| Crystal Beach STRAND page six |
When Did it get so out of control? Town council sets the bar very low no transparency for edtc |
| HOW TO CONTACT THE MAYOR AND TOWN COUNCILLORS: |
| MAYOR: Doug Martin 905-871-9043 e-mail:douglas.martin@town.forterie.ca WARD 1: Sandy Annunziata 905.994.1062 e-mail: sannunziata@town.forterie.ca WARD 2: Rick Shular 905-871-5579 e-mail: rshular@town.forterie.ca WARD 3: Bob Steckley 905-871-7531 e-mail: bsteckley@town.forterie.ca WARD 4: Tim Whitfield 905-894-8904 e-mail: twhitfield@town.forterie.on.ca WARD 5: Martha Lockwood 905-894-8180 e-mail: mlockwood@town.forterie.on.ca WARD 6: Ann-Marie Noyes 905-382-2352 e-mail: anoyes@town.forterie.ca |
 |  |  |  |  |
| OPINION ARCHIVES ... Some day these words may come back to haunt me - or they'll be considered prescient. Whatever. |
| HAVE AN OPINION? PLEASE COMMENT ON THE BLOG |
| When did the slippery slide towards fascism start in Fort Erie? Many believe that it happened in late Spring of 2007 when two members of the Bridgeburg BIA were dismissed as a result of a closed meeting of council. The councillors were threatened to silence about the reason for the dismissals; a form letter was delivered to the two by a town councillor who may have engineered their ouster. Much ado was raised over the issue, but no one was made accountable. Emboldened by that successful shut-down of dissent, the mayor and his minions ran rampant over citizens' rights and soon began to close the few windows that remained open to the dealings of the warren-like town hall. The Economic Development and Tourism Corporation soon became a "black op" presided over by the omnipotent Jim Thibert, who was no stranger to strong-arm tactics. Ann Marie Noyes, previously a champion of the EDTC, had some questions about what goes on in the separate-and-isolated corporation that is funded by tax dollars. This came after an over-the-top Save the Race Track campaign that seemed to achieve success when the province ponied up $2 million for "tourism initiatives." Jim Thibert immediately promised the $2 million to the race track owner on spec that a $300 million resort would be built near the track. (It is still unclear exactly where that $2 million resides. Problem is that the EDTC won't share that knowledge.) So, the conventional wisdom is that it rests in the gold-lined pockets of a billionaire even though the $300 million resort has been shelved. Regardless, the citizens and some council members would like to know where it is; what will happen to it; and most importantly: when it will be returned to be used for other tourism initiatives in Fort Erie. Ann Marie keeps asking questions to which she gets no answers. Now she has to "go through" Jim Thibert's BFFs and board members, Mayor Martin and Sandy Annunziata to get answers as per a directive from the Omnipotent One. When Ann Marie talked of a motion to open up access to EDTC dealings and information, she was reportedly/allegedly/ told by Thibert that he would "crush her" for making such a motion. THIS IS SERIOUS STUFF. A staff member allegedly threatens two elected officials and is allowed to get away with it. But the proof will appear on cable TVs all over Fort Erie on Wednesday at 7:00 p.m. when Monday night's council meeting will be replayed and the pure, unadulterated ugliness is shown in living colour for all to see. Look for Councillor Whitfield to read from a script prepared by the Happy Meal Man who poses as a jouranlist; listen to him call Ann Marie a liar, incompetent trouble maker; listen and watch Ann Marie make numerous Point of Orders and Point of Privileges before the mayor/chair even attempts to stop the vitriol. And when he does, note the half-hearted attempt to tone down the invective. Watch and listen as the mayor himself joins the abuse of a veteran elected representative of the people. If you do not feel outrage at the verbal assault, then remember this: When the Nazis came for the communists, I remained silent; I was not a communist. When they locked up the social democrats, I remained silent; I was not a social democrat. When they came for the trade unionists, I did not speak out; I was not a trade unionist. When they came for the Jews, I remained silent; I wasn't a Jew. When they came for me, there was no one left to speak out. Martin Niemöller |
| PLEASE CONTACT THE TWO COUNCILLORS WHO HAVE BEEN THREATENED (You know who they are.) EXPRESS YOUR SUPPORT AND URGE THEM TO GO PUBLIC AND CONTACT POLICE AND THE MINISTRY OF MUNICIPAL AFFAIRS. |