As experience continues to show, news in Newmarket doesn't happen randomly very often. There is usually an agenda behind every item of news.
Weeks ago, I picked up on a twitter conversation started by Councillor Jane Twinney about affordable housing. Regional Councillor Taylor also tweeted about the subject in what was meant to appear unrelated to the Ward 3 councillor's discussion. I wrote a couple of blogs about the subject and I drew a connection between Twinney and Taylor and the man who was hired by John Taylor's father to run Habitat for Humanity, Ward 1 Councillor Vegh. Taking exception to what I wrote, Vegh denied any connection whatsoever but he dodged questions from a Newmarket resident on whether he supported more rentals in Newmarket. I don't know if Vegh is indeed part of cohort scheming to build rental stacked townhouses on Queen Street, but his name keeps getting mentioned in their company such as in this article here: http://www.yorkregion.com/news-story/3241869-housing-solution-simple-how-part-is-problem/
If you read through the story, you will see towards the end of the article, quotes from Jane Wedlock who works with the United Way. Google her and you will find a number of news articles mentioning her and Joan Stonehocker. Who is Ms. Stonehocker? She was elected Chair of the Newmarket Public Library Board a couple of weeks ago. Which members of Council are also members of the NPL Board that voted to elect Ms. Stonehocker? John Taylor and Tom Vegh (along with Tom Hempen). So it is a small world after all (or at least Era Reporter Sean Pearce has a very small rolodex of people to call for interviews). I am surprised Sean Pearce didn't provide balance in his article by including comments from residents who oppose Taylor's schemes. The article is written like an advertorial which I am certain suits the Regional Councillor to a tee
As I mentioned previously, I have no problems with do-gooders like Taylor and Vegh (and their allies Hempen and Twinney) trying to change the world and end poverty. I do have a problem when they focus on bringing all of York Region's problems to Newmarket. We are a large region with over 1.1 million residents. It shouldn't rest on the 85,000 residents of Newmarket to shoulder the entire burden of solving the poverty issue. If they want to campaign, I recommend they take up their cause with the Councils of Vaughan, Markham, Richmond Hill, King, Stouffville, East Gwillimbury and Aurora. Newmarket and Georgina have already done their fair share.
Changing gears but still on the topic of seemingly unconnected events -
I finally got a chance to watch this week's council meeting all the way through.
There was an exchange towards the end of the meeting when Regional Councillor Taylor asked a question about this letter printed in the Era on May 15: http://www.yorkregion.com/opinion-story/2876771-no-one-accountable-when-things-go-awry/
The department head responded capably but predictably and it seemed all so routine until he added one little tidbit of information that wasn't asked for -- that the contract with Green for Life was due to expire soon. When he mentioned that, it piqued my interest.
It is an interesting comment for the department head to make because it connects us to this news story: http://www.yorkregion.com/news-story/3239355-newmarket-unveils-totem-trail-markers/
Emterra gave the Town of Newmarket $50,000 towards the cost of these trail markers. Emterra is in the waste disposal business but it doesn't do any business with the Town of Newmarket. We are supposed to believe that Emterra made a donation out of the goodness of their own hearts to a community that the company doesn't service.
The story gets interesting when you discover that Emterra formerly had a facility in Newmarket. In fact, it was a facility that often made the news, such as this story here in the Toronto Star http://www.thestar.com/news/investigations/2009/10/01/city_dumps_green_bin_operator.html and it was a hot topic in the Era circa 2008. At that time, Emterra was known as Halton Recycling. Over the years, the Town of Newmarket doggedly pursued Halton Recycling about the smells emanating from their Harry Walker facility until Halton Recycling was forced to shut down the facility permanently. In 2012, the Town and Halton Recycling came to some sort of resolution including re-zoning the property which I believe is currently on the market.
So what is the motivation behind the $50,000 donation to the Town of Newmarket? Was it a 'thank you' for a generous resolution to the Harry Walker problem? Could it be a marker on the table for when the Green for Life contract goes out to tender? I don't know the answer but I can tell you from where I sit, the stench from Halton Recycling is far from over.
Lastly, before I put my tin foil hat and conspiracy theories away for the day, I am going to draw your attention to a fellow Newmarket blogger's recent post - http://shrinkslessorsquare.ca/blog/100-just-say-no . I don't always agree with his point of view but I do enjoy reading his editorials. I am not sure if the writer attended the public meeting unveiling the Clock Tower plans. If he did, I don't know if he would have made a connection between the Forrest Group developer and Newmarket Mayor Tony Van Bynen? This meeting featured the Mayor's surrogate prominently. (This surrogate was so ostentatiously supportive of the developer that it made this observer quite uncomfortable). I believe I am reading the tea leaves correctly and there can be no doubt that the Mayor is backing the Forrest Group's planned transformation of historic Main Street.
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