Over two years and nearly $2-million in legal fees later, the city still wants to negotiate a deal with the City of Detroit to acquire the US side of the Windsor-Detroit tunnel that could cost us $100-million.
My thoughts are essentially summed up in this 30 second video.
PS. This advertisement cost taxpayers zero dollars and only 2.5 hours of my time. Remind me, how much has the city’s Greenlink campaign cost?
Is tunnel plaza really “shovel-ready”?
I’m glad the Province of Ontario can answer questions regarding a municipal project. I received answers to my questions regarding the proposed tunnel plaza expansion. The answers are in italics below my bolded questions.
The Mayor’s Office responded to a reader’s enquiry regarding the infrastructure “wish-list” on the part of the city and the response was that all the projects listed could be started within 120-days.
But a response from the Province of Ontario outlined the remaining steps yet to be taken, which causes me to question the “120-day” timeline.
The only quibble – and it’s a major one – is that I asked for “traffic projections,” and not “traffic conditions” through to 2026. In fact, traffic numbers will be “further updated” meaning, current projections are out of date.
Mmm. I wonder if Infrastructure Ontario was made aware of this by Mayor Francis in the city’s $75-million loan application.
Furthermore, neither the City of Windsor website nor the Ministry of Transportation website have posted their “preliminary” air quality assessment:
Dear Mr. Schnurr:
As requested, please see our response to your questions.
When will the final PIC be conducted?
The third, and final, Public Information Center for this Study was cancelled in early 2007 at the request of our partners the City of Windsor. The Ministry is continuing to work with the City of Windsor to reschedule the final PIC and complete the environmental study.
Has a preferred alternative been selected?
A technically preferred alternative will be developed as part of the remaining work for this study.
When is the expected completion date of the EA for the tunnel plaza expansion proposal?
The schedule leading to the completion of the study will be determined at a later date in consultation with the City and other partners on the project.
Where is the information pertaining to traffic projections to 2026 on the website?
The information pertaining to traffic conditions was presented during PIC 2. The PIC materials can be viewed under:
A copy can be obtained from our Communications Office in Windsor.
As part of the remaining work for this study, the traffic numbers will be further updated.
Have air quality impacts been analysed and/or performed based upon traffic projections through to 2026?
As part of this study a preliminary air quality assessment was completed for the various plaza alternatives. As part of the future remaining work a detailed air quality assessment will be undertaken for the recommended alternative.
Chris Schnurr
Carol Kosowan LL.B., B.A. (Law), B.A. (Policy)
There is no business case whatsoever for the City to spend 100 million dollars on this deal.
Not that that will even give King Eddy one moments pause, since it’s not his money; it’s OURS.
Mayor Edward, hear this, please: do not waste our city’s money and reputation on this deal. Back off and forget it.
If King Francis pulls this off, he will have succeeded in sucking out $170 million for two assets with little benefit to Windsor as a whole.
What bothers me the most is if it is that easy to fund certain projects and acquisitions, then why can’t we be approving more road projects, more sewer projects and more watermain projects (without having to raise water fees)?
King Francis keeps reminding everyone that the City may have a funding deficit of over $25 million – union contracts are up so the City has to be made to look poor – but somehow the money is there to buy a foreign asset that is seeing less traffic and that needs a major overhaul.
I’m pissed. Enough is a enough. Fix the damn roads, fix the damn sewers and fix the damn watermains. It’s time for the people to stand up and be heard.
Mr. Clement. I have read a number of your comments. You claim you work at City Hall (who knows if you really do or not). However, from what you write, you seem to have a good handle on things.
People who work for the City know what is going on and presumably you are one of them or may have inside connections there.
So a challenge to you:
PUT UP OR SHUT UP!
I am tired of reading your whinings and rantings. Clearly you know how to hide your identity well or you would have been fired by now. It should be easy for you to become a “whistleblower” and provide the information that is killing taxpayers. You can be the “Deep Throat” to the Windsor Bloggers as an example easily.
So if you are “pissed” and want to be heard…open up and spill the beans and convince your colleagues to do so as well. Windsor is at risk!
Hey broketaxpayer, I understand your frustration but think you are overestimating what a “whistleblower” might accomplish.
I don’t know VincentClemente, i dont know if he works for the city or not, but I think he would be crazy to jeopardize his employment if he does.
The fact is: Despite an avalanche of information and plenty of examples of the current Mayor’s incompetence and apparent corruption, people don’t care. They have short memories and for the most part DO NOT VOTE.
If the WUC increases didn’t motivate people, or the 400 building “non-audit” or the 5 million for Estrin et al., or the millions for Cliff Sutts, or the piss poor arena deal and abandonment of downtown…then one “whistleblower” from City Hall can hardly be expected to achieve much.
One thing the Mayor got right: get the media on your side. He has the Star editorial staff in his pocket (it helps that the editor is husband of his Chief of Staff) and he has weekly campaign stops with his pals at AM 800 during their highest rated show….Eddie is the epitome of the 21st century…style over substance, perception over reality. Someone in a very high position from the beginning told me that we won’t know the extent of the damage this Mayor has done until he’s gone, and by then, no one will care.
broketaxpayer:
Um, wow. I’m not exactly sure where all that came from. So, because I’m a City Hall employee, I’m not allowed to vent? I’m not allowed to whine? I’m not even allowed to rant?
As to spilling the beans, well, Chris has access to the same information that I have access to. Just because I work at City Hall does not necessarily make me privy to additional information. I just provide an insider point of view and clarify those issues that are related to my position. If I didn’t work at City Hall, I wouldn’t be able to do that.
Vincent: I enjoy your viewpoint, although I don’t always agree with you; please do not let one persons ravings deter you in the least.
We don’t need less of you; we need more of you.