Over the last year or so there has been a problem growing that has concerned more than just a few residents. This problem has been the indiscriminate use of fireworks. The concern is there are a few residents of the village proper and residents of the campground who are setting off displays of fireworks right within their village property without regards to fire and safety issues.
In the case of the campgrounds, campers have been setting them off right in the campgrounds in amongst the trees where there is quite a build up of dead grass and bush. The danger of setting the whole works off and endangering life and property of other campers and the regional campground itself is a real possibility. This past fall, in the field right next to the campground, the farmer whose crop is there found the garbage from many fireworks littering his field. He had to spend hours cleaning it up before he could harvest the crop. This was on top of the trails where ATVs had run his crop down. There seemed to be no concern that they might have burned his crop in the process of their fun.
I personally saw a resident of the village setting fireworks off from his front yard and the smoking remains were falling on rooftops right next to him. The thought that this could have started his neighbours' houses on fire was the farthest thing from his mind at the time, since this was in the midst of a drunken party. During this same incident I also saw this resident holding the fireworks by hand and shooting them out through the front door of his residence and aiming them past people sitting on his deck. There was again no understanding of the physical damage that this could have caused these people if he had hit them directly. One girl was burned slightly in this incident, but if he had hit her directly the burning metals that are part these devices could have caused devastating effects.
Because of this problem a letter was sent to village council near the end of 2011 urging them to do something about this problem. In response to this and other problems they have received, Meota's village council has hired a bylaw enforcement officer, Chris McCracken. He started this position Feb. 8. To report problems residents are urged to call the village office during business hours or the mayor and councillors after hours. Chris will also be doing some patrolling of the village to keep an eye on things.
I urge everyone to support Chris as his job is to make our village a safer place for all of us.
Jan. 12, in Kaiser play, first place went to Linda Ard, second went to Fred Gansauge, third place was taken by Ken Tucker, and fourth place went to Bernice Tait.
When the Canasta players met Jan. 20, the winners were Jean Gansauge and Anna Tucker.
When the bridge players got together for some contract bridge on Jan. 16, first place went to Joyce Antoine and second was taken by Frank Antoine. Jan. 17, in duplicate bridge, first place went to David Sharpe and Frazer Glenn with second being taken by Julie and Glenn Moore. Jan. 23, first place was taken by Robert Iverson and Joyce Antoine with Frazer Glenn and David Sharpe coming in second.
Quote: "If I am walking with two other men, each one of them will serve as my teacher. I will pick out the good points of the one and imitate them and the bad points of the other and correct them in myself." Confucius
