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Letters: week of Sept. 28

Sally Ann thanks the organizers of Rutherglen Close car show Sir: The Salvation Army would like to extend our gratitude to the organizers, volunteers, and participants of the Rutherglen Close Car Show on Sept. 16.
Letters to the editor

Sally Ann thanks the organizers of Rutherglen Close car show

Sir: The Salvation Army would like to extend our gratitude to the organizers, volunteers, and participants of the Rutherglen Close Car Show on Sept. 16. Your generosity is an absolute blessing.

We would like to express appreciation to Krystal Thomson, our Community and Family Services Coordinator, and her team of volunteers from Community and Family Services and our church family.

We thank those who attended the show and the residents of Rutherglen Close. Your support is significant.

And most of all, we thank Dan and Cheryl Moore. Dan is the man who had the vision for the car show and the hardest working individual behind it.

The weather was wonderful, more cars were entered than ever before, and $­­­8,595.27 was raised for The Salvation Army, the highest total in the event’s nine years.

The money stays here in our community and helps us help others. God bless.

Captains Mark and Nancy Braye

The Salvation Army Sarnia Corps/Community Church


Cost of Great Lakes school reno rising? What a surprise!

Sir: Re: the Sept. 7 story: “Price tag swells for redeveloped Great Lakes high school.”

Seriously? I am (not) shocked, stunned, surprised and filled with disbelief to read that the renovation and expansion of the future Great Lakes Secondary School is already $5 million over budget!

They have just started the renovations. How can this be? (I find Education Director Jim Costello’s lame explanation hard to swallow.)

This is exactly what the sane, honest, sensible citizens behind the “Save SCITS” campaign said would happen.

What a debacle!

Sincerely,

Claudette Gasbarini

Sarnia


Young couple’s generous gesture restored faith in people

Sir:  My son and I were having lunch at a teahouse on Sept. 16 and were seated beside a young couple and their little boy, who had the best head of curly hair.

I kept remarking to my son how cute their son was, and we thoroughly enjoyed watching this little guy interact with his parents, who clearly doted on him.

I couldn’t help smiling at them and eventually commented to the parents how adorable and well behaved their little boy was. After they left, we both said how nice it was to see a young couple who treated each other and their son so kindly.

Our server came over then and asked us if we knew the young family, and informed us that they had paid for our lunch.

We were totally flabbergasted because we didn’t know them, and were so touched they would think to do that for total strangers.

What that young couple didn’t know is that I had had a rough few weeks and was feeling very down. Their thoughtful, generous gesture not only restored my faith in people, but reinforced what I have always taught my son - that a kind word or deed can make all the difference to someone.

I hope they see this letter and know they have inspired us to pay it forward. Sincerely,

Jane Hein

Sarnia


I would vote for Mike Bradley, if I didn’t live in Point Edward

Sir: Re: the “Fab Five” letter from Anne Marie Gillis on Sept. 14th.

The term Fab Five was originated by public citizens who did not like decisions of council.  At present these council members are Anne Marie Gillis, Brian White, Bev MacDougall, Matt Mitro and Cindy Scholten. I fail to understand what this Fab Five has done to improve Sarnia.

I am blessed to live in Point Edward where our council works together and no one is trying to overthrow our mayor.

On the other-hand, I am sorry that I cannot vote for Mayor Mike Bradley. Next year he will celebrate his 30th year as mayor of Sarnia, and is one of Ontario's best liked.

This is the first council with which Mayor Bradley has had any problems. He has been mistreated, after apologizing more than once. He has had the locks changed on the door of the City Hall without notification, and had an investigator of who it was said wasn’t qualified – hired, of course by council, investigate him. They go on and on and never stop.

Centennial Park is a mess and has cost taxpayers almost $12 million, and now the CAO wants $250,000 more for security and fencing etc.

Construction companies usually take care of security, not the city.

And now council has imposed electronic voting when even the provincial and federal governments say we’re not ready for it.  A meeting is planned for Sept. 29 at the Clearwater Arena at 2 p.m. to discuss the paper ballot issue.

The City Manager and the Fab. 5 have done a good job of putting the mayor and Sarnia on the map.

Sincerely,

Merial Loosemore

Point Edward


‘Fab Five’ councillor has nothing to boast about

Sir: In your Sept. 14 issue, city councillor Anne Marie Gillis patted herself on the back for having been a member of the ‘infamous club’ known as the Fab Five since being elected in 2013.

There was never a council referred to by that title (not a compliment by any stretch of the imagination) before the present one.

She indicated she is now part of a ‘group of seven’ who agree on many issues and are consistent in their voting. That has been all too obvious and, in my not so humble opinion, much to the detriment to the city’s business.

It appears the ‘change’ this council is bringing about has been negative, rather than positive. They’ve spent hundreds of thousands of dollars in their effort to oust the mayor and build a ridiculous wall in City Hall that has made this building, owned and paid for by the taxpayers, more like a fortress than a place where the public is welcomed.

Roads are crumbling but, in their ‘wisdom,’ they’ve managed to spend many millions on Centennial Park and much still needs doing.

Gillis was given the job of being the mayor’s mouthpiece since he was muzzled by the ‘integrity’ commissioner and the undemocratic code of conduct council implemented.

It looks like this code only applies to the mayor. The councillors appear to have violated it time and again with their remarks at council meetings, even the meeting attended by the ‘integrity’ commissioner. Gillis even insinuated that the mayor was responsible for the death of the late city engineer.

She concludes by saying, “City Council consists of members who draw on a broad background, bringing together a range of views and ideas.”

Hmmm — didn’t she just write that they have been largely consistent in their voting?  When, then, does this range of views and ideas come in?

Bernice Rade

Forest


It takes time to work safely, but working safely saves lives

Sir: I recently went for a bike ride around the construction site at Lambton College. It’s great to see such an expansion in the city.

But as I watched the working personnel at the site, I saw five safety violations in about 10 minutes.

They included a lack of safety glasses, people and compressed gas canisters under a lift, and a flatbed delivery being made without proper lookout personnel.

These workers weren’t teenagers, but mature men with families and children and possibly grandchildren.

It takes time to be safe, but taking time and thinking does save lives.

I always liked Elmer the Safety Elephant. He kept his two eyes and could walk on two feet, even though he was an elephant.

Cam Ross

Sarnia


Signs needed instructing people not to feed the ducks bread

Sir: I recently moved to Sarnia, live downtown and have adopted the waterfront trail in Centennial Park for my daily walk.

It’s a most beautiful place to walk, ride, stroll or run, but too often lately I have witnessed folk feeding bread to the ducks.

Bread, as most folk are aware, is unhealthy for them, giving them no sustenance to survive the winter.

But, sadly there is no signage to deter people from doing this.

I feel strongly that this issue needs to be addressed so we are able to enjoy these little creatures for years to come. Thank you,

Claudine Spencer/Tucker

Sarnia


City council needs drill sergeant, not an integrity commissioner

Sir: Although Councillor Anne Marie Gillis’ recent letter refers to a Fab Five and a Magnificent Seven, I thought there were nine councillors.

What the City of Sarnia needs is innovators and idealists, not creativity, because that’s for dreamers.

For the most part Sarnia is rundown, and Anne Marie shouldn’t be bragging about what the Magnificent Seven has done.

The municipal budget has grown rapidly, and she should explain to the taxpayers where that money is going. It hasn’t gone to improve the city or bring new industries to town.

Sarnia needs diversification, not a code of conduct.

City Hall and some of its employees need to go to boot camp. They should get rid of the Integrity Commissioner and hire a drill sergeant.

Jeff Williams

Sarnia


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