Tuesday, July 22, 2014

STEPHEN PASSERO GETS "SCHOOLED" BY ACTIVIST PARENT

Where does one begin when there's a treasure trove of topics to discuss revolving around the Monday, July 21st Regular Council Meeting? "From the sublime to the ridiculous," as my mother would say.

OK. Let's start with the ridiculous: Mike Cloutier, the sometime newsman, decided to speak out about something he is passionate about - the proposed closing of Mishner-hic-Road. His delegation was quite rich, considering that Cloutier's only means of transportation is a bicycle, but he slurred his way through and made some valid points - points that had been expressed by many others since staff recommended the closure of one small part of the road as a "cost-cutting measure."  Mike came to the end of his presentation and said he had a "couple more pages" to read but was denied extra time as no one on council thought that Cloutier had anything more pertinent to say.  There was a smattering of applause coming from the back of chambers after he finished. He did want it to "go on record" that he was not allowed to finish his speech. Not to worry, Mike. Council voted to drop the proposed road closure, probably in spite of your delegation. Feel free to ride your bike through Mishner Road all the way to Sherkston Beach if you like.

Then it was Leslie Burrison's time to speak on the future site of an new amalgamated elementary school for Ridgeway-Crystal Beach. She identified herself as a  spokesperson for the Children and Advocacy Group that had formed over opposition to the proposed giveaway of parkland on Rebstock Road to the Niagara District School Board for construction of a new school. (In February, 2014, council decided to offer a portion of the Kinsmen Club donated land to the NDSB for the build. Since February, parents and stakeholders came forward to protest the loss of greenspace when the DSBN has numerous properties in Ridgeway that could be used for a new school. On June 16, council voted unanimously to rescind the offer after hearing from these concerned citizens.)

Ms. Burrison began by offering sincere thanks for council's vote to rescind the offer of the land on Rebstock Road and to not revisit that offer again.  She referred to a petition presented to the town with over one thousand signatures of those against the land offer. After her well-presented speech, the audience applauded. Lame Duck Mayor Martin chided the audience :"No applause please; this is a council meeting. Please, no applause." All righty then.

When Passero got the chance to question Ms. Burrison, he adopted his superior I'm-running-for-mayor-voice* and said something to the effect that there's no other councillor but him who has had as much experience in the Accomodation Review and consolidation process as he went through it in his ward and served on the ARC Committee, so the question was: "Are you aware that the funding for the new school comes from the Ministry, not the DSBN?"

The answer was a simple "yes." Ms. Burrison agreed that the people would all like to see a brand new, state-of-the-art school for the Ridgeway-Crystal Beach students.

Passero served up a morsel of his superior knowledge by explaining that the ministry looks at the municipal involvement when it comes to allotments of funds for a new school. He hinted that, "if we don't pursue the Rebstock Road site, this may not make it to the top of the list for funding." (/badly-veiled threat)

Ms. Burrison countered with the fact that, on the list of 79 schools that will share $700 million alloted for new school buildings and improvements, neither the Ridgeway Crystal Beach HS/Fort Erie HS amalgamation nor the Ridgeway-Crystal Beach amalgation appears on that list that will be in effect until 2017.  "Why the push for a September 30 deadline to decide?" she asked. She also pointed out that the successful rebuild of the former General Vanier School to the Peace Bridge School next to a town park did not require that the town give up any of its public greenspace.

Passero pointed out that a business plan had not been submitted to the province about either of the plans as they were awaiting public input. "Do you see any harm to looking at this again? Are you looking for this to be Dead in the Water?" he asked. Then to throw her off, he remarked that he saw some in the audience nodding in agreement with him.

"I don't purport to be a voice for everyone in the room. I'm speaking only for myself. You asked if I would like this 'dead in the water?' The answer is, 'yes!'

You saw the value and wisdom in rescinding the offer... Let them move forward and build in the direction they were originally going before the Rebstock Road offer. We don't need to balance the school board's budget for them."

Passero tried to save face by ending with, "If you'd like to give me a call, I can answer those questions. I can't answer those now in this type of setting." (WTF?)

Sublime!  Game, set and match to the over one thousand people who signed the petition. Council voted to NOT revisit the Rebstock Road offer.

* Passero announced his intention on Tuesday, July 22, 2014 to seek the mayor's seat in the October 27 municipal election. About time. He's been sniffing around that seat for almost four years.

(Editor's Note:  there is a lot more that went on Monday night. I will continue my commentary later.)

16 comments:

  1. ah Dougies illegiitimate child ,taking over from dad and screwing the town over for his benefit.

    Unlikely he will get anywhere and will end up like sandy, desperately trying to squeeze in on some other publicly paid trough. Slurp slurp slurp

    Tried and true method of securing employment here, and In some really twisted local circles, held in esteem. Thus the mess we wallow in politically and economically.

    Its long past time for the silent majority to wake up and take back their own town for themselves and put an end to this destructive, self serving and expensive ol boy club. Stephen , like Kim and Marina, represents the next generation of clubbers waiting for their chance.

    Say no to stupidity in October.

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    Replies
    1. What people need to do is ask questions of the candidates and record the answers or ask in a public place. Stephen has a lot of 'splaining to do. Just sayin'

      Delete
  2. Watch Cogeco this Thursday, Channel 10 at 1p.m.
    See for yourselves if Steve Pessaro and Rick Shular want Jim Thibert's EDTC to be accountable to us taxpayers.
    Stay tuned to the end for yet another embarrassing rant.

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  3. All we can hope for is that each voter does their own research regarding the candidates and not depend on slanted propaganda reporting.
    Typically the old boy's clubs have lots of money to back their candidates in order to make more money with paid off votes.
    I think the same goes for malicious law suits, you need disposable funds.

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  4. " paid off votes " ????!!!!

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    1. Well ED most of all Doug's campaign funds came from business owners if you review history you might find that Doug voted in favour if they ever went to council for any request. Example review Ridgeway by the Lake ( Ridgeway Estates ), the Miller Clan, Rosehill, etc.. here you can check yourself - http://home.cogeco.ca/~dcrane6/03-28-07%20Doug%20Martin%20-%202006%20Election%20Financial%20Statement.pdf

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  5. I meant that a candidate is then obligated to support the causes that his or her financial supporters want. Opposing candidates can also be harassed with nuisance law suits or harassed with Compliance issues that also cost the candidate money to defend.

    I didn't mean paying off someone at the voting station.

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  6. Lots of donations are so small the candidate couldnt buy a tank of gasoline. It looks like more of a public display of their loyalty to a choosen candidate, and if that buys them a little bit of favortism when it comes to some small issue all the better, they must be thinking. With the unfair increases in taxation that we are experiencing I cant see how anyone would want to give yet even more money away to the characters running for office. A public display of your political leanings when the donation list is published in the local rag. What do they do with those funds anyway?? Mailouts?, newspaper ads?. By any means a way to keep track of which clingons are looking to be looked down upon from the throne favorably. Its pretty obvious that sort of thing has been going on. And thats just corrupt behaviour ,from the donator AND the receiver, and getting worse.

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    1. not all the donations are small and declared. Also there is the delivery free gratis of goods and services again undeclared for ``favourable`` outcomes to whatever situation the donator may find himself in, for instance those pesky bylaws. (designed for the greater public good but then we wouldnt need a committee of adjustment that never finds against the town. If you do, youre off the board asap. Ask Peter k as he has knowledge of this, outstanding citizen he is, yeah right....)

      This has all been common practice for quite some time here. Quebec has an anti corruption squad that we could keep quite busy locally.

      SUPPORT THE FOUR as they stand up to all this filth that is common practice in TOFE.

      Delete
  7. Every Canadian citizen has the right to donate money to any candidate or any political party. That is protected by our constitution. That is not "buying votes", if it were, the money would be going the other way, from the candidate to the voter.

    Now I know you are saying that because that individual or company donated money to a candidate, then that candidate is going to get them business through their political position. No one individual around the Horseshoe can accomplish that. That is why we have a council ..... 6 councilors and a mayor, and the decision is based on a majority vote, which has been very obvious with our current council.

    So, if you still feel that supporters of any candidate are benefiting from their support, please elaborate with facts instead of the constant unsubstantiated accusations.

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  8. Look at me, dont you remember I gave you a cheque for $35 dollars, dont you feel the love?? Remember me when I set up my poor confused hubby to look up into your cold bored eyes and ask "why isnt my parking being monitored by your bylaw officers"?? Might take a few more centavos to get more than a smug look of anoyance from the all seeing council, (once every every two weeks, if you can believe that). $35,000 and we MAYBE we can talk...maybe..we see the love, just turn it up a little, so a few more of us can see it..more clearly...you know...

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  9. view_from_the_beachJuly 25, 2014 at 8:04 AM

    Especially in light of his ringing endorsement from the peter k/greggers brain trust, it will be a pleasure watching little Stephen P try to hide his intolerance of anyone that disagrees with his thinking.
    Fact is this smug little prick is The Perfect candidate for the small minded, big mouths that kiss the asses of the Martin/Thibert clan with every opportunity as it is Stephen's desire to become the next Imam Of The Ignorant.
    As to the rest of Fort Erie..?
    One need only look at the empty rhetoric and broken promises this joker has left in his path to see exactly where he's headed.
    Fort Erie's New Ninja King!

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  10. Is this the same Steven P. that runs a pastry shop?? Selling cakes and other junk foods for a living?? Didnt we just experience the foresight and leadership of a mayor that used to run a jewelery shop? Did you see how that went? The same Steve that headed up the funding committe for the kinsman pool? The closed pool? Over saw a skateboard park that ended up dug into the front lawn of the town hall along the highway?? Shorewalk? other than a few signs at the end of deadend streets hows that going? Elected to lead? Isnt that what Mulrooney said just before he hatched the GST we all enjoy? That $50,000 per year job must look pretty "sweet" to a guy selling sugary junk food for a living. Leadership? Better leave that job to the big boys. On the library board, a system that gets almost $1.7 MILLION dollars per and still has the juice to ask for a dollar from every person coming to see one of their tired movies. If this is leadership we may be in more trouble than I thought.

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  11. Not sure where your getting your info that PeterK the deli shop owner is supporting Stephen, because he is definitely not supporting him, but rather attacking him over some BBIA issues. He is sqauking all over FB about him

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    1. view_from_the_beachJuly 25, 2014 at 3:17 PM

      "ringing endorsement" was dripping with sarcasm. sorry you missed it.

      Delete

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