Good things happen in the “Near north in Nakina” as Rotzy will tell ya. But only after July 1 when summer comes for a few days. That’s when the ‘Nakina-ites’ rush out into the garden to see what can be salvaged and each re-considers putting the snowblower away in storage. Though the latter is given serious and repeated reconsideration.
Lookin’ Good
Some recent improvements around Nakina have not gone unnoticed. I guess it started out with the new metal roof going on St Brigid’s Catholic Church shortly after the snow melted. Lately, we’ve noted how much ‘younger’ the Seniors Sunrisers Club is looking over on Kingsland Ave, firstly with a new coat of stain (by club members/volunteers) on their ‘extensive’ deck and trim, then a new blue metal roof, new lighting on the ramp, and, if I’m not mistaken, some tyme was spent on the flower box out front. Last, but not least, it appears that the painting of the Royal Canadian Legion, William Grant Branch #116….following initial interior paint and renos….the entire outside of the building and trim is nearing completion, and I expect the great-looking new sign is about to go on the front of the building….in fact it might already be installed. “From Nakina” gives a ‘hats off’ to all who had a hand in these projects!!
What’s Goin’ On….
….at Queens Park? Last week Premier Doug Ford followed through on his pre-election promise to fire Hydro One’s CEO Mayo Schmidt….aka ‘The 6.2 Million Dollar Man’, which happens to be what Mayo’s 2017 salary amounted to! In fact, Dougie went one better than that, he ‘canned’ the entire Hydro One Board!! And to complete his Hydro Hat Trick, he still insists that Ontarian’s electricity is soon gonna be 12% cheaper!!! “From Nakina”, tho we’re holding off on cartwheels and high-fives for the tyme being, is just fine with all that….but it says here that ‘the best/worst’ news is yet to come. Somebody is gonna have to explain to Rotzy how/why the ex-CEO would simply ‘vacate’ his job after a private, little ‘tete-a-tete’ with the new Premier, and just walk away from (what all reports indicate) was/is a $10.7 Million Dollar Severance Package….which Schmidt was/is lawfully entitled to! Ford clearly stated ”there will be ZERO Severance”. Then he turfs the whole Board!….also obviously without a ‘farewell bonus/gift’. Sorry folks, but it says here that ‘something’s rotting in Denmark’. Has Dougie got anything in mind as a Hydro One follow-up, or will he leave that to his new ‘3-Star’ Minister (Energy/MNDM/Ind Affairs) Greg Rickford to sort out? Jeez, it seems Greggie is already VERY busy at the moment, trying to settle things down with his Min Of Indigenous Affairs portfolio. So….SO….Doug, who will the new Hydro CEO be? How much will he/she cost Ontario? Who are YOUR new Hydro Board appointees gonna be? I’m sure you still ‘owe’ a lot of people after your big win, right? Those are what normal working people call ‘plums’….which is how those you just ‘canned’ got there too….via Kathleen and Dalton. Hey, you’ll catch on. One thing keeps bugging me from when you had your little meeting with Mayo Schmidt….whether or not you took a Smith And Wesson into the room with you? Either that or you’re some kind of ‘negotiator’!!! Miz. Jo and I, altho we didn’t vote P/C, are totally supportive of your 12% rate reduction. (*good ‘rant’, eh?)
Readers Write
And this one sent me an obituary from The London Times. “F/N” doesn’t usually comment on ‘obits’, however, this one, albeit done somewhat ‘tongue in cheek’, does have some sad and serious overtones to it. Check it out: *It speaks to the death of ‘Common Sense’, lamenting the fact that he was Predeceased by his Parents, Truth and Trust; also by his Wife, Discretion; by his Daughter, Responsibility; and by his Son, Reason. He was survived by 5 Stepbrothers; I Know My Rights, I Want It Now, Someone Else Is To Blame, I’m A Victim and Pay Me For Doing Nothing. *Not many attended his funeral because so few realized he was gone. (*PS….I’m getting a deja-vu feeling….all over again….that I have read/written about this item previously. Having said that, I can’t definitely say for sure it’s a ‘repeat’, so maybe y’all can just ‘humour me’ and pretend it’s a ‘first-tymer’. Thanks. The sad thing is that it’s TRUE!! Common Sense ‘left the building’ a long, long tyme ago. Not necessarily willingly nor easily, but trust me, he’s long gone!!
Greenstone Annual (Financial) Report
I brought home our copy from the Nakina Post Office last week, altho a large number of them had just been left behind on the P/O counter along with other junk mail. I happen to think it warrants reading before being turfed. Pretty impressive layout, complete with our expensive new tourism logo, bright and colourful and easy to understand…even for oldsters. As to ‘Operating and Capital Expenses’ of $24,762,712.00….hey, it is what it is. As to Taxation Revenues….$14,217,019.00. Somebody needs to improve on this!! Looks like Pipeline (TCPL) pays 55% of that total!! (no, that is NOT a typo!) Industrial Taxes revenues are only 3%! Railway Taxes is laughable or pathetic….pick one. It shows 0% and actual contributions are $10,021.00!! I’m guessing that mostly covers CNR properties running through Longlac and Nakina. Tyme for the CAO/Finance Mgr to sharpen their pencils??!! That number is an insult! As to Residential Taxes…..27% at $3,763,796.00. Actually, I just happened to converse with 3 or 4 different property owners last week…..from the ‘Nakina end’ of Lower Twin Lake (T Bay District)….and they are SOME kind of UPSET!!! We just sold Rancho Deluxe at the ‘cheap end’ of Lower Twin (Dist of Cochrane), so all I can do is shake my head….and maybe offer them a shoulder to cry on. The TOTAL amount we’ve paid Cochrane Dist over the last 40 years was much less than what two of the cottagers pay YEARLY at the ‘Nakina end’. Ouch!!!
*Thought Of The Day…What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. Except for bears…..Bears will kill you.
