Susan B23

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City, Trevor Lee reach 'amicable, confidential' settlement deal

OrilliaMatters

33

Unless the Mayor is prepared to make his reasons for terminating the agreement with Mr Lees public, he should be paying the full cost of the settlement , including lawyers fees, from his own pocket. If he truly believes he did the right thing for the residents of Orillia, then he should have no problem being a “strong enough” mayor to explain himself.

COLUMN Cancel culture wants to put the brakes on biking

OrilliaMatters

10

Perhaps if cyclists were paying road tax, insurance & licensing, and rules of the road were equally enforced, there might not be such a distain for bike lanes. We all have heard “Share the road” how about “Share the cost”?

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COLUMN: Homelessness, addiction symptoms of a broken system

OrilliaMatters

17

But what should we do for those that trash any affordable home space provided to them, refuse to attend treatment or support programs & do not aid themselves in any way? My personal experience is that those who ask for a hand up, work hard to get out of the cycle. Those who just ask for a handout stay stuck where they are.

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'It's stigmatizing': Outreach vans ticketed, benches removed in Orillia

OrilliaMatters

12

Why is the van doing outreach on Colborne St so close to where the Lighthouse is now located? Could it possibly be because so many users are accustom to accessing services at the former Peter St location and like the convenience? Also, it’s not “stigmatizing” when people are called out for their bad behaviours (public intoxication, public urination, aggressive panhandling, littering,) it’s FACT & no amount of social whitewashing is going to correct those behaviours.

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Health unit, swamped amid provincial funding freeze, seeking city's support

OrilliaMatters

11

Stop funding so called “Harm Reduction” programs, it’s another form of enabling . If users play stupid games, they win stupid prizes.Also, what does it matter if funding comes from the Feds, Province or local govt, it’s all out of the sane taxpayers pocket.

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Orillia rebrands Brian Orser Arena as Gill Street Community Complex

OrilliaMatters

13

Are there any restrictions or guidelines as to the naming rights? Does this mean that anyone with enough cash can name a facility whatever they wish?

City bringing in 'additional resources' to keep up with record snowfall

OrilliaMatters

12

Just curious. We are being asked not to put snow on the boulevard, and it’s illegal to put it back on the road, where does town expect us to put it then? (I can think of one place I’d like to shove it) Council needs to consider hiring private dump truck operators to help haul snow away.

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Senior seeing red over plan tying garbage pickup to green-bin use

OrilliaMatters

4

Maybe move to clear garbage bags instead, like many other communities have implemented. LOTS of whining & complaining at the beginning, but that subsides pretty quickly, and people start to use their green bins & blue boxes a lot more.

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Despite nabbing thousands of speeders, Orillia cameras to go dark within 14 days

OrilliaMatters

12

I am very confused; if the speed cameras weren't a “cash grab” and installed for the safety of school children- what will replacing them with red light cameras do for the safety of kids in a school zone? Here in Orillia, there aren't traffic lights within those school zones.

Sundial Lakeview expanding with second building for independent seniors

OrilliaMatters

10

Hoping very much that seniors existing only on OAS & CPP will be able to afford these units.

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Council hears neighbour's concerns about Bond St. townhome plan

OrilliaMatters

10

If developers want to reduce the amount of parking, then Council needs to make an iron clad pledge to enforce the No Parking bylaws promptly & consistently, and not just when complaints come in. Parking enforcement is not just for downtown.

Orillia identifies three sites for possible social housing

OrilliaMatters

7

IMO-more affordable highrise or stacked development should be going into the Westridge area. That way, infrastructure needs, such as sewer, water & road requirements, can be addressed BEFORE any building takes place, i think that makes more sense than trying to shoehorn dense development into older neighbourhoods lacking the necessary infrastructure. Also, Westridge has a wider variety of retailers (and job opportunities) in a compacted area, making it a more suitable, walkable community (and wasn’t that one of the selling points of the original Westridge development?)

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City won't use notwithstanding clause to deal with homelessness

OrilliaMatters

5

Absolutely! And maybe Councillor Durnford could make space at her residence for those that don’t want to live in a “congregant setting”. I fail to understand how dismantling homeless encampments in and around homes & businesses is a big no-no now, but it wasn’t when the homeless were shuffled off to wherever when the City was flogging the waterfront redevelopment.

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Sexual assaults, fraud and property crime on the rise: Orillia OPP

OrilliaMatters

7

Not surprising given the number of druggies wandering around.

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Orillia council votes to annex land from Oro-Medonte and Severn

OrilliaMatters

7

Since Immigration numbers have been reduced & Canada’s birth rate is in decline, it might be time to decide that the Provincial Policy Statement is outdated and is no longer in the best interest of our collective communities.

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Resident trapped by 'wall of ice' after city plow blocks driveway

OrilliaMatters

6

I live at the top of a cul-de-sac, and my neighbour & I are routinely blocked in the same way, sometimes to the point where the sidewalk plow can’t even get thru. Perhaps public works could develop a list of problem sites & automatically dispatch the loaders to clear those areas.IMO it would also be a fantastic idea if planning, before approving development, considered where plowing is going to create problems or where snow accumulations will end up.

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Tensions rise as Orillia mayor refuses to explain CAO hiring reversal

OrilliaMatters

8

The Mayor had all the powers he needed to deal effectively with the ice storm as soon as the emergency was declared. I think Premier Ford got it wrong by just giving SMP unilaterally; he may have been under the misnomer that senior elected officials would not abuse & misuse those powers, but clearly he would have been mistaken. A truly “strong” Mayor has the ability to build consensus with Council and bring about a council that works together for the good of the public, even when they personally disagree on matters. To the Mayor-why didn’t you call for a special Closed Session to apprise your Council of your impending decision BEFORE you terminated the incoming CAO? Your omnipotent actions have, in all likelihood, ruined any chances of harmonious interactions between yourself and the rest of Council, not to mention-a significant number of electors!

'Blatant abuse of power' by mayor sparks outrage from residents

OrilliaMatters

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If you are unhappy with the “Strong Mayor” powers but don’t know how to let the Premier know, follow the link.https://correspondence.premier.gov.on.ca/EN/feedback/default.aspx

City to study feasibility of pre-zoning for affordable housing project

OrilliaMatters

4

The zoning bylaw and amendment procedures are in place for a very good reason and should NEVER be circumvented for any reason, especially because of some funding scheme!

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Questions raised about municipal integrity commissioner reports

OrilliaMatters

6

There is no way to remove a duly elected official from his/her seat; our political system was never designed or had mechanisms built in, to deal with persons that do not uphold, or respect the position of an elected official. The Municipal Act was amended to provide for an Integrity Commissioner, but the scope of those powers are very restricted. and the penalties only work if the elected person has some reverence for the office they were appointed to.