Who's says Hamilton Councilors aren't funny

On Friday I received this unusual mass email from Councilor Sam Merulla,

The following message was released to all Operators of the HSR respecting detour Route 41 - Mohawk (Trips via Ottawa Only): 

Effective approximately 9am on Friday, September 23, 2011 and until approximately 6pm on Sunday, September 25, 2011, there will be manhole repair works on the off ramp from Kenilworth Avenue to King Street/Lawrence Road resulting in a full closure of the ramp. As a result, route 41-MOHAWK (trips via Ottawa Only) will be on detour: 

Route 41 - Mohawk operators will detour as follows:

NORTHBOUND (To Gage and Industrial via Ottawa trips only)

Detour after servicing the bus stop at Kenilworth Traffic Circle via:

Continue around the Kenilworth Traffic Circle

Exit Traffic Circle at Kimberly Drive

Continue South on Kimberly Drive

Left (east) on Montrose Avenue

Left (north) on Rosedale Avenue

Left (west) on Lawrence Road

and resume regular routing on Lawrence west of the Kenilworth off-ramp.

The trips via Kenilworth Avenue will not be affected by this closure.

The existing bus stop on the Kenilworth to Lawrence Road off-ramp will be temporarily relocated to:

Lawrence Road, north side, 15 metres west of the off-ramp.

Thank You,

Councillor Sam Merulla, 

Which lead to my reply, 

Thanks Sam for this timely update, but I am not an HSR employee. I appreciate the detour info, albeit I don't travel the MOHAWK line to often. If any Barton or King detour info pops up, please feel free to include me in your mass email list. On an even lighter note, a while back you passed on some of my concerns as follows,

From: Davis, Gerry
Sent: Monday, January 31, 2011 04:07 PM
To: Merulla, Sam; 

Subject: RE: (Edit) City workers visiting local bar

Councillor Merulla and Mr. Oliphant, I would have to say I wouldn't be caught dead in these dive bars, but hey if city employees still find their Espresso Coffee the bomb, who am I to say. Maybe a community newsletter should follow, "Best dumps to get your buzz on, according to the public works department". Seriously, I wouldn't go a salon and get my haircut because they served you a drink while you are waiting(I read it in the Spec, it had to be true). Why would you get a coffee at a bar, that doesn't sell food(solid)?

Thank you for bringing this issue to our attention.

 Upon detailed investigation by the Manager of Roads it has been determined that a crew of employees had stopped in this area for a break when observed by Mr. Oliphant.

 The GPS system that is installed on the truck confirmed that the vehicle was standing for fifteen minutes.  Interviews confirmed that Espresso Coffee was consumed at the Club.

Thank you.

Gerry Davis, CMA

General Manager

All I received back from Sam was a "Thank You"

This got me thinking about a great idea, so I passed on the above email to the entire Hamilton City Council and the Mayor, to get their opinions and I was surprised to get a couple of return emails.

Hi, firstly thank to all of you councilors and Mr. Mayor,

This email, I hope provokes some much needed laughter in your busy lives. I originally sent this email in reply to one sent by Councillor Merulla, in which he perplexed me with his thankful concern to HSR drivers to avoid a manhole repair, the problem is I have never been a employee of the HSR. I would though, be grateful to any other councilors who could provide me with any other similar updates on HSR detours as I do use many  hsr routes in my daily commutes. As far as the second half of my inquiry to Mr. Merulla, it concerned an old email in which I felt it wasn't appropriate for city workers to get their coffee buzz at a couple of North end dive bars. I was assured as you will read by Mr. Davis, these transactions where above par. Please, I would love to gather a list of Hamilton "five star dive bars" a term coined by Food Channel Cook Guy Fieri, in which I could post on my blog to ensure these businesses are the tops according to Hamilton city employees.

To all a great weekend and please come visit he hood and maybe we can have a coffee.


Hello Kendall
Thanks for your email and it accomplished what you set out to do. It brought a smile to my face.
As for diners that are on the bus route in Ward 11? Ward 11 is very limited to HSR routes. Having said that, we have Frankie's in Mount Hope on Homestead Drive (as you come off hwy#6) and of course "The Egg and I" on Upper James.

Hope this helps
Brenda
Brenda Johnson
Councillor Ward 11
Serving
the Communities of:
Glanbrook, Rural Upper Stoney Creek and Winona 

Kendall,

Thanks for sharing your email.

I have to admit that I no longer attend "five star dives". You see recently, I leaned back in a new city hall chair and heard something snap. At first, I thought it was just one of my stiff joints. However, when I looked up... I noticed everyone was smiling at me. Well, that was the first day of my new "triple d" diet. However,I am still a fan of "diners, drive-ins, and dives", but I just look and don't eat. ;-)

Brad

Brad Clark
Councillor Ward 9
Heritage Stoney Creek