milton issues

Public Input for 2012 Milton Town Budget

Mike Cluett

During the last municipal election campaign, one of the most common themes I heard from voters was that they want to be kept informed and have more of a say in budget matters.  That message was heard loud and clear by myself and other councillors and we are happy to announce that there is an opportunity for you to have your say.

The Town of Milton has set up a survey that you can log into here, to have your say and answer questions about the upcoming 2012 Milton budget process.  This is an opportunity for you to tell US what YOU think the town’s priorities should be for the upcoming year and years beyond.

Although this survey is set to finish on June 8th, the town will continue to take input from residents, as well as through your local councillor (yours truly) to come up with priorities you find important.

Public input sought on 2012 municipal budget

 

Christina Commisso, CANADIAN CHAMPION

This year has yet to reach the halfway point and the Town is already looking ahead to Milton’s 2012 budget.

The public is encouraged to provide their input on the next year’s budget in an online survey (at www.milton.ca) until June 8.

The survey, open to residents and business owners, asks participants if they’d like see increased, decreased or the same level of service in respects to: fire service, winter snow control, transit, road maintenance, municipal parking lots, traffic signals and streetlighting, parks and open space, recreational programs and facility conditions.

The survey asks if there are new services or programs the Town should offer, existing services/programs that should be eliminated and if participants would support a tax increase to increase or add services.

Participants can indicated what per cent tax increase — between zero and five per cent — they’d support and whether or not they’re in favour of the dedicated tax levy for the hospital expansion implemented in this year’s budget.

The survey is one of the first steps in preparing Milton’s 2012 budget. During Monday’s council meeting, the Town’s senior manager of finance Sheryl Hill touched upon forthcoming budget pressures and new capital infrastructure to carried out next year.

The ongoing sports centre expansion and community park development, the completion of the Centre for the Arts, new staff positions, annualizing the 2011 transit enhancement for 2012 and the construction of No. 3 fire station and new headquarters are pressures Hill incited during her presentation to council.

The 2012 capital forecast includes 119 projects worth $72.5 million that are split fairly evenly between growth and non-growth projects. Hill said about 70 per cent of the expenses are pegged for road work.

At the meeting resident Kim Macdonald asked council to include the renewal of community parks in the older areas of town, including downtown, Timberlea and Dorset Park, in next year’s budget.

She said a lack of shade isn’t uncommon in some of the older parks and she often runs into parents from old Milton who drive out of their way to the new parks.

Councillor Rick Malboeuf said he’s heard similar concerns from Ward 4 residents and expects to see some movement in bringing the older parks up to date in the 2012 budget.

A budget call report will be presented to council this month. 

2012 Pre Budget Consultation Report to Council

Mike Cluett

As promised, Im attaching a copy of the 2012 Pre Budget Consultation report to council for tonights meeting.  I havent read through the presentation in detail as of yet, but if you have a few moments click and download for review.

2012 Town of Milton Pre Budget Consultation

Walking Piano Steps – A good idea?

Mike Cluett

Does anyone remember the movie BIG? Tom Hanks and the famous giant piano scene?

Would you like to see those similar piano keys on the steps of the Milton Arts Centre? Councillor Huffman asked staff for a report on the viability, cost, etc of installing these piano keys on the steps of the Arts Centre. That report can be found here.

The picture here is of something similar, but not to the spec’s of the Milton Centre for the Arts.  The cost is approximately $92,000. The staff recommendation is to approve the project once there is a sponsor available to pay for it.

After speaking with some people around town, some feel it will look tacky and cheapen the look of the Arts Centre that we just spent MILLIONS of dollars on and its not even open yet and we will have to tear up the steps removing the tile and replace it with this.

Do you think this would be a draw for tourism? Would you come from out of town to see this? This installation is apparently popular overseas and this would be the first one in North America.

Feedback?

There has been a lot of feedback on the Hawthorne Villager Forum (which is administered by ward 7 Councillor Rick Di Lorenzo) and you can find the comments on that thread here.

Here are some of MY comments:

This process is backwards as far as Im concerned. We have the approximate costs for the stairs done, which is fine. Council can receive the report for information.mike@mikecluett.ca with your comments/input for Monday’s meeting.Any other comments?

Next part of the process should be feedback from the Arts Centre. Does this “fit” into the vision of the MAC or does it take away from the feel of the building. For those who havent been inside, despite the outside appearance, its really well done and elegant on the inside. If I can get in or if anyone has any pics we should show them for sure.

After feedback has been received and given an “OK” that the MAC would support something like this, THEN we go out to the business community and search for a sponsor. That way we have the approx cost of the stairs AND the thumbs up from those who will be running it.

If we cant find a sponsor or sponsors for the full amount then the project should be shelved. Im not comfortable as a CSAC member and as a councillor suggesting these sponsor(s) make an application to the community fun for the difference. I’d hate to be on CSAC and have to deny funding for someone who qualifies under the Community Fund guidelines because $X was given for the piano steps.

If the private sector cant come up with the funding for this, I think we should pass. That wont be known until we hear from that business/arts community which is the reason why council (IMO) should wait before giving the project the green light.

We can receive the report for information, consult the people involved and address any maintenance issues/safety issues etc that might be on peoples minds, then go to the business community and get the full cost.

There are more important things for council to be considering right now like the 2012 budget call reports, hospital expansion funding, building/maintaining our roads and traffic calming policies.

Feel free to post here or email me mike@mikecluett.ca

Council Meeting May 30 2011

Mike Cluett

The next meeting of Milton Town Coucil is on Monday May 30th starting at 7pm at Milton Town Hall.

The governing body of the Town of Milton is Town Council, consisting of the Mayor and 10 Councillors who represent Milton’s eight wards.  Milton residents elect members of Council for a four-year term of office.  You can find a link to watch the Town Council meetings here.  The meetings are also broadcast on TV Cogeco (Channel 14).

Town Council deals with:

  • Matters requiring policy direction
  • By-laws or by-law amendments
  • Responses or actions to pertinent issues

Council also makes decisions on the recommendations of Milton’s two Standing Committees of Council:

  • Administration & Planning Committee
  • Community Services Committee

You can find a link to the agenda for this meeting here.

Some of the items for discussion tonight are:

You can register to be a delegate at the meeting if you have any questions or concerns regarding these or any other item on the Town Council agenda.  Email townclerk@milton.ca for more information.

I look forward to seeing you there.  If you cant, please watch online via www.milton.ca

Do You Have Your Wristband?

Mike Cluett

Recently the Tiger Jeet Singh Foundation started a fundraising campaign to help the families and children of Japan affected by the massive earthquake and tsunami.  The Tiger’s are international stars with a very large following in many regions around the world including Japan and they have never forgotten this.  They were touched as other Canadians were at the plight of families in Japan and in the hope of helping them out, they are raising funds through their foundation by selling these wristbands.

From the Tiger Jeet Singh Foundation site:

Tiger Jeet Singh’s connection to Japan is longstanding. He has spent the majority of his 45-year wrestling career in Japan and his son Tiger Jr. made his professional debut close to twenty years ago in Tokyo. Both fondly refer to Japan as their second home and have also held the country, and even more so the children of Japan, in a special place in their hearts. That is why this event focuses on the students’ contribution along with corporate support, to provide emergency supplies and relief to help those young lives following this disaster.

The Foundation will provide Halton schools with customized red and white wrist bands symbolizing the colors of the Canadian and Japanese flags, and decorated in a manner to demonstrate support for the students in Japan. There will be an inscription of “KIDZ 4 KIDZ – United We Rise” illustrating the children supporting one another and paying tribute to the Japanese flag of the ‘Rising’ Sun. There will also be a Japanese inscription, which translated means “We Pray for Japan”.

You can help support these efforts by purchasing your wristbands either through the Foundations website or by going to Troy’s Diner in downtown Milton and each one costs only $5 each.

All proceeds from the sale of the wrist bands will go towards the Japan Relief Campaign. The bands are available for $5 each and are offered in both small (7″) and large (8″) sizes.

Description:
Customized red and white wrist bands symbolizing the colours of the Canadian and Japanese flags and decorated in a manner to demonstrate support for the young students in Japan. There will be an inscription of “KIDZ 4 KIDZ – United We Rise” illustrating the children supporting one another and paying tribute to the Japanese flag of the ‘Rising’ Sun. There will also be a Japanese inscription, which translated means “We Pray for Japan”. 

Please help support the campaign and ask Troy for your wristband and together we can help families and the children of Japan.  You can find out more information by going to www.tigerjeetsinghfoundation.com

Tigerfest Returns June 4th 2011

Mike Cluett

From the Milton Canadian Champion

TigerFest returns to festival – High school strength challenge added to pro wrestling show

Wrestling fans, the countdown is on.

Just over two weeks remain until the return of TigerFest, which — as part of the Milton Downtown Street Festival — attracted more than a thousand onlookers last year.

Put on by international wrestling legend Tiger Jeet Singh and his son Tiger Ali Singh, this year’s event — set for Saturday, June 4 across from Troy’s Diner on Main Street — promises to pack ’em in once again. But not just because of the squared circle action.

Local teens are sure to come out in droves to watch their peers take part in Tiger’s High School Challenge, which will see five-guy, five-girl teams from each of the three high schools test themselves in strongman style competition.

Along with bragging rights, the challenge — culminating with a giant tire flipping contest — will serve as a fundraiser for the schools.

TigerFest t-shirts, with personalized school colours, will be sold leading up to the event, with net proceeds being donated back to each of the schools by the Tiger Jeet Singh Foundation.

The idea originated from Milton District’s request for assistance in its ongoing efforts to raise money for a new fitness room.

Set to begin around noon, the high school challenge kicks off a full slate of TigerFest activities, which continue with boxing and CrossFit demonstrations by Milton’s FirePower and performances by pop recording artist Prita Chhabra and Milton’s own soul singer/songwriter Khalel.

From there, the pro wrestling — which is scheduled to include former WWE stars Tatanka and Robbie McAllister and ex-TNA star Sonjay Dutt, as well as some notable names from the independent circuit — gets underway at 5 p.m.

Wrapping up with a wrestlers autograph session, the card won’t include a competitive showing by Tiger Jr. this time around, as an Achilles injury will keep him out of action.

However, an in-ring cameo role by the former WWE heel — who won last year’s card-ending battle royal — is a distinct possibility.

While the event is free, organizers are asking for a minimum donation of $5 for a spot in the provided seating area. Proceeds from this will go to the Milton Salvation Army.

In conjunction with this, Miltonians are asked to drop off non-perishable food items to local Scotiabank locations starting in mid-May in support of the food bank.

TigerFest t-shirts will also be sold during the day, with the money raised going to the Tiger Jeet Singh Foundation in support of the Japan Relief Campaign, Halton Learning Foundation and McMaster Children’s Hospital.

For more information and regular updates on TigerFest, visit www.tigerjeetsinghfoundation.com.