tonyT

thumbs-up

231

87

thumbs-down

OPINION: It's one week into the election, and I have concerns

GuelphToday

14

City employees get 3 weeks vacation a year to start. 6 paid sick days a year. 4 paid personal days a year. That's 25 paid days a year after 1 year of service.They have a clause in their contract that allows them to bank overtime hours for more time off. It's capped at 120 hours a year. That is another 3 weeks/15 days off a year paid. Some how most employees get that 120 hours of overtime every year.All this adds up to FORTY Paid days off a year after 1 year of service.You have to hire 3 to 4 people for every 15 people in a department just to cover time off(those 3 to 4 people will also get 40 paid days off a year)?Every budget and report I can find says overtime is a problem. The city rewards people for working overtime.Get control of the overtime.

7

Coun. Leanne Caron confirms she's running for mayor

GuelphToday

16

She was a big backer of DISTRICT ENERGY. It LOST MILLIONS of dollars.

4

BREAKING: Mayor Cam Guthrie won't be seeking re-election

GuelphToday

11

He got rid of district energy. That thing lost MILIIONS of dollars and was being hidden by people in this city.

7

Lyon Pool gets $1M grant for upgrades, will close all of

GuelphToday

13

So to get this straight. The city wouldn't spend the money to fix the Lyon school pool. Even though the deputy CAO says it's packed in the summer. They have to get a hand out from the province because the city has no money? It won't be open ALL next summer because it will take that long to fix? I would not stand in front of camera's to take any kind of credit for this! Sorry that's just me. On a side note it seems to be taking longer to replace/fix the washrooms in Royal city park then it did to build city hall. What's the story there?

2

Here’s what councillors want changed, mostly added, to city budget

GuelphToday

11

City contracts with their employee's allow them to bank overtime up to 120 hrs a year. This banked time off allows them to use those hrs for vacation. Almost all employees get that 120hrs. Thats 3 extra weeks of vacation a year. After 1 year of service at the city of Guelph you get 2 weeks of normal vacation, 3 weeks of banked vacation, 6 paid sick days a year, and multiple days in lieu( days they have to work but can take a day off some other time( easter monday, boxing day, remembrance day ...). If you add that up. That's 34+ paid days off a year. After 1 year of service! That does not include the other holidays that we all get(victoria day canada day....). You have to hire 4 people for every 15 just to cover time off. Those 4 people will also get 34+ days off. In the private sector your first year you get 2 weeks of vacation and most places give you 3 paid sick days. City of Guelph 1 year 34+ paid days off. Private sector 13. Private sector 30 years of service 33 days off.DoTHEMATH!

4

Council puts $1.7M back into 2026 budget; increase hovers at just over 8%

GuelphToday

10

Look at the union contracts to start. 3 weeks of vacation, banking overtime hours up to 120 hours a year to be used as time off. 3 more weeks. 6 paid sick days. 4 paid personal days. That's 15+15+6+4= 40 paid days off a year. That's after 1 year of service. Me 1 year of service 2 weeks(10 days) + 3 sick days. That's 13 days off. That is a difference of 27 days! All Paid by ME THE TAX PAYER!Look at the sunshine list. Some pretty inventive job titles there. Also multiple departments seem to have General managers, assistant general managers, supervisors, project managers, advisors all making over $100 000. Again paid by ME THE TAX PAYER! For anyone that will argue this You can volunteer at city hall to pay MORE taxes! Throw an extra couple zero's on those cheques to help pay all these people.

3

Guelph's 12 automated speed cameras to be shut off Friday

GuelphToday

6

These we're a really good idea. The cities got greedy though and they lost a valuable tool. Handing out tickets to people doing 40, 50 ,60km in a 30 zone at 11pm on a Saturday night was just greed. Hand out tickets to people doing that speed coming from downtown on a Saturday night.

6

Coun. Leanne Caron confirms she's running for mayor

GuelphToday

10

https://www.facebook.com/groups/CaughtinGuelph/posts/1167019337400283/She voted for a 24% increase before the last term of council!

2

'I am sorry': Mayor Guthrie backpedal, orders bike lanes plowed

GuelphToday

11

Someone explain the $650 000. That's the complaint,

1

Councillor who voted against plowing bike lanes wants it restored

GuelphToday

10

The city doesn't do a good job on the streets most of the time. What makes people think the bike lanes would be done any better?

2

Guelph Public Library catches up with the digital times

GuelphToday

5

Just wait till the new library opens. 20 new hires all making $50 000 a year plus. The CEO will need a secretary. They'll need another deputy CEO. After all the pension obligations. That's another million, million five added to the budget.

7

Coun. Leanne Caron confirms she's running for mayor

GuelphToday

9

This is from 2016? https://www.guelphtoday.com/local-news/city-council-to-debate-fate-of-guelphs-struggling-district-energy-initiative-339394MILLIONS LOST!

2

With years of disruption coming downtown, city looks at ways to mitigate

GuelphToday

10

By the end of 13 years they will have to fix the stuff they started in year ONE.

Automated enforcement cameras reduce travel speeds: city report

GuelphToday

8

What's the average speed after the removal of the cameras? How many tickets handed out after the cameras have left? The complaints about Water street and forest street were numerous. So were the tickets. How many times have the police set up a speed trap on those streets to catch speeders?

2

City winter control budget $1.9 million over budget due to weather, salt costs

GuelphToday

5

This does not count this winter. Most of the snow fell in 2026. This is year end 2025 I do believe. What you want to see is how much they are over budget for 2026 already?How do you get a surplus at the library?Overtime Overtime! Gotta cut the OVERTIME. Recruitment challenges in securing full-time permanent staff led to increased reliance on temporary contracts, over-complement hires, and overtime across several departments, including Paramedic Services, Facilities, Planning, Operations, Information Technology, and OBC. As a result, overtime costs exceeded the 2025 budget by 74.3 per cent, or $2.9 million. Contributing factors included vacancies, mandated leave coverage, and minimum staffing requirements in Paramedic Services, Transit Services, Fire, and Operations.

4

City to move ahead with demolition, commemoration of historic bridge

GuelphToday

7

There is double/ triple maybe quadruple the car, bike and pedestrian traffic that crosses the Gordon street bridge over the river. How many pedestrian bridges should be built there then?

1

Automated speed enforcement cameras coming to these spots Nov.

GuelphToday

8

Waterloo avenue! That's going to be a cash cow. I sure would like to see a story on the comparisons between schools. Which school zones have gotten the most tickets so far?

Guelph budget breakfast happening next week

GuelphToday

5

No business allows their employees to bank overtime hours so they can take more time off! They have to hire more employee's just to cover all the time off(those employee's get more time off). One year of service with overtime you get 40+ days off a year paid(not including the statutory holidays we all get off). Me in private business 13 days off! Some one ask this question please! Why the difference?

2

City, county respond to Premier Ford’s return-to-office directive

GuelphToday

2

Where can I find a list of the "20 percent"?

5

Guelph's tax hike finalized at 6.78 per cent

GuelphToday

5

Read the union contracts. How do you bank 120hrs of overtime to cut the grass? Ask at city hall how many city facilities have cable TV. Why do they pay for the employees to have cable TV? Went to city hall and there we're TWO security guards at the door? City hall is only open from 8:30am till 4pm? That's not even 8 hours? The list of waste goes on and on.

2