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Written by: Gordon Prentice

Published: 22 October 2026

Eight years after Tom Vegh broke his promise of a new Library and Seniors’ Centre, the Library Board is at last looking at a second location. 

The Board was hardly bubbling with enthusiasm last night when it spent a few minutes considering the issue before moving on to next business.

On 4 August 2026 the Library went out to the market, requesting a quote from consultants to draw up its next Strategic Plan covering the period 2026-2031. 

The project objectives said nothing specifically about a second branch or satellite.

New Branch a "strategic plan objective"

On 30 September 2026 the Library Board 

“Endorsed Lennova Consultants for strategic planning”. 

And in a presentation that was circulated at last night’s meeting I learned that the fourth strategic plan objective (out of six) is to:

“Test the second location opportunity.”

The Board member leading the strategic planning exercise, Neila Poscente, said in as many words that with a new council being elected it was right the Board should look at the second location issue. This caught some Board members off guard.

The cost of a second location cropped up. But if Mulock Farm was financed in an innovative way, then why couldn’t they look at the library in the same way. The group-think was palpable. 

Seems to me the last thing the library board wants is a second location. The most unenthusiastic of the lot is the Chair, Darryl Gray, closely followed by the Chief Executive, Tracy Munusami, who always gives me the impression of being programmed to do his bidding.

I shake my head.

The Board will consider Kelly Brome’s proposal to stream Library Board meetings at its next meeting on 16 November 2026.

(Photo right: Victor Woodhouse and Board Chair, Darryl Gray)

Update on 22 October 2026 from Newmarket Today: Board may consider if a second library branch is needed

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The exchange on the second branch

Victor Woodhouse: Quite frankly, I was happy to get it (the library) open on Monday. That took a long time, right? So, a second location is going to be, again, as pointed out, if the council of the day should say, this is important, and we're prepared…  

Neila Poscente: And you can do anything with money, right? 

Beth Stevenson: And we’re still working on the book mobile as well, too, which gives us outreach and still gives us (indistinct). 

Rex Taylor: A second location can mean a number of things. 

Neila Poscente: And that's where they (Lennova?) homed in that and said, yeah, it was more than a pop-up shop.  

Beth Stevenson: Like it has to be something that ongoing, that the community has…

Neila Poscente: Reliability… 

Beth Stevenson: Yeah, exactly, yeah. 

Rex Taylor: But it doesn’t have to be a ten storey building.

Beth Stevenson: That would be a second, yeah. Yeah, I think we should have a branch first… the location.

CEO Tracy Munusami: And that is sort of testing that question, right? So, there's been a lot of talk about it, but what is it that we're missing here that would require us to have a 2nd location and just gather in that data to mean so that, um, evidence-based decision around that. 

Rex Taylor: Evidence based. Evidence based.

Chair, Darryl Gray: That’s just what I was going to say. It's a big decision. It’s ultimately up to us to make the decision based on something not what we hear in social media or the media.

Neila Poscente: Right. And we need to know how we are going to pay for it…. 

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Written by: Gordon Prentice

Published: 20 October 2026

A hearty round of applause for the young people who organised last night’s Ward 1 candidates’ debate – the only one in Newmarket in this year’s election.

The Central York Leadership Group got off the ground in 2018 and describes itself as a group of driven youth leaders, 13-18 years old, dedicated to creating new opportunities in our community. They believe in civic duty.

They were the true stars of the show. Confident and self-assured.

Stale and Moribund

Their enthusiasm brings a breath of fresh air to a stale, palsied and moribund electoral process that can only persuade a quarter of us to vote. Turnout has been declining for years: 36.8% in 2014; 34.7% in 2018 and 24.8% in 2022.

Seeing the candidates in the flesh makes a difference. We see if they can think on their feet. If they have new interesting ideas. If they can engage the audience. Four of the five candidates showed up: Naqi Ahsan; Chintan Dudakiya; Sonia Fiorini; Nisa Chaudry. The fifth candidate, Nasim Bahari, didn't turn up.

The Mayor, acclaimed for the second election in a row, thanked the candidates but reserved his special thanks for the “absolutely incredible” young people.

“The biggest thank you, of course, goes to the Central York Leadership Group. This is amazing. Young kids here, putting together a debate. Debates are so important. The Democratic process is so important, and it doesn't seem to be always happening anymore. And to see them step up and say: 

“We're gonna take a leadership role here, and we're going to host a debate for Ward I”

I think, is absolutely fantastic, and shoot the biggest round of applause for the night.” 

The Mayor is on record saying he believes in election debates. So why doesn’t he do something about it? 

Let the Town host debates

He has a platform. He has enormous influence. He is at the peak of his powers. Instead of wringing his hands about our faltering “democratic process” why doesn’t the Town appoint an independent, arms-length Debates Organiser? And if it doesn’t have the legal powers to do this then why not lobby the Province for a change in the Municipal Act to allow this?

Alternatively, he could always ask the 13-18 year olds to organise further debates in the next round of elections – the Provincial and the Federal. I am pretty sure the teenagers would step up to the plate if asked. Our current MPP, Dawn Gallagher Murphy, and our MP, Sandra Cobena, who avoid election debates like the plague, might be persuaded to turn up if the invitation came from a group of 13-18 year olds.

For me, last night was a humbling experience. Most of the people who organised the debate are too young to vote.

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Click “Read More” below for the Mayor’s remarks.

Read more: Newmarket's only Candidates' Debate Organised by People too Young to Vote

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Written by: Gordon Prentice

Published: 17 October 2026

I see that Dr Mohsen Alavi has invited Tom "Instagram" Vegh to participate in an election debate - in person or on-line

Personally, I can't see that happening.

I recently asked Vegh to join me in a conversation at Newmarket Public Library about his plans for a new branch or satellite library but he said he couldn't fit me in to his busy schedule. He claimed he was fully booked until voting ends.

Sure. What's new?

Maybe Vegh will clear his diary and make space for a debate but I wouldn't bet on it.

Vegh has a record that, if widely known, would torpedo his chances of a third term on the public payroll.

Disgracefully, he took barrow loads of money from developers to get elected in 2018.

He promised a new library and seniors' centre but didn't deliver. He casually abandoned his promise three months after the 2018 election telling fellow councillors that if the Library Board wanted a new library then they should make it a priority. It wasn't up to him. 

Not a single Motion in eight years

In his eight years on York Regional Council he has not authored a single motion brought forward for debate.

Vegh invents an attendance record at Town and York Region meetings which is miles away from the truth.

He says he actively participates in the work of both councils when his default position is to say next to nothing.

Vegh has found his niche taking photos of people and events and posting them on Instagram. He breathlessly tells his viewers what's happening in Newmarket in the week ahead.

You don't need to pay someone $168,000+ a year to do that.

Disqualifying

Vegh is over-promoted, under-performing and over-paid with a record that would be disqualifying if put under the spotlight.

That's why Vegh won't debate.

Mohsen Alavi responds to this conundrum gently:

"I am inviting my fellow candidate Tom Vegh to a public debate.  

Hello Newmarket. 

Because of your many requests, I accept any debate. 

A respectful, moderated discussion in person or online, as soon as possible. And, ideally, before the voting begins. Where you can ask both of us anything about plans, commitments, promises and campaigns. 

The Deputy Mayor represents every resident at both the Town and York Region. 

You deserve to hear from us directly. 

We love Newmarket. 

We respect your vote.

And your questions deserve to be answered." 

If Vegh accepts I'll eat my hat.

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Written by: Gordon Prentice

Published: 16 October 2026

Newmarket’s candidate for Deputy Mayor and Regional Councillor, Tom Vegh, told Newmarket Today he had only missed two meetings of York Region and the Town in the 2022-2026 term when he missed 18. 

The true number of missed meetings was readily available from Council minutes - authoritative and incontrovertible evidence. The paper subsequently confirmed the “two” wasn’t a typo. 

I thought it was a big story as it pointed to Vegh's willingness to invent stuff. It's like he lives in his own alternative universe with his own alternative facts.

In the same article, Vegh claimed his expense record:

“… reflects a responsible and careful approach to public funds. Each year, I used approximately 50-75 per cent of my allowable office budget,” treated public funds with care and accountability.”

In fact, he claimed 78.55% of his office budget in 2023 and 85.06% in 2025 but why should I make a big song and dance about that? Both figures were below the allowable threshold. Cut the man some slack.

Message Received

But there is a pattern to Vegh’s politics. He makes claims he cannot substantiate and no one takes him to task, sticking with the question. When I contacted Tom via his election website to ask him about his attendance record I got an automated reply saying he had received my message. When I asked about his 2018 promise to triple the number of subsidised seniors housing units, giving me the baseline figure he used and the current number, I got the same "message received".

Vegh believes If he says nothing it will all blow over and he'll be back on the public payroll again. 

In the United States Donald Trump has normalised lying. It is impossible to keep up with him. Every day there’s a torrent of new lies. Americans have learned to live with it.

Fact-checking

All that got me thinking about Newmarket Today and whether it has any responsibility to its readers to fact-check. I started out thinking NT had an absolute duty to correct statements that were manifestly untrue. Then, on reflection, I realised this was simply asking too much. Where does it all end? Do we expect NT to verify the accuracy of Vegh’s statement that he attended 900+ events in the 2022-2026 Council term? Of course not. 

When so many places in Canada are news deserts, we are very lucky to have Newmarket Today which provides us with some terrific journalism. 

It doesn’t do fact checking. It reports what it is told.

And that’s OK.

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