John  Papdakis Speaks to
Council. Was ignored by
council. - but not those is
the audience.
Sally Graves, Don Lubberts
and Paul Lewis represent
the Friends of Crystal
Beach at council on
Monday, June 16, 2008.
Councillor Shular asked
Lewis about his accent.
Then tried to explain it
away by saying that some of
his best friends are
Americans. Would he have
dared ask that question of a
visible minority?
Former Ward 5 Councillor
Tom Lewis Shows Studies.
Councillor Whitfield
demands to see what's in
boxes; doesn't believe that
there have been reams of
reports and studies about
the beach lands.
IT'S TIME TO TAKE BACK THE TOWN!
In 2006, a new mayor and town council were elected.  There was a small
turnout of eligible voters, but the results were in and they were duly
elected.  Since then,  those duly elected officials have:

  1. raised taxes close to 23% since early 2007.

    2.  put the town's public beachfront lands in Bay Beach up for
possible sale to a developer because of a staff recommendation.

     3.  lobbied to get $2 million from the province and gave it to a
billionaire.

      4. encouraged a developer who clear cut a natural habitat
during nesting season only to abandon the property in a dispute.  
The property sits as a testament to poor planning at the corner of
Ridge Road and Thunder Bay Roads.

        5. encouraged a developer who bought a popular golf
course after marketing a development based on its location on a
golf course and is now waiting for the go-ahead to turn it into a
sub-division.

         6. allowed and encouraged  the disrespect of delegations
and councillors who ask questions or who are in opposition to
the majority.  Case in point:  It was the mayor himself who
forwarded an e-mail that was part of an attachment that he
received from a concerned citizen regarding the Bay Beach
Properties and then sat back and allowed Councillor Sandy
Annunziata to badger and yell at the author of the original e-mail.
Totally unprofessional behaviour is tolerated and even
encouraged at council meetings.

          7. allowed certain  town staff to basically run the town, all
the while receiving outrageous salaries and expenses, some to
cover certain staff members' commutes from Grimsby.

          8.  allowed the staff to reach epic proportions that takes
41%. (Actually, I have been corrected.  It's 72%.) of property taxes
to pay for.

          9.  has turned town hall into a fortress of secrecy, including
the activities of the Economic Development and Tourism
Corporation and the Gaming and Development Corporation. They
answer to no one.

          10.  allowed flooding and sewer problems to continue in
Crescent Park while providing a major new trunk line to service
proposed new developments of mayoral campaign supporters.

In the United States, an elected official can be removed  through a recall
petition supported by a certain percentage of the voters.  There are
efforts underway to find an avenue to initiate such a recall in Fort Erie.  
An expert on municipal law has been consulted and there is a growing
number of people who are concerned enough to want to force the
resignations of certain council members who are not fulfilling their
campaign promises and their commitment to their constituents.
COME TO COUNCIL
MONDAY JULY 21, 2008

6:00 P.M. TOWN HALL

DELEGATIONS WILL SPEAK ON THE BAY BEACH ISSUE AND OTHER
IMPORTANT ISSUES IN FORT ERIE.

PLEASE SPARE A COUPLE OF HOURS TO SHOW YOUR SUPPORT FOR
YOUR NEIGHBOURS
(To be included on the agenda, please contact Carolyn Kett @ Town Hall
ASAP)
Way Back Machine - Promises Broken