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Lakeshore Advance, 2013-06-19, Page 5Wednesda , June, 19, 2013 • Lakeshore Advance 5 • community letters to the editor Are we there yet? Guiding Beacons of North Lambton !)ear editor: "Are we there yet." "Are we there yet," I low many of us recall that familiar phrase from our youth or uttered by our own children when our family was travelling somewhere on vacation? Six months ago the Lambton Shores council announced that they were throwing the CAO udder the bus because as the Deputy Mayor said "they wanted to move in a new direction." I lard pressed to clarify where that new direction will lead Lambton Shores I ant still asking myself "Are we there yet?" at 1 do remember is that the "old" direction h red some great strategic planning, the exp nsion and replacement of aging infrastruc- ture like roads, sewers, water mains, award win- ning new recreational facilities, major Commu- nity in Bloom awards, high ratings from the BMA study for fiscal management along with low tax rates, millions of dollars in grants (free money) low interest loans and exemplary community partnerships. Ah, the new direction! In lieu of a definition from the council I must define the new direction and where it will lead Lambton Shores as best 1 can. It seems to me the new direction is charac- terized by political chaos fostered by those who seem to feel they are smarter than the average (:AO. By the palpable "'lhump,1hump" made by staff being thrown (or being threatened with being thrown) under the bus. it seems to be delineated by significant squandering of taxpay- ers' money, Higher taxes and by a potential Toss of trillions of dollars in grants on a sewage treat- ment plant which even if approved will leave untreated for years to come the sewage from an estimated 1600 homes in Zones 3 and 4. (So much for the long-term protection of the munic- ipality's second major economic asset!) The implementation of the "new direction" seems type cast as a failure in that it has not fulfilled a major campaign promise of governing in a "transparent" manor - demonstrated by their multitude of "in camera" meetings." It is pecu- Ifarized also by a seeming inability to make deci- sions and a concomitant sending out for staff reports that are more often than not ignored. It ipientified by a lack of a comprehensive strate- plan after over three years available to develop one. i Inlmnunnl? Can the question: "Are we there yet?" even be answered? The Council seems unable to articulate their rationale for the firing of the CA() ( a desire to move in a "new direc- tion"). 'they seem to he piloting the ship of state in no particular desirable direction and blaming others for their seeming inability to find a route to a prosperous future for Lambton Shores. Lambton Shores does seetn to be regressing, certainly not going anywhere forward. Although Lambton Shores may not be going anywhere for the rest of its mandate, thank goodness this situation does not have to last beyond the current terns of office. Voters will have about 12 months to wait before they will have the opportunity to elect new councillors to replace those who are responsible for this state of affairs - councillors that can and will get Lambton Shores back on track. Respectfully Yours, Eric Shafer Forest From the Countryside John Russell The first woman we will feature is Cather- ine Stone who penned a letter to the editor of the Observer on May 29, 1857, represent - Ing the Sable Division No.4, of the Sons of Temperance . In it she wrote in part defend- ing the need for women members of the movement: "A lurking prejudice exists even in the Order, in regard to the admission of Female Visitors. I am among those who believe in enlisting in the Temperance cause, every class and portion of society....1 would enlist the dear children as Juvenile hemmers, for with then) rests the future. 1 would enlist their mothers and all the married Fernales...Wotnan, In all ages of the world, has exercised a powerful abiding influence on Man Show me, therefore, your women, and 1 will give you the character of your men, without even seeing thein" Catherine's nominator, Professor Greg Stott, local history chronicler mentioned that," she wrote to a major paper In Lamb - ton and articulated a position that might be termed proto-feminist and 1 don't wonder that women in Lambton would have been at least aware of the Seneca Falls Convention in New York in 1848 which put forward a manifesto on women's rights. I also like this example as it is so early." Other than this let- ter, no records have been found by Greg on any more information on Catherine. '1'he second woman in todays article is a leader in the medical field, Mary Jane I lut- ton M.D. who was born in Forest in 1869 and died in 1946 in I Jensall. Sandy Burkhart from the Forest Library, an avid historian nominated Mary Jane for being her idea of a Guiding Beacon. f ler colleague at the Forest Lambton Museum, Sylvia Freeman also separately nominated Mary Jane. In Sandy's words,' Mary Jane Hutton was the first female doctor in Lambton County Welcome to Buskerfest! Busker Schedule (Subject to Change) and also the first native of Forest to acquire the title of M.U. She was the daughter of James I Tutton and Jemina Smith. James was Forest's first physician and druggist. Ills daughter joined the practice after her grad- uation from Trinity College in 1890. An ail from a September 1893 edition of the Forest Free Press mentions special attention to treating diseases of women in children. This must have been a welcome addition in a small town of the time. Mary Jane is remark- able because very few females trained to be doctors at that time. She went on to marry Charles McConnell in 1896 and moved to fiensall. She is buried in the Hensel! cemetery: (loth examples today show early exam- ples of independence and resiliency in the face of male dominated fields, public advo- cacy and medicine. Great role models for our future leaders but also, in the absence of good records, beacons for the need to pre- serve our past. It will be a busy weekend in the Bend June 22 and 23rd with the Buskerfest. Both days the entertainment begins at 1:15 p.m. at the beach house, the gazebo by the pier, at the River Road Art Centre, Eiber Street lot (beside Archie's Emporium) and at Sea Jewels Main Street lot. Saturday, June 22 Beach House 1:16pm 2:OOpm Sounds of Summer Chris Zybura Gazebo by the Pler ISarah Menary Dylan Mudge& Selena Harrison River Road Art Centre Elber St Lot , (beside Nchie's Emporium) Chalkmaster Dave I Josh Geddis Beach 106 Beach Chris Molyneaux Bums Sea Jewels Lot (beside Sea Jewels on Main St) Fraser Frase Alex Tintinilli 2:45pm Fraser Frase Sounds of Summer Chalkmastor Dave . Pedro and Olga Terry Taylor 3:30pm 1 I 4:15pm Sounds of Summer Nic Swales Sarah Menary 5:OOpm 5: 6:30pm 7:15pm Bryan Rason ThA Sarah Hoy Chin 3:30pm 4:1Spm. ._.._ 5:OOprn Dylan Mudge & Selena Harrison Chris Zybura Greg Gallello & Chlara Boardman Chalkmaster Dave Alex Tintinilli Fraser Frase Jordon Grainger Beath 106 Beach ' Mike lhidgen Bums Chile Mott/now Taylor Holden ----T'aA Taylor Holden Curtis to Brinks Chris Molyneaux %yian Mudge & Selene Gazebo Chris Molyneaux Jordan Grainger Sarah Menary Cl14$ 61 &tine_ Karate Kids Chris Zybura ORM glIllrlOW Bryan Rason Chris Zybura River Road chat master Dave Maggie Brennan Terry Taylor Sarah Menary Sounds of Summer Mice ltudgen Soul Steady Amity Beach ...._� Elber St Lot BryaAn Raw Mike Trudgen 1 ami!- lade iBA Chalkmaster Dave Chris Molyneaux ,Chalkinaataf Dn. JordanOndger Sarah Menary Bryan Rason Fraser Frase NIC SWAIN6.. Harmony Kings Nic Swales Bryan Rason Chris Zybura Sea Jewels Lot Toin Fraser Fraso Mike Trudgen Fraser Fmee TBA 6: Amity Beach smwunawws TaYlor Holden Dylan Mudge 1 Selene Harrlson 6:30pm 7:15pm Fraser Frase GrIQ Walla & Cidata .............. Chris Zybura *den Ming r _s• ..... .• .• . • .• .•.•......... • Terry Taylor Taylor Holden Amity Bench