With fuel prices continuing to rise, St. Thomas Police services should be doing their part to help.
St. Thomas Police Officers should spend part of their time patrolling city streets on foot. Having officers walk such streets as Edward, Balaclava, Centre, Elm and Wellington, to name just a few, on a daily basis, would allow the community to see that Police are out and about, and would allow the Police to better know the community, and the community to better know the Police.
I know of several people who would like to talk with Police about incidents that are occurring on their street, but are unable or unwilling to do so, after being told by the Police that the Police are “too busy”.
With the continuing increase in fuel and maintenance of Police vehicles, having some Police officers patrolling on foot would reduce the amount of fuel consumed by Police cars, and reduce the maintenance necessary on these vehicles. This would allow the Police to become “greener” from an environmental standpoint.
While many Police vehicles are out and about on city streets, many Police vehicles sit idling in plaza or business parking lots for an extended amount of time.
I realize that in some situations this is necessary, for example, at the intersection of Woodworth and Edward, where Police often sit in wait for people who ignore the stop signs at this dangerous intersection.
In other instances, Police will sit in their vehicles in other lots from between 30 minutes to 60 minutes, with their vehicle idling. During these times, fuel is consumed, costing the taxpayers of the City of St. Thomas.
I feel that these suggestions would better both the St. Thomas Police Services, and the St. Thomas community, allowing for better co-operation, understanding, and cost savings.
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Mayor Heather Jackson-Chapman has her eyes open
The St. Thomas Times-Journal titled their article “Police Headquarters Project Remains in Limbo.”
For those who think that the taxpayers of St. Thomas have $19 Million dollars burning a whole in their pockets, let me bring you up to speed.
Many of the taxpayers of St. Thomas, who have not lost their jobs, have not seen their wages increase. In many instances, these taxpayers have had to take a decrease in their pay.
They are having a difficult enough time making ends meet. How can you expect them to pay more property taxes for a new Police Services Building, when they do not have the money?
In the article, Mayor Heather Jackson-Chapman is quoted as saying “A lot has changed in the five years since we went down the path....Maybe that's what we need to do is get some cost estimates on some of the other stuff that could happen on that site,"
As the Mayor says, the Ontario Court of Justice is planning to move out in 2014.
What is to become of the current building that houses Police Services and the Ontario Court of Justice? Will it become another vacant building, up for sale, along with so many other empty buildings in St. Thomas?
If it was a perfect world, a new Police Services Building should be constructed. Until we have a perfect world, we are going to have to make due with what we have.
If it is going to cost more than $25 million dollars to renovate the present building for Police Services, then yes, build a new Police Services Building. A new building will no doubt go over budget anyways, probably near the $25 million dollar mark.
City Council and Police Services have a money tree growing in their collective back yard. That money tree is called the taxpayer. Due to abuse by those in Municipal Government who have been forcing it to bear fruit prematurely, that money tree is dying.
Mayor Heather Jackson-Chapman has her eyes open, thank goodness, and realizes this, and wants to make sure that the taxpayer pays what they can afford, not what they can’t afford.
The rest of them do not necessarily have their eyes closed, but are blinded to the economic reality of our situation.
For those who think that the taxpayers of St. Thomas have $19 Million dollars burning a whole in their pockets, let me bring you up to speed.
Many of the taxpayers of St. Thomas, who have not lost their jobs, have not seen their wages increase. In many instances, these taxpayers have had to take a decrease in their pay.
They are having a difficult enough time making ends meet. How can you expect them to pay more property taxes for a new Police Services Building, when they do not have the money?
In the article, Mayor Heather Jackson-Chapman is quoted as saying “A lot has changed in the five years since we went down the path....Maybe that's what we need to do is get some cost estimates on some of the other stuff that could happen on that site,"
As the Mayor says, the Ontario Court of Justice is planning to move out in 2014.
What is to become of the current building that houses Police Services and the Ontario Court of Justice? Will it become another vacant building, up for sale, along with so many other empty buildings in St. Thomas?
If it was a perfect world, a new Police Services Building should be constructed. Until we have a perfect world, we are going to have to make due with what we have.
If it is going to cost more than $25 million dollars to renovate the present building for Police Services, then yes, build a new Police Services Building. A new building will no doubt go over budget anyways, probably near the $25 million dollar mark.
City Council and Police Services have a money tree growing in their collective back yard. That money tree is called the taxpayer. Due to abuse by those in Municipal Government who have been forcing it to bear fruit prematurely, that money tree is dying.
Mayor Heather Jackson-Chapman has her eyes open, thank goodness, and realizes this, and wants to make sure that the taxpayer pays what they can afford, not what they can’t afford.
The rest of them do not necessarily have their eyes closed, but are blinded to the economic reality of our situation.
Joe Caverly
Thursday, February 16, 2012
Start the cost-cutting with MPP's
To my understanding, the base salary of an MPP in Ontario is $116,000, more if they are in cabinet or on a committee.
Presently, MPP’s receive 10% of their salary each year which goes into a locked-in retirement account (LIRA).
So, with a base salary of $116,000, which is paid for with taxpayer money, an additional $11,600 of taxpayer money goes into a LIRA for the MPP.
I was not able to put aside $11,600, or anywhere near 10%, of my after-tax income into a retirement plan this year. Of the people that I know, they were not able to do this either.
I was reading the Drummond Report, but did not see the elimination of the LIRA for MPP’s as one of the cost-cutting measures.
It would seem that anything involving the financial security of MPP’s is not considered being worthy of elimination.
The first thing the Government of Ontario needs to start reducing is their own wages and benefits.
Please take a moment to forward this message onto others, your MPP, and especially the Premier of Ontario.
You can contact Jeff Yurek, the MPP for Elgin-Middlesex-London at http://www.ontla.on.ca/web/members/members_detail.do?locale=en&ID=7174
You can contact the Premier of Ontario at https://correspondence.premier.gov.on.ca/en/feedback/default.aspx
Joe Caverly
Presently, MPP’s receive 10% of their salary each year which goes into a locked-in retirement account (LIRA).
So, with a base salary of $116,000, which is paid for with taxpayer money, an additional $11,600 of taxpayer money goes into a LIRA for the MPP.
I was not able to put aside $11,600, or anywhere near 10%, of my after-tax income into a retirement plan this year. Of the people that I know, they were not able to do this either.
I was reading the Drummond Report, but did not see the elimination of the LIRA for MPP’s as one of the cost-cutting measures.
It would seem that anything involving the financial security of MPP’s is not considered being worthy of elimination.
The first thing the Government of Ontario needs to start reducing is their own wages and benefits.
Please take a moment to forward this message onto others, your MPP, and especially the Premier of Ontario.
You can contact Jeff Yurek, the MPP for Elgin-Middlesex-London at http://www.ontla.on.ca/web/members/members_detail.do?locale=en&ID=7174
You can contact the Premier of Ontario at https://correspondence.premier.gov.on.ca/en/feedback/default.aspx
Joe Caverly
Monday, February 6, 2012
St. Thomas Police Services ‘Adequacy Standards’
On page 3 of the St. Thomas Police Service - Needs Assessment & Concept Plan Project Status Report, it says;
“Staffing growth is anticipated to be substantially higher than the population growth – an ongoing increase in the police-to-population ratio is consistent with national and international trends over the past few decades. Many factors have contributed to this, including the ‘Adequacy Standards’ included in the Police Services Act.”
Who has created these ‘Adequacy Standards’ included in the Police Services Act, in which the number of staff in Police Services increases the police-to-population ratio?
Well, according to (http://www.mcscs.jus.gov.on.ca/english/police_serv/about/about.html) it is the Ontario Government.
Perhaps St. Thomas should consider downsizing the staff in its Police Services, so that the present building will continue to be adequate for Police Services needs. This will minimize the cost to the taxpayer, helping to alleviate the tax burden from those in our community who have to make due with what they have, as the result of job losses and little or no wage increases.
“Staffing growth is anticipated to be substantially higher than the population growth – an ongoing increase in the police-to-population ratio is consistent with national and international trends over the past few decades. Many factors have contributed to this, including the ‘Adequacy Standards’ included in the Police Services Act.”
Who has created these ‘Adequacy Standards’ included in the Police Services Act, in which the number of staff in Police Services increases the police-to-population ratio?
Well, according to (http://www.mcscs.jus.gov.on.ca/english/police_serv/about/about.html) it is the Ontario Government.
Perhaps St. Thomas should consider downsizing the staff in its Police Services, so that the present building will continue to be adequate for Police Services needs. This will minimize the cost to the taxpayer, helping to alleviate the tax burden from those in our community who have to make due with what they have, as the result of job losses and little or no wage increases.
Friday, February 3, 2012
St. Thomas Police Services should get a lottery license
Just as the St. Thomas Elgin-General Hospital has a foundation to raise money to help our hospital (http://www.granddraw.ca), so too should the St. Thomas Police Services, to help cover the $19 million cost of a new building for themselves. That way, those who can give more may do so, helping to alleviate the tax burden from those in our community who have to make due with what they have, as the result of job losses and little or no wage increases.
Thursday, September 1, 2011
15 Minutes or it's free
At the St. Thomas Transit Open House at City Hall on August 11, one of my recommendations was to give an incentive to transit riders by making a rule where if the bus is 15 minutes (or more) late for their stop, the ride is free.
Today, I had to take St. Thomas Transit for my journey to and from the St. Thomas Elgin-General Hospital.
The odds were quite good that the bus would be at least 15 minutes late, due to the detour on First Ave., and the detour on Fifth Ave.
Alas, had their been a "15 minutes or it's free" rule in effect today, I would not have received a free ride, for the bus was only 14 minutes late. Yes, I timed it.
14 minutes behind schedule is not a good thing, but considering the detours the Hospital bus had to make, it was understandable.
If my suggestion were to be implemented, just how many free rides would St. Thomas Transit have to give out?
Well, let's see. St. Thomas Transit operates from Monday to Saturday, which is six days a week. That's 312 days per year (I know, some are holidays, but this is just a rough estimate).
If St. Thomas Transit were to have a 99% on-time schedule, it would only be behind schedule for a total of 3.12 days per year.
Buses break down, accidents happen, which would probably account for about 3.12 days per year.
As St. Thomas Transit now has an extra bus available, if a bus on route were to have a break down or accident, that spare bus could be dispatched to the transfer point to keep the buses on schedule.
It will be interesting to see what is presented before Council in regards to the future of St. Thomas Transit. I am looking forward to continued improvements for St. Thomas Transit.
Joe
Today, I had to take St. Thomas Transit for my journey to and from the St. Thomas Elgin-General Hospital.
The odds were quite good that the bus would be at least 15 minutes late, due to the detour on First Ave., and the detour on Fifth Ave.
Alas, had their been a "15 minutes or it's free" rule in effect today, I would not have received a free ride, for the bus was only 14 minutes late. Yes, I timed it.
14 minutes behind schedule is not a good thing, but considering the detours the Hospital bus had to make, it was understandable.
If my suggestion were to be implemented, just how many free rides would St. Thomas Transit have to give out?
Well, let's see. St. Thomas Transit operates from Monday to Saturday, which is six days a week. That's 312 days per year (I know, some are holidays, but this is just a rough estimate).
If St. Thomas Transit were to have a 99% on-time schedule, it would only be behind schedule for a total of 3.12 days per year.
Buses break down, accidents happen, which would probably account for about 3.12 days per year.
As St. Thomas Transit now has an extra bus available, if a bus on route were to have a break down or accident, that spare bus could be dispatched to the transfer point to keep the buses on schedule.
It will be interesting to see what is presented before Council in regards to the future of St. Thomas Transit. I am looking forward to continued improvements for St. Thomas Transit.
Joe
Friday, August 12, 2011
Transit Open House
I went to the Transit Open House at City Hall last evening (Thursday), where I discussed some issues with Mr. Edward Soldo, Manager of Operations and Compliance, Environmental Services.
I was very disappointed that a certain councilor, and other City staff, were so loud and obnoxious that Mr. Soldo, myself, and another transit rider, had to go out into the hall, just so that we could hear each other talk.
I left the meeting feeling positive about the future of St. Thomas Transit, although the painfully slow, bureaucratic process is very frustrating.
Joe
I was very disappointed that a certain councilor, and other City staff, were so loud and obnoxious that Mr. Soldo, myself, and another transit rider, had to go out into the hall, just so that we could hear each other talk.
I left the meeting feeling positive about the future of St. Thomas Transit, although the painfully slow, bureaucratic process is very frustrating.
Joe
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