Outgoing council salutes much respected City Clerk on her retirement

By Chris Lewis/September 30, 2021

The City of Mount Pearl is saying goodbye to longtime City Clerk Mona Lewis.

Members of the old council used the last portion of their final meeting together to thank the much-respected municipal servant.

“Something the City of Mount Pearl stands for is that we are solid leaders for the community, and we lead with good ethics, truth, and honesty,” said Mayor Dave Aker. “I want to point out that one of those people that is a true leader here in the City, attending her last council meeting, is Mona Lewis. Mona, you are very much an inspiration. Not just to all of us in this room, but to many of our residents, because you’re just known as Mona. All you have to do is say your name, and they’ll say, ‘Oh yes, Mona Lewis, absolutely.’”

Lewis’ retirement was a long time coming, having become a familiar face to most people who’ve visited City Hall during her tenure. For many she was seen as the ‘Go to’ lady, who got things done.

Aker commended Lewis on her career, stating she has made a tremendous contribution to the city.

“We’re going to miss you dearly, Mona,” Aker said. “It’s been a pleasure to work with you.”

This was followed by a round of applause, and some words of kindness from the other members of council including Deputy Mayor Jim Locke, and councillors Isabelle Fry and Bill Antle.

Lewis’ last day with the City was September 30.

Kieley the top winner in Mount Pearl

By Mark Squibb/September 30, 2021

Mount Pearl residents were onboard with Nicole Kieley and her platform, and proved it at the polls.

Kieley earned 4,538 votes, the most votes of any candidates.

She felt honoured by the confidence that residents placed in her.

“The most I was expecting, and am grateful for, was a seat,” said Kieley. “All I can say, along with all the other candidates, is that we tried our absolute best. I did absolutely everything I could with the campaign. It was exciting. I was a little shocked, and also greatly honored that so many people I had connected with and that I listened to believed in me and the work I want to do for Mount Pearl.”

Kieley ran first not for municipal politics, but provincial politics— twice. She ran as an NDP candidate in a 2017 byelection, and again with the Liberals in the 2019 election.

She said her previous experience on the campaign trail helped her a great deal this third time around .

“You learn every time,” said Kiley. “And, it really takes a village. I certainly had an immense amount of support from my family and friends.”

Kieley said that her provincial losses didn’t sour her from politics because of her passion for public service work.

“It’s never a loss to put yourself forward,” said Kieley. “Everyone has passions, and everyone has skills, and I think between my community work, and my work in a field [as executive director of the NL Sexual Assault Crisis and Prevention Centre] where things don’t always come easily and there’s been circumstances of crisis that I’ve worked through. And recognising that resilience can be found in vulnerability and our losses and places we want to grow. I truly believe that.”

She said she will take the concerns she’s heard at the doors to the council chambers, beginning with low hanging fruit like neighbourhood issues, including safety concerns in local neighbours.

“From that, let’s look at policies and programs and infrastructures,” said Kieley, adding that inclusion and diversity in all planning were essential to her platform.

The Team Gushue Highway, and the increase of speeding that may be associated with it, has been one piece of infrastructure that she has heard at the doors time and time again. Kieley said short term solutions such as speed calming measures can be enacted, but the long-term solution will likely require the participation of the provincial government, which she would advocate for. She would also like to continue to see increase of supports for local businesses.

Milmore out to make her voice count inside council

By Chris Lewis/September 23, 2021

Sandra Milmore hopes to put her dedication to Mount Pearl to the test.

When asked about herself, the city council candidate begins by describing her passion for the place she has called home for the last 27-years. For 20 of those years, Milmore has kept as busy as possible by volunteering just about anywhere she could.

That includes the St. Vincent de Paul food banks, the Knights of Columbus, the Kinettes, and the Frosty Festival.

Milmore said she hopes she has managed to make a positive change for her fellow citizens.

“I’ve been busy, and I absolutely love it. As they say, ‘It’s my thing,’” Milmore said. “If I’m able to put a meal in someone’s belly, a smile on someone’s face, that’s what I’m all about.”

This is the first time she has run for politics, though Milmore said she had been thinking about it for a while. Her retirement after 30-odd years with Eastern Health where she worked in the privacy and release of information division, afforded her the time to run. That plus her five children are now grown adults.  

Milmore has been busy going door-to-door and creating something of a laundry list of items she knows are important to voters. Traffic and the Team Gushue Highway are among the things near the top of the list.

“People want that road done. It’s dangerous, and we need it fixed,” Milmore said. “The City says one thing, then the government says another. Bottom line, the problem needs to be fixed.”

She also addressed some of the plans currently in the works in Mount Pearl, such as the new community centre. Although she is excited about the idea, Milmore questioned whether council has considered the extra traffic it will bring to the city’s streets.

But Milmore added, she understands a councillor’s position is that of a teammate and not an individual. So she is looking forward to discussing such issues around the council chamber and making decisions as part of a team, if elected.

“There are a lot of good things happening in the City – I wouldn’t want to live anywhere else,” Milmore said. “But like anything, there are always issues, and it would be my job to do what I can to fix them. That’s exciting to me. At the end of the day, I’m not going to promise someone the moon and the stars. But, I will be a voice for those who want me to be their voice. I’ve got one vote, and I want to make it count… It’s hard to put everything into a nutshell sometimes, but I just want the best for our city and I think people are seeing that at the doors. Mount Pearl is the place to be, and I want it to stay that way.”

Former NHLer hopes to suit up for Mount Pearl council

By Mark Squibb/September 23, 2021

Actor, comedian, author, and former NHL player Terry Ryan is trying his hand at municipal politics.

“I’ve always thought about it,” said Ryan, who ran for Mount Pearl council in 2017, scooping up about five percent of the total vote. He said he wasn’t thinking of running again this term, until his daughter put the idea in his head.

 “This time, to be honest, it was kind of out of sight, out of mind, but in mid-August, I was driving down the road to get a bite to eat with my daughter, Penny-Laine who is 11, and she said,’ Why aren’t you running?’ and I thought,’ Why not?’… I live in Mount Pearl, I grew up here, I’m still very involved with the community, so I guess the way I saw it when Penny-Laine said that was, ‘Why not?’”

Ryan is known by most for his storied hockey career, including a stint with the Montreal Canadiens in the nineties. He said while playing on the team, he learned about what it meant to be both a leader and a representative.

Off the ice, Ryan has written two books, worked in the film industry as an actor, crew member, stunt person, and writer, and performed standup comedy. He says his experience over the years has well prepared him for the council chambers.

“When I was 13, I didn’t think, ‘One day, I’m going to be a councillor,’ but I think that given the experience that I’ve had, a lot of things that I’ve learned and what I’m good at are going to come in as great assets to council, should I get in.”

On the ice, Ryan might have dealt with an opponent by throwing haymakers at him, but he said he’s not joining council as an instigator.

“A lot of people, when I say I’m running, they say, ‘Oh, go in there and shake it up.’ But that’s not really it,” said Ryan. “I love Mount Pearl council for the most part, and there’s not many months go by that I don’t call and inquire about something.”

In fact, current Deputy Mayor Jim Locke and former councilor Derm Connolly, both coached Ryan in hockey.

“Jim Locke is just a good guy,” said Ryan. “And he coached me when I was a kid and now he’s one of the best councilors we have, and he serves as deputy mayor… and Derm coached me while he was on council. So, I’ve always had a decent relationship with people that are on council, and I think they’ve done a great job. There’s a few spots open now, so I figured, ‘Why not go for it?’”

With that said, Ryan said Mount Pearl is not without problems that he would like to address should he be elected.

Near the top of that is list is traffic — and speeding.

“Since they built the Brad Gushue highway, sometimes, and I’m not joking, if you’re here in the morning and you’re trying to get out between 8 and 9 o’ clock, it often takes 20 minutes. The other day it took me a half an hour to get out,” said Ryan. “What’s the answer? I don’t know. You can’t expand Park Avenue I don’t think. My point is, it’s almost become a highway, so traffic is one thing, but the speed! Each exit into Mount Pearl, people are going really, really fast. And it was brought up to me by a few people.”

Ryan said that speeding is especially a problem in the city’s many school zones.

But Ryan’s biggest concern is what he calls an increase in crime in recent years.

“The biggest one for me is the break ins, and the crime,” said Ryan. “I don’t know Mount Pearl, in my lifetime, to be very dangerous, to have much crime, and I know nowhere is without blemish, but lately, I mean, my car was stolen right out of my driveway last year. I know that stuff has happened here and there, but now it seems like it’s happening a lot. Again, what’s the answer? How much power do we have over the police? I’m not sure, but I’d love to find out. And that would be one of my first things.”

He suggested the City could arrange more neighborhood watch type programs to help curb crime.

Having lived much of his life in the public eye, Ryan said he can use some of his connections to the city’s advantage.

“I’m not trying to name drop, there’s a fine line,” said Ryan. “But Jason Momoa is a buddy, and if we’re doing a fundraiser, I can get these people on board. I can’t see how the City of Mount Pearl would not benefit from the connections I’ve made in my lifetime.”

As it relates to elections, Ryan would like to see changes in how campaigns are conducted — particularly as it relates to signage.

“Why isn’t there a limit on signs?” asked Ryan. “I find it ridiculous.”

He said candidates should be limited to the number of signs they can put in the ground, and that only certain areas should be designated as approved sign areas.

It’s a concern, said Ryan, that candidates are expected to pound hundreds of signs into the ground, when they ought to be out talking face-to face with constituents.

“It makes my knees weak, it makes my stomach sick, that people don’t even know the issues,” said Ryan.

Unfortunately, he said, every politician he has spoken to has told him that signs are the way to go, and if he doesn’t put out signs, he won’t get any votes in the ballot box.

“I think it’s going to be one of these things that we look back on and say,’ Man, that was bizarre, all those signs,’” he said.

Signs aside, Ryan said he’s ready to get into the game.

“As a hockey player, I was a great teammate,” said Ryan. “I would work hard and always be there for my teammates, and in this case my teammates would be my fellow councillors and the citizens of Mount Pearl.”

Accessibility issues top of mind for candidate French

By Chris Lewis/September 16, 2021

Denise French my be making her rounds around the city knocking on doors and asking for support, but the veteran provincial civil servant says she still doesn’t consider herself a politician.

French is one of 12 people seeking election to Mount Pearl council. There are six seats available, besides the mayor’s position.

French prefers to still call herself a citizen, and one who loves her city.

She has been thinking of running for council for about a year, she said, and when the call for nominations came, she had to decide.

“’Why not me?’” she remembers asking herself. “I love this city, I love the people in this city, and I want to fight for the people in this city no matter what they need.”

French has been involved with the Girl Guides for over 20 years, an experience she said has helped get to know the city and its issues.

One of the big things on that list is accessibility.

Through her involvement as a volunteer with the Frosty Festival, French took a course on accessibility in cities. She said she is committed to making the lives of people with disabilities easier.

“That doesn’t just mean physical disabilities. You don’t need to be in a wheelchair to benefit from accessibility upgrades in the city,” French said.

She pointed to the traffic lights along Ruth Avenue as an example, which are sounding lights for those who are visually impaired.

“But, that’s only one intersection,” she said. “I don’t know why that can’t be at other intersections around the city. These are things that can be done so easily.”

French admitted her first run at politics has been a learning curve. But she’s discovered she enjoys the door-to-door campaigning.

“I post everything online when I hit the streets. I’m getting pictures taken with residents and having lovely conversations. That’s absolutely what I’ve been enjoying the most,” French said.

Some of those conversations have opened her eyes to even more issues around the city, French added, including things that seem to be common to the minds of most residents.

“Speeding is a big one,” she said. “Taxes is another issue that people speak about a lot. They want their taxes to stay where they are, and that’s something everyone can relate to, I’m sure. Those are all things I’m keeping on my mind going into this.”

French admitted some questions catch her off guard.

“Someone asked me the other day what the tallest building in Mount Pearl was … I had no idea!” she said.

French said the campaign has been an enjoyable experience so far and she is looking forward to having the chance to apply what she’s learned at the council table.

Rice promising to bring can-do attitude to city council

By Chris Lewis/September 16, 2021

Long time Mount Pearl volunteer Mark Rice is feeling confident about his chances in this month’s city election.

Rice has lived in the city for over 40-years, and has been heavily involved in community life while raising three daughters.

Rice moved to Mount Pearl in 1988. Describing himself as a go-getter, it did not take long for him to get involved in local groups. This includes the rec hockey league, where he sat on the executive board for some 22 years. He also sat on the Morris Academy school council while his daughters went to school there, and got involved in the Mount Pearl Intermediate and Mount Pearl Senior High volleyball programs.

Rice is the second cousin of former council member and current MHA Lucy Stoyles. Ride said he has been described as the male version of Stoyles, thanks to his dedication to the city throughout his life.

For instance, Rice has been an organizer with Toonies for Turkeys, which he has been doing since 2004.

“There’s 112 guys that play hockey in the senior league, and every year we do a fundraiser – Toonies for Turkeys,” Rice said. “I give that money to Kim Power, and she goes through all the food banks in the city. So, all that money is spent in the Mount Pearl area. Food hampers is mostly what it is, and we’ve been at that for years now.”

Some of Rice’s other involvements have been with the Janeway Telethon, the Mount Pearl Sport Alliance, and the Huskies Volleyball Club.

He hopes to add council meetings to his regular to do list.

“I’ve got a lot of items on my agenda for when I get elected – because I am going to get elected,” Rice said.

He plans to address what he sees as an increase in break-ins and general crime in the city.

Traffic is another concern, specifically the increase in traffic in the Commonwealth Avenue area.

“With increased traffic means increased speeds.,” said Rice. “Since Costco opened up, our Commonwealth Avenue area and Mount Carson hill has gone crazy … I’m going to look into the possibility of putting in speed bumps, and three or four way stop signs to slow down traffic. One of my biggest points for when I get on council is to see the Team Gushue highway finished up.”

Rice, who is a facilities manager with Eastern Health, said he would also like to see a bylaw that would require masks being worn when entering city facilities. This, he said, is a simple health measure that is still important due to the unpredictable nature of the COVID-19 virus.

Rice said he will listen to residents and hear their issues no matter the size.

He said his strong personality and knack for seeing things through are two traits that will stand him well in politics.

“I’ve got the experience, and I’ve got the knowledge. I can get in there and get stuff done,” he said. “I’ve been asked many times to run for City council, and I think that’s because every time I get involved in something, I’ve managed to make positive changes. I’m a good team player. Mount Pearl is a great place, but it’s not without its own issues. That’s what I want to be able to do, tackle those things and make positive change for the city.”

Budget reallocation will mean line painting for more parking lots

By Chris Lewis/September 9, 2021

Street markings and parking lot line paintings were all up for discussion at a recent meeting of council in Mount Pearl.

On Tuesday, Sept. 7 councillors in the City of Mount Pearl got together for their regular meeting of council, during which Deputy Mayor Jim Locke took some time to speak on the City’s street marking plans. He said the City’s 2021 street marking contract was inclusive of the costs for summer line markings, which were to complete the various construction projects that were underway throughout the summer season.

However, due to what Locke called coordination concerns, it was decided that the street markings would instead be included in each of the individual tenders that fell under street construction contracts.

Therefore, he said the City’s line painting budget can be re-allocated elsewhere as required.

The total budget available from this is $64,325.25.

“Engineering services has received multiple inquiries regarding parking lot line painting throughout the summer, and I know it was brought up here in the chamber about areas of concern. In particular, the Team Gushue Sport Complex coming into the Reid Centre,” Locke said. “The engineering services department also completed a review of parking lots throughout the city.”
Locke said the Team Gushue Sport Complex would run approximately $26,000 if they were to complete line painting work up there. The Summit Centre and Glacier library would come in at $31,000, and the Gloria Pearson Centre would cost about $2,000.

As well the Ruth Avenue Sportsplex would cost about $2,300 for the work.

Admiralty House would cost about $3,500.

The total amount of all those comes in at $64,800 - in line with the aforementioned budget.

“The engineering service department is recommending that we re-allocate the summer line markings budget to complete our parking lots that are in much need of clear line painting.”

Most of those will be completed in their entirety, according to Locke, with the exception of the Ruth Avenue Sportsplex and Gloria Pearson Centre which will both have directional arrows painted at the very least.

Councillor Bill Antle said this was a good use of the money. As he drove around the city, he said most of the parking lots can be confusing when trying to figure out where one can park.

Mayor Dave Aker said parking lots are not completed every year. The City’s streets, crosswalks and some of the more heavily trafficked areas see yearly care, but parking lots are often left for when it becomes more of a necessity or, like this instance, when there are monies available for the work.

Director Gerry Antle, in charge of infrastructure and public works, echoed this and said parking lots can vary depending on usage.

“Mostly, you’ll see parking lots will last maybe 4-5 years depending on their use,” he said.

City's finances in good place heading into the fall, says Antle

By Chris Lewis/September 9, 2021

The City of Mount Pearl is doing well in terms of its finances.

During the most recent meeting of council in the City of Mount Pearl, held on Tuesday evening, Sept. 7, councillor Bill Antle took some time to speak to the City’s financial situation.

He said during the meeting that it was a common occurnece for council to provide what he was calling a mid-year financial update.

“Last December, we presented the 2021 budget for the City of Mount Pearl,” Antle said, stating that this budget in particular was a unique challenge for Mount Pearl as they maneuvered unexpected challenges like the COVID-19 pandemic.

He said the budget process last year took some eight months to complete, and wanted to ensure residents that the City has maintained its focus on the best long-term plan possible.

He described the city’s financial position as “solid.”

“We continuously monitor our revenues and expenditures to ensure we maintain a balanced budget,” he said.

As of July 31 of this year, the City has collected 99 per cent of taxation revenue, which he said is the City’s primary source of revenue.

"While our taxation revenue is on target, our goods and services on municipal revenue numbers are slightly down from where they were projected,” he said. “The realities of COVID-19 require significant changes to all city facilities, including closures, reduced programming, reduced rental revenue, and this impact has resulted in a decreased revenue by 20 per cent. Or, $254,000.”

Municipal revenues, he added, are also down this year due mainly to an increase in permit applications and a lower than expected amount of traffic violation files.

He said the City is expecting this revenue to be down by 49 per cent against the target, which comes out to an estimated $537,000.

“That being said, overall the City is projecting to collect 97 per cent of all revenue, despite the impact of COVID-19 has had on our operations this year,” Antle said. “In budget 2021, the City reduced operating expenditures by $2.5-million in an effort to balance a notable projected decrease in revenue.”
From that, Antle said the City has reduced operational spending throughout the year, which has controlled costs and subsequently ended up with the City, so far, spending 54 per cent of their city operating budget so far.

“While we focus on controlling costs, we maintain our commitment to advancing our mission, leading the way as a family oriented and business friendly city, providing quality services,” he said, adding that the City has invested $7.5-million so far this year in capital projects, and continues its investment in a digital transformation.

On top of that, Antle reported the City had committed some $350,000 in operating subsidies for various organizations, including Admiralty House, the city’s Senior’s Independence group, and the Mount Pearl Sports Alliance.

“There was another $750,000 allocated to developing a new splash pad and skating rink at the recently announced civic centre,” Antle said.

“Over $2.3-million were added to our fleet renewal, allowing us to maintain service standards and important key work such as snow clearing and fleet maintenance.”

The last thing Antle had mentioned was an investment of $175,000 into the implementation of “important initiatives” outlined in the City’s employee engagement plan.

He also stated that the budget process for 2022 has begun, and he is confident that the City will have what he considers a forward-looking and fiscally responsible budget.

“As you can see from our capital expenditures, we are working hard to build a city that people want to live in and work in … Throughout the course of this year, we will continue to manage and monitor our revenue and expenses. We’re committed to a balanced budget and at present are not projecting a deficit, which, of course, is subject to change.”

Claire Hutchings from CBS and Alex Taylor from Mount Pearl hosted a summer fundraiser concert in aid of the food bank in Mount Pearl. The duo were saluted for their efforts by Mount Pearl council.