DamienM
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BREAKING: Canada Post reaches deal in principle with union, strike suspended
17purolator
18- DamienM
Breaking: City council votes against third party audit of Chirico expenses
BayToday 33Because it would make them all look bad.
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‘Are we beating a dead horse?’: Third-party review of Mayor’s expense controversy voted down
BayToday 30North Bay 100 years. What would our founder think of the state of affairs in our Democratic institution?The word democracy comes from Ancient Greek:δῆμος (dēmos) = "people" (specifically the common people or the citizen body)κρατία (kratía) = "power", "rule", or "strength" (from the verb κρατεῖν, kratein = "to rule")So δημοκρατία (dēmokratía) literally means "rule by the people" or "the power of the people".Our City Council operates more like a secret society than actually serving its constituents. Enough of this clown show, the people are bordering on disgust and broke. This cannot be fixed. Not at this point. If they are not seeking answers, seeking the problems to rectify, then just leave. Leave your seat.
3- DamienM
City to reveal Integrity Commissioner investigation into Mayor Chirico Tuesday
BayToday 25How can businesses invest in North Bay and trust that this Mayor and Council will be transparent and tax-efficient? We need a clearing of Council and House Affairs. This Mayor sees nothing wrong in what he has done at the Corporation of the City of North Bay... Our CEO should step down for the betterment of the business and the integrity of the Development of this City as a Corporation. Has anyone thought about how, in corporate Canada, investors in our City fear the Tax Base, fear the Most Secretive Council? No wonder we are a bleeding industry. We are a Gong Show! Yet he wants to remain King.
2- DamienM
'Tonight was not my North Bay': Councillors question unity after audit motion fails
BayToday 17The sad part is that it will drive away investment from this City, as potential investors will see how dysfunctional, unresponsive, and uncooperative this City and its Council are.
2- DamienM
Chirico violated the Code of Conduct says Integrity Commissioner on mayor’s spending
BayToday 15I'm sorry. Dog Food. Cigarettes. Misunderstanding. We always hear ignorance is no excuse for breaking the law. This supplemental talk about a Lobbying Registry is just trying to exercise the look of sound judgment in a case woefully neglectful. Cigarettes on the City Card... Dog Food? Really? Naw... Not good enough for a CEO. How is it that the CEO of the Corporation of the City of North Bay has not read the squeaky-clean rules, when all they do is read and review regulations and make rules... Saying that it was a "Good Faith Mistake" amounting to months of RENT, totaling $5500 for some people. I don't buy the cool aid council is selling. I await the OPP Report. Council has already taken its cue from the Mayor: "I look forward to continuing to serve this City." It is a nudge and direction to be quiet, keep your heads down, and carry on. All this debacle is overshadowing the North Bay's 100th anniversary, too. What a shame.
2- DamienM
'I object’: Attempt to bring confidential motion into open session at Council gets blocked
BayToday 16Have your vote. It will not be long before sunlight is breathed into that Council Chamber, and they will be a footnote in a terrible era, for North Bay Citizens.
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'Father Glen' targeted by Conservation Authority charges Board chair
BayToday 13And what exactly does this board get taxpayer dollars for? To save the turtles? Or to build little kingdoms, like the NNDSB and City Hall. Any Authority in North Bay protects itself and its jobs by erecting barriers against the public they are sworn to serve and is funded by. Incredulous. Mean Spirited Behaviour. Intolerable... Words that come to mind.
2- DamienM
Jay Aspin returns to lead school board through challenging times
BayToday 12Good question. What is change? Changing what led these decisions in the first place. Improper hiring practices, stalling on the sale of surplus assets such as Widdiefield High School, which remains a burden on the taxpayer and should have been sold to benefit Chippewa High School's students and programming. Changes to policies involving the Board and Credit Cards seem to be an issue at organizations in our community—changes to updating board topics/minutes/interests to the public and student parents.These changes will need to be made. If they cannot be done promptly, something that the board is paid considerable amounts to manage, then someone needs to write this ship. It is becoming an embarrassing organization for our city in the media, not just for our City Hall issues, but also for our local governing education body, which is needed. Changes? This is not rocket science; it is board-standard practice that is long established.
2- DamienM
New motion seeks independent review of North Bay Mayor's spending controversy
BayToday 11What happened to the Police Looking in to this morass of failure? When is their report released. We need to step back and examine the process before throwing more recommendations in to the fire. I'm not against this idea, however, I thought we were still waiting on a pressing report from another agency?
2- DamienM
Motion on transparency measures heads to council amid expense controversy
BayToday 11City hall is only in it for themselves. To keep their jobs. Why would they audit themselves and look bad?
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Longtime City Hall critic calls reserve use 'an addictiion’ as landfill fees and water rates advance
BayToday 8North Bay’s $122M reserves are a mirage. Council siphons $2.5M yearly to cap taxes at 3% while unemployment hits 12%, youth jobless 16.5%, and population shrinks. Potholes swallow axles; Hwy 11 remains deadly. Crime stats drop, but Main St. feels unsafe. Reserves fund press releases, not fixes.We’re addicted to savings as anesthesia. The 2026 cliff looms when water reserves vanish and rates spike.**Demand the “North Bay Rebound Act”:** - $50M infrastructure blitz - $20M youth jobs - $15M housing - $10M safety innovation - $27M emergency buffer Zero tax hikes for 3 years. Force a public reserve dashboard, KPI targets (unemployment <8%, potholes fixed in 48 hrs), and a citizen vote. This isn’t prudence—it’s malpractice. Stop paying today’s bills with tomorrow’s future. Act now, or watch the last family load the U-Haul. Gateway to the North? Or exit ramp to nowhere? (987 chars)
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Longtime City Hall critic calls reserve use 'an addictiion’ as landfill fees and water rates advance
BayToday 9I don't trust the Council to understand what anyone is saying...
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Over $1 million deficit for Near North District School Board
BayToday 11Or one man's expenses to redo a board room for his sole operations out of Widdifield High School. Shuttered for years, wonderful to sell now.But he wants the $1 million Widdifield office all to himself. How is this helping students in education? The Proceeds directly from Widdifield, which we know will be profitable, were PROMISED, legislated, and Board Mandated to be sold OFF... And Handed to Chippewa Secondary School.The Board of Education in North Bay is not prioritizing education. Instead, it is focusing on renovations to a $1 million transfer from Vincent Massey to Widdifield, where the principal should be, being accountable and working with board members.The selfish egos of our elected officials just..... We should consider using lie detector tests on every candidate meeting in the future for North Bay Councilors, Education Boards, etc. Because they never tell the truth. Sign of the times?
- DamienM
Councillor Vrebosch’s travel expenses under review after FOI release, and amid transparency push
BayToday 3At least it was an AMO Meeting. How scandalous. Sure, she overcharged a bit, but it was still there to represent North Bay, and I am sure she mingled. North Bay needs to break out of its box.
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Aspin 'optimistic' about future of Near North School Board
BayToday 11We all know the issues with the Board of Education. Everything is clear and out there, in fact.The Board has no desire to acquiesce to their little kingdom of high-paid executives. They need to learn A Civics Class and a Budgeting Class. Both remedial levels would suffice. No, there will be no changes unless they are pushed out of their jobs, and if they are, new players will be installed who actually care about Education and Education Funding.
- DamienM
BREAKING Province seizes control of troubled Near North District School Board
BayToday 8Ontario’s takeover of Near North District School Board is overdue and fully justified.Trustees and administrators bungled a new JK-12 school, stranded high-schoolers in a half-demolished building, bused elementary kids elsewhere, and let the Director’s family allegedly misuse a board credit card. These failures directly harmed students and shattered public trust.Minister Calandra’s use of new powers to impose supervision and 15 binding directions is not overreach—it’s the minimum required when local governance collapses.Claims of “undemocratic” interference miss the mark: school boards exist for students, not to shield incompetence. If trustees can’t put kids first, the province must. This intervention sets a clear standard: deliver or be replaced.
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North Bay hospital workers hold town hall over staffing cuts
BayToday 9Most nurses, doctors, psws I know/have seen are all at their breaking points. I don't think any one of them is huddling away sick days. These people work through burnout. Don't confuse greediness with a system that is collapsing!
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Future uncertain for North Bay mayor after integrity findings
BayToday 8His fingers must be yellow from all those cigarettes he smokes. Just imagine yellow imprints on the City of North Bay paperwork...
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Transparency topic continues after recent votes for special Council meetings
BayToday 9The transparency topic continues after the recent votes for special Council meetings.Two local citizens are keeping the spotlight on City Hall after two attempts to hold special Council sessions.Behold! North Bay Citizens. You have two Concerned Citizens calculating the disaster this City Hall is committing us to—all the backroom deals, all the in-camera sessions. We deserve better, we always have! We've given up on protesting and being forceful in that chamber. The reality is that what's been happening for years behind closed doors isn't for North Bay citizens; it's the rot inside City Hall. Mr. Mayor. Please, this isn't very comfortable. North Bay was on Canada AM for our Mayor's Expenses as a Story... CTV News. Like, seriously. Drive away investment by highlighting our incredible lack of modern-day office policies?
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