The son of an elderly Stoney Creek widow who had been living in a property for 40 years was automatically charged the 1 percent tax (average just under $4,000) because neither the senior or the son who lives out of town were aware of the program. Because she was on automatic tax withdrawal the city drained her bank account without her being aware creating financial hardship for the woman. Ultimately Councillor Jeff Beattie and his staff were able to get the matter reversed.

Why can the private sector move so nimbly and deliver what was promised when it was promised while so often we hear a different story from the public sector?

“It’s mystifying,” says Coun. Jeff Beattie. “I honestly don’t know why as a public entity, we seem to stall on a lot of the projects.”

Coun. Jeff Beattie, a former public board trustee, argued in an interview that school boards are funded for very specific things — stormwater fees not among them. He warned the board would have to find that money somewhere, potentially affecting classroom resources.

As a result, the liaison committee passed a motion by Beattie asking city staff to look at the impact of providing a full exemption to both the public and Catholic school boards. 

“Essentially, not taking money out of the classroom to put down the drain,” he said.

Murray Puddicombe is checking on the early clingstone peach harvest at his family farm in Winona. Harrow Diamond peaches are one of a dozen varieties grown on the farm’s 15-acre orchard.

Coun. Jeff Beattie was answering a question about city spending the other day when he pointed out that he’d been seeing headlines about other cities and regions around Ontario already beginning their 2026 budget process.

This, of course, led to an obvious query. If others can do it, why not Hamilton?

Hamilton Ward 10 councillor Jeff Beattie said the sidewalk issues on Fifty Road in Winona is one of the reasons he ran for office in 2022.

Measure would be “one tool in the tool box” to keep teens away from habit.

In Winona, the new facility is planned for the current home of Winona Community Centre, a 2.9-hectare site on Winona Road.

Dynamics of Niagara Escarpment ‘air drainage’ figures into pitch for townhouses.