Reading the News

I always love picking up the the Lake Report.

At one of our recent meet and greets, someone asked what I thought of the latest headlines.

Here is a post with some of my thoughts.

If you want to learn more, connect and see what I will do as the new Lord Mayor at vaughngoettlerforlordmayor.com.

“Integrity commissioner says mayor in conflict on Rand Estate”

This article shows how we just can’t trust the current Integrity Commissioner  to do what is right and follow the rules. 

The Lord Mayor should by default be receptive and listen to resident concerns.  It’s too bad that under the tired culture of this current administration, a resident who had very good intentions had to go through a formal process instead of getting a straight answer.

And it is even worse that when confronted with how this complaint went wrong, the Integrity Commissioner doubled down on his own mistakes.

When I am Lord Mayor, I will follow the rules.  I won’t be working for special interests, rich developers or Queen’s Park.  And I will make sure that we have an Integrity Commissioner who is willing to follow the rules too.

After building a career from modest beginnings, and working all the way up to being a CEO, now I’m retired and want to share what I know to help this Town. 

I don't have any conflicts of interest because I am aiming to work only for you, full time. 

“Zalepa seeking region chair job”

It’s great that the current Lord Mayor has finally been transparent about his desire to be Niagara's first "Strong Chair."  This article makes me think that him and Erwin Wiens have spent so much time at Queen’s Park now, Doug Ford has reserved a special couch for them to sit on in his office.

This article is based on rumours and until Doug Ford decides personally who he’s going to appoint as his new Strong Chair, they are only rumours. 

I don’t live by the rumour mill or by the will of Doug Ford.  I am focused on making things better in this amazing community.

That means when Doug Ford chooses the first Strong Chair for Niagara, I will get to know that person and be ready to work with them.

And as Lord Mayor of Niagara-on-the-Lake, I will be ready to stand up and fight for our independence at that Regional Council table.

“NOTL Museum lecture dives into polo”

I love the Niagara-on-the-Lake Museum and have made significant financial donations to ensure its success.  It is a Museum for all of us across every community, from Virgil to Macnab to the Parkway and Homer.

I can’t wait to attend Polo this year.  We’ll let you know in advance what colour we are wearing and where to find us; it’s a great place to meet and connect.

“NOTL crop growers await action after province tours flooded farms”

This story is heartbreaking.  Like hundreds of you, I was flooded too in the recent storms and we are still cleaning up from the terrible mess.  The way these floods hit our specialty crop lands is especially terrible.

On top of the damage caused by rain, this article is frustrating because it shows lots of politicians who are happy to show up and have their picture taken, but still haven’t delivered on needed funding for farmers. 

Even worse, the current CAO’s decision not to declare a Municipal Emergency means that we are in a weaker position than St. Catharines and Lincoln to get funding for cleanup.

I don’t get it.  When amalgamation was on the table, the CAO acted like that was a life or death emergency.  But when people’s homes and farms were awash in sludge, and livelihoods and personal belongings were going underwater, the CAO didn’t see a problem serious enough to call an emergency.

For me, great leadership is consistent.

As Lord Mayor, when significant weather events cause unprecedented damage to resident properties, farms and businesses, I will declare a Municipal Emergency.  I will do everything in my power to ensure that Provincial funding flows quickly to the people who need it most.

Here’s another thing I don’t get.  If the current Deputy Lord Mayor is so close to Doug Ford, and has him on speed dial like he says he does all the time, then why is Doug Ford taking so long to send funding relief to the local farmers here?

As Lord Mayor, I wouldn’t just talk about my influence at Queen’s Park, and go there to party with Ministers every other weekend. 

Instead of romancing Doug Ford, I will truly make things happen for the good farmers of Niagara-on-the-Lake.  And here’s something new: I will ban photos when these post-disaster visits happen, to make sure that no politician is showing up there just to look good.

On the positive side, there is some helpful info here from the Town’s Communications staff: that affected farmers can contact contact Agricorp at 1-888-247-1380 or at contact@agricorp.com to inquire about assistance programs.

To all of the farmers affected by this terrible mess, I will stand with you, and fight for your interests, and I will never treat you like a photo op.

“Developer to dismantle and transfer historic schoolhouse”

What a shame that another historic building on the Niagara Parkway is going to be mangled.

Years ago, the property owner here was told to preserve and carefully move this designated building.  The Municipal Heritage Committee told them to keep it where it was and build a new mansion around it or use the old structure as part of the new building, but they refused to do those things. 

Then time went by, and nothing was done, and the Town never bothered following up, and then a bulldozer attacked this stone structure out of the blue.  Now, the owner is being told once again to do what he was told to do by the Municipal Heritage Committee, as if the original recommendation never happened. 

This is so frustrating.  We are supposed to care about heritage in this town. 

As Lord Mayor, I will do everything in my power to truly protect and preserve our local history, and save the special places that make us unique.  I will expect developers to use and revive historic buildings for new uses.  And I will impose extremely serious penalties for property owners who demolish heritage buildings without permits, or by neglect, or leave things empty long enough that they burn down in the middle of the night.

Niagara-on-the-Lake, we can do better.  Let’s go forward together for a future that respects our past.

“NOTL’s choice, from blackjack to tarmac”

I love reading Garth Turner’s column and even though we don’t always agree, that’s what I like: he has a unique voice, and he’s not afraid to share his opinions.

As your future Lord Mayor, I won’t be afraid to connect and talk with people who see the world a bit differently than I do.  In fact I will welcome that. 

I want a mix of different voices in Council Chambers.  I don’t want to be surrounded by ‘yes people.’  Through my many years as a CEO I know that an organization only succeeds when there is room for different opinions to be shared and respected.

I’m thankful that Garth shared so many of my own views in this column.  And I am deeply concerned about the prospect of Niagara-on-the-Lake becoming the even more expensive version of “Las Vegas North.”  While Doug Ford is holding back on flood relief for residents and farmers, he is all in on gambling for billionaires.

I’m against the airport expansion as it is, and I’m against handing over Niagara-on-the-Lake’s future to a bunch of casino operators.

Niagara-on-the-Lake, we can do better than that.  Let’s go forward together and stop taking bets.  Let’s build a real economy that works for the people who actually live here.

Stay tuned for more thoughts next week.

Connect and join the movement at vaughngoettlerforlordmayor.com