Produced by special arrangement with Out To See Productions Inc.
Written by J.J. McColl
Directed by Mary Ann Kennedy
Produced by Mic Michenfelder Lyrics by J.J. McColl Music by J.J. McColl and Rueben Gurr Music Director: Paul Warcler
Dinner & Show
all performances at
NOV 14–29
Dinner Theatre Served by The Stone Crock Dinner Theatre Tickets $50 · Show Only Tickets $20
76 Howard Ave., Elmira
Fri/Sat Dinner Theatre Starts 7PM Sunday Dinner Theatre Starts 1:30PM Thursday Show Starts 8PM
For Tickets Call Centre in the Square · 519-578-1570 · 1-800-265-8977
www.elmiratheatre.com
10 | 25 | 2014 VOLUME 19 | ISSUE 43
YOUR 2014-15 ELMIRA SUGAR KINGS LINEUP SPORTS PAGE 18-19
COMMENT PAGE 8
VOTE FOR THOSE WHO WILL ACT IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST
www.OBSERVERXTRA.com
Credit card statements reveal some of Cowan’s spending habits STEVE KANNON Along with the conference costs he double-billed the region and township for, Woolwich Mayor Todd Cowan’s credit card statements paint a picture of someone with a penchant for dining out. In 2013, restaurant charges amounted to almost $2,000. The February statement from that year, for instance, saw half a dozen visits totalling $522.84, including $225.50 at the upscale Canoe restaurant in Toronto and $99.84 at the Church Key Bistro in London, Ont. Other charges included Wildcraft ($54.13) and Solé Restaurant and Wine Bar ($57.29), two frequent stops in Waterloo. The information was gleaned from copies of Cowan’s corporate credit card statements from August 2012 to August 2014, released last week to the Observer following a freedom of information (FOI) request in September. COWAN | 3
Ward 1 candidate Sebastian Siebel-Achenbach speaks with resident Brenda Kempel, who pressed for a format change to allow for a proper public forum at Tuesday night's event in Elmira.
[STEVE KANNON / THE OBSERVER]
After some ado, public gets to hear from Ward 1 candidates Woolwich hopefuls shift format of event at the WMC in response to audience’s demands STEVE KANNON An impromptu questionand-answer session broke out October 21 as those attending a Woolwich Ward 1 candidates’ meeting put democracy to work, prompting a change in the evening’s format. Organizing the public event themselves – no group had come forward to put together an allcandidates’ night – the six hope-
fuls vying for the two Elmira seats eventually settled on what amounted to a trade-show format: each would set up a table in the community room at the WMC, allowing visitors to approach them individually. Those arriving Tuesday night expecting a debate were unimpressed, eventually persuading the candidates – some eager, having pushed for a debate, and others reluctant – to sit as a
group and answer questions from the audience. Resident Michael Purves-Smith, no stranger to issues in Elmira, was drafted to serve as moderator. The on-the-fly format eventually allowed some 50 people to settle in their seats about half an hour into the event, but not before others had left when confronted with the original setup. Not surprisingly, infrastructure spending was top of mind to both
Only
999
$
CELEBRATING OUR ANNIVERSARY
IN STYLE!
Get it NOW Pay in January 2015!*
Contemporary 2 Piece Sectional with Accent Cushions
Matching Ottoman $359 Accent Chair $359 Enlarge this Sectional, each extra piece $299
the candidates and some audience members. Facing more than $60 million in future upgrades to roads and bridges and the like, the township will have to reallocate some of its current spending, argued Sebastian Siebel-Achenbach “We need a 15- to 20-year plan,” he said, noting that earmarking $4 or $5 million a year over that WARD 1 | 5
COMPLETE THE ROOM!
SAVE THE TAX on ALL LAMPS, ACCESSORIES, RUGS …
Flyer Specials Online www.furniturehouse.ca
OPEN 7 DAYS ~ 30 Benjamin Rd., Waterloo ~ across from St. Jacobs Outlet Mall ~ 519-746-0060