Fred Eisenberger

Thursday October 4, 2018

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Thursday October 4, 2018

LRT Cartoon Gallery

I don’t think I’m the only one to declare that this has got to be the quietest, and indeed, dullest municipal election Hamilton’s had in a long time. As ground is supposed to be broken for a billion dollar LRT system, politicians are waffling in their support, and advocates for & against are huddled in their echo chambers. Mayor Fred Eisenberger claims it’s not even the top issue of the 2018 campaign. With a new unpredictable government in charge at Queen’s Park saying do what you want with the $1B, which the previous gov’t said was only for LRT, there’s a lot of uncertainty about what is coming Hamilton’s way, despite having spent $100 million, and years talking about it. It’s as if people are done talking about it, on either side of the debate, and maybe an election is the wrong time to whip up voter attention, especially when only 35% of them will even bother to cast a ballot.

Saturday April 7, 2018

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Saturday April 7, 2018

Doug Ford ‘ploy’ has Councillors second-guessing LRT

Some city councillors are second-guessing their support for LRT following Conservative leader Doug Ford’s announcement Hamilton can spend the $1 billion on other infrastructure projects if it rejects light rail.

Lloyd Ferguson, heretofore a staunch LRT supporter, says Ford’s proposal is “very appealing” and will force him to rethink his position if the Conservatives form the government after the June 7 provincial election.

“The main reason why I supported LRT is I couldn’t turn down $1 billion,” said the Ancaster councillor. “Now if we get to keep that $1 billion and use it across the entire city, that’s a game changer.”

Ferguson says he knows Ford’s position is an “election ploy.” “But don’t you capitalize on those opportunities for the people we represent?”

Tom Jackson says he’ll also consider changing his vote if the Conservatives are elected.

The east Mountain councillor says he ultimately backed LRT because he didn’t want to throw the $1 billion away by turning the project down.

But Jackson says Ford’s proposal giving the city the option to spend the money on other transit and infrastructure projects dovetails with his own preference to spend it on the city’s transit fleet and upgrading roads, sidewalks and water mains.

“I wished all along I had the latitude on how to spend the money,” Jackson said. “If (PCs) are fortunate and lucky enough to win a majority government … this aligns with what my preference has been.”

If, however, the Tories fail to win or form a minority government unable to follow through on Ford’s offer, Jackson says he’ll continue to support LRT to hold on to the $1 billion.

Terry Whitehead, a reluctant light rail backer at best, says he’s always maintained he’d reweigh and measure his support for the project if circumstances change about how the $1 billion can be spent. (Continued: Hamilton Spectator) 

…It has been a loooong conversation on making LRT and enhanced GO Transit a Billion dollar reality in this city.  Here’s a gallery of transit cartoons from the past 8 years or so…

October 25, 2013

Not to mention these from 2010 and before:

              

 

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Saturday January 20, 2018

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Saturday January 20, 2018

Councillors back 5 minute speech limit

The days of long-winded repetitive council speeches may be numbered.

After a vigorous 30-minute debate, Hamilton councillors have voted to restrict their statements and questions during meetings to a five-minute time limit.

Donna Skelly, who proposed the speaking cap, said the idea is to impose some discipline on talkative councillors and to be more respectful of time constraints and tying up valuable staff hours.

Mayor Fred Eisenberger called the proposal “music to my ears.”

Eisenberger has previously groused that some councillors waste too much time by running off at the mouth with scant regard for time management.

“I think it’s a good thing to institute some discipline in this process,” said Eisenberger. “We tend on too many occasions to hear the same thing over and over and over again.”

Matthew Green agreed. “If you can’t say something in 500 words (it) probably doesn’t need to be said.”

But the proposal, approved 8-7 at this week’s general issues committee, ran into strong headwinds.

Here’s how the committee vote went. For: Aidan Johnson, Farr, Green, Skelly, Brenda Johnson, Eisenberger, Arlene VanderBeek, Lloyd Ferguson. Against: Merulla, Chad Collins, Jackson, Terry Whitehead, Judi Partridge, Maria Pearson, Conley.

Although Robert Pasuta was absent, the vote is unlikely to be overturned when it goes to council for approval next Wednesday. Pasuta, himself a man of few words, says he’ll support the cap. After all, it reflects his own philosophy: “Think about what you’re going to say and don’t blabber on because who listens?” (Source: Andrew Dreschel, Hamilton Spectator) 

 

Wednesday November 29, 2017

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Wednesday November 29, 2017

Reluctant province willing to let City of Hamilton run LRT

The province’s transit agency is leaving the door open for Hamilton to run a planned new LRT line even as it urges council to abandon the idea.

October 18, 2017

Months ago city council got on board with a local union campaign to ask the province to reconsider plans to contract out operations and maintenance of a $1-billion, 14-kilometre LRT line.

The late request temporarily derailed plans by provincial transit agency Metrolinx to put out a tender call for consortiums to design, build, finance, run and maintain the project. It also left LRT supporters worried a contract award would be delayed beyond the Ontario election in June.

But the city now has its answer: a reluctant yes — with plenty of warnings and a January decision deadline.

In a Nov. 24 letter, Metrolinx president Phil Verster appeals to council to let the private tender process go ahead.

November 4, 2017

“I strongly recommend that the project continue to be delivered using the (privately run) model,” he writes. “However, if the City decides it is not willing to proceed with this model, Metrolinx is prepared to remove operations from the current procurement and work with the City.”

Verster warned the HSR would be forced to shoulder a list of onerous responsibilities and legal obligations as part of a local operations agreement. He also ruled out the idea of the city taking over responsibility for LRT maintenance.

A companion report from city staff also identifies “immediate and ongoing costs” to the taxpayer if council commits to a locally run system — including $750,000 a year for the next seven years for a new five-person team dedicated to LRT operation matters.

LRT Cartoon Gallery

Those costs would not be covered by the $1-billion in provincial funding, the report says.

Switching gears on LRT operations would also delay procurement by up to five months because Metrolinx would scrap a completed pre-qualification process for bidders and start again.

Mayor Fred Eisenberger said Monday he was relieved to get an answer, but added council “will have to grapple” with the cost implications of the looming decision. (Source: Hamilton Spectator) 

 

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Saturday November 4, 2017

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Saturday November 4, 2017

Will Hamilton miss the bus on LRT operation?

Will unreliable HSR bus service kill the city’s bid to operate light rail transit?

October 18, 2017

It’s a popular question in the face of a dramatic spike in no-show buses — about 23 a day last month — unprecedented driver absenteeism and escalating tensions between the transit union and management.

Two months ago, city council got on board with a vocal local union campaign to ask the province to reconsider its plan to contract out operations and maintenance of a $1-billion, 14-kilometre LRT line proposed for Hamilton.

The province and transit agency Metrolinx, which had planned to solicit private bids to design, build and operate the LRT, say they are mulling the request.

Mayor Fred Eisenberger said Thursday he expects an answer “in the next week or so,” but added he didn’t know if AWOL buses would factor into the provincial decision.

Coun. Arlene Vanderbeek, however, publicly pointed out the especially poor timing of the no-show bus crisis. “We’ve asked the province to let us run the LRT … all of a sudden, we can’t run the HSR,” she said during a meeting on the issue at City Hall.

April 28, 2017

Residents were quick to weigh in online, too.

“Wonder how this debacle is playing down at Metrolinx HQ as they ponder council request to have @hsr operate the #LRT,” tweeted Ward 8 resident Paul Seczek.

Brad Clark, the former Ward 9 councillor and a Tory transportation minister, also pointed to a “very problematic” open letter from the transit union that labels HSR management “incompetent.” “Province could seize on this letter as a reason to reject local operation or even stall LRT,” he said on Twitter.

Hamilton Liberal MPP Ted McMeekin acknowledged in a brief message he has spoken to the mayor about the HSR. “No doubt their current situation does not reflect well. Let’s hope it’s an anomaly.” (Source: Hamilton Spectator) 

 

 

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