Bancroft this Week

Bancroft lobbies at ROMA

Mayor Bernice Jenkins believes in the “erosion” theory of lobbying: keep bringing the issues up, like waves breaking along a shoreline, and sooner or later some resistance will give way. The prime example here is policing costs. For years, Bancroft argued that the fees it paid for OPP service were unreasonable. Eventually, a new funding formula was developed which significantly lowered the town’s costs.

How to attend a council meeting

One of our readers called in asking how to attend a council meeting. What are the times and dates? Is there a way to get the agenda beforehand? Is there etiquette to attending council? How do I get involved?

Council ‘laughing stock’: mayor

Bancroft’s Mayor Bernice Jenkins usually spends her opening remarks at council on developments in county and other levels of government, and on good news announcements. Not so at last week’s meeting. Instead, she delivered a blast at what she feels is a dysfunctional town council. Finding recent behaviour by councillors “bewildering,” she proclaimed that council lacked respect for each other, for the mayor, and for town staff. She declared a lack of team spirit, along with an absence of a common sense of direction.

Walkway project to beautify Bancroft

The BBIA is looking for volunteer groups and individuals to champion the various components of its walkways project.

NHHS teacher is Canada’s music teacher of the year

Bancroft can now lay further claim to musical excellence. Dianne Winmill of North Hastings High School has been proclaimed MusicCounts Teacher of the Year. MusiCounts is a division of the Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (the people who hand out the JUNO awards). It was established about a decade ago to “recognize the hard work and dedication of music teachers in keeping music education available to young Canadians.”

Smashing good time to be had on Hwy 28

“It is so satisfying to smash stuff,” said SIRCH Community Services executive director Gena Robertson. “It’s not bad manners here.”

Gardens coming to Maynooth

Harvest the North wants to garden in Hastings Highlands. The North Hastings Community Trust initiative has begun planning community gardens for Maynooth and its public school students this spring — when it’s hoping to have received close to $700,000 in Ontario Trillium Foundation grants.

Old Tin Shed to expand online

Bancroft’s Old Tin Shed has received more than $14,000 towards a new Internet-based store.

Eagles Nest development funding granted

For thousands of years, the Bancroft cliffs have impressed visitors and settlers. Now the story of the first of these visitors will be told, as trail and conservation groups partner with the Algonquin nation, locally and provincially, to tell “The Algonquin Story” along the trails at Bancroft’s Eagles Nest Park.

Council pushes free tap vote

After a series of demonstrations at the Millennium Park water tap, the audience at Club 580 cheered when Councillor Mary Kavanagh’s motion to immediately decide on shutting off the free public tap failed by a vote of four to three. In favour of suspending the rules to proceed with the issue were Kavanagh, Councillor Charles Mullett and Councillor Barry McGibbon. Voting against were Mayor Bernice Jenkins, Deputy Mayor Paul Jenkins, Councillor Bill Kilpatrick and Councillor Tracy McGibbon.

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