability report to the Ministry (two weeks left). And if and when the province likes it, come back and talk to council about how RegenMed no longer requires that recent $300k request in City tax dollars.

p.s. oh, and tell us when you plan on paying back the $1.2M.

10/15/2012 5:02:03 PM
The Badger Mountain Hermit says:
Speaking of "investing" in ReGen, whatever happened to that big bundle of CASH that city council decided to gamble by playing in THE STOCK MARKET? Or am I the only elephant in the room with any long-term memory?
10/15/2012 5:21:05 PM
Fluffy says:
Likely in a Swiss bank account!
10/16/2012 8:24:39 AM
Comments for this story are semi-moderated. Read our comment guideline.

Add a new comment.
You must log in to add comments.
Create a new account
Forgot password?
Log In
 
 
© 2013 Dougall Media.