Seguin Quotes: May 22 - 23

Rankin Lake.

Here's the next installment of my 'Seguin Quotes' series.

This weekend, I continued my route down Rankin Lake Road on Saturday. I made it all the way to Foley Library. Then, on Sunday, I attended the annual general meeting of the Otter Lake Ratepayer's Association. It was good to see the people attend the meeting hall above the library to discuss the previous year's business and discuss future actions. This sort of exchange in public is a vital part of community political action. I think it's great.

So, onto this weekend's quotes. The 'Seguin Quotes' series reveals the considered thoughts and beliefs of the people of Ward 1.

My question: "What's the one thing you would change about Seguin Township?"

The view from Rankin Lake Road rail bridge.

"What would it take to have a dump container for construction and household waste at [Foley's] Brooks Road?" - Rick Borneman, Rankin Lake Road

"Have convenience stores in different regions provide dog license sales because they're open past five o'clock". - Rick Borneman, Rankin Lake Road

"Leave the Memorial Hall [in Humphrey] where it is" - June Frail, Rankin Lake Road

"They should clean up the museum". - June Frail, Rankin Lake Road

"They should make Rankin Lake Road a 50 km/h zone". - June Frail, Rankin Lake Road

"I don't think councillors should sit on boards that make a council decision - it's like having a guy on the inside. Either that or abstain from the council vote about the board". - Chuck Frail, Rankin Lake Road

"We need more police patrol on Rankin Lake Road due to speeding. People are driving way too fast. A community safety zone would be a good idea". - John & Louisa Sofijanov, Rankin Lake Road

Garden Court

"The gate on the [Foley Matheson] park needs to be locked after 9 pm. It is never locked. With the gate left open, drinking and partying after 9 pm is the main issue. It would also be nice to have some sort of pavillion at the beach to sit under and maybe some barbecue pits". - Mike Bernardo, Garden Court

Is this gate ever locked?

This Week in Deerwood Forest

The Built-In BBQ Affect

I've just read an interesting on-line book review, 'Gentrification and Its Discontents' (click to view).

The reviewer comments on - what I feel - are important issues related to Seguin's on-going cultural transition. In the following excerpt, I sense the cottager/resident dynamic in our rural setting partially described in terms of classic urban village gentrification...

'[H]ow the working class was driven out of the West Village, as gentrifiers like Jacobs drove up assessed values and rents. Progressive, reformist city planners, supported by seemingly most of the Village’s blue-collar residents, favored a relatively low-impact urban-renewal scheme to build hundreds of below-market-rate homes in the neighborhood—a plan Jacobs and a group of largely affluent residents successfully fought on the grounds that it would destroy the area’s character. Whatever the merits of the opposing positions, one of the proponents of renewal was surely prophetic in arguing in 1961, “If the Village area is left alone … eventually the Village will consist solely of luxury housing This trend is already quite obvious and would itself destroy any semblance of the Village that [Jacobs and her allies] seem so anxious to preserve.”'

It's a case of opposites, certainly: New York vs. Seguin. Fundamental change is the common feature.

This leads to a thought: the Seguin transitional zone, in close orbit to supernova Muskoka, may see a progressive destruction of the cultural heritage which status quo advocates profess to adore. Fundamental economic forces (increasing real estate turnover) will alter the way things are. If the population level remains the same - low tolerance for land severance, steep new building costs - the cost of property ownership and assessments rise and rise.

It comes down to the draw of attractive North Muskoka (aka Sequin) as a relatively low entry to cottage country and resultant, rising assessment values. Objectively, Seguin is a good investment for future appreciation in land value. Case in point: someone purchases a WWII era bungalow lot, renovate up and over the original structure with a faux timber frame look, add a great room, and a backyard kitchen with built-in BBQ. Then flip it for a big profits. Repeat.

Such is the way of real estate things. It's a heavenly or hellish vision of the future of Seguin depending on your perspective. Rising property values is good as an investment if you can handle the high entry costs. Or, it's bad if you're a young working family that wants to get on the property ladder. Like the working class of certain New York neighbourhoods, the inflow of moneyed property redecorators may slowly drive out local working families.

I'm just tossing ideas around. Though it's important to consider.

Surely, the road to hell is paved with built-in BBQs.

The Milling Process

Here's another one of my non-political sustainable forestry/small scale milling posts for your possible interest. This is really the nickel tour as I don't show many small steps - like the fun of getting the log onto the mill.

Let's just say this post is a time capsule for my future relations to look back on a simpler time. My time traveling kin may see how old Grandpa Bill turned logs into lumber while the future is all busy zooming around planetoids in silver space suits.

In winter, I use a snowmobile and cargo sled to skid logs
out of woods. With the snow melted, I use a slightly more difficult
way to move log.

I lift the log onto the back of the ATV wagon and strap it down.
This is not the best thing to do for my spine, but I prefer it to
using a skid chain. In future I'll use something called a 'log arch'.

Ta-da! I've made it to the log landing at the mill yard.
Then I simply unstrap the log, and roll it onto the pile.
It's important not to get body parts crushed doing this.

Moving right along, I've got a log up on the bandsaw mill and
start to cut bark slabs off the log in order to make a four-sided
piece of lumber called a 'cant'.

It's important to select straight logs for milling.
While this appears to be a straight log, notice the
indent in the middle of the log after the first cut.

Here's the Before photo of a straight-ish log secured on the
mill 'bunks'. Even with the straightest log, it will loose about
four inches from the diameter of the smallest end.

Now the After photo of the same log cut into a cant. That's a big
loss of wood. Only now can I cut one inch planks with little or
no bark. Notice the pile of cut-off slabs thrown from the mill.

Sad for me to look at this. It can be cut up into firewood. I use the
sawdust to help breakdown compost. Nothing is wasted
when wood is my stove fuel. Though I wish it were lumber.

Here's the rough sawn sugar maple lumber.
I set them up in book-matched pairs then will
separate them on levels to air-dry. The drying
and kilning process is another thing altogether.

The Canadian Boreal Forest Agreement

(click image to read more on this historic agreement)

So good to see that the environmentalists and mainstream forestry have signed an historic, wide ranging agreement to halt cuts within caribou habitat in the boreal forest.

The softwood industry has been hit hard with a drop in lumber and paper demand in recent years. I think this is a model agreement that clearly benefits both parties. It's a great marketing coup for industry, and a big win for activist boycott pressure by environmental organizations. As a sustainable forester on a very small scale, I see this as the smart, sustainable move on the way forward for Canadian forestry.

Bravo!

Seguin Quotes: May 15th - 16th

So continues my series of posts that are the core of my campaign for Ward 1 councillor for Seguin Township.

This weekend, I continued my route down Rankin Lake Road on Saturday, then visited Horseshoe Lake Road on Sunday. Sunday was just a perfect, sunny day with a slight breeze. The recent cold snap and snow took out a lot of the black flies and mosquitoes. If you aren't in Seguin now, best get on up and enjoy the good times and great weather.

The 'Seguin Quotes' series reveals the considered thoughts and beliefs of the people of Ward 1.

My question: "What's the one thing you would change about Seguin Township?"

Rankin Lake Road.

"We would definitely like a community safety zone on Rankin Lake road. Put more signs up - there's kids along the whole stretch" - Roger & Debbie Kriegers, Rankin Lake Road.

"We should have public access to all of the lakes in Seguin. Don't cut off our access. I've been here since 1957" - Jim Emerson, Rankin Lake Road.

"Year round sustainable light industry needs to be promoted for meaningful employment for township residents and economic growth" - Garry Stephens, Rankin Lake Road.

"I'd like to see the sense of community permeate into council. It seems like us against them instead of us with them" - Brian Claridge, Rankin Lake Road.

"I'd like a community swimming pool for the whole district" - Caroline Claridge, Rankin Lake Road.

Rankin Lake Road.

"People say the summer roads are worse now than they used to be before amalgamation" - Jack Vankoughnett, Rankin Lake Road.

"You can't do more with less" - Jack Vankoughnett, Rankin Lake Road.

"Welcome, work with, and respect small business into Seguin" - Michelle & Don Berry (KOA Campground Owners), Rankin Lake Road.

"Directional signage needs to be improved greatly" - Michelle & Don Berry (KOA Campground Owners), Rankin Lake Road.

"We absolutely love it here" - Michelle & Don Berry (KOA Campground Owners), Rankin Lake Road.

"People need to get involved in their community - especially intramural sports. It would be nice to see young parents get their kids involved. Parents should get involved as well in coaching" - Michelle & Don Berry (KOA Campground Owners), Rankin Lake Road.

Haven Drive.

"I wouldn't want to live anywhere else" - Ian Ferguson, Haven Drive.

"When I see so many young people...they just don't have jobs so they can raise a family" - Richard Bilokryli, Horseshoe Lake Road.

"Go out after business or recruit environmentally clean businesses" - Richard Bilokryli, Horseshoe Lake Road.

Wilcox Drive.

"I think there should be an outdoor Hockey Rink in Humphrey" - Jeff Cunningham, Horseshoe Lake Road.

"Do something with the Horseshoe Lake Community Hall because nobody uses it" - Katelyn Cunningham, Horseshoe Lake Road.

"We need someone to run youth programs within Seguin government. One person who coordinates with all of the committees to help get things done - a youth activity coordinator. It's difficult for someone to do it part-time" - Jacco Spykermann, Horseshoe Lake Road.

Horseshoe Lake Road.

"We need more people to volunteer [in support of youth activities]. A youth coordinator would encourage people to volunteer" - Jacco Spykermann, Horseshoe Lake Road.

"I grew up down the road. It was my biggest dream to one day buy a home and live here. I love it here" - Jeannette Diplacido, Horseshoe Lake Road.

This Week in Deerwood Forest

Emails: Got Transparency?

As transparency of action and words in Seguin's council seems likely to be an important issue in this upcoming 2010 election (Oct. 25th), I've added a new tag item: 'Emails'. In this way, dear reader, you may follow my words of correspondence. I would like everyone to know that if you email me, my response (if I do respond) will be contained in this blog. You want transparency? You got it.

Below is the email which has inspired me to tag my emails....

Thanks, for the additional, [John McCash, President of the Three Lakes Ratepayers Association].

I only post my own words for public consumption unless granted
permission to quote by the correspondent. Any position inferred to
you by my posted reply is nothing more than previously contained in
your letter to Mayor and council. The reason why I blog so
extensively is because I am a True Believer in transparency.
Certainly within the domain of public administration on a municipal
level - there's no state secrets. Divisions and suspicions grow in
the absence of information. Access to information aides understanding
of official action or is a means to check it. As the strength of
science is tested by peer review.

Even such emails between interested parties (as you've sent me
unsolicited) has the aspect of back room dealing which I abhor. Four
years ago I embraced blogging as a tool for transparency - for good or
ill - and know its liberating effect. I urge you to do the same for
the enlightenment of your association members and the benefit of any
interested third party. Blogging is free and as easy as sending an
email. I recommend http://www.blogger.com/home. You can start to go
public, spread your message in less than five minutes - guaranteed.
If you plead transparency in government, isn't the best argument
supported by example?

Back to topic: the Seguin [council] MOU [memorandum of understanding] tactic is troubling in timing and
effect. I suppose - not knowing the minds of council - that they act
in a manner they feel will reward them come election time. That seems
obvious, for such is the nature of most politicians. If their
respective lake association members do not feel as ardently concerned
as your own, council members may not feel sufficiently endangered in
terms of re-election.

What is the position of other Seguin association presidents on this issue?

Curiously,

Bill Pocock

This Week in Deerwood Forest

Here's a small collection of photos from this week in Deerwood Forest.

The Wrath of Lake Associations

In the interest of transparency, I include here (below) a copy of an email I've sent in reply to John McCash, President of the Three Lakes Ratepayers Association, on the issue of Ontario Camp of the Deaf motor sport racing noise pollution.

John,

Much food for thought in the OCD related correspondence you've provided me to consume. Thank you for your reporting and analysis.

As a candidate for Ward 1 councillor in the 2010 Seguin election, I've gone public with my take on the issue in a recent Beacon Star letter to the editor...

http://oneseguin.blogspot.com/2010/04/letter-to-editor-seguin-noise-pollution.html

Therein I focus on the measured, illegal production of noise pollution caused by OCD motor sport events. I set aside the zoning issue as it could ultimately only be decided by the court. I also disregard the charitable work conducted by the property owners as it is a distinctly different activity not in question.

In my letter, I urge Seguin's council to either amend the existing by-law, or create a new commercial noise pollution by-law with high, minimum fines that escalate with each additional infraction. In this respect, I'm the 'tough on crime' candidate. Clearly, a strong administrative emphasis on enforcement is called for in my proposed solution. The lack of strict enforcement of an effective noise pollution by-law, I believe, has a highly corrosive effect on community trust in an public administration elected to represent the interests of the people. I'd like such a by-law to come into being now. I think you've got a good idea with special permits to limit the number of annual events. I also feel that the OCD land owners need to build effective sound abatement structure that will reduce the level of noise to provincial standards in order not to pay the high fines associated with unlawful levels.

I've also stated, in my One Seguin blog (www.oneseguin.blogspot.com), that I prefer an out of court settlement to the issue due to the costs associated with a legal action for all parties. As the ultimate legality of OCD commercial activities cannot be determined without a ruling, I set zoning aside in order to clearly deal with what I consider to be the core issue of noise pollution.

With you, I find the current administration shows a disappointing lack of transparency in process, and also reporting (e.g. 2006 is the last year of key performance indicators reported on the Seguin website - http://www.twp.seguin.on.ca/742/key_performance_indicators.htm). As an MBA and former public sector management consultant, I can't understand how Mayor Conn (a former CEO with a BBA) would allow such a narrow, generic range of reporting with lack of operational detail, and overall opacity to persist. I just don't understand the reasoning.

The undiscovered country of Seguin Township operations boggles my mind, frankly, as I assume whatever reporting generated within public administration would, in logical progression, be presented on the township website at end of process. There's no reason not to present reporting. It's the easiest thing in the world to upload the info on to the web....But this is a different subject area, and I'm reluctant to dig deep into this soil at the moment.

Finally, I think it is highly significant that you and your lake association are wading into this even though your members aren't personally impacted by the noise (as I am). The received wisdom is that Seguin council members win and lose their seats on the strength of lake association member votes.

I'm off to hug a tree in the whirlwind.

Regards,

Bill Pocock

Candidate for Ward 1, Seguin Township
www.oneseguin.blogspot.com

P.S. First I have to post this email on my blog for the sake of transparency.

Beaver Complex

Here I go again with another forestry/environment type of blog post.

All of this nature stuff may seem off topic on a political campaign blog, but maybe not. The more I talk to people about Sequin politics, the more I realize that people want to know who I am. This blog will certainly express my views on local issues and - more importantly - quotes from Ward 1 people I talk to. But I want to avoid the shallow, often meaningless sort of political website that is so sanitized or scripted that you don't get to understand the real me. I write these personal blog entries to show you who I am by the things I do every day.

So, onto the topic of my relationship with the local beaver population....

Enemy Headquarters.

On the edge of my family woodlot (we call Deerwood) is not a beaver lodge, but a beaver fortress. I have no idea how many beaver lodges there are in the fortress, but it's more than I can shake a stick at. Whether they're all currently occupied is another question. You see these beaver are secretive in their ways. They and I interact in a rather passive aggressive way toward one another.

You see, these beaver, who have created a large flood plain around their fort, are always looking to expand operations. One of their many local projects is damming up a lowland in Deerwood with the grand scheme - I'm sure - of drowning the Pocock family out completely.

A vision of the beaver Master Plan.

There's a key, low, beaver dam that floods a good part of Deerwood forest that I'm in the habit of opening up now and then.

It's both frustrating and amusing to know that the very next night, one or all (who knows?) of the fort beaver will waddle out then wattle up the dam again with mud, stick, and rock (up to the size of ten pin bowling ball).

My famous channel through the beaver dam.

Sure, the beaver ought to be allowed to make their way in this world, but what about me? Don't I have any rights?

The other day I walked past the beaver dam which I'd cleared some time ago and was both pleased and disappointed to see that the dam wasn't repaired. I take it as a bad sign that the beaver might be getting a little lazy. I don't want them to go away - I mean we've got 'relationship'. Then again, the beaver do go further afield in Spring/Summer, to conquer new lands, then return in fall to collect saplings for winter fuel.

A happy compromise.

The upside to a small amount of flooding is the creation of micro-ecologies in Deerwood. Forest flatland is slightly flooded, but not to the extent that the trees die off. Forest diversity is an important thing to sustainable foresters to me, as well as the forest's thirsty inhabitants.

And as this year may shape up to be a rather dry one, I better go back and fix that darn dam myself. Now where did I put that beaver suit?...

Stormy Trails

Snow?...

Yesterday gave a good wind blow and some surprising May snowfall. It got down to -6 degrees over night.

One of my many forest manager chores is to walk the trails after a storm. With pruning saw and axe, I clear away fallen branches or trees.

So, today I walked about and did some chopity-chopity.

Chop it...

...then haul it.

Multi-chop.

Long chop.

Chop chop.