Chatham-Kent isn’t done with Yvette Pinsonneault yet.
The Mitchell’s Bay woman who had the nerve to ask for flags at the park she maintains has been told by municipal staff to turn in her key to the flag poles.
Pinsonneault, a senior citizen who’s been planting flowers, cutting grass and keeping the park clean for nearly 20 years, embarrassed C-K by caring about the park more than municipal staff.
Chatham Mazda from Chatham Voice on Vimeo.
She wanted to fill out two of the five flagpoles that for the first time in decades don’t have flags.
She was first told the flagpoles didn’t work. When she used her key to show they did indeed, she was still told no.
When MP Bev Shipley, gave her a Canadian flag, the C-K staffers came out and removed it.
After our story last week, Pinsonneault got her flag back but she hasn’t put it up, afraid of retaliation. Now, they want to make sure she can’t.
Interest in the story was so great it temporarily crashed our website with overwhelming feedback in favour of Pinsonneault.
C-K’s bureaucrats don’t know when to quit digging themselves into a hole. Most communities, we assume, welcome volunteers and community pride.
The message being delivered to Pinsonneault, and in effect to the rest of us, is to pay your taxes and shut up.
The latest reason given to not fill all the flag poles is a policy that seems like something out of a bureaucratic “how to justify my salary” guide, since the number of flags varies at many sites.
This is a stain on the community, as well as on those municipal staffers who treat taxpayers and volunteers with the respect they deserve.
Volunteers save this community millions and raise millions more. The least they should be able to expect is some common courtesy from those earning money thanks to the taxes they pay.
There is still time to mend some fences, if anyone at the Civic Centre gives a damn.
Update:
Apparently, someone does give a damn. After our print edition was completed, sources told The Voice (the municipality still hasn’t returned our calls) that Chatham-Kent officials have agreed to meet with the Mitchell’s Bay Association. It’s a wise (albeit late) step forward and we applaud what we hope will be a resolution of this issue.
I don't know what to say except "FFS"
as usual, the tail wags the dog!!!! it is about time to shake some people up and remind them who pays the bills. totally asine!!!! gary cumming
Sick!… im so tired hearing about Chatham officials and their crap.
Poor decision making period on many subjects and levels.
Get a grip and move "forward" already! Get with the times!
This woman should be praised and applauded! Period!
Think we could get Vlad Putin or Don (You're Fired!) Trump to run this clown car for a week?
The city of Chatham or Council owe this lady an apology, she has done nothing but good for many years and this is the way they treat us, especially Senior Citizens. This is a disgrace.
Never heard of such close-minded thinking from this neighborhood. She must respect the wishes of the board but what a tempest in a teapot.
This is so stupid. Ck needs to thank this lady for doing such a good job there. Grow up Ck officials. You are picking on such petty stupidity. There are other things more important in Ck that need the attention. Leave this poor lady alone! She needs a big thank you not too deal with crap like this!
way to go Yvette where all prowd of you
between flag poles and a t v s there there really working for us arent they
Thankful that there are volunteers that give up their time to help beautiful and look after things..
They should all be voted out, Pure stupidity!
Where in the hell is our council. I had a problem with the staff at the museum. Asked to see the Chatham built fanning mill, and was told it was in storage and that they would not have time to show it for 6 weeks. My counselor did make a call or two and 7 weeks later I was called and shown the piece I asked to see. I find it strange when the More museum staff could not do enough to help me. this thing with the flag, sounds to me to be about who id boss, and staff seems to think they own, and control everything and one.
Wow. Haven't thought of that term in a while but in Municipal politics it sure does seem like it's the tail wagging the dog. Good call.
I say we need to know who, specifically, directed the actions of the CK staff. That's the place to start. It might have been one or several people making decisions that were not their place to make OR just one jerk. Either way, the management needs to explain who did what and why. Then, make it right
Thats Awesome. You pay for Chatham's Parks. It's called The Municipality of Chatham Kent and you pay as much into Chatham as someone living in Chatham does. 🙂 Trust me.
Just another day of Governmental bullshit!!!
What a shame. I asked for trees to be planted in new subdivisions. I was told that the up keep for over head wires was not in the budget…Hello overhead wires in a new subdivision? Anything to beautify Chatham Kent is too much for Chatham-Kent officials.
I don't even know where this started, or where this comment will end up in the feed, but I'm most certainly tired of everyone throwing the entire "group" into a bundle. I'm proud to be from a small village, from here, and I'm proud of people like Ms. Pinsonneault who was doing a good thing. The problem is everyone piles on to our municipal officials for not doing anything, but yet we complain when it costs money to do things. Even worse is the people who attempt to help by acting, rather than reacting, are exiled.
How many municipal officials have to stop what they're doing because somebody stopped a volunteer for changing a flag to make a park look better? Think about everytime you call a police officer, a fire marshall or need a pot hole fixed. It's not that our "offiicals" can't do the job they were asked to do, it's the fact we have way too many squeeling wheels to fix on a complex machine. So what, Mitchell's Bay, just like every other communtiy "other than Chatham" has issues. Why in the hell are we blaming council for a master lock on a damn flag pole? Why do have to answer to every last complaint about windmills, or roads or things that literally are done before we see them on these posts where the "Letter to Editor's" can whine.
More people will be more inclined to do things for others if they are not worried about being judged (or sued) for trying.
Ms. Pinsonneault, change your flag, I know one of your neighbours will let you do that. The one, and most likely only one neighbour who complained, will probably have something else to worry about tomorrow. We'll hear about that too.
The issue is with municipal flag poles. Yvette would be perfectly happy putting up the flags herself. She just wanted the flags to do so. And when she went on her own and got one from MPP Bev Shipley’s office and put it up on one of the empty flag poles, CK staff pulled it down. https://chathamvoice.com/2015/08/19/flag-flap-at-the-bay/
Well she's probably doing the job of a unionized civil servant. We can't have that now. (Sigh)
This makes me feel so embarrassed and ashamed to have to call myself a citizen of Chatham-Kent.
I would love to knw the names of the "people" who have initiated the correspondence with Yvette, Are they elected? are they sitting at a desk making 2 or 3 times minimum wage ? Good Job Yvette, A true Canadian. Our heartfelt Congratulations on 20 years of awesome community Service.
Thank you to The Chatham Voice to stay on top of this issue and Kudo to Yvette to bring it up I am sick of the attitude of the Municipality……Hopefully a solution and apologie are coming
you can't vote out paid municipal staff…
Really. Why would the CK municipality not welcome Yvette's help. This council is unreal. All she wants is to be able to fly a couple of flags, in return she keeps the park beautiful. Council should maybe learn about people relations. We vote these so call politician into office and we sure made mistakes with this council. Keep up the good work Yvette. The park is beautiful….
I personally know Yvette and I can see the pier from my dock. She is always there making the pier look prestine , not only for the locals but the tourist who visit the bay.Mitchells Bay is a big tourist area all year long, and I was also wondering about why 2 flags poles were vacant.Shame on you chatham-kent. Yvette and others gives their time to make this little bit of heaven look great for all ,and all she wants is answers to her question and not the run around from chatham-kent
I agree with Vladimir Prole 150%, the City of Chatham Kent likes to cover up alot of things, my heart goes out to Mrs. Pinnsonealt for the hard work she has done over the years, and she did it all by herself, not like Chatham where they need two workers in one truck to go to working sites to pick up garbage one worker pulls the garbage out and the other worker puts the clean garbage bag back in, i know i watch them do this several times when walking my dog, unbelievable) WAKE UP CITY HALL!
How about moving the cenotaph for parking for the new condo? Or the Chinese farmers to whom they are selling our land? It's one incompetent blunder after another.
So very childish! This wonderful hardworking lady is owed an apology, from the City, Council, and Mayor!
Having solved all of the other problems with the city…unreal! Small town shaming needs to keep happening to make them accountable.
It is the people that were voted back into office that are to be held to blame for this debacle but the real responsibilty clearly falls on those that voted the incompetents back in!
Randy Hope is totally useless. Still waiting for those 700 jobs he promised. Goes to China on the public dime and comes back with nothing every time.He sticks up for Victor Botoun who can't finish his condo or even finish or even his supper for that matter.l wish Jeff Bultje was mayor , he gets things done without all the BS….
Amen sister
I THINK RANDY COULD HANDLE THIS CASE. LOL.
Thanks goodness for volunteers and those who cast light on those who bring shame to a community.
Well unfortunately Hopeless did get re-elected. Why would he care about some flags when he wants to move the most beloved monument in our town. I am not surprised in the least
What council members didn't think of It first and there was no chance for a photo op
. Well now is the time for a photo op You go on the news and the Chatham paper and apologize to this good lady with absolutely no no no excuse behind it. Nay say it's to late Yvette Pinsonneault for mayor some one who cares for amalgamated Chatham Kent and common sense.
That's ck. it sucks. At least they could put more flags up. To give the oversized fans something to blow around.
I'm confused. Why isn't there an agreement with Mitchell's Bay Association (MBA) to be responsible for the flagpoles' maintenance and what flags are flown? If the good folks at MBA want to represent Mitchell's Bay and Yvette Pinnsoneault, to keep the area looking good and in good standing, there is nothing more 'community'. This is a no-cost, no-brainer.
The Puffed up self important munincipal council and staff act like what they are: petty little llilputians that do what they want to do no matter what is right and just. They just don't care about Justice . They will lie. cheat do whatever to maintain a feeling of power over their serfdom: if one chooses to stand up for justice: be vary "afraid of retaliation".
Chatham is run by a bunch of idots led by Hope.But the bigger bunch of idiots are all those that ran against him allowing him to get back in because of a split vote. Next time only run one or two against him and there is no way he will win. DUH
This is our C-K Councilmen
Maybe it's time to reduce the staff in the Parks, Cemetery and Horticultural department. When Jeff Bray the manager of that department has to refer to Deb Veccia "A" supervisor to answer a question about a couple of flags, it should tell this community something.. A citizen fixed the flag pole that no one thought worked with a can of WD40. Imagine they were probably waiting for maintaince to do it. No wonder they are asking for her key back they want to keep their jobs!