Author: IanFindley

Re: Sidewalk plowing

A couple of other thoughts related to sidewalk plowing… 1) I don’t believe that the cost savings would be minimal over the long term. There will be some up front educational costs. There will be some initial by-law enforcement costs. But like the lawn watering issue, the by-law will end up being self-policing after a […]

The Budget and Traffic Calming

First, congratulations of working through the budget by such an early date and taking a holistic view of our needs within the city. Last year council approved traffic calming in the Exhibition Park area. This was a very welcome and quite overdue decision that will make the area safer for pedestrians of all ilk: schoolchildren, […]

Arts & Culture in the budget

It would be nice to have a person for this position but I think in these times it is time to rethink the spending priorities as you are considering with the budget process. What about reducing staff rather than increasing it. If you really have to have someone for this position, how about from within […]

Sidewalk plowing

I just got back from walking my kids to school. As happens every year in Guelph, the sidewalks have become treacherous sheets of ice with frozen plow tracks along each side. My son fell twice, and some chose to walk on the road instead. Occasionally, the sidewalk was clear where some kind soul had taken […]

Winter event December 9

We have received over the standard 8 cm of snow fall in many areas of the City. As you may be aware, the forecast calls for a mix of rain/snow today and milder temperatures through tomorrow. Snow melt is well underway. However, temperatures are expected to fall rapidly Wednesday night to about -11 degrees. Staff […]

A different budget approach

The following editorial appeared in the December 6 edition of the Guelph Mercury: Guelph city councillors should be commended for a late-in-the process move to examine a leaner 2009 municipal operating budget. The sagging economy apparently prompted Councillor Ian Findlay to propose that administration deliver an optional budget based on a 3.75 per cent tax […]

Budgeting made easy

The following editorial appeared in the December 5 edition of the Guelph Tribune: It hasn’t all been smooth sailing, and it’s not over yet, but the way city budgeting is being handled these days deserves some credit. The latest twist in the 2009 budget saga, which started way back in the spring with the presentation of […]

Budget paring down to short strokes

The following article appeared in the December 5 edition of the Guelph Tribune: It’s now likely the city’s property tax hike for 2009 will be kept below four per cent, says Coun. Karl Wettstein. “The chances of coming in below 4%, and maybe even below 3.75%, are somewhere between good and excellent,” Wettstein, who chairs […]