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
April 16, 2007 at 8:52 am |
Excellant thinking for the community. It would be a good theme for the Chamber of Commerce
April 17, 2007 at 2:53 pm |
Yes , Mike, We agree that opportunities are knocking at our doors.
Health Services are excellent, new services will become part of our reality.
A challenge for all of us is to ensure that our community residents take ownership of inititives, hang on to opportunities, contribute along within the Council to new ideas and demonstrate their support through collaboration, cooperation and commitment.
The leadership provided is commandable and needs support along the way.
In this demogratic world , we have to ensure that debates, discussions and exchanges of ideas are not percieved as no support. Good sound exchanges of ideas are needed to forge ahead.
I am looking forward to the continued challenges face at the Council table.
therese /murray scratch
April 18, 2007 at 4:42 pm |
I attended part of the April 2nd meeting and due to lack of space remained in the foyer. The issue was not that Council members were simply “exchanging views, ideas ect. on matters affecting BR-M” as you stated Mike. In fact I heard the councillors agree that the internet was a wonderful research tool and an excellent means of communicating with the public. It was my understanding that the issue was that “council business” was being discussed and in some cases decided among a select few councillors while others were deliberately excluded, and that decisions were being made “behind the scenes” instead of being brought to the table for proper discussion among ALL councillors in an open, honest and public manner.
One last comment, I have read the controversial articles in the newspaper and heard you on the news and the radio. I must confess that I am extremely disappointed with the lack of professionalism from a man in your position. To publicly and intentionally “slam” your fellow councillors (that we, the public also elected in to office) says a lot about your character.
April 18, 2007 at 8:46 pm |
Excellent Work. Keep it up. Slogan is catchy. You have our support 100%.
April 19, 2007 at 9:56 am |
Hi Ms. or Mr. “John”
In no way do I want my blog to be used as a forum to enter into this kind of negative debate but I could not let your comments pass without comments of my own.
Currently all our Councillors and I except one use email. All email that I send to all Councillors is also copied to our Receptionist with instructions to copy the email and put it into that Councillors mailbox. No one was excluded, at least not by me, deliberately or otherwise from discussions of Township business that pertained to all Councillors.
Business leaders, members of most municipal and senior levels of government and just about anyone involved with the responsibility for making decisions affecting others anywhere in the world discuss issues with their peers, their superiors, with various experts, with the general public etc. Do you seriously believe that no discussion of any kind can take place on any issue involving this or any other Municipality except within a three hour Council meeting?
Could you please describe to me the difference between the following scenarios or using email in discussing issues?
1. Two or more Councillors bump into each other on a street in Matheson and one asks the other does he think Black River-Matheson should invest into improving our recycling program. Is that not “deciding among a select few” Councillors if they reach a consensus?
2. One or more Councillors are invited into an office of another Councillor and spend hours discussing Township business such as personnel and other issues affecting all of Council and the taxpayers; decisions are reached; votes are tabulated and then brought to Council that evening. Is that not “deciding among a select few” Councillors?
3. Two or more Councillors and perhaps a senior staff member are all on a telephone conference call to Municipal Affairs to discuss various issues affecting all of Council and the taxpayers of this community. Some Councillors and the Mayor are deliberately excluded. Is that not “deciding among a select few” Councillors?
In recognition of the importance of Internet and email a previous Black River-Matheson Council established a policy that allowed employees and elected members to buy a computer through the Township. Are you suggesting that the current Council should strike down that policy since they now believe email should not be used for Township business by a “select few” such as owners of computers?
I can go on, but it is sad to think that someone can pontificate about an issue that you only see and hear so little about what has transpired “in camera” for the past three and a half months. I did not expose some of the problems that exist with this Council and some of the senior staff on a whim. If I had not taken a stand now things would have no possibility of changing for the better. I felt strongly that it is better to bring things out in the open early in our mandate than continuing to try and deal with it behind closed doors.
I have no regrets and feel no remorse about anything I have done on this issue. I am only more resolved than ever to keep working hard at getting the right things done. The only feeling I have is a deep sadness that a dysfunctional Council is preventing us from tackling the serious problems and issues that we need to be working on. We have a variety of talents within Council who, together, can do much if they would only concentrate on doing the right thing rather than slipping into the old mode of just doing things right (“Right” as defined by the previous council and some of the senior staff). The people of Black River-Matheson are seeking change. I ran for office on a vision of Action and Change. I still believe this is necessary to move us forward.
I have just one further comment. For someone who is condemning “my character” and my “lack of professionalism”, but who can’t stand up and be identified, what does that say about your character and professionalism?
Regards, Mike Milinkovich
April 20, 2007 at 9:16 am |
Mike lets get on with it. In previous correspondance with you I expressed the fact that you are the Mayor and I supported you because of your vision of going forward with a plan for our community.
In all your meet the canditate speeches you mentioned risk but didn’t describe what the risk was. So what are the risks and at what cost?
You have stated again we have a dysfunctional council why is it so and which councillors are making it so.
I as a tax payer have not heard officially other than a mission statement put out what steps you want to take to improve the way the town is run and would really like to know.
I don’t agree with the statement made about your professionalism or charactor. The truth be known your act of going public was the act of a astute politician
At the risk as being classified a simple minded person or ludditie I don’t blindly follow any one’s lead and base my opinions on facts presented and to date only have three comments from council on the E-mail issue
I don’t think it is necessary to demean decisions of past council I personally know two of them and know one really well as I am married to her and both of them worked hard for the good of the community during their term of office
April 20, 2007 at 11:11 am |
Good questions…hope to see you at Monday night’s meeting…maybe we can all get some answers.
Regards, Mike