tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17141106986225210962012-01-05T01:17:00.338-05:00Speaking Out for Ward 2Jennifer Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14610902519752808810noreply@blogger.comBlogger1011100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714110698622521096.post-71396287278941808752011-12-13T15:24:00.003-05:002011-12-13T16:42:29.928-05:00

I must admit, when I heard that Milton was looking to build a Velodrome for the 2015 PanAm Games, my first thought was "Monorail!" The whole thing sounded like an enormous white elephant - another orphaned Hamilton project championed by certain Milton councillors as a way to garner headlines, much like their ill-advised flirtation with the "Milton Ti-Cats". However, having reviewed the

Jennifer Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14610902519752808810noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714110698622521096.post-60226756031911252892011-12-05T01:42:00.000-05:002011-12-05T01:42:30.220-05:00

In 2006, OPP Sgt. Greg Stobbart was struck and killed by a truck while cycling on Tremaine Road, just south of Main. The truck driver had had his license suspended five times before the accident, owed $14,000 in driving-related fines, and yet he was only sentenced to 100 hours of community service and told to attend drivers ed. That tragic experience led Stobbart's widow, Eleanor McMahon, to

Jennifer Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14610902519752808810noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714110698622521096.post-35789429316191516602011-09-18T01:25:00.009-04:002011-09-18T01:54:04.133-04:00

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the publication of "The Death and Life of Great American Cities" by Jane Jacobs, a book which influenced generations of urban planners and municipal leaders and forever changed the way we think of cities. So what better way to celebrate than in the company of four former mayors of Toronto, the city Jacobs called home for nearly half her life. David

Jennifer Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14610902519752808810noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714110698622521096.post-47171658418445860802011-09-09T14:16:00.004-04:002011-09-15T12:47:30.297-04:00

I really have to wonder sometimes at what passes for editorial policy at the Champion. For a paper that claims it "doesn't have room" for a sixth of a page per month for a movie review column, it sure seems to have a lot of ink to spare for nonsense like this: Do donation requests put sour note on musicians? You’re walking down the street of a picturesque small town, not unlike Milton. You

Jennifer Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14610902519752808810noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714110698622521096.post-76858154982777662232011-08-18T18:19:00.002-04:002011-08-18T18:39:45.288-04:00

The cover story of this month's issue of 'Toronto Life' is causing quite a stir. Entitled "The New Suburbanites", it describes an apparent trend of young, otherwise committed downtown Torontonians becoming disillusioned with urban life and fleeing to the outer reaches of the 905 and beyond, to towns like Dundas, Creemore, Coburg, Uxbridge, and even Peterborough. Many dedicated Torontophiles have

Jennifer Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14610902519752808810noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714110698622521096.post-16893521351513087352011-07-27T23:06:00.002-04:002011-07-28T16:24:24.037-04:00

(crossposted from Sprawlville) Local environmental group Milton Green recently sponsored a walking garden tour which included a close-up look at the Milton Community Gardens. Currently located on the Allendale property across the street from the Milton Mall, this unassuming urban farm has been quietly producing tomatoes, beans and carrots for over fifteen years. And yet, most people in town

Jennifer Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14610902519752808810noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714110698622521096.post-66475642259635776002011-07-19T12:45:00.001-04:002011-07-28T16:23:46.266-04:00

Monday's Council meeting was the last chance for supporters of the Bruce Street Library to make our voices heard. It wasn't much of a chance, really. We knew that the majority of councillors had already decided that they would not be supporting the downsized branch library option presented by the consultants. In fact, most of them had decided long before the Town spent $20,000 on the consultants.

Jennifer Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14610902519752808810noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714110698622521096.post-56107313891675267872011-07-13T13:04:00.001-04:002011-08-05T14:54:25.125-04:00

One of the big complaints most candidates heard during the last municipal election was about the lack of opportunity for real, effective public input into the budget process. Let's face it - by the time most people hear or think about Milton's municipal budget, most of the big decisions have already been made. There will be a couple of articles in the paper a few weeks ahead of the final vote,

Jennifer Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14610902519752808810noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714110698622521096.post-69718974590476935422011-06-21T12:49:00.001-04:002011-06-21T13:16:06.614-04:00

Local food is all the rage these days. Proponents usually focus on fruits and vegetables, encouraging consumers to stock up on seasonal produce at farmers' markets and grocery stores. But buying local meat and dairy products is just as important - perhaps even more so. After all, what better way to ensure that the animals that feed you are being treated humanely than to get to know the farmer

Jennifer Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14610902519752808810noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714110698622521096.post-64166023034664626462011-06-19T01:57:00.000-04:002011-06-19T01:57:33.705-04:00

The consultants hired by the Town to investigate options for the Bruce Street Library buildings presented their recommendations to the public this week during two somewhat sparsely attended meetings at the Seniors' Activity Centre on Thursday. The feasibility report details three options, or 'concepts': Concept #1: Sell both the 45 Bruce Street and 407 Pine Street properties for about $3

Jennifer Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14610902519752808810noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714110698622521096.post-68782127567185981602011-06-13T17:31:00.000-04:002011-06-13T17:31:54.444-04:00

When my husband and I first moved to Milton back in 1994, my Uncle Bill sent us a letter. He had been a teacher and vice-principal at Milton District High School back in the '60s and '70s, and he wanted to welcome us to his former home by telling us about a few of his favourite things about this town. Things like the farmers' market, the Mill Pond, and antiques auctions at the Fairgrounds. He

Jennifer Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14610902519752808810noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714110698622521096.post-41559738797870208292011-06-11T13:12:00.001-04:002011-06-11T13:15:20.200-04:00

Mark June 16th on your calendars, folks! We are finally going to be hearing back from the consultants hired by the Town about future uses for the (now former) library buildings at Bruce Street. It's being billed as a 'public information session', which is Town-speak for "the decisions have already been made", and given that the new library is already open and the old one closed, I'm guessing that

Jennifer Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14610902519752808810noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714110698622521096.post-68831018272703581862011-05-28T16:05:00.001-04:002011-05-31T12:45:25.376-04:00

There's a rather odd item coming up at this Monday's Council Meeting that seems to have caught everyone's attention over at Hawthorne Villager: Councillor Arnold Huffman's proposal to install a piano staircase at the new Milton Centre for the Arts. What the heck is a 'piano staircase' you ask? Pretty cool, huh? I thought so too when Arnold first showed it to me. However, there are a couple

Jennifer Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14610902519752808810noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714110698622521096.post-73435478915459576422011-05-08T11:31:00.001-04:002011-05-08T11:37:28.611-04:00

And now back to our regularly scheduled blogging... Tomorrow's Community Services Standing Committee meeting agenda has a couple of items dealing with two of my favourite subjects: transit, and food. The first quarter Transit report is just chock full of good news. Paid ridership is up 81% compared to this time last year, costs per passenger trip have been cut nearly in half, and more and more

Jennifer Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14610902519752808810noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714110698622521096.post-25843385053034553832011-03-23T12:57:00.000-04:002011-03-23T12:57:41.082-04:00

One of the first people I met when I moved to Milton was Steve Bonin, the owner and proprietor of Harris Stationary - later Harris Office Pro. As the owner of a mail-order business I go through a lot of office supplies, so it was incredibly convenient to have Harris mere blocks from my house and just a few doors down from the post office. Even after Staples opened up by the Wal-Mart, I always

Jennifer Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14610902519752808810noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714110698622521096.post-56350000782111749942011-03-07T13:52:00.000-05:002011-03-07T13:52:22.993-05:00

Thanks in large part to certain candidates making this an election issue, staff have proposed a draft Traffic Calming Policy which will be debated and voted on at this evening's Community Services Standing Committee meeting. Unfortunately I won't be able to attend - at least not for most of it - but I'm hoping there will be enough councillors and community members there with an interest in

Jennifer Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14610902519752808810noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714110698622521096.post-2460937853741099452011-02-24T15:30:00.002-05:002011-03-03T10:45:47.238-05:00

The following letter was submitted in response to a letter from Councillor Rick Malboeuf in the February 22nd issue of the Champion. To the Editor, Milton Champion - I had honestly hoped that Councillor Malboeuf would have used the time since last month's budget meeting to educate himself on the economics of public transit, but apparently the efforts of staff and his fellow transit

Jennifer Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14610902519752808810noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714110698622521096.post-35972885622782840142011-02-18T18:05:00.000-05:002011-02-18T18:05:24.826-05:00

About a year ago I took a ride with my friend Zeeshan Hamid on the brand new Scott Express bus. We chatted about the differences and similarities between our respective wards, and I noted how much more sensible this route was than the one which meandered round my own neighbourhood. The Scott route was the first in a series of changes to Milton Transit that culminated last fall in the

Jennifer Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14610902519752808810noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714110698622521096.post-49172743532988514712011-02-14T00:18:00.000-05:002011-02-14T00:18:02.654-05:00

As a brief follow-up to my previous post, I wanted to quote in full from one of my favourite books: "The Shape of the Suburbs: Understanding Toronto's Sprawl" by former Toronto mayor John Sewell. It's a passage I've been thinking about a lot lately, especially after reading some of the comments on Hawthorne Villager. After describing a commute by car and by transit, Sewell sums up these

Jennifer Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14610902519752808810noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714110698622521096.post-8913893568773482842011-02-12T18:44:00.002-05:002011-02-12T22:22:08.344-05:00

I was pleased to see that the Champion finally got around to reporting on the transit debate that went on at last month's budget meetings. Although overshadowed by the hospital levy, Rick Malboeuf's motion to slash over a quarter million dollars from the Milton Transit budget was at least as surprising, and considerably more controversial. As I reported at the time, the motion took everyone off

Jennifer Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14610902519752808810noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714110698622521096.post-10852719306376398392011-02-01T01:15:00.001-05:002011-02-07T14:35:22.325-05:00

Monday was the last day for submitting comments to the Town about the Bruce Street Library. I submitted mine a few weeks ago, and several other people have been kind enough to CC me on their own contributions. They were all quite passionate and very well written, as have been all the letters to the Champion over the past year. And then there's the 'Save the Library' petition, which was the

Jennifer Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14610902519752808810noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714110698622521096.post-19797969913305311552011-01-20T00:50:00.003-05:002011-01-20T01:03:26.869-05:00

Before you read the headline in today's Champion, let me give you the real scoop on the budget: Your property taxes will NOT be going up 4.6%. Your taxes will be going up by 2.2%, for the reasons I explained in my previous post.  That's about $60 for the average home. It's also considerably less than the current rate of inflation, which stands at about 3% in Ontario. Now that I've got that out

Jennifer Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14610902519752808810noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714110698622521096.post-25093865641254610082011-01-16T13:31:00.000-05:002011-01-16T13:31:47.768-05:00

The 2011 Budget Documents are now online and ready for public perusal. Don't bother checking the Town of Milton website - even I couldn't spot them, and I'm more than passing familiar with the site. But happily, Councillor Mike Cluett has a handy set of links to all these documents on his blog. The budget will be discussed and voted on next week, which means we will be hearing a lot of

Jennifer Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14610902519752808810noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714110698622521096.post-87304507853792747202011-01-03T11:55:00.000-05:002011-01-03T11:55:04.084-05:00

There will be a public information meeting on Wednesday, January 12th at High Foster Hall from 6:00-8:00 pm regarding the planned 'urbanization' of Oak St, Bruce St, Court St and Ashbrook Court. The plan is to install new storm sewers on these streets, plus curbs and new sidewalks on Oak and Ashbrook, plus watermain and sanitary sewer work on just Ashbrook. Oak Street The plans are in their

Jennifer Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14610902519752808810noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714110698622521096.post-68417197629326779172010-12-22T16:47:00.001-05:002011-02-01T01:25:12.480-05:00

I must admit, I was expecting some fireworks at Monday's council meeting. There were a lot of important items on the agenda - the annual Library Report, the selection of councillors for various board and committee positions, proposed changes to the committee structure. But the one causing the most buzz over at the Hawthorne Villager Forum was the staff recommendation to replace the Lord's

Jennifer Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14610902519752808810noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714110698622521096.post-26822637024918304462010-12-19T16:37:00.000-05:002010-12-19T16:37:42.988-05:00

The final two reports presented at last Monday's council meeting set the stage for the budget deliberations that will consume our new councillors for the next two months. I must say, as anxious as I was to being elected, I don't envy them right now. It's a monumental task to be thrown into right off the bat, but fortunately most of them have been paying close attention for at least the past year

Jennifer Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14610902519752808810noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714110698622521096.post-60179839874784437662010-12-17T15:57:00.001-05:002010-12-17T16:14:59.942-05:00

It's been a busy week, but I finally have a chance to write up my notes on the first meeting of Milton's new council last Monday. I hope you had a chance to follow the proceedings on my Twitter feed. I have it displayed on my sidebar, or if you are a fellow Tweep you can follow me at smithward2 It was a long meeting that consisted of the presentation of four background reports: one on the Derry

Jennifer Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14610902519752808810noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714110698622521096.post-60781647797132961452010-12-08T16:34:00.001-05:002010-12-09T20:47:01.915-05:00

It was gratifying to see so many people turn out for the two public input sessions on the fate of the Bruce Street Library yesterday. There were about 150 who attended the afternoon meeting and another 40-50 in the evening, so obviously this is still something people feel passionately about. The meetings were part of the feasibility study being undertaken by a consulting firm hired by the Town

Jennifer Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14610902519752808810noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714110698622521096.post-76906446775627429472010-12-07T12:40:00.001-05:002010-12-07T12:49:32.216-05:00

I attended the inaugural meeting of Milton's Town Council last night to watch our new councillors get sworn in. It might have been a bittersweet moment, but I was so happy to see my friends Zeeshan Hamid and Rick Di Lorenzo up there that I had no regrets. Photo by Brian Best (not shown: Sharon Barkley, Ward 1) Our new councillors are certainly going to have their work cut out for them. They

Jennifer Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14610902519752808810noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714110698622521096.post-78469973828365267772010-11-19T13:17:00.001-05:002010-11-19T15:01:03.059-05:00

Better late than never, I suppose. With as little fanfare as possible, the Town of Milton has finally posted the dates for the long-awaited 'Public Input Sessions' on the future of the Bruce Street Library.  There will be two sessions, both on December 7th at the Milton Seniors Activity Centre - one from 3:00 to 5:00 and the other from 7:00 to 9:00. Oddly, there was nothing in Thursday's

Jennifer Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14610902519752808810noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714110698622521096.post-82539916052167362942010-11-18T16:24:00.000-05:002010-11-18T16:24:28.563-05:00

Do you love the arts? Want to leave a lasting, visible legacy to the community from your family, club or business? Looking for a unique Christmas gift? Fundraising efforts are well under way for the new Milton Centre for the Arts. Already they have secured several major naming rights agreements totalling over $1,000,000, and the Buy a Seat / Buy a Piano Key program is selling out fast.

Jennifer Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14610902519752808810noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714110698622521096.post-33046486378184637732010-11-08T17:51:00.003-05:002010-11-09T14:28:43.871-05:00

During one of those late night stream-of-consciousness internet searches, I recently ran across the story of Colborne Street in downtown Brantford. It's a fascinating and complex cautionary tale that may hold some lessons for Milton. At first glance, the situation is every heritage lover's nightmare: the expropriation and demolition of 41 commercial buildings along the south side of Colborne

Jennifer Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14610902519752808810noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714110698622521096.post-46136348913529639862010-11-07T16:54:00.001-05:002010-11-07T22:29:39.915-05:00

It was a beautiful day for Milton's Remembrance Day ceremonies today. I got downtown a bit early and was pleased to see a huge contingent of motorcyclists had turned up for the occasion (motorcycles were originally popularized by returning WWII vets, don't forget). I grabbed some lunch at Country Mile and finished up just as the parade was coming around the corner from the Legion. After the

Jennifer Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14610902519752808810noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714110698622521096.post-60208729264420346122010-11-03T21:58:00.000-04:002010-11-03T21:58:43.277-04:00

Just when it seemed that the impasse between the St. Paul's Church Council and the Save the Sanctuary group was going to be impossible to break, there is some hopeful news: Church looks to start fresh St. Paul’s United Church is turning a new page in its quest for redevelopment. Last week the church council voted to terminate its partnership with a local developer and open up the tendering

Jennifer Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14610902519752808810noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714110698622521096.post-6419596026650328872010-10-26T14:41:00.000-04:002010-10-26T14:41:43.343-04:00

When I first put my name forward as your candidate for Ward 2 back in January, people thought I was out of my mind. No one had ever heard of a newcomer running against two incumbents simultaneously, and some even suggested that I run in another ward. The thought never even crossed my mind. Now more than ever, I am committed to this community. I plan to spend the next four years doing exactly

Jennifer Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14610902519752808810noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714110698622521096.post-78790634860609142602010-10-25T02:21:00.000-04:002010-10-25T02:21:15.355-04:00

This is it, folks! They always say that 'every vote counts', but in a municipal race this close it really is true. You would be amazed at how many municipal races are won or lost by a handful of votes. So please make sure that you get out to vote today, and also remind any friends or family members who support me to vote as well. Here are a few things to keep in mind before you head out to

Jennifer Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14610902519752808810noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714110698622521096.post-63853278505515949392010-10-21T16:41:00.000-04:002010-10-21T16:41:26.515-04:00

Over the past nine months I have knocked on nearly 4,000 doors, written 60 blog posts, made over 500 Tweets, presented my views and ideas through debates, interviews and questionnaires, and spoken with hundreds upon hundreds of Ward 2 residents. But in the end, none of that really matters.  In the end it all comes down to you, the voter, and who you will chose to represent you for the next four

Jennifer Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14610902519752808810noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714110698622521096.post-27921062717717128062010-10-21T16:40:00.000-04:002010-10-21T16:40:25.586-04:00

At long last, coverage of the October 5th debate on downtown issues, sponsored by the Milton DBIA.

Jennifer Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14610902519752808810noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714110698622521096.post-46812967353380439322010-10-16T11:38:00.001-04:002010-10-20T00:14:54.125-04:00

We've heard a lot of talk from candidates about "revitalizing the downtown core" and "making sure intensification is done right". But without a solid plan, it's all just talk. Here's my plan: 1) Identify the Problem Milton is a town of nearly 90,000 with a downtown designed for 25,000.  That traditional core cannot be developed much further because we need to preserve its heritage, and because

Jennifer Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14610902519752808810noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714110698622521096.post-15318187339057689702010-10-13T13:49:00.002-04:002010-10-14T16:15:11.159-04:00

Photo by Graham Paine Tuesday's Champion has front page coverage of last week's all-candidates meeting on seniors issues, and the Bruce Street Library is the top issue mentioned. I'm not sure that the article quite conveyed my tone when I said I was "very pleased" that current councillors are now supporting Bruce Street as a branch library. Because by "very pleased", what I really meant was "

Jennifer Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14610902519752808810noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714110698622521096.post-31042506574393492302010-10-10T20:36:00.000-04:002010-10-10T20:36:42.059-04:00

After nine long months of campaigning, blogging, debating, and knocking on every door in Ward 2, we're finally into the home stretch. Two weeks and a day from now, the people of Milton will make their choice and set the course of our town for the next four years. It's sometimes surprising to the candidates that not everyone is as consumed with election fever as we are. Which is why it is so

Jennifer Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14610902519752808810noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714110698622521096.post-87622920684908510772010-10-10T19:42:00.004-04:002010-10-11T13:45:37.430-04:00

Thanks so much to Kelly, Tiger, and everyone down at Milton Today TV for a very professional, well-organized and spirited debate today.  It was great getting to speak early on, then go home and watch the rest online with live chat commentary. Now imagine this kind of technology for Council and other meetings. The Ward 2 debate starts at about 21:00. Note: At one point Greg Nelson

Jennifer Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14610902519752808810noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714110698622521096.post-80851509414604744652010-10-07T16:11:00.001-04:002010-10-07T23:26:05.668-04:00

It's been an intense couple of days on the campaign trail.  Tuesday evening was the Ward 2 DBIA debate, followed Wednesday afternoon by the all-candidates meeting on seniors issues. The Tuesday meeting was the closest thing we've had to a real 'debate' so far, in the sense that we all had to answer randomly selected questions with no preparation. It was exciting to finally have the chance to

Jennifer Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14610902519752808810noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714110698622521096.post-24548775715140847872010-10-04T18:14:00.000-04:002010-10-04T18:14:08.888-04:00

Since my campaign began back in January, I have been listening to the ideas and concerns of the people of Ward 2, and working with them to find practical, innovative solutions. Here is some of what I propose:  DOWNTOWNKeep services like libraries, banks and the main Post Office downtown Encourage a grocery store to locate downtown again Preserve and invigorate the historic downtown core

Jennifer Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14610902519752808810noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714110698622521096.post-28262501431995635122010-10-04T10:19:00.002-04:002010-10-04T10:25:40.017-04:00

I just wanted to remind everyone that there are three all candidates meetings / debates coming up involving Ward 2 candidates: Tuesday, October 5th at 6:30 pm at Hugh Foster Hall (43 Brown St). Hosted by the Milton DBIA, this one will be Ward 2 candidates only, and we'll be discussing issues pertaining to downtown Milton. Wednesday October 6th at 1:00 pm at the Seniors Activity Centre (500 Childs

Jennifer Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14610902519752808810noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714110698622521096.post-5927930565013306432010-10-02T15:54:00.000-04:002010-10-02T15:54:30.168-04:00

Nobody likes construction on their street, but some construction jobs are worse than others. All this summer, the residents of Kingsleigh Court in the north-east corner of Ward 2 have been having their street "urbanized" - a process whereby the whole road is dug up and roadside ditches and culverts are replaced with storm drains, sidewalks and curbs. It's not something a lot of residents wanted

Jennifer Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14610902519752808810noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714110698622521096.post-41843905428663078322010-10-01T22:08:00.001-04:002010-10-01T22:27:14.268-04:00

Jennifer Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14610902519752808810noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714110698622521096.post-84552275200034440862010-10-01T12:39:00.000-04:002010-10-01T12:39:22.716-04:00

One concern I have been hearing regularly from residents in Ward 2 is the sad state of our neighbourhood parks and playgrounds. Many have taken to driving out to the new developments with their kids just so they can have safe, modern, fun equipment to play on. That's not right. Most larger parks in Ward 2, like Rotary Park and Tonelli / Bronte Meadows, have had several upgrades and are

Jennifer Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14610902519752808810noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714110698622521096.post-3569151918570298892010-09-27T13:06:00.002-04:002010-10-20T00:16:09.256-04:00

Every year the Milton Rural Residents Association (MRRA) sends out a comprehensive questionnaire to all candidates, asking for their stand on everything from taxes to governance to current issues. This questionnaire is an incredibly useful tool for voters as it allows you to directly compare responses from different candidates to the same questions, as well as allowing you to check how well (or

Jennifer Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14610902519752808810noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714110698622521096.post-27467957628443676592010-09-17T01:03:00.000-04:002010-09-17T01:03:16.864-04:00

It's been a busy week for me, and the results are showing up in the press. The all-candidates meeting on heritage issues was the front page story in today's Champion, with a decent quote from my presentation: The candidates were all asked: What do you see as the value of preservation of heritage properties? What’s the single most important action the Town could take to encourage heritage

Jennifer Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14610902519752808810noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714110698622521096.post-89910430647388183672010-09-15T12:01:00.001-04:002010-09-15T22:30:42.040-04:00

It was a good night last night. I didn't count, but I've heard that there were about 120 people attending last night's all candidates meeting at the Milton Fairgrounds. Most seemed to be from either Ward 2 or from the rural wards, and almost all of the questions in the second half were directed to candidates from those areas. Which is a shame, because some of the guys from the new wards

Jennifer Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14610902519752808810noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714110698622521096.post-9822820327968703502010-09-14T00:36:00.000-04:002010-09-14T00:36:43.495-04:00

I spoke as a delegate before the Community Services Standing Committee meeting tonight - the first time since I became a candidate back in January. I've been tempted, but the fact is that there hasn't been any single issue before council recently that I felt would be overlooked if I didn't speak up. Until now. Here is my presentation: Delegation to the Community Services Standing Committee

Jennifer Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14610902519752808810noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714110698622521096.post-80496803552426191322010-09-11T21:22:00.001-04:002010-09-11T21:29:21.608-04:00

I was very pleased to see the Milton race profiled on page 2 of the GTA section of today's Star - and even more pleased to see my photo so prominently displayed. Milton council candidate Jennifer Smith is running in Ward 2.STEVE RUSSELL/TORONTO STAR The issues? Transit, gridlock, apathy and, of course, taxes Phinjo Gombu Urban Affairs Reporter

Jennifer Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14610902519752808810noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714110698622521096.post-13961984582961704392010-09-08T10:19:00.001-04:002010-09-08T10:19:46.017-04:00

After taking a little holiday break in Halifax with my dear husband last week, I came back to find a lovely gift waiting for me at the Town Clerk's Office - the 2010 Voters List for Ward 2! While I have been actively campaigning since January, the release of the voters list generally marks the point where average people start thinking seriously about the upcoming election. And so you should.

Jennifer Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14610902519752808810noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714110698622521096.post-30464211385325109542010-08-29T16:29:00.000-04:002010-08-29T16:29:16.657-04:00

I had a blast at RibFest yesterday. I arrived early so I could take in the Diversity Day festivities that were sharing the Fairgrounds (great idea, BTW), then wandered the midway and browsed the merchant booths until it was time to meet up with my fellow rib judges over at the main stage. There were seven of us judging the competition including Mayor Krantz, our Public and Catholic school

Jennifer Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14610902519752808810noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714110698622521096.post-87256034990987076532010-08-28T11:55:00.002-04:002010-08-28T12:39:27.541-04:00

I would like to invite you all to a very special fundraiser - an old fashioned Tea Social at one of Milton's loveliest Heritage homes. The party starts at 2 p.m. on September 11th at 66 Charles Street. There will be cucumber sandwiches, seed cakes, and (of course) enough tea to float a boat. Or coffee, if you prefer. But don't worry - no white gloves or fancy hats required. Aside from the

Jennifer Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14610902519752808810noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714110698622521096.post-54674893541940492182010-08-25T18:31:00.000-04:002010-08-25T18:31:36.233-04:00

Today was the big day! After all the hard work that went into our Haunted House Fundraiser a few weeks ago, it was incredibly satisfying to finally be able to present our cheque to the Milton District Hospital Foundation today for the grand total of.... (drumroll please...) $5717.00! I can't say enough about all the people who helped make this happen - especially Rick Di Lorenzo. Rick not only

Jennifer Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14610902519752808810noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714110698622521096.post-84229145373981820792010-08-24T23:08:00.000-04:002010-08-24T23:08:45.172-04:00

Barbeque lovers will be in hog heaven this weekend as Milton hosts its First Annual RibFest. And your truly will be helping to judge the competition! What I love about this event is that it's not just about the food - it's about "Bringing a Community Together". Their website talks about how it all started when "two local entrepreneurs were talking, and wanted to find a way to bring the New

Jennifer Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14610902519752808810noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714110698622521096.post-89828440136583725282010-08-24T15:49:00.000-04:002010-08-24T15:49:27.165-04:00

It was another marathon session at last night's Council meeting. I think most were expecting the bulk of the discussion to be around the 2011 Budget Call Report, but by the time they got around to that point in the agenda it was almost as if everyone was too tired to speak any more. Of course, the current council is rapidly approaching lame duck status, and it was rightly noted that most

Jennifer Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14610902519752808810noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714110698622521096.post-58754853166014289122010-08-14T01:12:00.002-04:002010-08-14T01:24:01.556-04:00

I got a nice mention in Thursday's Champion in an article about online campaigning: Election candidates taking to cyber world Christina Commisso, CANADIAN CHAMPION STAFF As Ward 8 candidate Zeeshan Hamid thanks his campaign contributors, Ward 2 candidate Jennifer Smith discusses the Town’s wind turbine project while Ward 6 candidate Mike Cluett rallies the CFL to consider moving the Hamilton

Jennifer Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14610902519752808810noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714110698622521096.post-13227610668909073662010-08-09T15:11:00.000-04:002010-08-09T15:11:41.020-04:00

I recently received an email from an organization called Halton Enablers of Renewable Energy (HERE!) which is promoting the use of solar, geothermal and other renewables through various events and workshops, as well as by connecting property owners with trusted vendors. Here are a few of their upcoming events: GeoTour Thursday, August 12, 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., Georgetown Are you thinking

Jennifer Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14610902519752808810noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714110698622521096.post-12615471453899644082010-08-03T16:23:00.001-04:002010-08-09T16:39:50.492-04:00

Whew! What a weekend! Thanks to the extraordinary efforts of our organizers, volunteers and sponsors, the first annual Milton Haunted House exceeded all expectations. We're still tallying expenses and working out our exact totals, but we're definitely going to be presenting a sizable cheque to the Milton District Hospital Foundation. And next year is sure to be even bigger and better. What was

Jennifer Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14610902519752808810noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714110698622521096.post-67051514578645911042010-07-19T01:43:00.001-04:002010-07-20T13:49:16.694-04:00

Councillor Wendy Schau has submitted a Notice of Motion asking that the Town of Milton formally urge the Federal Government to reverse it's decision to do away with the mandatory long-form census. In this, Milton would be joining the growing and virtually unanimous chorus of municipal governments and organizations condemning this decision - including the Federation of Canadian Municipalities and

Jennifer Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14610902519752808810noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714110698622521096.post-55054087321731554032010-07-15T11:22:00.001-04:002010-07-15T12:27:07.254-04:00

If you live in Hawthorne Village, you might be familiar with Rick Di Lorenzo's massive Halloween display and haunted house. He's one of those people who keeps those Halloween megastores in business every year. This year, Rick decided to use his terrifying attraction to raise funds for the Milton District Hospital Foundation by moving it to the Pirate Festival, held at Country Heritage Park over

Jennifer Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14610902519752808810noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714110698622521096.post-67105593191174984592010-07-10T17:12:00.000-04:002010-07-10T17:12:27.031-04:00

On Thursday evening, Heritage Milton met to decide whether to recommend the designation the St. Paul's Church sanctuary as a heritage building, or to allow the Church to move forward with its request for demolition. Either recommendation would toss the ball back into Town Council's court and force a final decision at the next council meeting on July 19th. There was quite the crowd crammed into

Jennifer Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14610902519752808810noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714110698622521096.post-17581620266636997252010-07-05T16:23:00.001-04:002010-07-08T17:42:47.357-04:00

While the recently announced changes to the census are under federal jurisdiction, they will have a profound effect on municipalities and municipal governance if allowed to go forward.  The following letter was submitted to Hon. Tony Clement, Hon. Lisa Raitt, and the editor of the Milton Champion. Next year, Canadians will once again be required to fill out our census forms and be counted. But

Jennifer Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14610902519752808810noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714110698622521096.post-80427612281239291882010-07-01T18:57:00.000-04:002010-07-01T18:57:54.355-04:00

I've been having a lovely time at all of Milton's Canada Day celebrations today. I started off at the Veterans' Breakfast at Victoria Park this morning where I had the chance to share pancakes and conversation with some of our many veterans. Then I wandered over to the Fairgrounds where over 40 new Canadians were sworn in as proud citizens Then my husband and I wound up sharing a picnic

Jennifer Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14610902519752808810noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714110698622521096.post-37278643286453667062010-06-26T00:01:00.000-04:002010-06-26T00:01:33.137-04:00

One of the great things about being a member of the Milton Choristers is that we get to participate in so many community events.  From caroling at Allendale and the Hospital tree-lighting to singing 'O Canada' at local hockey games, we get to give back to the community in many ways - and do what we love doing at the same time! Today we got to sing the national anthem - plus a few numbers from

Jennifer Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14610902519752808810noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714110698622521096.post-47367518520951699062010-06-23T16:02:00.001-04:002010-10-20T00:21:36.358-04:00

It was another packed house at the Administration and Planning Committee meeting on Monday. Most of the crowd was there for the first official public meeting regarding the proposed Milton Heights development proposal, although there were several other items of interest discussed. I blogged about Milton Heights a few weeks ago after attending one of a series of 'unofficial' public meetings held

Jennifer Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14610902519752808810noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714110698622521096.post-23495640909567264902010-06-18T11:22:00.003-04:002010-06-18T12:51:32.164-04:00

As I go from door to door, speaking to the people of Ward 2 and listening to their concerns, one question I always dread is, "What do you think should be done about St. Paul's United Church?" It's a bit like being asked what I think should be done about Palestine. I've been advised by many sensible people to stay away from this issue entirely. In fact, I suspect my campaign advisor just went a

Jennifer Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14610902519752808810noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714110698622521096.post-59602341808398390662010-06-07T13:04:00.000-04:002010-06-07T13:04:50.555-04:00

It seems that almost all of my fellow candidates were at the Milton Street Festival this weekend. I've attended Street Fest before - even sang there once - and it's a fantastic event, thanks largely to the efforts of Donna Danielli and a veritable army of volunteers. I was not at the Milton Street Festival this year. Instead, I was at the other festival happening in Milton this weekend: the

Jennifer Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14610902519752808810noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714110698622521096.post-32171802948824753732010-06-04T01:38:00.000-04:002010-06-04T01:38:19.482-04:00

I'm not the only candidate who has been talking about speeding, road safety, and other local traffic issues lately.  Zeeshan Hamid over in Ward 8 has written some excellent posts on traffic and traffic calming measures, largely drawn from his experience living in various towns and cities in the U.S. I thought I'd check to see what other mid-sized communities in Ontario are doing in this regard

Jennifer Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14610902519752808810noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714110698622521096.post-20000539892076197272010-06-03T12:08:00.000-04:002010-06-03T12:08:12.184-04:00

Most people think of Ward 2 as the central core of old Milton, but there's another region of this ward that many people tend to forget.  North of Steeles, around the intersection of Tremaine Road and 3rd Sideroad/Peru Road is Milton Heights, a semi-rural enclave consisting of a church, a corner store, and a few dozen houses. You've probably driven through it on your way to Kelso, or to the

Jennifer Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14610902519752808810noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714110698622521096.post-35199786120359093672010-05-22T15:46:00.001-04:002010-05-22T15:51:31.684-04:00

There was a disturbing item in the news on Thursday. A 7 year-old boy was struck by a hit-and-run driver while riding his bike on Scott Boulevard near the new P.L. Robertson Public School in south west Milton.  The boy was ok - just cuts and bruises - and apparently the car and driver have been identified. Ask anyone who lives in that neighbourhood - including Ward 8 candidate Zeeshan Hamid -

Jennifer Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14610902519752808810noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714110698622521096.post-72859355113746137352010-05-18T16:20:00.002-04:002010-05-19T16:54:50.627-04:00

Halton Healthcare Services made a presentation to Council last night to update everyone on the status of the Milton District Hospital expansion.  It was very informative, and clarified not only the situation with the Province but also the next steps that need to be taken by this council as well as the next. The urgent need for the hospital expansion is perhaps the one issue which unites every

Jennifer Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14610902519752808810noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714110698622521096.post-75919955951013873012010-05-06T11:01:00.001-04:002010-05-06T11:14:17.897-04:00

"Signs, signs, everywhere there's signs..." There was an article in the Champion last week about rail police ticketing trespassers cutting across the CP rail tracks at Court Street. It was all part of Rail Safety Week, aimed at educating the public and preventing tragic accidents. The constable doing the blitz stressed how important enforcement was, given the apparent difficulty in physically

Jennifer Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14610902519752808810noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714110698622521096.post-42101636949611360072010-04-16T12:50:00.002-04:002010-12-12T13:45:32.284-05:00

I wanted to share a couple of things with you as a follow-up to my last post. First, an interesting anomaly. The Library Master Plan document from 2008, which determined the locations and service areas for the new main library and future branches, based those needs on a standard of .6 square feet per capita. This chart shows how each new branch will bring our library facilities up to that

Jennifer Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14610902519752808810noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714110698622521096.post-26428861350582191692010-04-13T13:27:00.001-04:002010-04-13T13:47:34.282-04:00

I spent a lovely afternoon yesterday knocking on doors with my friend Joan. We handed out lots of cards and talked to quite a number of people who live within a few blocks of the Milton Public Library.Guess what the number one issue on their minds was?If you were surprised to find out that the current main library on Bruce Street would be closing, you're not alone. As a member of Milton's arts

Jennifer Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14610902519752808810noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714110698622521096.post-30733007421473252922010-03-26T11:37:00.005-04:002010-10-20T00:23:16.743-04:00

Here is my letter in response to Stephanie Hounsell's op-ed in last week's Champion, "Can we find a balance between old and new Milton?" Dear Editor, In last Thursday's issue of the Champion, Stephanie Hounsell spoke of the importance of finding a balance between 'old' and 'new' Milton. I couldn't agree more. Unfortunately, too many people see that balance as an either/or proposition where

Jennifer Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14610902519752808810noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714110698622521096.post-61480488278746290002010-03-19T23:19:00.002-04:002010-03-20T15:19:02.655-04:00

My very first batch of campaign literature came back from the printer today, and it looks great! Big thanks to Steve at Harris Stationary for the fine job.More importantly, having something to hand out plus warm weather can only mean one thing...It's Door Knocking Season! (click to download)I'm really looking forward to meeting all of you. See you soon!

Jennifer Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14610902519752808810noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714110698622521096.post-14685431018480198812010-03-18T14:11:00.003-04:002010-03-18T17:09:00.134-04:00

The Milton Champion published an article on Tuesday about the women running in this year's municipal election. Most of the quotes were from Wendy Schau who (sadly) will not be running for re-election this year. They also spoke to Jan Mowbray, Cindy Lunau, and myself.It was a pretty good article all in all, but I can't help but feel a little... ambivalent about it.I've always been wary of making

Jennifer Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14610902519752808810noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714110698622521096.post-62819123620777895292010-03-12T16:16:00.001-05:002010-10-19T23:44:05.141-04:00

About twelve years ago, I got myself a part-time typesetting job up near Martin and Steeles. My husband was commuting to Toronto every day and we only had one car, but it wasn't a problem because there was a bus stop right across the street from my house. It ran straight up Commercial Street, crossed Main, and went up Martin to Steeles. My commute was less than ten minutes. That was the last

Jennifer Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14610902519752808810noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714110698622521096.post-35151037774327056352010-02-27T00:01:00.002-05:002010-03-23T13:50:02.380-04:00

On Wednesday afternoon I attended an open house forum on affordable housing in Halton. The event included a presentation on a recently approved development near Allendale, on the site of the old Martin House. The three storey, 80 unit building will provide assisted rental housing for qualifying seniors and people with disabilities. From what I understand, federal funding has already been

Jennifer Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14610902519752808810noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714110698622521096.post-43067642315370230662010-02-23T14:02:00.003-05:002010-10-20T00:28:10.688-04:00

If ever there were a test of a candidate's resolve to serve on this Town's Council, last night was surely it. What should have been the straightforward review and acceptance of a series of staff reports turned into a four hour marathon that whittled the initial crowd of 35 visitors down to a half dozen stragglers by the time we broke at nearly 11:30. I'm pleased to report that most of the

Jennifer Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14610902519752808810noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714110698622521096.post-58176264287469017082010-02-21T00:09:00.002-05:002010-02-21T00:56:16.104-05:00

I don't generally do breakfast. Nor do I do early mornings - certainly not since I started working nights. Nevertheless, on Thursday morning I got up about three hours earlier than my accustomed time and headed out to the annual Mayor's Breakfast, presented by the Milton Chamber of Commerce.It was quite the turnout. You'd think it was an election year or something.The presentations were

Jennifer Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14610902519752808810noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714110698622521096.post-50918583568181383752010-02-04T10:35:00.002-05:002010-10-20T00:29:50.831-04:00

Last night was a night of firsts. Most notably, it was my first community meet & greet, hosted by my neighbour Joan who was kind enough to invite myself and a group of women from the neighbourhood to her lovely home for coffee, conversation, and homemade cookies. Joan lives just a few blocks up the street from me, so I decided to walk. Which lead to my very first campaign-related injury. Yep,

Jennifer Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14610902519752808810noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714110698622521096.post-44292143158484658842010-02-03T00:16:00.003-05:002010-02-03T00:58:14.107-05:00

Thanks again to HearSay for allowing me to launch my campaign at their clinic. And to my endlessly patient husband for putting up with having his picture taken.

Jennifer Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14610902519752808810noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714110698622521096.post-57034345770923126942010-01-30T11:47:00.010-05:002010-01-30T14:26:39.438-05:00

This election marks a fundamental change in how our town is represented on Council. I'm sure you've heard about it, but you may not realize what the implications are for Ward 2.Right now, Milton is divided into four wards: two 'urban' and two rural. Each of those wards is represented by two local councillors, for a total of eight. Additionally, there are two local and regional councillors who

Jennifer Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14610902519752808810noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714110698622521096.post-51973800238145453302010-01-30T11:04:00.004-05:002010-01-30T11:19:39.396-05:00

A campaign button can be a surprisingly complicated thing. You don't want the colours to be too ordinary or to remind anyone of anything else, but you also want them to be bold and visible. The fonts must be unique but clearly legible. Most of all, you want it to tell everyone who you are and what you stand for at a glance. From 20 feet away.Ok, maybe I'm asking too much of a button.In any

Jennifer Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14610902519752808810noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714110698622521096.post-88350886211384191912010-01-27T23:58:00.008-05:002010-02-17T13:24:00.429-05:00

(Thanks to one commenter for correctly pointing out that there are still three banks downtown, not two. Counting the CIBC kiosk, there were six originally.)

Jennifer Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14610902519752808810noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714110698622521096.post-38294501148168797612010-01-20T01:30:00.006-05:002010-01-20T10:42:37.559-05:00

Not many people know this, but when my son was very little he had chronic ear infections that affected his speech development. He didn't say an intelligible word until he was almost two years old, and he was in speech therapy for several years.It's a tough thing to go through for the parents as well as the kids, and although my son speaks perfectly well now, I remember thinking at the time that

Jennifer Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14610902519752808810noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714110698622521096.post-3874737532869005702010-01-15T15:52:00.002-05:002010-08-09T15:56:54.967-04:00

Jennifer Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14610902519752808810noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714110698622521096.post-40936202216884896942010-01-14T00:14:00.001-05:002010-01-14T00:26:07.751-05:00

There are now eleven candidates registered in Milton for the upcoming election, including three in Ward 2: myself, and incumbents Mike Boughton and Greg Nelson.You read that right. Thanks to the reorganization of Milton into eight wards, Ward 2 has two incumbents. Other wards may end up in a similar spot, which is going to make this a very interesting election.There are already some other

Jennifer Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14610902519752808810noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714110698622521096.post-30663576773491861782010-01-13T13:39:00.003-05:002010-01-19T13:44:31.011-05:00

One challenger so far in Ward 2Political blogger announces plan to run against BoughtonIncumbent Ward 2 Councillor Mike Boughton already has some competition for his seat on council in this fall’s municipal election.The local barber, who’s currently serving his second term on council, will go up against newcomer Jennifer Smith for the spot on October 25.Smith, a known political blogger and woman

Jennifer Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14610902519752808810noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714110698622521096.post-21757680426442408772010-01-10T13:34:00.001-05:002010-03-23T14:02:32.378-04:00

As the campaign progresses, I will be using this blog to discuss a wide range of issues that affect Ward 2 and all of Milton. Here are a few that I have covered so far:~ Transit~ Housing~ Development / Intensification~ The LibraryYou can also learn more about my ideas on these and other local issues on my Sprawlville blog.

Jennifer Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14610902519752808810noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714110698622521096.post-3063552927368366302010-01-09T01:10:00.004-05:002010-01-18T01:15:06.086-05:00

My name is Jennifer Smith, and I am running for Milton Town Council, Ward 2. Welcome to my campaign blog!Over the coming weeks and months, I will be talking to as many people as I can (hopefully all of you!), finding out what your priorities are and what you want and expect from your Town Council.I will also be using this blog as a forum for discussing issues that affect Ward 2 and all of Milton

Jennifer Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14610902519752808810noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714110698622521096.post-12691445358210932372010-01-05T00:55:00.021-05:002010-09-28T02:04:13.894-04:00

ARE YOU ON THE LIST? Check the Town website to see if you are on the voters list. If you are not, just bring your ID and proof of address (driver's license, utility bill, etc.) to Town Hall or to the polling location when you vote. Remember - you MUST show at least one piece of ID when you vote whether you are on the voters list or not. ADVANCE POLLING DATES: Monday, Oct 11 to Friday, Oct

Jennifer Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14610902519752808810noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714110698622521096.post-90563335354584016102010-01-03T13:48:00.008-05:002010-08-14T12:46:55.855-04:00

(high resolution copies available on request)

Jennifer Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14610902519752808810noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714110698622521096.post-47507685873666808342010-01-02T12:40:00.004-05:002010-09-27T17:42:41.705-04:00

1) Take a Lawn Sign Show your support for Jennifer by displaying one of her lovely signs on your lawn or in your window. To request a sign call (905) 299-5551, or send an email to jsmithward2@gmail.com.  2) Tell you friends, family and neighbours about Jennifer Never underestimate the power of word-of-mouth, especially in a tight-knit community like Ward 2. You can also invite your friends to

Jennifer Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14610902519752808810noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714110698622521096.post-1587627340327538142010-01-01T12:37:00.006-05:002010-09-27T22:20:20.473-04:00

Jennifer Smith is a writer, blogger, small business owner, and long time Milton resident. Jennifer was born and raised in Toronto.  She embarked on her first entrepreneurial venture at the age of 18 while attending the Ontario College of Art, opening a small art gallery across the street from the AGO. Since then, Jennifer has been involved in numerous other business ventures including the

Jennifer Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14610902519752808810noreply@blogger.com