Norfolk County's Hiring Freeze

Hiring Freeze Attempts that is.  We're sure glad they keep using this as a way to cut costs.  It appears to have almost worked over the last 3 years.  Sounds like they really mean it this time!

http://www.simcoereformer.ca/2011/08/29/norfolk-under-hiring-freeze

http://www.simcoereformer.ca/2011/11/01/a-hiring-freeze-that-wasnt

http://www.simcoereformer.ca/2012/01/11/norfolk-takes-second-run-at-hiring-freeze

http://www.simcoereformer.ca/2012/01/18/saving-them-from-themselves

http://www.simcoereformer.ca/2013/01/15/county-freezes-hiring-again

Norfolk County Financial Highlights 2010-1012

It's been mentioned that Norfolk Voice is too negative with some of our posts.  It's not that we are negative people.  It's the exact opposite and we're positive that something needs to correct Norfolk County's downward financial spiral.  So many Citizen's of Norfolk email us asking us to provide them with more data so that they can judge for themselves the situation that they face.  Since we too are tax payers in the County don't you also want to know how your money is being spent?

Attention Long Point Land Owners - Fowler Toad Update

We are letting you know that a habitat regulation for the Fowler's Toad has been finalized under the Endangered Species Act, 2007.  This affects all of Long Point.

While the Cats are Away the Rats will Play!

On November 26th, Norfolk County council debated on the Long Point Region Conservation Authority draft budget.  Citizen's left over from the meeting regarding the 4th Concession were in attendance and most of the Councilors talked tough about cracking down on the fat at the LPRCA.  Council asked for Mr Cliff Evanitski, GM of LPRCA to do a formal presentation to them.

This presentation was done on December 3rd with no Citizen's attending the meeting since it was so short of notice.  This was likely planned for this date due to the knowledge that it would be a full house on December 10th with Citizen's showing up for the 4th Concession By-Law repeal meeting.  In this second meeting you can clearly tell the difference in the demeanor of the Councilors.  All of the tough talk is gone and there's enough glad handing and praise that it would appear that's it's a rehearsed show to make everyone feel good.  Everyone but the tax payer of course.

The Cost of Being 'Open For Business'

With Norfolk County's slogan of 'Being Open For Business', we thought we'd run over the numbers and see how the mandate is going.

We've taken all of these figures from the Financial Information Return on the Municipal Affairs and Housing website.  These are the figures that Norfolk County itself submits to the MMAH as part of the Municipal Performance Measurement Program.

Free Advertising for Local Businesses

Merry Christmas Norfolk!

To celebrate Christmas, Norfolk Voice is offering free advertising to all local businesses as a gift!

If you would like to have your business listed please feel free to send us an email.   We are looking to add all businesses in Ward 1 currently and will add the data from the other Ward's as it becomes available to us.

We will be running featured local business listings with logo's as well.  We are here to help our local businesses grow and prosper.

Since our inception less than 4 months ago we have had over 14,154 page views and have 271 Twitter followers as of today.

We will be launching an entire website in January. This website will be search engine optimized and will bring attention to our Beautiful Norfolk County from around the World.

See below for all listings :

Regifting - Nature Conservacy of Canada Style

Thought by leaving your legacy to the Nature Conservancy of Canada that it would always stay with them? Think again. They are masters of the 'regifting' program. This data was obtained from the Canada Revenue Agency and shows where they regift their received funds.

Some of the Donee's are political lobbyists as well as many government agencies. The NCC receives funding from governments at all levels and then chooses to give it back to certain ones. Does that make sense to you?

More Jobs Lost in the Area. Kellogg's to Close London Facility

Too little, too late?  A day after Gary Goodyear, Minister of State for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario, was in London to launch a $200 million program designed to stimulate investment in Ontario manufacturing, Kellogg's announced it will shutter it's cereal making facility. Approximately 500 workers including 110 Unionized positions making between $28-30 per hour will be lost forever.

Good Bye Red Gates - The 4th Concession will be Open to the Public Again!

The verdict is in. With a vote of 5-2 Norfolk County Council votes to remove the gates blocking public access to 4th Concession of South Walsingham! 

Votes for :

Roger Geysens
Mike Columbus
Betty Chanyi
John Wells
Harold Sonnenberg

Votes against :

Peter Black
Jim Oliver

Absent : Mayor Dennis Travale

Can We Afford Norfolk County Staff?

In 2012 local government posted the largest deficit ever.  $9.2 billion dollars.  This summer, Ontario's deficit and high spending policies resulted in a downgrade from credit agencies.  Ontario's deficit is over $15 billion.

Prior to 2000 it was rare for local government to post a deficit of more than $1 billion but that number climbed to $6.3 billion during the 2008 great recession.  Canada's gross government debt is higher than the United States or the European Union.

Town Council Meeting December 10 at Simcoe Town Hall 5pm - 4th Concession

The time has finally come for a decision to be made whether to remove the gates that are barring entry to the 4th Concession of South Walsingham so that it's once again open to the public.

...or has it?

The meeting is to take place on December 10th at 5pm, Simcoe Town Hall at 50 Colborne Street South. (It's a full docket so bring a comfy pillow.)

For those of you who are not up to date, please read on for a full account.

Concession A Bridge Meeting - Monday December 9th, 5:30-7:30 pm

MEETING SCHEDULE:

MONDAY DECEMBER 9TH, 5:30 - 7:30 PM
PORT ROWAN COMMUNITY CENTRE,
14 COLLEGE AVE, PORT ROWAN


http://www.historicbridges.org/bridges/browser/?bridgebrowser=ontario/concessionaroad/


County Contact Below - Ask for restoration of our historic bridges rather than closure and destruction.

Creative Accounting 101 - LPRCA Financial Data Revealed

On November 26th, The Long Point Region Conservation Authority went before Council to seek approval for their 2014 Budget.  A refill of the trough.  After a painstaking mission to uncover the LPRCA's real financial data we are finally able to compare the budget proposed to Council to what they actually do spend.

As you will notice in the Budget Proposal put forth to Council, LPRCA compares the 2013 Approved Budget to the newly proposed 2014 Budget. Council needs to see the Actual Expenditures not the budget for 2013 that they approved! This is especially important since the LPRCA went approximately 200,000 over budget last year. It seems that even previous budget proposals are put forth in this manner.  By comparing estimation vs estimation Council never does get a true reading of the costs.

We've set aside that clandestine practice and have incorporated the true costs with information obtained by The Canada Revenue Agency.  This should help Council to make an informed decision as opposed to voting on misguided information.