The Newmarket Public Library posted statistics are a puzzling lot.
On one hand, the NPL board boasts 23,664 library card holders in October 2014. We know that library cards must be renewed annually. There is no cost of renewing a library card but you must provide ID to show your residency to complete the renewal.
But how is that number reached when the number of "New" and "Renewed" library cards are as follows?
Jan 972
Feb 860
March 1146
April 916
May 911
June 871
July 1514
Aug 1009
Sept 1076
Oct 932
Total 10,201
So how exactly do we get from 10,000 (New and Renewed library cards) as of the end of October to 24,000 library card holders at the end of the same period?
Statistics posted for the public are only useful when they can be understood. Perhaps there is an explanation behind the stats published by the Newmarket Public Library Board. Yet on the published document, no explanation is provided.
An organization that is committed to public learning must be held accountable for providing information that is accessible and easily understood.
I can't figure out this discrepancy between the number of library card holders versus the number of new and renewed library cards. Intuitively, the numbers should be similar (the number of card holders will be higher because it will include the numbers of new and renewed cards from November and December 2013).
Maybe there is an explanation and if so, the Library should be providing it.
Wednesday 26 November 2014
Saturday 22 November 2014
A Tale of Two Classes of Councillors
Monday's final council meeting of the 2010-2014 term was a contrast in class.
On one hand, we heard from Mayor-challenger Dorian Baxter with a moving thank you to the two councillors leaving on December first. It was the speech that Mayor Tony Van Bynen should have given.
Baxter was also the first to stand in an ovation after Chris Emanuel and Maddie Di Muccio shared their final comments to council. A stark contrast to Tony Van Bynen's behaviour. After Councillor Di Muccio's speech, the Mayor refused to even clap. Such a small and petty (and dare I say it, misogynist?) man.
And the speeches of Councillors Emanuel and Di Muccio didn't compare. Whereas Councillor Emanuel used his time (between theatrical sobs) to continue to attack those with the temerity to speak in opposition to the will of the gruesome-twosome bloc, Councillor Di Muccio spoke with grace and humility. She was appreciative of those who helped her, naming certain staff members for special recognition, and she encouraged ordinary people to become involved. Unlike Emanuel who focused on himself exclusively, she honoured all the candidates in the past election (despite the fact that some of them attacked her during the campaign). She spoke eloquently, if not self deprecatingly, about being a stay-at-home-mom who got a chance to make a difference. Emanuel spoke from a written text. Di Muccio spoke without a pre-written speech and her sincerity shone through.
What the lasting image of this term of council should be for Newmarket residents is the contrast in the behaviour of those council members who will be returning on December 1st. While they all fawned over Councillor Emanuel, not a single one of them would even shake hands with Councillor Di Muccio.
The message could not be clearer. Newmarket is THEIR town. Not yours.
On one hand, we heard from Mayor-challenger Dorian Baxter with a moving thank you to the two councillors leaving on December first. It was the speech that Mayor Tony Van Bynen should have given.
Baxter was also the first to stand in an ovation after Chris Emanuel and Maddie Di Muccio shared their final comments to council. A stark contrast to Tony Van Bynen's behaviour. After Councillor Di Muccio's speech, the Mayor refused to even clap. Such a small and petty (and dare I say it, misogynist?) man.
And the speeches of Councillors Emanuel and Di Muccio didn't compare. Whereas Councillor Emanuel used his time (between theatrical sobs) to continue to attack those with the temerity to speak in opposition to the will of the gruesome-twosome bloc, Councillor Di Muccio spoke with grace and humility. She was appreciative of those who helped her, naming certain staff members for special recognition, and she encouraged ordinary people to become involved. Unlike Emanuel who focused on himself exclusively, she honoured all the candidates in the past election (despite the fact that some of them attacked her during the campaign). She spoke eloquently, if not self deprecatingly, about being a stay-at-home-mom who got a chance to make a difference. Emanuel spoke from a written text. Di Muccio spoke without a pre-written speech and her sincerity shone through.
What the lasting image of this term of council should be for Newmarket residents is the contrast in the behaviour of those council members who will be returning on December 1st. While they all fawned over Councillor Emanuel, not a single one of them would even shake hands with Councillor Di Muccio.
The message could not be clearer. Newmarket is THEIR town. Not yours.
Tuesday 11 November 2014
Garbage Pick Up In Newmarket
Let's talk trash, Newmarket.
Our garbage contract with Green For Life is expiring during this term of Council. A ten year garbage pick up contract was signed in 2007, awarded to Turtle Island, and the company was later sold becoming Green For Life in 2012. Green For Life is no mom and pop operation. It also provides garbage pick up in Toronto, Hamilton and Durham Region.
In Newmarket, we share garbage services with the Northern York Region municipalities of Georgina, East Gwillimbury, Aurora, Whitchurch-Stouffville, and King (also known as the N6 municipalities).
But even though the garbage pick up contract is the same, the level of service provided to residents of each municipality differs greatly.
If you need to discard an old barbeque, appliance, or an old mattress, you pay for the pick up in Newmarket but neighbouring communities will pick up the same items at no additional cost.
Whereas other municipalities offer weeks throughout the year for additional trash bags to be picked up without having to purchase tags, Newmarket doesn't offer any tag free weeks. The Town of Newmarket always requires residents to purchase tags for additional bags.
Is this causing problems?
Based on the fact that some council members host special garbage drop off events that gather tons of materials each year, I think even these council members have come to recognize that Newmarket's trash pick up rules are too restrictive. There doesn't seem to be similar "trash events" in our neighbouring towns which demonstrates that the tons of waste collected in Newmarket is a symptom of a home grown problem.
We already pay among the highest property tax rates in York Region. Shouldn't we insist that our services be on par with those municipalities with lower tax rates? Especially considering that the one garbage contract with Green for Life is shared with all the N6 communities?
Our garbage contract with Green For Life is expiring during this term of Council. A ten year garbage pick up contract was signed in 2007, awarded to Turtle Island, and the company was later sold becoming Green For Life in 2012. Green For Life is no mom and pop operation. It also provides garbage pick up in Toronto, Hamilton and Durham Region.
In Newmarket, we share garbage services with the Northern York Region municipalities of Georgina, East Gwillimbury, Aurora, Whitchurch-Stouffville, and King (also known as the N6 municipalities).
But even though the garbage pick up contract is the same, the level of service provided to residents of each municipality differs greatly.
If you need to discard an old barbeque, appliance, or an old mattress, you pay for the pick up in Newmarket but neighbouring communities will pick up the same items at no additional cost.
Whereas other municipalities offer weeks throughout the year for additional trash bags to be picked up without having to purchase tags, Newmarket doesn't offer any tag free weeks. The Town of Newmarket always requires residents to purchase tags for additional bags.
Is this causing problems?
Based on the fact that some council members host special garbage drop off events that gather tons of materials each year, I think even these council members have come to recognize that Newmarket's trash pick up rules are too restrictive. There doesn't seem to be similar "trash events" in our neighbouring towns which demonstrates that the tons of waste collected in Newmarket is a symptom of a home grown problem.
We already pay among the highest property tax rates in York Region. Shouldn't we insist that our services be on par with those municipalities with lower tax rates? Especially considering that the one garbage contract with Green for Life is shared with all the N6 communities?
Saturday 1 November 2014
Why Are Newmarket Taxpayers Paying to Clean Up This Company's Pollution?
There is a problem with litter. All over Newmarket. All of it distributed/ produced by the same corporation.
And in addition to the litter, this company also contributes hundreds of tons of garbage each and every week but pays none of the disposal costs.
As we are in a new age of sustainable development, impunity must turn to responsibility. Polluters must pay.
Who is this polluter?
The Newmarket Era newspaper and its parent corporation, York Region Media Group.
Survey the contents of any residential blue box and you will find that trash produced/ distributed by local newspaper is prominent among the materials inside. Yet the disposal cost is paid for by property taxpayers and not the producer of this material.
Walk down any street in Newmarket and you will find litter that originated from papers produced/ distributed by the Era. The clean up costs are not assessed against the company responsible for all of this litter.
Waste disposal is one of the largest line items in the Town of Newmarket's operating budget. Waste disposal costs are among the reasons why our taxes are the second highest in York Region.
Taxpayers shouldn't be burdened with costs of cleaning up the pollution created by the Newmarket Era. The polluter must pay. We need the Town to assess and levy the appropriate costs back to the York Region Media Group corporation that has been milking taxpayers for far too long.
If Newmarket Council truly cares for the environment, then why does it give each year hundreds of thousands of our tax dollars to the Era for advertising? Shouldn't Newmarket's advertising be free-of-charge given how much the Era's pollution is already costing us?
If you are like me and wish to end this fiasco, then you can make a difference. Contact the Era and tell them that you no longer want this paper delivered to your home.
You can contact the Era to cancel your delivery at:
580B Steven Court
Newmarket, ON
L3Y4X1
Phone: (905) 773-7627
Or email the editor at: tkibble@yrmg.com
And in addition to the litter, this company also contributes hundreds of tons of garbage each and every week but pays none of the disposal costs.
As we are in a new age of sustainable development, impunity must turn to responsibility. Polluters must pay.
Who is this polluter?
The Newmarket Era newspaper and its parent corporation, York Region Media Group.
Survey the contents of any residential blue box and you will find that trash produced/ distributed by local newspaper is prominent among the materials inside. Yet the disposal cost is paid for by property taxpayers and not the producer of this material.
Walk down any street in Newmarket and you will find litter that originated from papers produced/ distributed by the Era. The clean up costs are not assessed against the company responsible for all of this litter.
Waste disposal is one of the largest line items in the Town of Newmarket's operating budget. Waste disposal costs are among the reasons why our taxes are the second highest in York Region.
Taxpayers shouldn't be burdened with costs of cleaning up the pollution created by the Newmarket Era. The polluter must pay. We need the Town to assess and levy the appropriate costs back to the York Region Media Group corporation that has been milking taxpayers for far too long.
If Newmarket Council truly cares for the environment, then why does it give each year hundreds of thousands of our tax dollars to the Era for advertising? Shouldn't Newmarket's advertising be free-of-charge given how much the Era's pollution is already costing us?
If you are like me and wish to end this fiasco, then you can make a difference. Contact the Era and tell them that you no longer want this paper delivered to your home.
You can contact the Era to cancel your delivery at:
580B Steven Court
Newmarket, ON
L3Y4X1
Phone: (905) 773-7627
Or email the editor at: tkibble@yrmg.com
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