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‘ ‘ r ... ”we -, .41.. ‘5 Region reverses decision to ,,,. , Do you mm g . trim grass cutting budget mmwmeum . l Bruin-imam alongside regional roads 2014. there are cat-in basic Help b "m , ‘ Wm WM“ Whmmww mmwmmw i R)! the Chronicle Kitchener Mayor Carl vide. . .'Ihe public expects it." ~ ‘ \ mwmmmwd hem KormSpeclfleTechmquethnB-odwurm) fter an outraged nothavednmedtboaeoon- Money for grass-cutting Sch. wwmmfafl'nmbfufly Aresponse to weeds tracts anyway for the rest d2013 will come _ " 5 and dandelions along ‘lt was a bad decision in from the unused snow N0 “‘9“ FREE hm sermnars '1 regional roads. regional lanuary â€" there were four removal dollars. but that mm 1“! 0:3)” a i . council is reversing an earli- people opposed to it,‘ he math won’t add up if the J er decision that cancelled said. inc uding Waterloo region sees heavy snowfalls _ Bryan W roadside grass cutting for Mayor Brenda Halloran. in November and Bomber. arm M m (5!? 51"”m‘“ 2013. “The contracts do not allow “We're really rolling the 30 m a E M204 Waterloo New mm lite original decision was for unilateral dump . . . the dice on this issue,” WWW ' made during budget discus city was told not to cut the Deutschmannuid. ’ WM sions in lanuary, and was grass, and wedidn‘t' “We dont get thing right ‘ . meant to save $400.01». Zehr said the process all the time," said regional But the region has should be a lesson to the chairKen Seiling. 'And when , received numerous requests region that grass cutting is we make mistakes we ‘ both from the public and not just about aesthetics. shouldn’t be beating our- ' from the councillors of the Pride in the community sup- selves up about it." - three cities to reinstate grass ports economic develop- Coun. Sean Strickland cutting ment. he said. said he recently drove past Coun. Rob Deutschmann Zehrsaidhe's been told by what he called “a beautiful ‘ said the region tries to residents that ending the meadow" ofdandelionsonly L I F E A s achieve a balance of spend» grass cutting was “one of the to arrive home to an email .M . . 4 ’ ' ing and services. and was most stupid things they can complmmng‘ ’ aboutu dan- _ then hit with an exceptional- do.” delions. ‘Sometimgy there your ’pa‘. you, we; ly rainy sp ' The savrn' gs also had little are (inferences ofopinion on “We thE the perfect affect on the budget. he said. what is beautiful and what is DESIGN YOUR OWN SOFA! storm â€"- we have these cuts. The ‘on has consistently not." hesaid. and the dandelions growing seenrzgliudget surplus each The decision passed LOVESEAT on SECT'ONAL like crazy.’ year, and $400,000 is a small unanimously at a planning ._ . a; The region contracts the portion of that surplus and works committee meet- . “' ‘0‘ r work out to the cities. which ”The lesson is. when we ing on Tuesday, but must be i; ‘3‘. II. ' are supposed to cut the grass come to do our budget for ratified atacouncil meeting _» 3 1.; " II?" LRT RFP raises some questions BYOMum “We have not yet struck Haalboom also said last ’ Pam the membership of those week she’s concerned about RthBChmnicle committees," said Thomas the public-private partner- Schmidt. commissioner of ship aspect of the rapid tran- wo regional council- transportation and environ sit project. I lors are continuing to mental services at the region. "What if these private ' vote "no” during the Haalboom also asked if companies haves hard time. proposal and bidding human resources policies or are sued, or walk away ' process for a consortium to and relationships between from the project . . . is the ' design. build. finance. oper- employees and employers public left holding the bag?” ate and maintain the rapid are one of the factors that she said. ,, c - ' '- transit system. will be evaluated, because Schmidt said during con- m Councillors lean Haal- she thinks those are con- struction a significant 1 boom and lane Mitchell did cerns. Schmidt said those amount of money will be not give their stamp of factorswill not beevaluated. held back from the consor- L... 5.... L... 'L.._, ' approval when the request Haalboom. Mitchell and tium that eventually wins the lunacy-unlu- 2. use- I. you ’ for proposal came to a Coun. Claudette Millar voted project bid. ‘o‘nmmhm"-" regional committee meeting against approval ofthe origi- Once construction is last week nal shortlist complete. the consortium is This step involves the Haalboom has voiced expectedto providetheserv- - financial information being concerns that one of the con- ice and maintenance. ‘If they requested from the three sortiums. Tricity Transit Sysâ€" don't do that, we won't be consortiums that are short- tem, includes four SNC paying them," hesaid. listed to prepareabid forthe Lavalin companies, while Therewillbemedlanisms $8l8â€"million project Mitchell said she was told in the final contract for hold- Haalboom asked staff not to mention specific com- ing money back, or clawing - which regional councillors panies due to potential law- back money if required. g a. “I will be on the evaluation suits. Coun. Sean Strickland. w committee. The former CEO of SNC who sits on the rapid transit and... “When are the councillors Lavalin has been charged steering committee, said he on the steering committee with fraud. Another senior understands the concerns. involved in the evaluation?” executive is awaiting trial on That's why the region decid- she said. “When something charges ofmoney laundering ed to transfer some of the fails, it is the councfllors who and the RCMP continues to risk to the private sector. are responsible to the public. investigate possible corrup- “If you're late. if there are . . but it's not the councillors (ion and bribery. None of the design problems or technical ‘ who are there at the beginâ€" allegations have been proven problems, that falls on the ning.” in court. private sector." he said.