Ruth Watt
11025 
As things 'spin out of control,' Champlain monument tarped, fenced off
OrilliaMatters
36Could anything be more bizarre than the mayor deciding unilaterally to return part of the Champlain Monument to Couchiching Park, and then shrouding it in plastic? He has managed to simultaneously offend everyone: those who wanted the monument back, those who wanted the council’s democratic process followed, and those who never wanted to see the monument again. It takes a special kind of elected official to ignore absolutely everyone, and do exactly what he wants.
5- Ruth Watt
Orillia museum's 'future at risk' in wake of city demands: official
OrilliaMatters 17Now we know the value our mayor places on the art and history of the city he purports to lead: $245,000 per year.
7- Ruth Watt
Mayor outlines updates on speed cameras, train station, housing
OrilliaMatters 19I find it rather odd that the mayor would use Facebook as his means of communicating with the citizens of Orillia. Is everyone who is not on Facebook, or not a Facebook friend of the mayor, supposed to remain in the dark? I know that the president of the USA uses social media on an obsessive level, but surely this is one more way that we don’t want to emulate his behaviour. What if the mayor were to use a “Mayor’s Report” on the city website. Wouldn’t this reach more people?
1- Ruth Watt
City budget will be 'entirely different' with strong mayor powers
OrilliaMatters 17I wonder if the budget will include an expense line reflecting what we are paying for our strong mayor’s firing of Trevor Lee?
1- Ruth Watt
'Huge issue': Councillors pitch city-wide 40 km/h pilot project
OrilliaMatters 9Congratulations to Councillors Fallis and Czetwerzuk for this very forward-thinking proposal. I am a regular pedestrian by choice, despite the fact that I feel as if I am taking my life in my hands every time I walk the streets of Orillia. Orillia drivers go way too fast, make turns at intersections without checking to see if any pedestrians are crossing, run red lights, and generally act as if the rules of the road don’t apply to them. I applaud any measure that will force them to slow down and pay attention.
8- Ruth Watt
OMAH board shelves deputation, vows to work with city on new lease
OrilliaMatters 10As one of the pensioners who attended the council meeting, I would like to clarify a few points. We were there to represent the working people who couldn’t be there. The meeting began at 2 pm, and the OMAH issue wasn’t raised until well after 5 pm. We waited patiently because it was important to us and because we could. As for running the city, if you mean the hundreds of hours of volunteer commitment to the hospital, the arts, education, community service, you’re right that our city wouldn’t run without retirees. And as for that pension, I contributed for 30+ years of my working life. I am happy to have my name on this comment. It’s too easy to fire cheap shots protected by a pseudonym.
2- Ruth Watt
Slow down! Two new city speed cameras now recording your speed
OrilliaMatters 2I totally agree with the writer who said that speed cameras are needed on West Street. Every night West Street from Coldwater Road to Brant Street is a speedway with vehicles roaring as loudly as possible. I can’t imagine anything on Park Street equalling the sound. If cameras are limited, move one to West Street.
1- Ruth Watt
