December 27, 2023

 We hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas filled with family, friends, food and presents. We find that it’s the after-Christmas lull that is toughest for us. Especially now that we are trying to overcome our addiction to Boxing Day leftover sandwiches. This year we are going cold turkey. We thought about making some treats to get us over the hump, but the cookies we made kept quietly laughing at our drawings. That will be the last time we make snickerdoodles! 

Last Thursday was Manitoulin Secondary School’s annual awards night. Local businesses and organizations came together and an astonishing $50,000+ was given out to support recent graduates who have gone on to post secondary education and apprenticeship programs. Congratulations graduates!

In political news … Billings Councillor Jim Cahill has resigned, leaving a seat on council vacant. Council will appoint a new councillor in February. Interested residents can apply for the seat. Details for applying will be made public in January. We thank former Councillor Cahill for his hard work while serving the community. 

The next township council meeting is January 16th, 2024 and will be virtual. Agenda package and virtual meeting connection details can be found at billingstwp.ca/council-meetings/2024-council-agendas-and-minutes/

The local KFC (Kagawong Fitness Centre) at 91 Main Street has been closed while the fire hall was rebuilt, and it looks like it will continue to be closed for the foreseeable future. Plumbing/waste water issues were discovered while it was closed down and will need to be addressed before it can be used by the public again. The township is looking into possibilities and costs of repair. 

Billings Township has officially welcomed Harmony Hancock on board as Director of Finance/Treasurer! Ms. Hancock has been working for the township on a contract basis, but the town wisely snapped her up in a full-time position this month.   

Happy 29th birthday wishes go out to several Kagawongians (and some Kagawong-adjacent folks, too): Matt G, Darren H, Deb F, Mel H, Jen W-F, Chris T, Bev W, as well as our Mainland Mom are all celebrating another year of being awesome! Our advice for the festivities is that it is best to avoid marble cake. You don’t want to break a tooth. 

Volunteers have started preparing the ice rink early this year! With luck, we could have a solid surface soon. Thanks to Andrew Preyde and the other volunteers for their hard work. If you are interested in helping with the rink, touch base with the township office. 

Is your dearest wish for the holidays to be able to read all of the Christmas editions of this column? Okay, maybe world peace is your DEAREST wish, but just know that you can catch up on all of Team Fergmeijer’s past columns in our archive at https://teamfergmeijer.blogspot.com/

Please note that the municipal office will be closed December 25th through to January 1st. Likewise, the municipal landfill will be closed December 24th and 26th as well as December 31st, and the Library will be closed December 23rd, 30th and January 2nd. 

Attention all artists, writers, crafters, potters, artisans, creatives, makers (and their friends and families) - come out to the Manitoulin Arts Community Potluck and Holiday Social on Friday, December 29th at the Kagawong Park Centre. Doors open at 4:30pm, arts announcements at 5:30pm (share your latest news!). 

Now that Christmas is over, we’ve had time to process all the holiday music we’ve been listening to non-stop this month. It seems to us that Mariah Carey beginning with “I don’t want a lot for Christmas” and then revealing all she wants is ‘you’ is more of a burn than a romantic statement. Have a great week, and a very happy new year!

Holiday Special 2023

'Twas the night before Christmas, and in our puntastic tradition,

Here's Team Fergmeijer's annual Christmas column submission!

Not a Christmas goes by without our annual reflection, 

So sit back and enjoy our fond recollection.

Last winter was the first for our rink’s brand new roof! 

It made sure local skaters were more weatherproof’d.

It was a good year for turkeys, and other birds of a feather,

Including a rare visitor - the fine Meriweather.

New champions were crowned in the race to see cranes, 

John and Paula were first, the officials proclaim!

When a building inspection threw a major curveball,

The township got out of it a new fire hall.

It was a crazy summer with fire bans and smoke, 

Who knew what to expect each day when we woke? 

Spontaneous dancing was expected to happen

When a new concert series kept our toes all a-tappin’.

The Museum presented a vintage photo exhibit

(We couldn’t pass on the chance to say “flibbertigibbet!”)

NorthWords and Jabbawong, with their focus on stories, 

Showcased our township in all of its glories.

In August, a beach movie brought relief from our stresses

With a tale of true love and some R.O.U.S’s

And what would a summer be without a sighting of Steve?

We are the biggest Paikin fans, after all (we believe).

The Park Centre continued to welcome the masses

With feasts, markets, workshops, and many dance classes

New mailboxes arrived all shiny and sturdy,

Atop concrete pedestals, they sure do look purdy.

Work finally finished on replacing the foot bridge,  

Are we excited? We just don’t have the verbiage! 

Looking back on the year is always such a treat,

And with these rhyming couplets, our retrospection’s complete.

From Kagawong’s self-appointed laureates of pun.

Merry Christmas Kagawongians, each and every one!

December 13, 2023

We are kicking off with some truly in-truss-ing news - the new pedestrian bridge across the river is done! We don’t have a lot of details about it yet. A friend was trying to tell us about it, but we have such a short tension span. We got sidetracked pondering the idea that if bridges could talk it would likely be in Spanish. And then we got wrapped up in memories of our trip to Venice and how uneasy crossing the bridges over the waterways made us. Some might call it over-reacting, but the canals really are for boating. 

The Billings Library wishes to remind those who won items in the silent auction that they can be picked up at the library during regular hours (Tuesdays & Thursdays 4-7pm; Saturdays 10-1pm). Email billingsreads@gmail.com or call 705-282-2944 for more information. 

Only a few days left to let the township know your thoughts! Complete the Strategic Plan Resident/Property Owner Survey by December 15th to give input on what the township gets right, what you’d like to see developed, and where improvements can be made. The online survey can be found at: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/RGBNWBP

Happy birthday wishes go out to Christine L-M who is celebrating her 29th trip around the sun. Best wishes also go out to Hailey F, though she is nowhere near 29 yet. Which seems quite rude to us oldies in our late 20s (or as we prefer to be referred to - the chronologically gifted). May your birthday cake be moist, and may nobody use that word to describe it.

Volunteers have started prepping the ice rink early this year! With luck, we could have a solid surface for Christmas. Thanks to Andrew Preyde and the other volunteers for their hard work. If you are interested in helping with the rink touch base with the township office. 

The township has decided to move council meetings back to being virtual. The public can still watch the proceedings and give their input as usual. Contact the town office (tmills@billingstwp.ca) for Zoom meeting information and more information on how to have your voice heard during council meetings. 

Remember that AWESOME pun we had in our column that one time? Catch up on all of Team Fergmeijer’s past columns in our archive at https://teamfergmeijer.blogspot.com/

Please note that the municipal office will be closed December 25th through to January 1st. Likewise, the municipal landfill will be closed December 24th and 26th as well as December 31st, and the Library will be closed December 23rd and 30th. 

Attention all artists, writers, crafters, potters, artisans, creatives, makers (and their friends and families) - come out to the Manitoulin Arts Community Potluck and Holiday Social on December 29th at the Kagawong Park Centre. Doors open at 4:30, arts announcements at 5:30 (share your latest news!). 

Some words of wisdom, especially meaningful as we are entering the holiday season: It’s time to stop burning bridges in your life. They are made of steel these days and just don’t light very well. Have a great week! 

December 6, 2023

Winter seems to have settled on us for good finally. This time of year we try to watch the weather channel to know what is coming up, and it’s not pretty next week. It’s calling for rane, hale, thundre, litnin, and frizzing cold. We are really not looking forward to that bad spell of weather. On top of the cold, wet weather, Team Fergmeijer has had some bad luck lately. One half caught a nasty cold from someone at work and has been really sick all week. The second half swallowed a dictionary and now has thesaurus throat she’s ever had. The third half dropped a large box of fruit on his foot this morning. Now he cranberry walk.

The Billings Library Silent Auction is over for another year. Over $4000 was raised! Those funds keep the book budget healthy and the library late-fee free! Reminder that any items won in the library silent auction can be picked up at the library during regular hours (Tuesdays & Thursdays 4-7pm; Saturdays 10-1pm). Email billingsreads@gmail.com or call 705-282-2944 for more information. 

Let the township know your thoughts! Complete the Strategic Plan Resident/Property Owner Survey by December 15th to give input on what the township gets right, what you’d like to see developed, and where improvements can be made. The online survey can be found at: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/RGBNWBP

Happy birthday to Laurie Z., Rob B., and Katherine T who are all celebrating their 29th trip around the sun. Don’t forget to smile uncomfortably when your friends and family stare at you and sing Happy Birthday!

The township has decided to move council meetings back to being virtual. The public can still watch the proceedings and give their input as usual. Contact the town office (tmills@billingstwp.ca) for Zoom meeting information and more information on how to have your voice heard during council meetings. 

Last weekend saw a healthy turnout to the annual Kagawong Community Christmas Concert. Despite some acts having to downsize or cancel due to illness, there was plenty of talent (and quasi-talent) to go around! Thanks to everyone who came out as well as everyone who performed. 

Citizens with property on the water system are invited to a special council meeting on Tuesday, December 12th to discuss the upgrades that were recently completed on Old Mill Road. The meeting will discuss cost recovery options for the work done including consideration of a Capital Cost Recovery By-Law under the fees and charges provisions of the Municipal Act. The meeting is at the Park Centre and will begin at 7pm. Delegations wishing to speak at the meeting must contact the town clerk for a delegation request form (edance@billingstwp.ca). The form must be returned to the office by Wednesday Dec. 6th in order to be placed on the agenda. Written comments and opinions must also be submitted to the clerk by the Dec. 6th deadline to be placed on the agenda. The meeting will also be live-streamed over Zoom. Contact the town office for details. 

Please note that the municipal office will be closed December 25th through to January 1st. Likewise, the municipal landfill will be closed December 24th and 26th as well as December 31st, and the Library will be closed December 23rd and 30th. 

Attention all artists, writers, crafters, potters, artisans, creatives, makers (and their friends and families) - come out to the Manitoulin Arts Community Potluck and Holiday Social on December 29th at the Kagawong Park Centre. Doors open at 4:30, arts announcements at 5:30 (share your latest news!). 

This week we leave you with some advice from a pickle: Life can be hard sometimes; dill with it. Relish every moment you have with those you love. The door to happiness is always ajar. Remember that life is never a dill moment, but don’t worry - in the end everything will be just brine. Have a great week!