59 Carden St.

Who you gonna call?

Posted by Laura

I learned this morning that the city has been cleared in an investigation into the sewage works at the wet plant.

The Ministry of the Environment closed the books on its investigation yesterday after failing to substantiate an allegation that the city upgraded its storm water management system without proper approvals.

The investigation examined whether there had been a violation of the Ontario Water Resources Act, which carries fines up to $6 million.

It was a good news story for the city: no charges, no fines. The allegation found to be without merit.

So why couldn't I get anyone from the city to comment on the matter?

The short answer, at least according to a couple employees, was that no one had even heard the good news yet. As far as they knew, the investigation was still ongoing.

While I can appreciate the need, especially in a situation like this, to wait until the news comes from the horse's mouth. I also think it's important to take advantage of good news as it happens, especially when the subject — the wet plant — has such a troubled past.

How do you feel about sorting more?

Posted by Magda
I went to St. Catharines last weekend to visit some friends who had moved there from Guelph. While cooking dinner, I hovered near their complicated collection of garbage cans with a pepper stem in hand.
"Where does this go?"
My simple question set off a tirade.
My friends, who'd long ago figured out Guelph's three-stream system, were still struggling to work out what to do with their trash in their new home. It turns out St. Catharines has four streams -- it's similar to our system, except paper goes in a grey box. The details are different, too -- for instance, not all plastics are recycled, so some end up in their equivalent of our clear bag.
The 21st-century version of wrestling with phone and cable companies, I guess figuring out what to do with your trash has become a headache that's just about guaranteed when you move.

Did you get the call?

Posted by Laura

Most journalists will tell you they've been to a post-mortem or two. I'm not being macabre. The term, as it's often used in journalism, refers to a critique of our product.

That same process is happening right now at city hall. Staffers are trying to determine if residents find their biannual newsletter useful.

Insight Guelph, which has been produced since winter 2005, is about to see some changes. City staff are hoping to bump up production to three editions in 2008. But first they want to make sure it's worth the current price tag — $20,016.02. A third issue would likely raise that cost.

So after the most recent issue was delivered to mailboxes this month, staff decided to follow up with a random telephone poll of 385 residents.

The results aren't in quite yet, but will be available soon. But until then, what are your thoughts on Insight Guelph? Does it provide you with the insight you need into city hall and this community?

36.5

Posted by Magda
I took 36 and a half pages of notes on last night's presentations to council by companies trying to sell their composting technologies to the city.
My hands hurt. Both of them. And my brain, too.
I don't envy councillors for having to keep all the details straight. Here's hoping the companies' powerpoint presentations are posted online soon.

Almost like a Q&A

Posted by Magda
It was like a Q&A, but without the Q. Or the A, for that matter.
Some council watchers were distressed last week when they heard that no one would be allowed to ask questions as various companies presented their composting technologies to council last night. It seemed odd to bring all these experts together in one room and not allow the public, or even councillors, to ask anything.
Mayor Karen Farbridge explained before the meeting yesterday that it was an issue of fairness -- each potential bidder needs to be given the opportunity to respond to each question. So instead of asking questions in public, councillors can send their questions to staff, who will forward them to all the potential bidders.
"Any questions will be provided to all proposals to everyone has an opportunity to respond," Farbridge told chambers last night.
Even with the explanation, that doesn't sit well with former councillor David Birtwistle.
"How do the citizens of Guelph know what questions are being asked and what are the responses?" he asked.
I'm hoping I'll be able to get a copy of those questions and answers, either to post here or to publish in the paper.
In the meantime, read more on last night's meeting in today's Mercury.

No live feed

Posted by Magda
I had high hopes tonight as I headed to my first council meeting since the inception of "59 Carden St."
Unfortunately, it turns I won't be blogging live from council chambers, since there's no wireless Internet connection there. I'll have to leave the live coverage to Rogers television.

'Not available at this time'

Posted by Magda
I'm reading through the city's instructions to companies that want to rebuild our compost plant, and surprised by the small amount of information the city is willing to provide.
A potential bidder asked for the Ministry of the Environment's compliance report on the former facility -- now being charged by that ministry for an alleged violation of the Environmental Protection Act.
"Not available at this time," the city responded.
Ditto for tonnages of green waste received per month in the last two years, a record of complaints against the facility, a flow chart for how organics were processed, a list of personnel working at the facility, a site plan... the list goes on.
I'm surprised this information wasn't readily available for potential bidders.
 

Lack of info disappointing

Posted by Magda
My colleague Scott Tracey is working on a story for tomorrow about the extension of interim CAO Hans Loewig's contract. When he asked the mayor what Loewig's salary would be, she wouldn't tell him. She explained that will be made public this spring, when the salaries of all civil servants making over $100,000 are released.
It's unfortunate whenever the city isn't open about how it spends tax money. It's especially puzzling in cases where the information will be made public anyway.

Surprise announcement

Posted by Magda
There was some surprise in our newsroom today when we heard interim CAO Hans Loewig's interim status has been extended by two years.
Former CAO Larry Kotseff left the city in May. A transitional team of senior staff -- emergency services director Shawn Armstrong, corporate services director Lois Payne, and then-finance director David Kennedy -- took Kotseff's place while the city looked for interim CAO to hold down the job while they looked for someone permanent.
At the time, the city made it clear it was hiring Loewig because he wasn't interested in taking the job on a permanent basis. That opened the door for the staff on the transitional team to apply if they were interested, Mayor Karen Farbridge explained back in June.
So the announcement that process was circumvented came as a surprise to many of us here in the newsroom. I'm looking forward to learning the details in Scott Tracey's story in the Mercury tomorrow.

Welcome

Posted by Magda
Welcome to the Mercury's brand new blog. Laura and I will be posting city hall tidbits as they happen. We encourage you to get involved in the discussion. Let us know what you think by posting comments, and please email us with ideas.
Happy reading!