City hopes!

Who are the Lake Ontario Offshore Network? I don't really care as long as they  bring as they hope to do 19 hundred skilled and high paying jobs to Hamilton under the auspices and leadership of Windstream Energy. For the record however the Network is made up of four lobbying companies, the Walters Group who will fabricate structural steel, the Hamilton Port Authority who will provide the facilities to assemble the parts, McKeil Marine who will use its resources to transport and erect the parts and Bermingham Foundations Solutions who will erect the parts. Oh you're asking what they hell are they hauling and erecting? What, did I bury the lead again? There's a reason. In the Province of Ontario currently there is a moratorium on the construction of  Windmills. We're told more scientific study of the impacts of wind energy is needed in this province. Some would suggest last year's decision was politically motivated but whatever the reason there are those who are at the local level are attempting to get the Provinces attention. One of those who has already filed a notice of motion on the moratorium issue is Ward 15 Councillor Judy Partridge. She believes council was misguided when it imposed it's own moratorium on wind generation projects within Hamilton. The particular project this consortium is lobbying for is a 1.5 billion dollar wind farm in Lake Ontario off the shore of Wolfe Island near Kingston. It's estimated 7 hundred million of the value of the project would stay in Ontario with Hamilton becoming a leading player in an evolving industry. We can only hope the Province sees the wisdom soon and lifts the moratorium for such projects putting  Hamilton on the map. The skill sets required are already here for prospective employees and coupled with the expansion of the city's Agra-business could move us away from our proud heritage as the "steel city" to become the "innovative city".  The local moratorium will be discussed at next week's City Council meeting.

In other news the way is now clear for a complete debate over the future of waste management in Hamilton. A delegation from a proponent that was not selected by Public Works staff, had their say before the city's Audit, Finance and Administration Committee. The complaints from Modern Landfill Inc, a former contractor in the city, were received with comment. That's it. On to the debate February 6th.
Also of note the Newport Yacht Club located between Fruitland and 50 Roads has received a reprieve from the same committee. A little background. The Yacht Club holds 238 boat slips in it's Marina surrounded by residences. Established in the 80's there were to be a couple of condo towers. The Marina is owned by three numbered companies controlled by Rosart Properties. Rosart is in serious tax arrears to the city and wishes to sell the property. City staff have agreed that the best way out for all involved is to write off what is currently owed, a total of 260 thousand dollars and change. Here is their reasoning. Without a sale by Rosart to the new owners who are the residents of the Newport community a tax sale would have been required costing the city 475 thousand dollars in lost taxes. Committee members agreed with staff. Going forward the residents co-op with business plan in hand will once again become taxpayers hopefully not in arrears.Council approval is still needed.
Thursday I interview Ward 9 Councillar Brad Clark. Up for discussion, windmills, garbage, and residential care facilities among other subjects. I hope you'll tune in to Cable 14 at 5pm.