Livy Jeanne Wants to Put a Stop to Bullying

Being bullied is a terrible experience. Most of us have experienced some level of bullying at one time or another in our lives.  It is often painful and affects one’s self-esteem. As adults, we try and cope with it using the tools we have developed over the years. But what about children who are being bullied? Children do not yet have these tools; they do not have the emotional strength to face this. Sometimes the result of the self-esteem damage is too much for a child to handle and sadly leads to heartbreaking results.

Livy Jeanne is a talented 16 year old singer – songwriter from Strathcona County who was mercilessly bullied.  This remarkable young woman decided that enough was enough and that something needed to be done to bring awareness to our community.  Since she was 11 years old, Livy has been involved with many charities, giving of her time and talent to help our local and global community. A year ago, she decided to speak out and give support to all those who are being bullied.  She wants to encourage them and give them hope. 

I will let Livy tell you her story, in her own words:

“I am Livy Jeanne, and I’m here to tell you that there are 160,000 kids each day that beg to stay home from school because they are being bullied. I was one of those 160,000.

I cried a thousand tears before I realized that I had the ability within myself to turn away from the hurt, that I wasn’t alone and that there were people I could count on, people who cared for me and saw me for who I am.

I could have easily turned to drugs, alcohol, cutting, conforming or even just disappearing… But I didn’t. By finding my passion (which is music) I found a place to express myself, find some personal strength and feel good about who I am.

I feel a responsibility to connect with kids like me- the ones who have reached out for acceptance, struggled with being judged and wondered where they fit into this crazy world.

By sharing my story and my music, I want them to know that I GET IT – because I’ve been there. And I’ve figured out that we are all important, unique and special individuals who matter. There is nothing wrong with being ourselves – and starting right now, today can be different!!

WE DON’T HAVE TO BE INVISIBLE…”

Livy has also started a blue “Awareness” bracelet campaign endorsing the Kids Help Phone line.

If you would like to support Livy or help her with her campaign you can contact her via e-mail at livymusicinc@gmail.com   or   LivyJeanne@LivyJeanne.com

You can also visit her website at  http://livyjeanne.com/site/  or listen to her  on http://www.youtube.com/livymusic

Thank you Livy for caring and standing up to bullying!

Mayor Linda

A Year in Review: 2011

This last year has been marked with excitement, drama, strategic decision making and most of all defining and standing up for Strathcona County’s needs and rights!

Excitement comes from the amazing activities and events being held in our new Community Centre and all around the County in all our other rural hamlets.  To start 2011, it was magnificent to feel all the positive energy and ambiance of our New Year’s Eve celebrations.  My very first Mayor’s New Year’s Levee was a success.   Other annual highlights include the Josephburg Chicken supper, the Ardrossan lobster fundraiser, and the South Cooking Lake Trail Days.  These are just a few wonderful events throughout the year that took place.

I personally believe in community spirit and pride.  One of the many highlights of being your Mayor is attending as many community events as possible.  I have made some awesome memories this past year and have met so many of our residents.  I loved the Irish stew at the Partridge Hill Community Hall for the St. Patrick’s Day event.  The community of Brookville always teams up great pyrogies and Ukrainian food with great fellowship at their Ukrainian Christmas event held every January.

Enjoying a hotdog and ice cream after a ride on a beautiful mare at South Cooking Lake Trail Days and watching the families and children loving the candy toss was amazing.  Events such as this bring back such wonderful memories of a simpler, easier life.  It recognizes where we all came from and it celebrates our history and community spirit.

Of course, it’s always exciting to officially start the Christmas season in the Heartland with the Lighting of the Christmas lights at Heartland Hall.  I love listening to the children sing Christmas carols.  It’s always a pleasure talking with residents and seniors and I especially enjoyed the famous chili made by cooks at the Partridge Hill Community Hall.  The nativity display at the Bethel Lutheran Church, the  nutcracker’s at Good Hope Community Hall and all the other messages at  the Brookville and Bremner Christmas celebrations added charm to all the excitement.

Hastings Lake and Antler Lake continue to have wonderful community gatherings especially at the Red Barn.  Thanks for the invite!

There was plenty of drama through the year.  Thinking back on this, I refer to a quote from President Teddy Roosevelt. In his speech “Citizenship In A Republic” delivered on April 23, 1910, “It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.”

The quote from President Roosevelt’s speech reminds me of why I aspired to be your Mayor.  This quote says that the opinions of the people who criticize and observe others from the sidelines are meaningless, and that all the credit is due to the man who is actually in the arena, trying, failing, getting up again and fighting for what they believe in.  I believe in the people of Strathcona County.  I believe in you and I believe in our community.   You need (and deserve) to be heard, to be protected and safe, and to be healthy and to be respected.  I disapprove of injustices and will fight hard to correct any.

The majority of you have said we must continue to fight for our full treatment hospital; to bury the transmission lines, and to ensure proper transportation corridors which include overpasses and adequate exit routes.  I have and will continue to be in the arena.  I am and will be your voice.

Strategic planning sessions with Council and administrative staff identified the need for a rural strategy.  The Heartland was also identified as an important area to plan for.  The County identity branding initiative, with a public engagement process was identified.  Council further believed and endorsed a complete organizational review of our organization.  We fully support the pursuit of excellence in customer service.

During this year, I was honoured to be asked to represent Canada along with two other Mayors, Mayor Debra Button from Weyburn, Saskatchewan and Mayor Shari Decter Hirst from Brandon, Manitoba in a trip to Kiev, Ukraine.  This trip highlighted the important need for economic and gender equality opportunities.  This trip was a Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) initiative connecting Canada with the Ukraine.  Benefits for us are many.  Positive trade opportunities, labour force expansion, business connections, positive political relationships and investments into the future for both countries are just a few.

The Alberta Industrial Heartland Association (AIHA), of which Strathcona County is one of five municipalities, also includes the City of Ft. Saskatchewan, the County of Lamont, the County of Sturgeon and the City of Edmonton.  AIHA has expanded their mandate to market themselves in the global world and to attract the eyes of the world to the largest hydro carbon processing centre in Canada.  I am presently chair of this association and have just returned from Doha, Qatar.  With growing, cost advantaged feed stocks, supportive logistical systems and a supportive government environment, the AIHA is set to become a global centre for petrochemical and energy processing.

The primary purpose of trip was to attend the World Petroleum Congress which is held every three years.  It is the Olympics of industry.  Myself along with the Executive Director of AIHA, met with potential industry investors considering the Heartland for future investment.  Along with talking about who we are and what we can offer, this will open the doors to more business, therefore more jobs and further economic stability.

Both these opportunities were supported financially by FCM and AIHA respectively.

Thirdly, Communities in Bloom is a nationwide initiative that has put the bloom into communities.  The trees, flowers and amazing infrastructures, not to mention the exceptional volunteer pride, facilitates further growth in pride and health across Canada.  Next year our capital region will be hosting the national conference and Strathcona County will be part of this monumental event.  I also had the pleasure of attending the 2011 event in Quebec City.

Speaking of the Capital Region, the Capital Region Board, with 23 partnering municipalities, continues to work towards better governance, transit, affordable housing, GIS systems and possible economic opportunities.  We are a strong voice at the table. 

It has been busy.  It has been exciting.  Most of all it has been an honour to represent Strathcona County as your Mayor and to work together with a team of Councillors who are caring and passionate.

We have hard working dedicated staff and an amazing community of residents, businesses, agricultural richness and industry.  We are the best municipality in Alberta and dare I say Canada and the World.

2012 will be just as exciting! 

Happy New Year and the best to you and your family,

Mayor Linda

Emergent Resolution: Request to Conduct a Cost Benefit Review of all Critical Transmission Infrastructure

Dear Residents,

Below is a copy of the emergent resolution which will be presented by Strathcona County asking to conduct a cost benefit review of all critical transmission infrastructure:

Conduct a Cost Benefit Review of all Critical Transmission Infrastructure 

Whereas  critical transmission projects are identified in Section 2 of the Critical Transmission Infrastructure Schedule of the Electric Utilities Act, RSA 2000, c.E-5.1 (which schedule was formerly part of the proposed Electric Statutes Amendment Act, 2009 known as Bill 50); and

Whereas the Government Alberta has indicated that the critical transmission projects will cost Albertans approximately $5.6 Billion; and

Whereas increases in transmission costs without sufficient benefit in the short and medium term will have negative economic impact on residents, institutional, commercial and industrial stakeholders; and

Whereas Bill 50 was based on the provincial Energy Strategy; and

Whereas a major economic adjustment has occurred subsequent to the development of the Provincial Energy Strategy; and

Whereas the provincial government has already placed two of the critical transmission infrastructure projects on hold;

Therefore Be It Resolved that the Alberta Association of Municipal Districts and Counties request the provincial government put all critical transmission projects on hold until a comprehensive cost benefit review is completed.

Background: 

Strathcona County and other surrounding municipalities were involved with a process with the AUC (Alberta Utilities Commission) over the last 10 months  We were and still are concerned about the overbuild of the overhead 500kv infrastructure and the potential economic impact associated with the overbuild.

Emergent reasons:

1.  AUC Decision 2001-436 was released November 1, 2011; just 3 weeks ago. Construction of the first critical transmission infrastructure project could begin as early as December of this year.

2.  This issue has presented itself since the Spring Convention 2011 and needs to be dealt with
before the next year’s 2012 Convention.

Alberta's Industrial Heartland Letter to Premier Redford

To the Residents of Strathcona County and the Alberta Heartland,

You will find below a copy of the letter that I, as chair of the Alberta Industrial Heartland Association (AIHA), have sent on behalf of the AIHA to Premier Redford and Minister Morton on October 26, 2011.

Dear Premier Redford and Minister Morton,

Re: Heartland Transmission Line Decision

The member municipalities of the Alberta Industrial Heartland Association are deeply concerned with your government's decision to instruct the Alberta Utilities Commission (AUC) to move forward with the Heartland Transmission Line project. This contradicts the logic and reasoning displayed in suspending the AUC hearings on the other two north-south transmission line projects. It is absolutely critical to reassess the need for all three projects, including the Heartland Transmission Line.

In discussion with the Government of Alberta over the past year, we demonstrated that major shifts in the economic outlook for Alberta's Industrial Heartland resulted a flawed "Needs Identification Document" for the Heartland Transmission Line. Notably, a much slower pace of industrial development in the region combined with major power users exploring co-generation options on site created a paradigm shift in electrical power transmission needs. This new reality appears to have been overlooked in the decision making process for the transmission lines.

While the Heartland Transmission Line would deliver electrical support to our region, its major purpose is providing the east-west connection to reinforce Alberta's electrical grid. The decision to suspend hearings of the other two grids of the grid system makes it illogical to continue with the Heartland Transmission Line project. Proceeding with only the Heartland portion of the system could result in incompatible design and installation with the remaining and future grid network.

We share your goals and visions of a reliable and cost effective electrical system supporting Alberta now and into the future. It is essential we take the necessary time to make the most appropriate decisions for the continued success of our province.

We request a meeting with you and your Minister of Energy, Honourable Ted Morton, to discuss this matter further. Please have your office contact us directly to arrange this meeting.

Sincerely,

Linda Osinchuk
Chair, Alberta's Industrial Heartland Association 

Reaction to Premier's Announcement Reversal

Once again Strathcona County residents are getting the short end of  stick.

I am angry and demand answers to the following questions from Premier Redford:

 

·          Why did the Premier intervene and change Minister Mortons' Transmission Line message hours after it was released Friday morning? "Miscommunication" is a negligible excuse for a provincial government, especially when this was not some last minute decision on the government’s part.

·          Why is the Heartland line deemed critical? The Heartland industry did not ask for it.  Actually, it will create a huge electrical cost to them. The future of huge feedstocks of natural gas could be an alternative energy source. 

·          To where and to what are these lines connecting to if the other two are now on hold and under review?

If it is going to Fort McMurray,  then south to the US for electrical export, it will mean more revenue to the province and huge companies like Altalink and Epcor, at residents’ cost!

If this is so critical who is going to pay the cost for such a gigantic, never before seen in Alberta or Canada infrastructure? I certainly hope not only the residents of Strathcona County!

Strathcona County residents need answers now! Injustice has once again occurred! It is time the people of our County are show some respect!

As Mayor, I will continue to fight for a formal impact assessment study on the Heartland Project and I will fight to bury the lines if they do come through our schools, daycares and densely populated areas.

We deserve answers now not after the fact!

Mayor Linda Osinchuk

Women! Politics! Challenges! Opportunities!

My journey as a woman to become the Mayor of
Strathcona County in 2010 was a journey of winning

a personal battle. First, let me say I am extremely

honoured and very happy in my new role as Mayor.

Let me share my story. During my second term

as Councillor, I began to think about my future

and what I wanted to do following my sixth year

as a municipal elected official. During this time,

I became very involved in mentoring women in

leadership roles and in elected positions. The

Federation of Canadian Municipalities initiated

a program calling for a 30% increase of women

participating in municipalities by 2015. In Canada,

only 23% of the municipal leaders are women - less

percentage on provincial and federal levels. That

places our country in thirty-eighth position in the

world for having a balanced representation from the

female population. This is not a gender issue but a

democratic issue. When 52% of Canada's population

is female and the numbers at the decision -making

table are only 23%, there is an inequity.

Policies and laws are debated and then created

to represent the people who politicians are

representing. This is why I became so involved in

the political process. There are too many injustices

when too much power is used without considering

the rights of the people. As women, we need to

encourage, mentor, fight and educate others

on the importance of ethical and just processes,

while ensuring that bottom-line fiscal responsible

budgeting is done.

Strategic, Passionate, Accessible, Respectful,

integrity, hard working, business savvy and caring are

characteristics I believe are a woman's best assets as

a leader - politically or in business and community. I

decided to visually place myself in the role as mayor so

that I can lead with these characteristics. I was not sure

if I had what it took. I was with my husband Jim when

I stated to him that I wanted to be the next Mayor of

Strathcona County. He thought I lost it. I would be

going against an incumbent - a difficult and challenging

position to be in - and the incumbent was also a woman.

I told him that two women going after the position

of  Mayor speaks volumes. So with an amazing team,

God's blessings and the belief of positive messaging,

hard work and great campaign strategy, I became the

new Mayor of Strathcona County.

I am dedicated to listening to all residents' issues and

embracing their stories, positive or negative. I govern

with a strong knowledge of parliamentary law. I stand

up for issues when many would hesitate to. I truly

believe I was placed on this earth to champion the good

and the right. Does that take a lot of balls and positive

attitude? You bet! Politics is not for the faint of heart.

But it does take heart and a spirit of hope to know you

are there for the right reason.

So look inside yourself and ask yourself what

challenges are in t he way for you to make your

dream come t rue. It is the internal battle that you

have to win. The rest will come, if you say, "I will, I

can, I am!" I am a woman who will not give up until

I am truly happy with who I am and what I am to

do!

Every day is a blessing. Live it like it is your last!

When you wake up, ask for God's blessings and

guidance. Put a smile on your face and say to

yourself, "I will do my best today, mindful of

others and with a positive attitude." If you make

a decision that hurts someone, then it was the

wrong decision. At the end of the day say thank

you for all that you experienced that day. Even if

it is a difficult day, think about what you learned

from that experience. Hug people close to you and

pass on the best gift- a smile and a hello. You can

make a difference just by your attitude and how

people respond to you.

With two more years as Mayor in this term, I plan

to continue to be accessible, transparent, caring,

and open for business; to fight for our hospital,

buried transmission lines, overpasses, represent

industry and build relationships.

I would like to have a legacy of being the 'People's

Mayor; a Mayor who is not afraid to fight hard

issues; a Mayor who helps the young and old; a

Mayor who represents industry and business; a

Mayor who cares!

Strathcona County is the energy capital of Canada!

Energy from our resources! Energy from the sky

and sun above! But most of all the energy of the

wonderful people, who work, live and play in our

great community!

My door is open! Coffee is on! God Bless!

Linda

Questions for the 3 PC Leadership Candidates

This morning I sent out a personal letter to each of the leadership candidates. This letter contains 3 questions that relate to very important issues to the residents of Strathcona County. A large number of residents have approached me with these concerns and I have a responsibility to residents to find out from these three candidates what their stand on these issues are. I had spoken to them prior to the first ballot and wanted  once more to state these concerns. I look forward to soon be reading their replies. 

Here is an excerpt from the letter:

Good job and congrats on arriving to this point on your bid to being the next leader of the PC party and the next Premier of Alberta.

I am personally asking all three remaining candidates three very important questions before I give my support to them. I would like to hear from you to get back to me with your position in a very timely matter. These are crucial issues that effect the Municipality and the residents of Strathcona County. Your opinion on these items may have been stated before but this a new opportunity to revisit or explain any changes that you may have.

1. Will you, if you become Premier, ask the AUC (Alberta Utility Commission) to await their final decision on the placement and the work needed on the Heartland Transmission lines until Bill 50 (especially the electrical transmission area) is revoked and a formal impact assessment study is done?  This assessment would include revisiting the real need for such a huge electrical line, true costs other than Altalink's and Epcor's stated costs for burying and above ground lines, and finally but most importantly commit to burying the lines where there is high density population and schools (This also means the 200 meter extra setback that is also proposed).

 2. Will you commit, as Premier, that the Strathcona Community Hospital be built and be operating in a timely matter as a full treatment active hospital including obstetrics and medical surgical suites? This hospital would be a solution for you and the residents of Alberta north and south by relieving pressure off emergency rooms, be a center of excellence for diagnostics for Medivacs to fly into our Strathcona County airports (Josephburg or South Cooking Lake), also a center for possible clinics that residents are using in BC or USA. We are number 1 for live births in the Capital Region and we are in the center of the Industrial Heartland where a sealed emergency room is needed to be in place in case of an industrial incident occurring. We need it commitment to this hospital and NOT a "shelled-in" commitment.

3. Will you commit to supporting the BRIK 2 program and value added for the industry we have in the Heartland? We need to keep our jobs and refined oil in our Province! This includes Alberta Transportation reassessing the roads where heavy loads and traffic volumes for industry are effected.

These topics are crucial to this Municipality and impact thousands of people here and in our wonderful Province.

God Bless. I look forward to your answers.

Linda Osinchuk

Hospital BBQ?

Council and I have been invited to a BBQ on September 27th by Ellis Don and the Minister of Infrastructure on the site of our future hospital. Council is in Chambers that day and will not be able to attend until after 6pm at the earliest. I am curious as to the reason behind this invitation. I am anxiously awaiting for any kind of official update from the Alberta Government.

The residents of Strathcona County deserve this. We deserve some show of respect!

Linda

Hearthland Transmission Study Update

I am working, as chair of the Alberta Industrial Heartland Association board, to highlight the importance of transportation corridors, overpasses, road upgrades, and park and ride busing to the industrial facilities. Traffic flow, heavy loads and prevention of congestion are issues we are proactively working on to find solutions to.

Along with working with the Capital Region Board, these initiatives are important to communicate to Alberta Transportation and our new Premier.

Industry is an economic engine for the future of our province!

Linda

Strathcona Hospital in the News

I am cautiously optimistic regarding the Minister of Health's statement. My intent is to continue to impress the importance of having a "full" active treatment hospital. Not only "shelled-in" spaces but actual concrete plans to have a fully finished product.

I am publicly requesting communication from Health Minister Zwozdesky confirming his announcement regarding our "full service, acute care, community-based, 72 bed hospital."  As of today, my office has not yet received any communication about the hospital.

I once again re-state that I would look forward to working with the Minister and our two MLAs in achieving this common goal.

Linda

PC Provincial Leadership Race

Congratulations to the top 3 candidates who have proceeded to the second ballot.

To all candidates, it was a race well run and thank you for having put your names forward and had your voices heard.

To the three remaining candidates, I am very interested in hearing your stand on Bill 50, specifically burying the transmission lines as well as completing the promised "acute care" Strathcona hospital. Your support of our local industry and their role as key economic drivers for Alberta is also a very important issue.

These issues are critical to our community. I hope to be able to meet and further discuss these with all three candidates.

I encourage Strathcona County residents to take a keen interest in the final choice of our next Premier and leading into our next provincial election.

Linda

PHOTO RADAR

Dear Residents,

After a lengthy and intense discussion surrounding traffic safety in Strathcona County, County Council passed a motion to cease photo radar operations within one year.  The vote of 5 to 4 directs Strathcona County Administration to phase out the photo radar vehicles and stand alone device by September 1, 2012.  This policy change does not affect “red light” intersection cameras as they will remain active and in place.  Photo radar will remain in place until that time.

Reasoning for this:

• Five (5) new enforcement officers were approved to be hired and trained.  These enforcement officers will provide additional traffic safety services not currently allowed within the confines of the photo radar contract. This will provide the driver immediate feedback. These officers will also be able to enforces other infractions that a camera cannot do. This should be completed by September 1, 2012.Current photo radar contract needs to be dealt with.
• The current photo radar contract needs to be dealt with.

Let me be clear; we are encouraging safe roads and safe driving, and we will continue to monitor speeding in our community.  Demerit points are a greater deterrent than a letter received three weeks later in the mail.

We are proud to have listened to our residents and make effective changes where needed.  It is not about revenue, it is about instilling reassurance to our community that this is the right thing to do!

Sincerely,

Linda

Rick Orman Endorsement

Almost a year ago, the residents of Strathcona County decided to take a different vision than what had been offered. They decided to embrace change rather than the status quo, they elected to have constructive consultation rather than appeasement, and they chose optimism over the “we can't do that" attitude that was prevalent in past councils.

At that election I presented myself as a candidate for Mayor, one who would conduct County business with openness, honesty and frankness. Meaning I will tell you the truth regardless of the political consequences and what they might mean to me.

Your concerns are my concerns: a safe community, a community that encourages the Alberta Spirit, a community that face challenges together.

I have fought against 20 storey electrical towers, I have said that we need an active treatment hospital instead of a glorified medi-clinic; I have said our community needs input into planning its future infrastructure; I have said that we need to encourage  investment in our community.

I have listened to you for these last 10 months and have said "yes" to burying power lines, "yes" to an active treatment hospital, "yes" to constructive consultation in how future infrastructure is planned.

While challenging, these voices are being heard.

There are many fine candidates now seeking the Leadership of the Alberta Progressive Conservative Party, each and every one of them would bring many admirable talents to the position of Premier of this great province.

But there has been one candidate who stands out when it comes to speaking to issues that mean so much to the residents of Strathcona County.

This candidate has been the only one who has said that the proposed power lines must be buried; he has been the only candidate to have committed to the new hospital that must be an active treatment hospital with real beds; he has been the only candidate who has said that people of Strathcona County must be consulted on what future needs our community will require and he understands our desire to have a vibrant business sector that will provide our future residents with good quality careers.

Because of these kinds of commitments and beliefs it is with great honour that I endorse and support for Alberta PC leader and our next Premier, Mr. Rick Orman.     

Linda

Clarification Regarding Work on the Office of the Mayor

Dear Residents,

After reading Ben Proulx's article on the renovations to the Mayor's office in Tuesday, May 17th Sherwood Park News, I felt it necessary to rectify some inaccuracies in its content. I respect Mr. Proulx as a journalist and am certain that he may have misunderstood some of my responses to his queries. I did invite The Sherwood Park News to come up to my office to personally see and discuss this topic, but they did not.

 

In my previous role as a Councillor, I did not have the opportunity to look at the Mayor's office design plans and had no say in the matter. While it is true that the previous council approved the whole plan for the Centre of the Park, we did not have detailed information on specifics. I only became aware of the office's design and some of the requirements that were overlooked needed once I became Mayor.

Washroom and emergency exit door

Because a privacy wall was built after the elected officials moved in, it became apparent that the Chief Commissioner, the Mayor and their staff only had one exit from where our offices are located. This was an obvious glaring safety issue. The previous mayor and administration should have caught this. This is unsafe in case of an emergency where that only exit is blocked. Therefore, a back storage room is being used for such a purpose.

This is also where a water pipe is being brought up from the second floor for a toilet and sink.

These are needed in the Mayor's office because the Mayor's schedule is booked to the minute and availability of the present washroom for me and office staff members is important. We meet with dignitaries and various government representatives whose schedules are very tight. The present two stall washroom is used by office staff members and anyone who comes to meet with the staff and elected officials. This is very good use of a small, unused empty space.

 

Wet Bar

There never was nor will be plans for a wet bar in the Mayor's office. There is a line that will need to be added to connect piping from the second floor to the third for the washroom.

Fireplace

I purchased with my own personal money an electrical "fireplace" heater. It just plugs into an outlet and sits against a wall. The location of my office causes it to be very cold in winter due to a full wall of windows.

Furniture

When elected officials moved offices, the furniture that was put in the new office of the Mayor was old furniture that was previously in someone else's office. One of my assistants does not even have a desk to work on in her office. These offices do not have all the necessary pieces that are needed such as filing cabinets, shelves, or locks that work on the drawers. These offices were improperly equipped. The Mayor’s office does not even have a filing cabinet or proper lockable drawers. My personal items such as a comb, mouthwash, nylons, toothbrush, and other personal items were in one of only three drawers at my desk.

This furniture order is only to correct an unworkable space for myself and my assistant down the hall to professional workable offices. Once I moved in my office space, it was clear that these corrections needed to be done. All that was ordered for my office were an office desk, a filing cabinet and bookshelves.

Allocated Budget

We have not spent $45,000.00 on this office. It also includes other offices’ furniture not just the Mayor's office.

We are looking into the matter to find out why and by whom some things were overlooked.

Council and I work very hard to ensure the taxpayers dollars are used appropriately for things such as snow clearing, firefighting, policing, Center in the Park, recreation, etc.

It is unfortunate that this item which was so incorrectly reported has placed the great work I believe is being done in our County by Council and staff in a negative light.

I sincerely hope that this answers many of your questions and brings clarification to this. 

I believe in transparency and will continue to work hard as your Mayor as always.

Linda