The Thoughts Keep Coming

Those thoughts just keep coming and coming and coming... There is so much going on that I want to tell you about everything.

I know you have work to do and you don't have all that much time so I am doing the best I can to keep you up-to-date while you drink your morning coffee!

SOMEONE HAS TO FEED THE GAZELLES

I am so glad that our new Economic Development Czar is "supportive" of Sandra Pupatello's trade mission where "two dozen local businesses will be headed to Edmonton next week in an effort to tap into Canada's hottest economy." I am sure that she will be heartened by that vote of confidence.

Thank goodness that John Millson has already been there and knows what is going on.

• "Although the commission is not sending its own representative, Fischer said former Windsor mayor John Millson has agreed to "represent us."

Mind you, perhaps someone should explain that to Mr. Millson who said "he would not be acting as an "official representative" of the commission."

I wonder if John applied for the Economic Development job. Does anyone know?

I must admit that if I were in Mr. Fischer's shoes and the Minister was leading a delegation out West either I or the Chair, Remo Mancini, ought to be heading out there to at least pretend that I was interested in doing something for the City that now employs me.

Still this attitude of doing nothing but house-keeping for 120 days is consistent with the attitude of the Report that set up the new Commission:

• "Because of the nature of the region’s strategy, traditional performance measures such as the number of new plants attracted, or the number of jobs retained, albeit significant, should not be the primary indicators of success. These could actually be counterproductive by driving the wrong behaviour."

I cannot believe it still no matter how many times I BLOG it. Yup...new jobs are counter-productive. Except for the new 3 year job of feeding gazelles at $169,000 per year. Someone has to stay home to look after them.

I will be shocked if I ever get an answer about Board salaries too. So far I have not.

OH MY---THERE MUST BE A HITCH

It has been more than three weeks. Remember the big Gord Henderson front page story:

• "a key player in the information technology field will soon unveil plans for a downtown Windsor call centre with more than 500 jobs.
  
  Business sources say the announcement, to be made in the next two to three weeks if there are no last-minute hitches..."

I wonder what the hitch is....too far away from the Provincial election to make the announcement perhaps?

WINDSOR STAR JOBS GO TO WINNIPEG CALL CENTRE

Can you imagine the phone call between the Mayor's Office and the Windsor Star when this story was posted by CKLW. After all we have a great new IT business starting in Windsor don't we. And as a vote of confidence, what does the Star do...

• "30 part-time employees at the Windsor Star will be laid-off in May. The company says the reader sales and service jobs will be outsourced to a call centre in Winnipeg for efficiency reasons. Union Chair Jim Angus says C-A-W Local 240 will fight hard to save the jobs and continues to talk with the company. The layoffs take effect May 18th."

The Star Editorial stated this about the Sutherland call centre coming here:

• "The decision by a global call centre to locate in Windsor and create 1,000 local jobs with the potential for more is good news for a city in dire need of it, but more importantly, it sends a positive message to companies looking for places to expand and invest."

What exactly does the Star's action convey to those looking to expand and invest here. What message is the Star giving?

THIS IS NO TOKENS JOB

It's a true advertisment. I saw it in a Detroit newspaper online. I wonder what my chances are of getting it if I applied since I am so familiar with the operations of the Tunnel. That "profitable" part would be tough to accomplish unless there was a big toll increase but that would chase away traffic to the bridge. I know at least one stakeholder who seems not too happy about the Tunnel if a US magazine article is true: US Customs. That would be tough to accomplish too.

Oh there is something very odd in the ad. I will do some research and see if I can find the answer for you. Of course, the Mayor/WTC Chair could answer the question right away by telling us what is going on at the Tunnel but it looks like I have to do it all myself.

Expect the Mayor to make a big announcement one day soon and be a big hero too I am sure. That is why he is keeping so quiet right now.

President and CEO

Company: Detroit & Canada Tunnel Corp
Location: US-MI-Detroit
Base Pay: N/A
Employee Type: Full-Time Employee
Industry: Government - Civil Service
Manages Others: no

DESCRIPTION

President and CEO

Detroit Windsor Tunnel LLC, Detroit, MI, seeks a President & CEO to be responsible, and accountable to the Board of Directors, for the effective, efficient and profitable operation of the Company. Must lead, direct, supervise & manage company operations in U.S. & Canada & ensure that the Detroit Windsor Tunnel is safely operated & maintained in accordance with best practice & meets the needs of its many stakeholders & users; develop strategic & operating business plans for Board approval & implement such, ensuring the profitability of the corporation; maintain key relationships in all levels of government in both US & Canada; lead negotiations with the Company's 2 unions; sit as a member of the Board of Directors and regularly sit on other related boards, sometimes as the Chair; assist with the merger & acquisition of new assets. Candidate must have MBA, BS in Civil or Mechanical Engineering, be a registered P.E. in either U.S. or Canada, be admissible to Canada, & have 10 yrs exp. heading an operating company while reporting to a Board of Directors in a unionized environment, including 5 yrs. exp. working for or with U.S. or Canadian municipal governments, 2 yrs. exp. working for or with Federal and/or State or Provincial government agencies, and 2 yrs. exp. developing and successfully implementing both strategic & operating business plans.

Source - The Detroit News and Detroit Free Press - Detroit, MI

ANNOUNCMENTS BOTH COMING AND GOING

I must admit that I do not recall seeing press releases when projects are completed, only when they are announced. But then again, I am not on that many mailing lists so that may well be the norm.

Anyway, just so you know:

• "CANADA'S NEW GOVERNMENT AND THE PROVINCE OF
  ONTARIO – IMPROVING HIGHWAY 401 IN ESSEX COUNTY
  
  WINDSOR -- The Honourable Lawrence Cannon, Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities, along with the Honourable Donna Cansfield, Ontario Transportation Minister, today announced the completion of phase two of the widening of Highway 401 from Windsor to Tilbury, in Essex County."

Heck that is easier than announcing the start of a new road to the Ambassador Bridge, especially before an election! But don't worry, you will see something in the Budget shortly so that the politicians can get some credit.

SAVE THIRTY MILLION OF TAXPAYER DOLLARS

Someone really does need to explain to me why Governments are moving forward on the Tunnel Plaza Improvements project and insist on spending so much money. Why don't they try and save the money since it is clearly not needed?

In looking at statistics, the Tunnel was used by about 9.5 million cars and trucks in 1999. In 2006, it was used by about 5.4 million or 43% less. In 2007, traffic has dropped in the first 2 months of the year already by over 149,000 vehicles! If this rate continues, the Tunnel could lose another million vehicles!

Why is Council not concerned about this loss? Why isn't the Windsor Tunnel Commission concerned?

So please explain to me what is going on at the Tunnel...no dividends for the City so taxpayers have to make it up, Open House cancelled with no new date, Alinda taking over maybe and silence from the Mayor/WTC Chair.

Oh and no Windsor Star investigative journalism either. I guess they are too busy checking the Council garbage cans to see what food has been thrown out for their next big Newspaper Award-winning story.

Now I have a theory about all of this but it is so diabolical that I would not consider posting it. If I get any hint that it might be true, then I will post it.

Let's see if you, dear reader, have a "diabolical" theory too that you might be willing to share.

PS...CKLW posted that

• "Cars and trucks can again line up inside the Windsor-Detroit tunnel.
  
  Queing lanes were done away with after 9-11 and traffic had been staggered resulting in backups along Goyeau and Wyandotte.
  
  But, tunnel general manager Neil Belitsky says the tunnel has a new ventilation system and upgraded security.

Hooray, the backups on Goyeau and Wyandotte have been solved.....$30 million saved! No expropriations needed. Burger King does not have to move.

Oh and I see that Neal Belitsky had to deal with the criticisms of the Tunnel as outlined in my BLOG. Trouble is that Neal did NOT mention that the air was scrubbed (probably because there is no technology to do so) and he knows the "unique security risk" is still there no matter what the upgrading is. Only reverse customs would deal with it. Moreover, he did not tell us the cost of all of this

Now if only he also said how to attract some business to the Tunnel but that is much harder to do! And with Gordon Jarvis tied up in Alabama on Alinda matters, who is minding the shop?