News Items Of Interest

Here are some items that may not have caught your attention

THE MAYOR'S NEW DIGS

I hear that there a new family is joining the South Windsor ranks. The Mayor and his family have moved out of their temporary home in Chuck Mady's Glengarda condos. No wonder Sandra Pupatello wanted his endorsement. It could mean two more votes for her in the October election.

I guess that the Mayor and one of his colleagues who lives in the condo complex must have had many a night talking politics and about WUC in the Library, billiards room or perhaps at the Glengarda Club.

I wonder if the Mayor's new neighbours are still paying for a security service to patrol their neighbourhood so that they can feel secure in their homes. Will he contribute too? If so, it's a bit of a slap at himself since he is the Windsor Police Services Chair.

His neighbours will be happy to have him move there I am sure especially after the first big snowfall!

FIXING UP YOUR PLACE

I have to tell you that there is a bit of a double standard in this City.

The Mayor has a family, more space is needed and so he moves to a new and bigger home.

City Hall needs improvements and more space, we get a new building, 400 City Hall Square.

The Tunnel needs improvements since it is getting older and Eddie has a US$75M deal to do, so taxpayers spend a fortune on getting it as good as new. The Tunnel Ventilation Building renovations cost about $18M

• "The tunnel ventilation building and its Detroit counterpart have been exchanging air in the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel every 90 seconds without interruption since the 1930 opening. This air exchange is necessary to keep the air clean and breathable...
  
  But while the system never failed to operate, it was clear that the building was in an advanced state of deterioration, said officials.
  
  "Its like your car," said St. Louis. "If it keeps breaking down, there will be a point in time when you need to get a new one."
  
  St. Louis said that he is happy with the upgrade.
  
  "Before it looked like you were going back in time to a Frankenstein movie," said St. Louis. "We had all these big arm switches, lights, dials and gadgets.
  
  "Now, it is like going into a brand new state of the art facility," he said."

Here's the double-standard. The Bridge Co. wants to carry on with their Enhancement Project and, in effect, upgrade their home so they can have a state of the art facility too and they are refused. All the arguments that apply to the Tunnel project apply to the bridge but the Mayor and Council refuse.

THE TUNNELEER RETURNS

I guess that Greg Baggio must be gearing up to make a run at some political office. Setting up a new tunnel website and getting a story in the Star just before DRIC and Schwartz come out with their reports seems to be very opportune timing.

I wonder if Greg is still a DRTP supporter as he was when he ran in Ward 1 in the last election and if the only tunnelled route he wants is along the DRTP corridor.

It's a shame that he does not say this on his website and the Star did not ask the question or neglected to print the answer to the question if given in the pro-Tunnel piece.

ALL THIS TIME FOR THIS

One would have thought with a multi-year investigation, OMERS would have done more. That is why Terms of Reference are so important in the WUC file too.

Here is what FSCO did or rather did not do:

• "The findings in the Report are not a commentary on the allegations or complaints that prompted the examination. They are reflective of issues FSCO identified as relevant to the administration of the OMERS Plan and the OMERS Fund for the purposes of the PBA. FSCO reviewed a large number of documents and files on identified activities, transactions and investments, but has not commented on every matter reviewed in the course of its examination."

Gee, I would have thought the complaints were "relevant to the administration of the OMERS Plan and the OMERS Fund for the purposes of the PBA."

And FSCO were very kind to OMERS too:

• "FSCO and OMERS communicated throughout the examination process. At each step of the process, OMERS was made aware of issues of concern to FSCO and provided with an opportunity to submit documents addressing the issues and make submissions. Further, after FSCO’s examination was concluded, OMERS was provided with FSCO’s draft findings and given an opportunity to meet with FSCO and make submissions relating to the draft findings before this Report was finalized...
  
  During the examination, FSCO was notified by OMERS that “it maintained privilege over documents that record solicitor-client legal advice concerning the transactions under review.” OMERS submitted that sufficient non-privileged documents and information had been made available to enable FSCO to conclude that OMERS conducted appropriate legal due diligence during the review period. Without contesting OMERS’ claim over privilege, FSCO limited its review to these “non-privileged” documents and information."

Now that is a hard hitting multi-year investigation isn't it! I wonder if that will be similar to the "audit" which the Ministry of Municipal Affairs is planning for Windsor.

GUESS WHAT HAPPENED TO TUNNEL VOLUMES IN JULY

You know the answer already by now don't you? I can hardly wait for the August numbers

GREAT-GRANDFATHERING THE BRIDGE CO.

For the parking lot for the new Call Centre, here is what was presented at Council and was passed on the Consent Agenda.

Even though the Bridge Co.' s project started over a decade ago, and the City has opposed it for years, no exemption was granted when the Bridge Co. sought one.

I also found it interesting that the City is building a parking lot for the Call Centre employees if any of them stay around after the Star's stories about the poor conditions there or if Sutherland pulls out because of the CAW. Are the Gazelle feeders involved in this deal or was it strictly a political decision?

What I do not know is whether the parking is to be free or not. Perhaps someone could tell us.

GLENGARRY APTS WILL BE TORN DOWN

Thank goodness for this story from CKLW:

• GLENGARRY CONCERNS 2007-09-10 14:50:46
  
  Tenants at a Windsor Housing apartment building are furious about unsanitary living conditions. Cindy Wilson lives in the Glengarry Apartments on University Avenue East and says there are bed bugs, cockroaches, ants, mice and garbage in the chute has pilled up to the third floor.
  
  Wilson says she's expecting the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit to inspect the building this afternoon (before 1pm). Carrie Schofield is the Communications Officer with the Windsor Essex Community Housing Corporation and says they're doing everything possible to keep the building in good condition.

If you will remember, I predicted that the buildings will have to be torn down when the new City Hall is proposed. The police have said :

• "We have some very unique policing issues in this city with... some of the downtown housing projects like Glengarry." and

• "Mayor Eddie Francis took note of the situation and the city joined the Windsor Housing Corporation in vowing to help rid the complex of drugs, prostitutes and crime."

Moreover, a reader suggested that

• " Glengarry projects will need upwards of $20 million in renovations in the coming years."

If it is now unsanitary, then we have a reason to demolish it and hey, rebuild it as the start of our urban village. After all it would be right beside the bus terminal!