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Iwould like to echo the wise words of Brian Dietrich with regards to the new Intelligent Community Monument. Clearly anything more prodi- gious than a plaque would be not only pretentious but also downright ironic. Here we are proclaiming to the world that we are the best and shouting it with an ill-conceived monument when the city has far more urgent matters to attend to. Given council's record on deal- ing with projects of any nature, I fully expect that this simple monu- ment, paid for with "private money," will evolve into a messy, expensive white elephant that somehow will cost taxpayers cash. We are already bumbling along trying to build a shrine to our civil service -- also called the civic square. - We can't keep our infrastructure from crumbling. We have no Idea how to termi- nate the employment of former city employees. City is not so smart Ask for raise, not retention pay It’s the one secret we all tend to keep from each other. How much money do you make? It's different when you work in the public sector. for the government, because those figures are avail- able for everyone to see since our taxes pay those wages. "ind so we come to the issue of "reten- tion pay," or "recognition pay" as some have started to call it. The latest group to get this bonus is the Kitchener Fire Depirrtrperlt. _ -- That follows on the heels of other fire departments in the region, as well as the regional police service, which was only following the lead set by many other departments. hhe way it works the longer you stay employed by one of those groups, the bigger the bonu? you get. _ _ _ _ Tn other words', yngel paid for hang- ing around. - -- The theory, at least according to pro- ponents of the system, is that the bonus pay helps keep experienced people in these jobs, or at the very least prevents them from jumping to other forces that offer higher pay. Don't get me wrong, I've got nothing against pay- ing firefighters and police officers a good solid wage, And there's no doubt, in our system, both groups are paid quite well. . Bu't the whole retention pay thing seems to fly in the face of common sense. ln the private sector, if someone gets a better job offer, he or she can go back to their employer and have a discussion about compensation. Perhaps they will get more, perhaps they won't. But that's the way it works. In the public sector, it's different. For example, pay parity has become the norm for ftre and police services across the province. And the retention pay scheme has been adopted in most maior cities. So there isn't going to be, for the most part, any- one swooping in to offer big buckets of extra cash to someone in those jobs. _ _ - There is more ti, happiness in one's job, of And the RIM Park scandal that we have been told repeatedly is far behind us continues to haunt us today. If we are so great why can't we get any family doctors to work here? Why do our kids walk for hours just to get to school? "mis is just a fraction of the issues this city faces. __ - - I doh't personally believe we deserved this award in the first place. - . As the saying goes, we need bread not more circuses. For an intelligent community we sure act pretty dumb. egarding plastic bags, sorry, but I Rdon't understand why "grocery store" plastic bags are suddenly on the from burner to eliminate. Incinerating garbage should be looked at These bags are very useful and are the household item that is most reused. I reuse every plastic bag I COMMENT course, than money. (Something people who have enough money are-mqre incancfd yo say, I think.) Hé're's the Way I look at it. This is a pietty good place to live. - - - - A Police and firefighters make a good wage, as good as any other force, There is no lack of people interested in joining both groups. So if someone wants to head off to another pasture, greener or not, I'm 1llllllilllt inclined in this case tosay let them go. Scott I. Abrams Waterloo those employees. It's nothing more than a built-in pay increase, but one that won't get the same kind of publicity as the standard hikes built through negotiations. A More power to you, I suppdse, if Slou can get the extra money. _ - But it doesn't seem to me to be very upfront and honest. If you want more money ask for a bigger pay raise - dont hide in some kind of feel-good "retention" bonus, paid to people who, for the most part, don't really have either the plan or the oppor- tunity to go to another employer. I fear i? won't be long béfofe it spreads now that this is ingrained in the system. And those will be costly days indeed. Brian Bourke, a member of the 105.3 KOOL FM morningcrew, can be reached byemall at bbourke@koolfmcom. No offense intended, but feel free to move on. I'm not one of those people who thinks we should hire on replace- ments at bargain prices, but the jobs pay well and there are lots of people interested. What concerns me, though, is the possibility this is the thin edge of the wedge. _ --- _ _ - - . How long will it be before other public sector groups and unions begin pushing for the same benefit? Teachers? Hospital staff? Workers at correctional facilities? If there's a case for retention pay for police and firefighters, then who is to say that same case can't be made for get to store my household garbage in. If I didn't have these bags, then I would have to go and buy the same quantity. Wherejs the logic. in that? I We heed to look at Ether coun- tries that have thought extensively on these environmental topics, Japan incinerates all ité garbage. Very good idea. Germany is now trying to step away from the massive recycling going on there. Why? Too costly for all involved. I propose we incinerate our garbage for several reasons: . There would be no more trucks hauling it down the 401, which is dangerous and gives someone else our problem. 0. There would be no more unsightly/dangerous/polluting landfills. . lt would be clean with current advanced technology. . It would be cost effective. "We can produce power from the burning process. Waterloo ne of my earliest childhood memories is singing the ONewfoundland folk song l'se da Bye with my class in public school. And up until 10 years ago. it was the only Newfoundland song I could name. That is, until I discovered the weekly radio program Jig & Reels on FM 98.5, hosted by Dean Clarke. I first met Clarke in the CKWR studios because Iigs & Reels preceded a show I contributed a monthly segment to, Monday Night with the Arts. He was always a cheery and upbeat pres- ence in the studio. But now, after nearly 20 years on the air, Clarke is calling it a day with his beloved high-energy folk-rockin' show that pays homage to the mysitiof Newfqundlgnd and Labrador. "lt was a decision between by wife, Jen, and our two chil- dren, Delaney and Zoe, that l spend time with my family," Clarke told me. "lt was a hard and long decision but I felt near- ly 20 years was a good haul. These are the most precious times in a child's l life, and I wanted to be with them dur- ‘ ) r ingthat." ‘ BlNINlNlt Clarke was a child himself when first exposed to the music of New- foundland. His father was born in the town of Heart's Desire, Trinity Bay, and his mother came from the Ottawa Val- ley area, Clarke first visited "the rock" with his parents at the age of four, and every year after that into his late teens. "That's where all my inspiration for doing the show came from," said Clarke. "O listened) to a show called the Down Home every Sunday, and dreaded leaving my family, especially MARSHALL my grandparents, who, along with my WARD parents, were the reason I started the program. On the day we left, Nan would be in the kitchen, star- ing out the window and singing along to the Newfoundland songs of old, and crying at the same time. It was always hard to leave." -"e ”Though born and raised in the Waterloo region, Clarke calls Newfoundland home because those early memories are so strong. - - _ -- M.----.-- -, .... s.Y A "So when I met the directors of CKWR, (I told them) that was the show I wanted to do - like (the one) I heard so many times back home. And give Newfoundlanders here a chance to listen to a piece of home. Throughout the 20 years, I'm sure I made a lot of people homesick too." In the years I've listened to Clarke's show, some of my favourite Newfoundland songs were those released in the 70s, speaking of hard times in the fisheries, political animosities and living by the sea. And it's these songs Clarke will miss sharing with his listen- ing audience, who he considers friends, when his show leaves the airwaves at the end of this month. I 'se da b'ye that builds the boat, and I 'se da b'ye that sails her I 'se da b'ye that catches thefish and brings them home to Liza. -Traditional folk song "One thing that will stick in my mind is how parents would listen with their children and now they have children who lis- ten, or the grandparents who are listening with the grandchil- dren," said Clarke. "It's the whole reason I began this show, to pass down the music through generations as was the case with listening to last week's program. I was thrilled to hear Clarke play the song. l'se da B'ye near the end of the show. Uke me, Clarke remembers singing the song l'se da B'ye in public school. “The teacher selected me to conduct the class and to teach the song" Clarke said. "That would be one great memory I have of that sqngf - _ _ _ _ And though (flake isn't saying what song he has picked out to end the two-hour finale of rigs & Reels with, he said listeners can expect a very special _show _ .. "I ain havingiuiopen house for my listeners to come out to say so long," sgidphylfe. "I W}? shtlmtny tears." hum, irrio the final broadcést of Jigs & Reels March 31 at 6:30 p.m. on CKWR 98.5 FM or online at www.ckwr.com. Folk song brings back memories Marshall Want is a visual artist and independent filmmaker. Email is welcome at marsltalLovdehotmaiLorn. WAI‘ERUX) CHRONICLE . Wednesday, March 19 2013'!