Experience Counts!

Because of our busy lives we rarely get to know a person and insight into their business experience. I think this is unfortunate, especially during an election. So I thought you may appreciate knowing some of my past experience in the business world.
I have held many positions at Bell-Northern Research and Nortel and thoroughly enjoyed my 36+ year career. I will briefly describe two positions from which I had opportunity as Mayor to apply some of the knowledge that I acquired. The first as Director, International Business Development, Marketing & Technology Licensing and the second one as Director, CAD/CAM Application Engineering & Customer Services.
As a Director developing business opportunities around the world, the contacts and relationships created and the knowledge gained in working within different cultures have served me well as Mayor. I have travelled and worked in Asian countries such as Japan, Taiwan, Singapore and Hong Kong. In Europe I travelled to or had significant business dealings in Sweden, Denmark, Spain, Switzerland, Austria, Germany and Hungary. I also had extensive business dealings throughout the Caribbean and Latin America regions.
Due to my efforts, Nortel became one of the first and largest suppliers of digital switching telephone equipment to the Japanese. I coordinated and successfully orchestrated a digital switching technology licensing negotiation with an Austrian manufacturing company that eventually led to major sales of Nortel equipment into the Eastern European block of nations.
I have often used my knowledge and expertise in marketing and sales to good advantage in dealing with or offering advice to companies or individuals seeking to develop opportunities in Black River-Matheson. I am hoping that we will eventually have an Economic Development prime whose role this would normally be.
Effective Customer Service is part Art and part Science. As a Director I was responsible for a department serving over 6,000 very demanding customers in some of the largest corporations around the world. I created a Customer Service department supporting computing software products that grew from 4 employees to over 100 in one year in support of our rapid growth. From my experience with customer service I believe there are many opportunities to learn and apply customer service methodologies to our own local businesses.

How to Build Community

There is an important and inspirational message that I wish everyone in Black River-Matheson would read. The next time you have an occasion to visit the Township Offices please read the words contained in a framed wall hanging mounted on the wall to the left of the counter entitled, “How to Build Community”.
Sven Mattson was kind enough to donate this wall hanging and I was very happy to mount it in a location where everyone that visits the office can enjoy it.
It contains words that I think are very meaningful and encouraging. I hope you agree.
Regards, Mike Milinkovich

The good, the Bad and the Questionable?

Black River-Matheson received some very good news yesterday (Feb 23/09) when Apollo Gold announced success in obtaining $70M of financing to begin their open pit mining and milling operations in March and April. In light of the economic crisis facing everyone, this positive announcement couldn’t have come at a better time! Congratulations to Apollo Gold, and thank you!

 

In my 2007-2008 “years in review” report I identified eight businesses that had opened or had plans to open in Black River-Matheson communities. I forgot a few others that I should have mentioned; Sabrina Bernier, a Dental Hygienist, opened her doors for business in Matheson in September, 2008 and a diner and convenience store have opened in Holtyre. With the eight mentioned in my earlier report, that makes 11 businesses that have chosen to open or expand in our Township. Now with Apollo Gold going into full production, we have much to be thankful for. Maybe prayers do work?

 

The “bad” part I refer to are the serious health problems that have beset me and two of our Councillors. Unfortunately, because of his health problems, Councillor Dan Boucher has submitted his resignation to the Township.

 

Councillor Boucher was one of two Councillors with previous Council experience. He always presented himself well during council debates and had the uncanny knack of being able to home in on the very heart of an issue under discussion. His wise counsel and excellent grasp of issues will be sadly missed. I wish him well.

 

I had reconstructive foot surgery on January 16^th that has immobilized me during recovery at our son’s home in Ottawa. I must remain completely off my feet. So far I have had five casts replaced approximately every two weeks. On March 3rd I will be receiving another cast and x-rays taken. I should have a better idea of what to expect next.

 

The questionable part has to do with the law, called The Municipal Act that rules how Ontario Municipal Councils operate. One of the rules states that municipal business may not be conducted electronically. What this means is that the common practice of using teleconferencing (the telephone) to participate at, for example, a budget meeting is not allowed.

 

For this year’s budget (2009) as I was unable to participate by telephone, I was unable to provide any input during budget deliberations. But before my surgery, I did send council and staff a number of budget suggestions for their consideration.

 

Regards, Mike Milinkovich

Hi! I’m back for 2009.

Happy New Year!

 

On behalf of my wife Sylvia and I, from our family to yours, have a fun-filled New Years eve to launch 2009. We pray that we can all look forward to a healthy and prosperous year.

 

It’s been more than a year since I last wrote an entry in my blog but I am now back and hope to be able to post frequently in future. I look forward to your comments in reply.

 

From all indications it looks like we will be facing numerous challenges in 2009, especially challenges originating and filtering down to us from the economic situation facing Canada and the rest of the world. However, in looking back over the past two years, we have much to be proud and thankful for.

Some 2007 & 2008 Highlights

v  Tech-Pro, a new company from Dorval, Quebec established a facility for the manufacture and assembly of mining and process machinery in Matheson at the former H&D Construction building.

v  Logical Global Solutions, established operations in Matheson in early 2008. This company is involved with domestic and international freight forwarding and related activities.

v  The former Galaxy Motel in Val Gagne has been sold and re-opened as Highway 11 Country Inn Bar & Grill.

v  The Black River Inn was sold in 2008 and is to re-open as a Bed & Breakfast operation by a Southern Ontario couple who have other B&B operations down South.

v  The FIELDS department store, a subsidiary of The Hudson’s Bay Company, has opened in the former Northern Treasures location in Matheson.

v  A Chiropodist (foot specialist), Margaret Turney, has opened an office in Matheson.

v  Dr. Katherine Dyck has opened Sante Chiropractic in Matheson

v  A company has opened in Matheson called Perfect Cent$ that provides various financial, marketing, human resources, resume writing services.

v  In spite of the economic downturn, Apollo Gold is proceeding with their open pit gold mine in our Township. A $15M contract has been let to Alarie Construction and Wahgoshig First Nation. Now that their senior management team is in place, they will begin hiring local workers.

v  The former Hembruff apartments on MacDougal Street has been sold to the Aboriginal Peoples Alliance of Northern Ontario (APANO) who plan to erect a two story building in partnership with a local not-for-profit company, the BR-M Multi-Development Centre, that will include badly needed office space and common administrative services for various Government agencies and other tenants along with a learning center for Northern College and Contact North students.

v  Our Public Works Manager and I met with Government officials in Toronto and I also met with three Ministers in Timmins and wrote numerous letters to solicit financial assistance with our Township’s high cost infrastructure such as our 350 KM of gravel roads, the 20 bridges we maintain and our four water and sewer systems. This contributed to our receiving two grants in 2008 totaling $1.4 million dollars. The total of government grants received by our Township in 2008 is the most ever received in a single fiscal year.

v  Following initial correspondence that I exchanged in 2007 with the President of Northern Telephone, and with the help of our Public Works Manager, early in 2009 Matheson, Holtyre, Ramore and Wahgoshig First Nation residents will be able to call each other without paying long distance charges. To compensate Northern Telephone, residents will have to pay an additional $0.89 per month for 3 years for this long distance service (a total cost of $32.04 over 3 years). Val Gagne residents are not eligible as they are in the Iroquois Falls telephone exchange.

v  A Township map will be printed and distributed to all residents registered as property owners. Maps may also be available for sale to others wanting them.

v  We entered into an agreement with 12 other municipalities from the Constance Lake 1^st Nation west of Hearst to the eastern and southern boundaries of Black River-Matheson to participate in a land inventory and soil classification study. This study will develop data and information to determine the future potential for the development of approximately 1 million acres of private lands to create a new agriculture-based economy across our entire northern region and also to work on plans to revitalize forestry and mining industries in our region. A new group called NeCN has been created for this purpose. I am an active participant in developing the NeCN By-laws.

v  We were successful in negotiating a three-year contract with our CUPE local union (2009-2011). Our HR Committee and senior staff played the key role in this. It must be clearly stated and emphasized that we are very fortunate to have such dedicated and hard working employees in each and every Township department.

v  We are actively participating on the committee planning the 2009 International Plowing Match (IPM2009) that will be held in Earlton in 2009. Between 70,000 and 80,000 visitors from all over North America are expected. What BR-M has to offer will be show cased.

v  Black River-Matheson has been selected as one of the 200 sites in all of Canada at which the 2010 Winter Olympics Torch bearers will stop. This event is being televised around the world to billions.

Thank you all for your strong support during the past two years. I am looking forward to the challenges facing us for the next two years of my term as Mayor. With your continued support, I am certain that we will continue to see positive results for our Township.

Regards,

Mike Milinkovich, Mayor

Township of Black River-Matheson

Responsibilities of Municipal Councils

The Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing (MAH) Web site provides much information. I thought that some of you may be interested in answers to questions that you may have considered asking regarding Municipal Councils. I found the answers below in the MAH Web site intriguing. To me it really hammers home the message that in a democracy, the only way we can have good government is to be vigilant and think long and hard before casting a ballot during an election…at any level of government.

Regards, Mike Milinkovich

Responsibilities of Municipal Councils

QUESTION

What can I do if my municipality is not enforcing its own by-law? 

ANSWER

Your municipality has the discretion to decide how and when it enforces its own by-laws.  If you are not satisfied with a municipality’s enforcement, you may wish to bring this matter to the attention of your local elected council person or as a delegation before the whole of council. Should you not be satisfied with the resulting action, you may wish to share your concerns with others in the community, or discuss the possibility of enforcing the by-law yourself with your solicitor.

QUESTION

I think one of my members of Council has a conflict of interest in a matter before council.  Is there someone at the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing who can investigate this?

ANSWER

Conflict of interest matters for council members are dealt with under the Municipal Conflict of Interest Act.  A councillor must, among other things, declare at a council meeting certain pecuniary interests that he or she may have in any matter before council at that meeting.  If a councillor fails to declare, any local elector may take the matter to court.  The Ministry does not conduct investigations in this regard.

QUESTION

I think my council is acting inappropriately – what is the role of the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing?

ANSWER

Council is elected and responsible for the decisions and actions it takes.  Members must consider their legal duties, and at the same time remember they are accountable politically to the electorate including through the elections process.  The Ministry has a number of roles, including providing information about municipalities and their functions to anyone interested and undertaking policy development.  However, primarily because council is accountable for its local decision, it is not the practice of the Ministry to intervene in the affairs of a municipality.

QUESTION

I think my council has violated the open meeting provisions of the Municipal Act.  What is the ministry going to do about it?

ANSWER

Only the courts can decide if a municipality has violated the open meeting provisions of the Municipal Act.  The Act states all meetings shall be open to the public except if:

• the subject matter is the security of the property of the municipality or local board
• it is a personal matter about individuals including employees
• it is a proposed or pending acquisition or disposition of land
• it involves labour relations or employee negotiations
• or litigation or potential litigation matters.

The Ministry has a number of roles with respect to municipalities, including providing information about municipalities and undertaking policy development.

QUESTION

I’m not happy with the way my municipality maintains our roads.  What are the Ministry standards for winter maintenance?  For summer maintenance? 

ANSWER

The municipality determines winter or summer road maintenance standards.  The Ministry of Transportation has standards for winter and summer maintenance that apply to provincial highways.  However, you may wish to contact the Ontario Good Roads Association that provides municipalities with services and representation on transportation issues.  They can be reached at 530 Otto Road, Unit 2, Mississauga, ON L5T 2L5, telephone: 905-795-2555, fax: 905-795-2600.

QUESTION

Can the Ministry overturn a decision of my council?

ANSWER

No.  A minister doesn’t have authority under any legislation to overturn a decision of a council.  By-laws (method municipalities use to enact laws) may only be quashed by the courts.  An elector or a person interested in a by-law may make application to the courts to have a by-law quashed.

QUESTION

How can a councillor be removed from office?

ANSWER

There are a number of circumstances where the seat of a council member may become vacant. These include possible disqualification (i.e. for non residency), resignation, or by means of certain court orders, among others.  However, there is no means for removal of a councillor simply by petition of an elector or other councillors before the next election.

QUESTION

When does a vacant position on council have to be filled and what is the process?

ANSWER

The process for filling vacancies for a local council is contained in the Municipal Act.  In the case of an upper tier vacancy the filling of a vacancy must occur within 60 days and in accordance with Section 9 of the Regional Municipalities Act.

QUESTION

Who monitors municipalities?

ANSWER

Municipal councils are elected and ultimately responsible to their electorate for the decisions they make and the actions they take.  It is a vigilant and knowledgeable public exercising their right to vote in a municipal election that best keeps councils in check ensuring a fair and effective democratic process.  The police may also become involved in criminal matters.

Black River-Matheson – The 2007 Budget and our dollars

Council has been working for many weeks with our Treasurer in planning the 2007 budget. This year the activity is a bit more complicated and time consuming than prior years for a number of reasons such as:   Four Councillors and I are new and as a result we are taking more time in analyzing details.   We are looking at every line of expense to see where we can save money to ensure that we can finance our essential services to an acceptable level. This is made that much tougher this year because of such things as: Provincial Government increased downloading of social services costs (particularly for the Ontario Disability Support Program – ODSP), increased OPP policing costs, increased costs for water management to name but a few, plus an urgent need to increase the amount we must save and put aside for replacement of our aging infrastructure and capital assets.      We must consider and factor into our budget some of the Consultants recommendations arising from the Operations Review. These recommendations are extremely important to sustain the long-term financial viability of our Township, meaning, in straight English, if we don’t make some of the recommended changes, we will be in big trouble down the road! 

A number of minor cost-saving steps were taken early in January to control costs. For example I asked that membership on Regional Boards such as the Cochrane and District Social Services Administration Board (DSSAB) and the Porcupine Health Unit (PHU) be added to the list of meetings for which Council would not have to pay any remuneration. This has saved the Township somewhere between $140 to $250 per month. Additionally Council changed the By-law to remove the Mayor’s monthly car allowance of $311.50 for travel within municipal boundaries to straight mileage. For the first three months of 2007 this has saved the Township $536.52. Combined with the removal of the DSSAB & PHU Board allowance, this equates to a saving of approx. $225 each month or $2700 for the year. Not that much, but in a small municipality like ours, every dollar counts. 

Although we have not finished our budget deliberations, some decisions have been made such as we have considerably reduced most training where it involves traveling significant distances out of our region. We have reduced allowances for the Mayor and each Councillor. We have cut back significantly on attendance at conferences and seminars by everyone. Attendance at some conferences is mandatory, but a significant number have been cancelled. 

Some major reductions in spending are still being debated but overall most of the work has been done. The net result will likely be a tax increase, but one that we hope all taxpayers will realize is unavoidable and the best we can do without jeopardizing 2007 delivery of Township services and our longer-term future.

Water, Sewer and landfill (the dumps) rates have all gone up. I think everyone understands that the water rates are set to totally recover the full cost of maintaining our water supplies. Additional equipment had to be bought this year for our water treatment plants in case of emergencies. We must also increase the amount we have to set aside for our water reserve fund to replace some of our aging distribution network. By law, no community is allowed to support the cost of providing water to residents by transferring money from elsewhere such as from reserves or from any other municipal funding source. The Provincial Government concept is a “user pay” one.  We are fortunate our rates have only gone up by 8% as some of our neighbouring communities have had an increase as high as 20%. 

The sewer rates have also gone up slightly to help in putting aside money into a reserve fund to pay for replacement of aging infrastructure.  

The landfill rates have also gone up because our landfill locations are filling up at least twice as fast as originally estimated. For example, the Matheson dump’s trench was dug approximately two years ago assuming it would last for five years. It is already almost full and another trench needs to be dug at significant cost. This is another reason why we must seriously think about increasing our recycling program. We need to be reducing the amount of trash we throw away and do more recycling. This issue must be looked at again. 

Costs are going up everywhere and we have not increased our tax base for 2007. But there is some good news on the horizon because of a number of new industries that will be establishing themselves in our Township but this will not help us for the year 2007. It will help in 2008 and beyond. 

Regards, Mike Milinkovich

 

The “Keystone Community of Northeastern Ontario”

I was very pleased to learn that a Chiropodist (foot treatment specialist) is opening an office in Matheson. Attracting a new business to town is in itself good news, but when I spoke to her, I was elated to hear why she decided to establish her business here.

She said that she decided to move to Matheson because of its central location between Timmins, Kirkland Lake, Cochrane, the Quebec border and Iroquois Falls. She said that she had customers from most of these locations that would not mind driving the relatively short distance to Matheson. 

That is exactly one of our key “marketing” strengths and a major advantage that I have been promoting at every opportunity. I have been promoting Black River-Matheson as the “Keystone Community of Northeastern Ontario”. It’s a catch phrase that I hope will serve to differentiate us from a marketing perspective and resonate with other entrepreneur’s looking for the right place to establish their business. 

The advantage that our location brings should be trumpeted to other businesses such as those involved with supply chain management, companies involved with distribution and so on.

 There exists a marketing catch phrase that refers to “Location, Location, Location”. What it means is that if you have the right location for your business all else will more easily fall into place. 

We are at the crossroads of the two major highways (#11 and #101) through Northeastern Ontario and equidistant to our neighboring towns and cities. This fact is being promoted to the many audiences that I am exposed to.

Maybe we should start thinking of erecting new highway signs with this slogan? 

Regards, Mike Milinkovich

Email? Exchanging ideas?

I announced at the April 2^nd “Committee of the Whole” meeting that I would stay the course as Mayor. I will not resign. I committed myself to this knowing that resistance to change continues as a major challenge. 

I don’t underestimate the hard work needed to create a team capable of working together for the betterment of Black River-Matheson. This is a top priority. But I also plan to remain dedicated on an agenda that focuses on moving Black River-Matheson forward. 

However, one item raised at the April 2^nd meeting left me quite concerned. One of our Councillors asked that email no longer be used by the Head of Council or any other Council member in exchanging views, ideas etc. on any matter affecting Black River-Matheson. She said that all such discussions must only take place during Council meetings in Council Chambers. 

Unfortunately, if Council passes a motion to this effect, it will send out an entirely wrong signal. The Internet and the value of the Internet have clearly been established. For our Council to fight against this reality and the advantages that the Internet brings in quickly communicating ideas will certainly bring ridicule raining down on us. We will become the laughing stock of Ontario, of Canada, and perhaps the world, labeled as modern day “Luddites”.  

I pray that Council consider this issue very carefully. As a forward thinking community we must reinforce all the positive images available to us that we can! 

Regards, Mike Milinkovich

A Heartfelt THANK YOU!

It is so difficult to find the right words to thank all the people of Black River-Matheson and beyond who have given my wife and I so much love, concern , support and prayers during these very trying times. “Thank you” seems so inadequate, but in reality it is the only words that make the most sense to us at this time. Thank you all so much!

We also have received hundreds of phone calls, email’s, cards mailed to us and sincere posts to this blog. We really want to thank the people who also took the time to visit with us in demonstrating their support.

It has all been so rewarding and for this reason I have not yet handed in my final, written resignation as Mayor.

Regards, Mike & Sylvia Milinkovich

The Mayor’s “Beat”

So far, the past three weeks of March have been quite busy:

• working with staff and Council on the 2007 budget;

• attending meetings of the Porcupine Health Unit Board, the District of Cochrane Social Services Administration Board, the Kirkland & District Community Development Corporation and some of our local boards and committees such as the Library board;

• meeting with and contacting by phone other Northern Mayors  to discuss opportunities and issues of mutual interest or concern;

• attending a presentation from MPAC that was very illuminating;

• communicating with potential developers about possibilities;

• speaking with representatives looking at BR-M as a good place to do business (one new business, in particular, is very serious in their desire to move to Matheson);

• assisting in opening the JHK Princess Pageant;

• attending the Holtyre “Community Fun Day”;

• working with Councillor Tim on the Holtyre water issue along with the Porcupine Health Unit and the Ministry of the Environment regarding water tests initiated by Councillor Tim;

• meeting with Northern College and Contact North executives toward providing BR-M with various assistance and to work on developing more cooperative ventures;

• meeting with the President of ONR in discussing mutually supportive ideas;

• meeting with the OPP to address BR-M policing concerns;

• exchanging views and ideas with various Councillors;

• speaking with and trying to help a number of citizens with specific issues;

• attending the March 19th Council meeting. The Coordinator of the 2009 International Plowing Match committee spoke glowingly to Council about their plans to host this event in Earlton in 2009. Black River-Matheson must take advantage of this opportunity and be prepared to put our “best foot forward” to promote our Agriculture, Mining and Forestry opportunities!

 On my “off hours” I think of the things I didn’t have time to do, the things I should have done, and all the things that still have to be done.  

This is pretty typical of the kinds of things I do as Mayor. The good part is that I still enjoy being really busy.  But the very best part is the direct contact I have with many people in our community. I really appreciate speaking directly with the people of Black River-Matheson, so please keep calling and talking. 

Regards, Mike Milinkovich