Budget-Blood Specimen Clinic-Elmvale District High School-Midhurst
I think generally the Springwater council did a good job at the 2012 budget for the Township of Springwater. They basically kept the operating budget flat by cost cutting measures without impacting the service levels. The budget committee and efficiency committees that were established seem to be working. I agree that the roads and bridges must be dealt with since they were ignored repeatedly by previous councils. That is a big expense and will only increase over time. The borrowing of over $2 million next year for roads and possibly for each of the next 5 or 6 years does concern me however. The CFO notes that after this initial borrowing the township will only be at 25% of its debt capacity. However based on the compounded spending the township could well be at 50% of its debt capacity by the end of this council’s term. With an uncertain economy, that could be a problem. Ultimately we will pay for it.
I was very impressed with the approach to staff wages that council took last year in the budget. Those at the lower end of the scale received a higher percentage increase than those at the top. Extra dollars at the lower end impacts the overall economy when placed with the lower wage earners as they are able to afford that newer car or small renovation in their house which adds to local businesses. Money goes back into the economy. This year council went back to the flat percentage, effectively negating the good work they did last year. Mayor Collins, Deputy Mayor McLean and others argue that if there is a higher rate given at the lower end of the wage scale it will close the gap between the high and low wage earners and does not reflect the value of the higher educated workers. I don’t agree. As a matter of fact a fixed percentage approach widens the divide between the low and high wage earner. If you earn $30,000 and receive 3% that amounts to $900 annually. If you make a $100,000 that represents an increase of $3,000. In one year you broaden the gap by $2,100. Even though not well identified in their sit-ins, this is the very reason for the recent Occupy movements. Early industrialists like Henry Ford, Dupont, Vanderbilts and others realized that a healthy economy only works if you give a better wage to a broader base of the population as it immediately goes back into essential goods and services. I would have preferred that the council had continued with its creative approach used last year. It appears this council is falling into the routine of the councils before them. Possibly a visit to the Elmvale Food Bank would make our councilors aware that it is no longer just the unemployed that use their services but they now provide support to those on lower income who just can’t make ends meet. I guess when you have two former civil servants now heading council that are used to automatic and indexed pensions, giving fixed percentage increases probably all makes sense to them. Unfortunately about 70% of us don’t have any of that automatic indexing in our savings or pensions.
I am concerned with the delay in the establishment of the blood specimen clinic in Elmvale. I am concerned it came as such a surprise to the mayor as noted in a Barrie Advance column. With such an important local service, it would seem advisable that a status report be tabled at every council meeting to ensure things don’t go awry as it seems to have happened. Hopefully this is a short term delay for those in desperate need of the service in Elmvale. I think we need a little more focused approach by council considering the township has invested in improvements to the Knox building to facilitate the service.
It also appears to be time for the council to ramp up its efforts and support for Elmvale District High School as once again it could be a potential victim of short sighted School Board members. The moratorium has been lifted and again EDHS could be closed based on the previous arguments of age, efficiency etc. The mayor and local trustee should be working together with the board, and our MPP to protect this important part of our township. Aside from actions initiated by the former council, not a lot has been said or done by this council for EDHS.
At the same time as I make the foregoing comments, I agree with some statements that councilor Rick Webster has made at the recent council meetings. As municipal tax payers we should not be burdened with the cost of health care or education as that is a provincial responsibility. But to protect the welfare of Springwater, we must do what we can to retain health services and the high school in our community. It is a difficult challenge and balancing act that the council is faced with and no easy answer.
I attended the Midhurst Ratepayers Meeting last week, and this council may have another Site 41 type issue on its hands. It is unfortunate that the position of the residents of Midhurst has not been heard even though it has not changed since the introduction of the growth strategy in 1996. A majority of the residents, except those that own the development land, are against the building of 10,000 homes and an increase to 30,000 people over the next 20 years. It is unfortunate that most of the current council support this development and think it is good for the township. The residents complained in 1996 that there was little discussion, public input or information provided to the residents. The same complaint is being heard today. I know Michael Jacobs made a comment in his editorial about the fact that the last council motivated by personal interests moved the publishing of township information to the Barrie Advance for over a year. Most people do not turn to the Advance for Springwater information. Unfortunately this was the time period when there were a number of meetings held to outline the mega plans of development around Midhurst which explains why most Midhurst residents were unaware of it. I just hope the council does not waste over $100,000 of our tax dollars to fight the Province’s appeal of the Midhurst Secondary Plan as it is wasted money. Being a small township, we cannot sustain a growth rate of more than 2% a year which has been a manageable trend over the last 20 years. We do not have the staff or resources to sustain what effectively would be a compounded growth rate of about 5% a year based on the Midhurst and Centre Vespra growth plans. Even a more curious question is the lack of focus of building out Elmvale in recent years. Elmvale and Midhurst were identified as the major residential growth areas in the 1996 growth strategy. It is ironic that most of the development was focused on Midhurst. Since Dan McLean our current deputy mayor was part of the planning committee that approved the 1996 plan, I suggest Elmvale residents should challenge McLean and councilor Clement on why the township has put little focus on the growth of Elmvale. That is where growth of another 1,000 people over 5 years would make a huge difference to both the Elmvale economy and probably bring jobs and people to Springwater. We know that most of the dollars of future Midhurst residents will go to the Barrie economy, not much help to Springwater.
I will say it again as I have repeated a number of times. Get involved with your township. Come to a few council meetings and planning meetings a few times a year. I have observed, that unless something is of particular interest to a group of residents, most of the time it is only me and one or two others that are monitoring your council. That is a sad reflection of the democratic process that we seem to now take for granted.
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Monday, November 21, 2011
Midhurst Residents Must Attend Meeting
MASSIVE
HOUSING DEVELOPMENT
PLANNED FOR MIDHURST!
“Midhurst Secondary Plan” to develop our
village from 3500 to approx. 30000 people!!!
Almost 10 X the size!!!
Are you concerned?
Want to learn more?
Please attend an informational meeting on:
Monday, November 28th @ 7:00 pm
Midhurst Community Centre, 74 Doran Rd
Hosted by:
Midhurst Ratepayers Association
massivemidhurst@gmail.com
Sunday, November 20, 2011
Midhurst Residents in Shock with Lack of Answers
Village is to absorb and exceed all Springwater’s projected growth
By Kate Harries AWARE Simcoe November 18 2011
More than 100 people turned out for an information session on a plan that will make Midhurst larger than Gravenhurst in the short term, and the size of Stratford in 20 years.
No one spoke in favour. Some said they were in shock.
“It changes what the community is drastically, when you’re growing a community 10 times in a matter of 15 years,” said Kim Hand, who moved to Midhurst two years ago because of the “small-community atmosphere.”
There was a curious icy calm to the meeting, held Monday in Minesing.
Nervous township staff, although subjected to tough questioning, were treated politely and members of Springwater council, who kept quiet at the back of the room, were not challenged to answer for the plan. Residents questioned why the secondary plan that has been hanging over the community’s head for so many years suddenly gained approval from Simcoe County last month.
(The Ontario government immediately appealed the plan to the Ontario Municipal Board because of provincial policy that directs growth to six urban nodes in Simcoe County - Barrie, Orillia, Collingwood, Midland-Penetanguishene, Alliston and Bradford - and projects a rural character for Springwater.)
At odds with province “Is there any way you can elaborate on why decisions were made to pursue a plan that doesn’t fit within the province of Ontario mandate for healthy appropriate growth of communities?” Hand asked. “Why would we at the local level continue to create a plan that doesn’t match provincial planning guidelines?” “The plan was drafted while considering all the provincial policies that are in place,” planning manager Brent Spagnol replied. “I would never have imagined that something like this would have been planned,” Hand said.
Resident David Strachan asked the meeting for a show of hands in favour of the plan. One person put his hand up. Against? Almost every hand was raised. “This whole thing comes as a bit of a shock to me, because we were trying to get away from congestion,” said Strachan, who moved to Midhurst 18 months ago. “It’s an absolutely charming, beautiful little village… We elected a council – why is the council doing something that’s not in the interest of the public?”
The expansion has been looming since the former Vespra council (building on its delusional Bayfield St. development fiasco, in which it defied the Bill Davis provincial government and lost) first designated a vast settlement area covering prime farmland far beyond the boundaries of Midhurst.
‘Lay down our arms’
But it wasn’t just new residents who felt blindsided. “I’ve lived here since 1986 – 25 years I’ve lived here and I’ve been very interested in growth and development around here,” said Fred Graham. “I did not know this was happening and I pay attention to this type of thing.”
Graham added that back in 2008, when the Midhurst Secondary Plan was finalized by Springwater Council the approval was similarly under the radar. Spagnol explained that if the township had not created a secondary plan, the developers would have produced one. “That is the genesis of the secondary plan – to ensure that that municipal component is there,” he said.
“Okay, so that sounds like we’re scared of fighting the developers, so let’s just lay down our arms and surrender, but maybe get a couple of things on terms,” Graham commented, to applause. “But now instead of fighting the developers, you’re fighting the province of Ontario, correct?” “There’s an appeal,” Spagnol conceded.
“Right, and you’re going to be opposed to the position taken by the province of Ontario which wants to see you conforming to Places to Grow, correct?”
“The basis of the appeal is to argue that, yes,” Spagnol said.
Graham pointed out that the province wants 26,000 people as the 2031 population for Springwater which presently has 18,000 residents. Instead, he said, the secondary plan will bring 31,000 people to Midhurst alone, which means at least 45,000 people in the township, assuming no growth in Elmvale or Hillsdale (the two areas, beside Midhurst, that are designated for growth in Springwater).
Cost of OMB appeal Spagnol was reluctant to say that Springwater is pitting itself against the province.
Graham was insistent. “As it stands, will we be spending taxpayer money to oppose the province of Ontario at the OMB?”
“That decision of council has not been made,” Spagnol replied. “Are you saying that is an open possibility, that council will side with the province at the OMB?” Graham asked. “Ultimately, council’s determination will be what role the municipality will play during the OMB process.”
Graham asked that the township notify those who had signed up of the meeting at which council decides whether it will side with or against the province on the appeal.
The discussion seemed a little surreal as Mayor Linda Collins was a member of the council led by Tony Guergis that approved the plan in 2008, and she spoke in favour of it last month prior to it being approved without debate by the county. Ward 5 Councillor Jack Hanna said a few words at the end of the meeting. “We inherited this issue,” he said, asking residents to send him their concerns and he would “advance them to council.”
Public works and planning director Brad Sokach had served notice at the start of the meeting that the evening might produce “very few answers” because of legal advice. “We’re not able to debate the merits of the plan with you because it’s before the OMB.”
Spagnol stressed that there are front-ending agreements so that developers, not existing taxpayers, will pay for all infrastructure. After two years, however, the township assumes ongoing maintainance and other costs. Graham pointed out that studies of such developments show that they are, at best, revenue-neutral for a municipality but, more likely, the associated costs will drive taxes up.
“How is this in the public interest?” Graham asked. “Who are we trying to help here?”
The answer was left unspoken.
By Kate Harries AWARE Simcoe November 18 2011
More than 100 people turned out for an information session on a plan that will make Midhurst larger than Gravenhurst in the short term, and the size of Stratford in 20 years.
No one spoke in favour. Some said they were in shock.
“It changes what the community is drastically, when you’re growing a community 10 times in a matter of 15 years,” said Kim Hand, who moved to Midhurst two years ago because of the “small-community atmosphere.”
There was a curious icy calm to the meeting, held Monday in Minesing.
Nervous township staff, although subjected to tough questioning, were treated politely and members of Springwater council, who kept quiet at the back of the room, were not challenged to answer for the plan. Residents questioned why the secondary plan that has been hanging over the community’s head for so many years suddenly gained approval from Simcoe County last month.
(The Ontario government immediately appealed the plan to the Ontario Municipal Board because of provincial policy that directs growth to six urban nodes in Simcoe County - Barrie, Orillia, Collingwood, Midland-Penetanguishene, Alliston and Bradford - and projects a rural character for Springwater.)
At odds with province “Is there any way you can elaborate on why decisions were made to pursue a plan that doesn’t fit within the province of Ontario mandate for healthy appropriate growth of communities?” Hand asked. “Why would we at the local level continue to create a plan that doesn’t match provincial planning guidelines?” “The plan was drafted while considering all the provincial policies that are in place,” planning manager Brent Spagnol replied. “I would never have imagined that something like this would have been planned,” Hand said.
Resident David Strachan asked the meeting for a show of hands in favour of the plan. One person put his hand up. Against? Almost every hand was raised. “This whole thing comes as a bit of a shock to me, because we were trying to get away from congestion,” said Strachan, who moved to Midhurst 18 months ago. “It’s an absolutely charming, beautiful little village… We elected a council – why is the council doing something that’s not in the interest of the public?”
The expansion has been looming since the former Vespra council (building on its delusional Bayfield St. development fiasco, in which it defied the Bill Davis provincial government and lost) first designated a vast settlement area covering prime farmland far beyond the boundaries of Midhurst.
‘Lay down our arms’
But it wasn’t just new residents who felt blindsided. “I’ve lived here since 1986 – 25 years I’ve lived here and I’ve been very interested in growth and development around here,” said Fred Graham. “I did not know this was happening and I pay attention to this type of thing.”
Graham added that back in 2008, when the Midhurst Secondary Plan was finalized by Springwater Council the approval was similarly under the radar. Spagnol explained that if the township had not created a secondary plan, the developers would have produced one. “That is the genesis of the secondary plan – to ensure that that municipal component is there,” he said.
“Okay, so that sounds like we’re scared of fighting the developers, so let’s just lay down our arms and surrender, but maybe get a couple of things on terms,” Graham commented, to applause. “But now instead of fighting the developers, you’re fighting the province of Ontario, correct?” “There’s an appeal,” Spagnol conceded.
“Right, and you’re going to be opposed to the position taken by the province of Ontario which wants to see you conforming to Places to Grow, correct?”
“The basis of the appeal is to argue that, yes,” Spagnol said.
Graham pointed out that the province wants 26,000 people as the 2031 population for Springwater which presently has 18,000 residents. Instead, he said, the secondary plan will bring 31,000 people to Midhurst alone, which means at least 45,000 people in the township, assuming no growth in Elmvale or Hillsdale (the two areas, beside Midhurst, that are designated for growth in Springwater).
Cost of OMB appeal Spagnol was reluctant to say that Springwater is pitting itself against the province.
Graham was insistent. “As it stands, will we be spending taxpayer money to oppose the province of Ontario at the OMB?”
“That decision of council has not been made,” Spagnol replied. “Are you saying that is an open possibility, that council will side with the province at the OMB?” Graham asked. “Ultimately, council’s determination will be what role the municipality will play during the OMB process.”
Graham asked that the township notify those who had signed up of the meeting at which council decides whether it will side with or against the province on the appeal.
The discussion seemed a little surreal as Mayor Linda Collins was a member of the council led by Tony Guergis that approved the plan in 2008, and she spoke in favour of it last month prior to it being approved without debate by the county. Ward 5 Councillor Jack Hanna said a few words at the end of the meeting. “We inherited this issue,” he said, asking residents to send him their concerns and he would “advance them to council.”
Public works and planning director Brad Sokach had served notice at the start of the meeting that the evening might produce “very few answers” because of legal advice. “We’re not able to debate the merits of the plan with you because it’s before the OMB.”
Spagnol stressed that there are front-ending agreements so that developers, not existing taxpayers, will pay for all infrastructure. After two years, however, the township assumes ongoing maintainance and other costs. Graham pointed out that studies of such developments show that they are, at best, revenue-neutral for a municipality but, more likely, the associated costs will drive taxes up.
“How is this in the public interest?” Graham asked. “Who are we trying to help here?”
The answer was left unspoken.
Sunday, November 6, 2011
Midhurst Plan appealed-Now what?
Midhurst Growth Plan-With the Ontario Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing appealing the County of Simcoe’s approval of the Midhurst Secondary Plan, what impact does that have on the rest of Springwater?
The important thing to remember is that a change in one area of Springwater affects everyone especially where it hurts the most, our tax bill.
There are some immediate decisions the County of Simcoe and our Springwater council must make which could result in costing hundreds of thousands of dollars.
An OMB appeal is expensive costing at least $10,000 a day in Lawyers and Planning Consultants for a simple appeal which I have experienced personally. This OMB hearing is not simple and could run into multiple days or weeks because it will involve the County of Simcoe, Springwater Township, The Land Owners Group and other parties. The reality is that the County and Springwater will not go into the hearings on a budget, so double the cost. I could see Springwater spending $100,000 to $200,000 as their portion of the cost (the 2012 budget includes $150,000 for OMB legal costs!) The County will spend more than double that but in the end all of the township and county costs come from our tax dollars. Remember the $250,000 that the County wasted in its PR attempt to push Site 41 forward? So don’t be surprised if you see your township/county portion of assessment take a hit because of it.
In the case of Springwater, the reality is that the Township did its job (rightly or wrongly) and passed the Midhurst Secondary Plan in 2008. They did not and could not guarantee that the County or Province would approve the Plan. The first thing we all should do is phone, write or email your councilor not to waste all this money that could go to other needs of the township. It seems ludicrous that on one hand councilors like Ritchie, McConkey, Hanna and Webster fight hard to keep the overall budget at a low level and then possibly turn around and waste $200,000 to fight something that no one seems to want in the township. My guess is that the Mayor and Deputy Mayor are aggressively speaking with the councilors to gain support to fund Springwater’s Party Status at the OMB hearing. Encourage your councilor to think this through. One party line is that Springwater is obligated to support the Midhurst Secondary Plan at the OMB appeal or risk being sued by the Land Owners Group. That is simply not true as Springwater completed its obligation by approving the Midhurst Secondary Plan in 2008. No further action is required by the Township unless approved by a new Council resolution. The argument will be that they spent upwards of $100,000 to develop the Plan and that investment needs protected. A Crock! Taking an expensive position at the OMB is sending good money after bad.
I am glad the Province is appealing the County’s decision, as an individual appealing the Midhurst Plan would have a difficult time finding a Planning Consultant to criticize the Midhurst Secondary Plan. The reason is simple. Planners bill thousands of hours preparing plans for developments and without developments there would be no need for planners. With this in mind it would be difficult to find anyone that would criticize the Midhurst Plan at an appeal since it would jeopardize getting work from developers in the future and that is where Planning Consultants make all their money.
I want to stress that I agree we need development in Springwater, but it must be balanced, orderly and in a fashion that compliments the rural character of the Township. The Midhurst Secondary Plan does not meet those criteria. If you look at the last 20 years, the developments in Springwater for the most part, have been orderly and do not negate the character of the communities where they were built. It is only in the last decade where large land holdings have been locked up by a few mega developers has a problem crept in.
Ironically we have more than enough development land in Hillsdale, Elmvale, Fergusonvale, Apto, Anten Mills, Minesing, Centre Vespra, Snow Valley and other small pockets that meet the needs of the Township for the next 10 years or so based on the building demand we see in Springwater. If no one wants to build on those lands which are available why is the Township developing a further plan for a mega development? Who is going to buy these homes after we destroy over 1,000 acres of prime agricultural land? Let’s build out the existing areas that require no further infrastructure. For example if 500 homes were built on the already approved land in Elmvale there would be no requirements for infrastructure upgrades which ultimately would reduce the user fees for everyone that is on municipal water and sewer services in the township.
I suggest you attend the information session on the Midhurst Secondary Plan that will be held at the Springwater Administration Centre on Nursery Road on the 14th. Ask questions and strongly recommend that your councillors stand back and leave the OMB appeal to the Province and the County of Simcoe to sort out.
In particular lean on the Mayor and Deputy Mayor as they are the County Councillors who approved the plan at the County level. They will be pushing to spend all that money to defend their position at our tax dollar expense.
Since I became a conspiracy theorist in recent years, do some digging and see what long time term residents and former elected officials will benefit from pushing through the Midhurst Secondary Plan approved by the County. It is far reaching. To me that is the real issue.
Monday, October 24, 2011
Midhurst-A Pawn in a Game of Chess with the Province of Ontario and Simcoe County
On Oct 12, the County of Simcoe approved the greatly flawed secondary plan for Midhurst. The official plan amendment passed through the Council of Springwater on Oct 28, 2008 and has lingered at the County since then. Multiple appeals by the land owners group most likely prompted the approval by the County even though it goes against, its own growth document and official plan which has been rejected by the Province as it is contrary to the Provincial Policy Statement 2005 , The Places to Grow Growth Plan 2006, Places to Grow Built Boundaries 2008 and the recent Proposed Amendment 1 to the 2006 Growth Plan.
Building 3,850 homes in the first phases and then adding another 6,200 in future years will do great harm to not only Midhurst but the Township as a whole. How can a small municipality like Springwater effectively control the development in an orderly fashion without sacrificing its unique rural based infrastructure and way of life? The simple answer is, it cannot do it.
About 75% of this new Springater council is under the false impression that the development charges will allow Springwater many more amenities than it has today. The major consulting firm that has provided services to both the County and Springwater admit that at best development charges are revenue neutral and in most cases will not cover the extra services required with the dramatic growth as proposed. Beyond the infrastructure required in the development itself which is paid by the developer, there will be many unforeseen costs associated with rapid development.
If development charges provide all this extra cash as viewed by the Springwater Council why is Barrie’s mill rate increasing each year even with dramatic cuts being undertaken by its current council. The economies of scale that are normally gained with “more is better” does not work with development charges as the amount that is charged must be projected based on best guess estimates and is regulated under the Municipal Act. Think about it, the last report to Springwater Council from the consultant estimated the water and sewer treatment infrastructure to be about $119,000,000 up from $100,000,000 only two years prior. So what will it cost when it is actually built 5 to 10 years from now? Maybe $150,000,000? That alone would be $15,000 in development charges per dwelling going to one service. Now when you add roads, parks, recreation, transportation, libraries that could add another $10,000 per dwelling. That becomes very pricy. Who will move to Midhurst for the lower end planned housing? If you are on the lower end of the economic scale you depend on easy walking or bus transportation. It will be a long time before any of those services will be available, unless Springwater wants to take on debt to fast track the services. Currently for every million in debt, it represents a one percent increase in your tax bill. Talking about debt, let’s review just one issue that has come to the surface. Unfortunately for us the taxpayer, the township councils since amalgamation have neglected our road and bridges and allowed them to fall into disrepair which now requires a thirty to fifty million dollar correction over the next 10 years . That cost alone will increase your tax bill by 4% compounded annually. In other words to correct the road and bridge infrastructure it will increase your tax bill by 50% in the next ten years. That does not include any other normal increases that will occur in that period of time. Add some unforeseen costs with this unprecedented development in Midhurst and every tax payer in Springwater could see their Township tax bill double.
It is time for you as Midhurst individuals and possibly as a group to speak up before it is too late. Take a lesson from the Site 41 protestors. The Mayor mistakenly stated after the Planning Meeting on October 24 to some local Midhurst residents that the Midhurst secondary plan is a done deal and will proceed. That is simply untrue if you want to change it. You can appeal to the OMB based on the fact that the approved plan by the County contravenes the above policies I mentioned at the beginning of this article.
I write this article because I am concerned about the future of Springwater. Even though most of the voters in Springwater did not cast a vote in my favour last October, I am still concerned about the health and well being of every resident and the Township itself.
The County of Simcoe by passing the Springwater Midhurst Official Plan Amendment is playing Russian roulette with your life style and tax dollars. They are challenging the Province to appeal their decision. If the province for political reasons backs off because of their minority status, we will all be in trouble. You have until November 2, 2011 to speak up by appealing the decision to the OMB or prepare to face the consequences.
In closing I am surprised that all the Springwater councillors except for two who favour these huge developments have not properly researched the long term impact on every resident of Springwater. That I find disappointing.
Bill French
Grenfel
Building 3,850 homes in the first phases and then adding another 6,200 in future years will do great harm to not only Midhurst but the Township as a whole. How can a small municipality like Springwater effectively control the development in an orderly fashion without sacrificing its unique rural based infrastructure and way of life? The simple answer is, it cannot do it.
About 75% of this new Springater council is under the false impression that the development charges will allow Springwater many more amenities than it has today. The major consulting firm that has provided services to both the County and Springwater admit that at best development charges are revenue neutral and in most cases will not cover the extra services required with the dramatic growth as proposed. Beyond the infrastructure required in the development itself which is paid by the developer, there will be many unforeseen costs associated with rapid development.
If development charges provide all this extra cash as viewed by the Springwater Council why is Barrie’s mill rate increasing each year even with dramatic cuts being undertaken by its current council. The economies of scale that are normally gained with “more is better” does not work with development charges as the amount that is charged must be projected based on best guess estimates and is regulated under the Municipal Act. Think about it, the last report to Springwater Council from the consultant estimated the water and sewer treatment infrastructure to be about $119,000,000 up from $100,000,000 only two years prior. So what will it cost when it is actually built 5 to 10 years from now? Maybe $150,000,000? That alone would be $15,000 in development charges per dwelling going to one service. Now when you add roads, parks, recreation, transportation, libraries that could add another $10,000 per dwelling. That becomes very pricy. Who will move to Midhurst for the lower end planned housing? If you are on the lower end of the economic scale you depend on easy walking or bus transportation. It will be a long time before any of those services will be available, unless Springwater wants to take on debt to fast track the services. Currently for every million in debt, it represents a one percent increase in your tax bill. Talking about debt, let’s review just one issue that has come to the surface. Unfortunately for us the taxpayer, the township councils since amalgamation have neglected our road and bridges and allowed them to fall into disrepair which now requires a thirty to fifty million dollar correction over the next 10 years . That cost alone will increase your tax bill by 4% compounded annually. In other words to correct the road and bridge infrastructure it will increase your tax bill by 50% in the next ten years. That does not include any other normal increases that will occur in that period of time. Add some unforeseen costs with this unprecedented development in Midhurst and every tax payer in Springwater could see their Township tax bill double.
It is time for you as Midhurst individuals and possibly as a group to speak up before it is too late. Take a lesson from the Site 41 protestors. The Mayor mistakenly stated after the Planning Meeting on October 24 to some local Midhurst residents that the Midhurst secondary plan is a done deal and will proceed. That is simply untrue if you want to change it. You can appeal to the OMB based on the fact that the approved plan by the County contravenes the above policies I mentioned at the beginning of this article.
I write this article because I am concerned about the future of Springwater. Even though most of the voters in Springwater did not cast a vote in my favour last October, I am still concerned about the health and well being of every resident and the Township itself.
The County of Simcoe by passing the Springwater Midhurst Official Plan Amendment is playing Russian roulette with your life style and tax dollars. They are challenging the Province to appeal their decision. If the province for political reasons backs off because of their minority status, we will all be in trouble. You have until November 2, 2011 to speak up by appealing the decision to the OMB or prepare to face the consequences.
In closing I am surprised that all the Springwater councillors except for two who favour these huge developments have not properly researched the long term impact on every resident of Springwater. That I find disappointing.
Bill French
Grenfel
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Development and Council Reports
Local Politics – My View – Bill French
Development talks are ongoing in Springwater and the County of Simcoe. The frenzy and desire for more development amazes me. The municipalities in general including Springwater all think that development charges from new development is a magic bullet. The reality is that the consulting experts whom Springwater, along with other municipalities and the County have paid hundreds of thousands of dollars have confirmed in various reports that at best development charges are revenue neutral and in most cases are revenue negative adding a tax burden to the rate payer for added infrastructure because of unforeseen costs.
The fact that Springwater established settlement area boundaries years ago did not include a guarantee that they would ever be developed. It simply pointed the way where future development may occur if the demand and growth required it. There was never a commitment to automatically rezone the land or provide building permits when a developer presented a site plan and subdivision agreement. The fact that a few large speculators locked up all the acreage around Midhurst and Hillsdale is not the township’s problem. Anyone that invests in the market and expects it to grow cannot complain when the market goes down.
Springwater grew quite orderly for many years by controlled development by small builders. It also created badly needed local jobs and provided business to the local lumber and hardware outlets. The fact that a majority of future development land is now controlled by some large investors is not Springwater’s issue. These areas have not been rezoned from agriculture for residential development and even though municipalities seem to be frightened by threats of developers and their lawyers at the OMB, the fear mongering is unfounded. It is time for Springwater and its council to let these out of town developers and their high paid legal teams know that Springwater belongs to us and if these developers are respectful and contribute to the well being of Springwater then maybe some development may be permitted. I would prefer more focus on bringing real businesses to the Bertram and Flos 4 East industrial areas allowing more Springwater residents to live work and play in the township. Instead of fighting with the County or Province about the numbers allocated to Springwater, a lot of time and effort could be spent on other more urgent and worthwhile needs. The Province has said the numbers will not change and I support the Provinces view.
Councillor Ritchie made a notable remark at the May planning meeting when he commented that there is far too much duplication of efforts at various levels. He was referencing the application for funding to do cultural mapping of the area. His observation that Tourism Ontario should be the agency to provide this as part of the big picture efforts is quite correct. Unfortunately he was the only one that voted against the resolution which will cost the township about $6,000 if the application succeeds. We have the same issue with Planning and Economic Development. The County has spent tens of thousands of dollars on an Economic Development Strategy and so have most of the municipalities. It makes no sense, as only the municipalities have the land for growth and new businesses. Now the local municipalities including Springwater will have to ensure that their economic development strategy does not conflict with the County plan. Wasted money and another roadblock to fast tracking jobs in Springwater.
Is there a loss of focus from the Nottawasaga Valley Conservation Authority (NVCA) that is charged with watershed protection? Some people and many local councils think so. They need to get back to basics as their credibility is suffering from a few poorly misguided reports. They too want to duplicate the efforts of the MOE and MNR at times. Too many swelled heads in cushy jobs building empires is my take on it. The NVCA must stay focused on its primary mandate of floodplains in the municipalities they serve. The NVCA have the expertise to do the job, which is greatly needed if we truly want to protect our water, as we undertake new residential and commercial development.
It is time that those leading the Nottawasaga Valley Conservation Authority get back to basics and read their own mission.
OUR MISSION - Working together to value, protect, enhance, and restore our watershed resources, for a healthy sustainable future
Objectives
To achieve our mission, we have five major objectives to consider, including:
• Protect, enhance and restore water
• Protect, enhance and restore land
• Protect life and property from flooding and erosion
• Provide educational and recreational opportunities for the public
• Partner with our Watershed Municipalities, provincial/federal agencies, Conservation Ontario, and other interested stakeholders to achieve mutual goals.
It is not easy being a member of council. Feedback from each of us on a regular basis is essential if we want to see Springwater succeed and grow as a unique rural and agricultural based community. Take the time once a month or even a few times a year to come out and see your council in action by attending either the Planning or Regular Council Meetings. We in Springwater need to become more involved. Very few people attend the council meetings. If you can’t make it, at least read the agenda on line and call your councillor if you have questions.
Keep informed follow Twitter @LocalAdvocate or follow my blog http://springwatercitizens.blogspot.com/
Development talks are ongoing in Springwater and the County of Simcoe. The frenzy and desire for more development amazes me. The municipalities in general including Springwater all think that development charges from new development is a magic bullet. The reality is that the consulting experts whom Springwater, along with other municipalities and the County have paid hundreds of thousands of dollars have confirmed in various reports that at best development charges are revenue neutral and in most cases are revenue negative adding a tax burden to the rate payer for added infrastructure because of unforeseen costs.
The fact that Springwater established settlement area boundaries years ago did not include a guarantee that they would ever be developed. It simply pointed the way where future development may occur if the demand and growth required it. There was never a commitment to automatically rezone the land or provide building permits when a developer presented a site plan and subdivision agreement. The fact that a few large speculators locked up all the acreage around Midhurst and Hillsdale is not the township’s problem. Anyone that invests in the market and expects it to grow cannot complain when the market goes down.
Springwater grew quite orderly for many years by controlled development by small builders. It also created badly needed local jobs and provided business to the local lumber and hardware outlets. The fact that a majority of future development land is now controlled by some large investors is not Springwater’s issue. These areas have not been rezoned from agriculture for residential development and even though municipalities seem to be frightened by threats of developers and their lawyers at the OMB, the fear mongering is unfounded. It is time for Springwater and its council to let these out of town developers and their high paid legal teams know that Springwater belongs to us and if these developers are respectful and contribute to the well being of Springwater then maybe some development may be permitted. I would prefer more focus on bringing real businesses to the Bertram and Flos 4 East industrial areas allowing more Springwater residents to live work and play in the township. Instead of fighting with the County or Province about the numbers allocated to Springwater, a lot of time and effort could be spent on other more urgent and worthwhile needs. The Province has said the numbers will not change and I support the Provinces view.
Councillor Ritchie made a notable remark at the May planning meeting when he commented that there is far too much duplication of efforts at various levels. He was referencing the application for funding to do cultural mapping of the area. His observation that Tourism Ontario should be the agency to provide this as part of the big picture efforts is quite correct. Unfortunately he was the only one that voted against the resolution which will cost the township about $6,000 if the application succeeds. We have the same issue with Planning and Economic Development. The County has spent tens of thousands of dollars on an Economic Development Strategy and so have most of the municipalities. It makes no sense, as only the municipalities have the land for growth and new businesses. Now the local municipalities including Springwater will have to ensure that their economic development strategy does not conflict with the County plan. Wasted money and another roadblock to fast tracking jobs in Springwater.
Is there a loss of focus from the Nottawasaga Valley Conservation Authority (NVCA) that is charged with watershed protection? Some people and many local councils think so. They need to get back to basics as their credibility is suffering from a few poorly misguided reports. They too want to duplicate the efforts of the MOE and MNR at times. Too many swelled heads in cushy jobs building empires is my take on it. The NVCA must stay focused on its primary mandate of floodplains in the municipalities they serve. The NVCA have the expertise to do the job, which is greatly needed if we truly want to protect our water, as we undertake new residential and commercial development.
It is time that those leading the Nottawasaga Valley Conservation Authority get back to basics and read their own mission.
OUR MISSION - Working together to value, protect, enhance, and restore our watershed resources, for a healthy sustainable future
Objectives
To achieve our mission, we have five major objectives to consider, including:
• Protect, enhance and restore water
• Protect, enhance and restore land
• Protect life and property from flooding and erosion
• Provide educational and recreational opportunities for the public
• Partner with our Watershed Municipalities, provincial/federal agencies, Conservation Ontario, and other interested stakeholders to achieve mutual goals.
It is not easy being a member of council. Feedback from each of us on a regular basis is essential if we want to see Springwater succeed and grow as a unique rural and agricultural based community. Take the time once a month or even a few times a year to come out and see your council in action by attending either the Planning or Regular Council Meetings. We in Springwater need to become more involved. Very few people attend the council meetings. If you can’t make it, at least read the agenda on line and call your councillor if you have questions.
Keep informed follow Twitter @LocalAdvocate or follow my blog http://springwatercitizens.blogspot.com/
Sunday, June 5, 2011
Local Politics
My View – Bill French
I mentioned in a recent article about a suggestion from Springwater Councillor Rick Webster inquiring about possibly rethinking the way we did our snowplow routes to reduce the number of people and equipment required. After a number of reports and meetings it was decided that a reduction from 12 to 11 routes was possible and still have employees well within regulatory controls for safety and hours of work. This is an example of what all organizations have done in recent years with economic challenges. It is called LEAN. That doesn’t mean you are being cheap, it simply means everyone is looking out for ways of improving both service and quality at a less expensive price. The extra benefit is that the purchase of a new truck of close to $250,000 has been deferred saving us some money on our tax bill in the short term. I am confident that other savings and ways of doing business will be implemented by this council making our township more effective and responsive to the needs of the residents. I was amused how long it took Webster to get a straight answer however.
Each year most municipalities have Mayor Sponsored Golf Tournaments for charity. I also understand that most people enjoy a day on the links and I have nothing against a little relaxation. I am against these events as they typically involve a lot of hours of coordination by municipal staff and let’s face it, the tournaments are meant for those that have money. I would like to see a broad based event that could engage more of the residents of Springwater and help build the community everyone talks about. All of our local councils should get out of the fund raising business and focus on the job at hand. Leave fundraising to the experts like the Lion’s Club, Rotary etc.
On a positive note this council will keep the funds raised from this year’s Mayor’s Golf Tournament within the township instead of sending it off to other communities. Councillors Webster and Jack Hanna emphasized the need to keep the funds in the township. Hanna suggested the implementation of a CAP (Community Assistance Program) fund and use the fund for those that may have a special need or circumstance. Councillor Clement suggested the funds be used to improve health care and assist in doctor recruitment. I am pleased to see this kind of local focus as the previous councils sent most of the money out of the township.
This next subject is sensitive depending on where you may live. Municipal water and sewer services are varied throughout the township. A number of years ago a previous council decided to pool the revenues and operate under one large fund. The reality is that the water and sewer systems in Elmvale are much more efficient and cost effective as compared to water systems in Anten Mills, Midhurst, Patty Dunn Circle, Vespra Downs, Minesing and Hillsdale mainly due to design, residential density and simple economies of scale. There is a serious aesthetic quality with the water in Snow Valley lowlands caused by high concentrations of magnesium which has existed for years. The MOE says it is safe to drink but I would not be a fan of drinking brown water. The cost to upgrade the system in Snow Valley is a couple million dollars which under the current system can either be charged to all municipal water users in the township or a user pay to the residents of Snow Valley. There is a recommendation to provide some direct funding for water treatment equipment in each of the homes affected. The money will come from the general pool so those other users of municipal water will effectively pay the freight. The township planning and public works needs to put some strong language in upcoming developer built service agreements to avoid this unnecessary expenditure by the township once the municipality assumes the new developments. Currently all the users are penalized by poorly designed water systems and that is not fair. With all the developments on the books for the next few years the township could find itself in deep financial trouble if not dealt with properly at source.
It is not easy being a member of council. Feedback from each of us on a regular basis is essential if we want to see Springwater succeed and grow as a unique rural and agricultural based community. Take the time once a month or even a few times a year to come out and see your council in action by attending either the Planning or Regular Council Meetings. I was pleased when I attended a Tiny Township meeting last week to see at least 50 people in the gallery. The residents there take their municipality seriously and let the councillors know when things are not to their satisfaction. We in Springwater need to become more involved. Very few people attend the council meetings. If you can’t make it, at least read the agenda on line and call you councilor if you have questions.
Keep informed follow Twitter @LocalAdvocate or follow my blog http://springwatercitizens.blogspot.com/
I mentioned in a recent article about a suggestion from Springwater Councillor Rick Webster inquiring about possibly rethinking the way we did our snowplow routes to reduce the number of people and equipment required. After a number of reports and meetings it was decided that a reduction from 12 to 11 routes was possible and still have employees well within regulatory controls for safety and hours of work. This is an example of what all organizations have done in recent years with economic challenges. It is called LEAN. That doesn’t mean you are being cheap, it simply means everyone is looking out for ways of improving both service and quality at a less expensive price. The extra benefit is that the purchase of a new truck of close to $250,000 has been deferred saving us some money on our tax bill in the short term. I am confident that other savings and ways of doing business will be implemented by this council making our township more effective and responsive to the needs of the residents. I was amused how long it took Webster to get a straight answer however.
Each year most municipalities have Mayor Sponsored Golf Tournaments for charity. I also understand that most people enjoy a day on the links and I have nothing against a little relaxation. I am against these events as they typically involve a lot of hours of coordination by municipal staff and let’s face it, the tournaments are meant for those that have money. I would like to see a broad based event that could engage more of the residents of Springwater and help build the community everyone talks about. All of our local councils should get out of the fund raising business and focus on the job at hand. Leave fundraising to the experts like the Lion’s Club, Rotary etc.
On a positive note this council will keep the funds raised from this year’s Mayor’s Golf Tournament within the township instead of sending it off to other communities. Councillors Webster and Jack Hanna emphasized the need to keep the funds in the township. Hanna suggested the implementation of a CAP (Community Assistance Program) fund and use the fund for those that may have a special need or circumstance. Councillor Clement suggested the funds be used to improve health care and assist in doctor recruitment. I am pleased to see this kind of local focus as the previous councils sent most of the money out of the township.
This next subject is sensitive depending on where you may live. Municipal water and sewer services are varied throughout the township. A number of years ago a previous council decided to pool the revenues and operate under one large fund. The reality is that the water and sewer systems in Elmvale are much more efficient and cost effective as compared to water systems in Anten Mills, Midhurst, Patty Dunn Circle, Vespra Downs, Minesing and Hillsdale mainly due to design, residential density and simple economies of scale. There is a serious aesthetic quality with the water in Snow Valley lowlands caused by high concentrations of magnesium which has existed for years. The MOE says it is safe to drink but I would not be a fan of drinking brown water. The cost to upgrade the system in Snow Valley is a couple million dollars which under the current system can either be charged to all municipal water users in the township or a user pay to the residents of Snow Valley. There is a recommendation to provide some direct funding for water treatment equipment in each of the homes affected. The money will come from the general pool so those other users of municipal water will effectively pay the freight. The township planning and public works needs to put some strong language in upcoming developer built service agreements to avoid this unnecessary expenditure by the township once the municipality assumes the new developments. Currently all the users are penalized by poorly designed water systems and that is not fair. With all the developments on the books for the next few years the township could find itself in deep financial trouble if not dealt with properly at source.
It is not easy being a member of council. Feedback from each of us on a regular basis is essential if we want to see Springwater succeed and grow as a unique rural and agricultural based community. Take the time once a month or even a few times a year to come out and see your council in action by attending either the Planning or Regular Council Meetings. I was pleased when I attended a Tiny Township meeting last week to see at least 50 people in the gallery. The residents there take their municipality seriously and let the councillors know when things are not to their satisfaction. We in Springwater need to become more involved. Very few people attend the council meetings. If you can’t make it, at least read the agenda on line and call you councilor if you have questions.
Keep informed follow Twitter @LocalAdvocate or follow my blog http://springwatercitizens.blogspot.com/
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Aware Simcoe Annual Meeting
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING - SATURDAY May 28, 2011
9:30 A.M. – 12:30 P.M.
Big Bay Point Golf and Country Club
WATER
A VITAL CONNECTION
Panel speakers:
Beverley Else, founder of Celebrate Lake Simcoe
Dr. William Shotyk, Professor of Geochemistry at the University of Heidelberg in Germany and founder of the Elmvale Water Festival
Jeff Monague, teacher & councillor, Beausoleil First Nation
Darren White, Deputy Mayor of Melancthon Township and a leader in the fight against the Mega-Quarry
Agenda includes - 9:30-10:15 Nominations and Election of Directors
- 10:30-11:45 Panel discussion
- 12 noon-12:30 New business, open forum, networking
Refreshments provided, including home-baked goodies
BRING A FRIEND!
More info: t 705-812-0643, email: aware.simcoe@gmail.com
http://www.aware-simcoe.ca/
https://twitter.com/AWARESimcoe
DIRECTIONS: 3912 30th Sd/Rd & Big Bay Point Road in Innisfil - 705-436-1378 From Painswick (Hwy 11 South of Barrie) go East on Big Bay Point Road to stop sign at 25th Sd/Rd. Turn left and follow almost to the end and then turn left on 30th Sd/Rd.
HELP US MAKE LOCAL GOVERNMENT TRANSPARENT, ACCOUNTABLE & RESPONSIBLE
9:30 A.M. – 12:30 P.M.
Big Bay Point Golf and Country Club
WATER
A VITAL CONNECTION
Panel speakers:
Beverley Else, founder of Celebrate Lake Simcoe
Dr. William Shotyk, Professor of Geochemistry at the University of Heidelberg in Germany and founder of the Elmvale Water Festival
Jeff Monague, teacher & councillor, Beausoleil First Nation
Darren White, Deputy Mayor of Melancthon Township and a leader in the fight against the Mega-Quarry
Agenda includes - 9:30-10:15 Nominations and Election of Directors
- 10:30-11:45 Panel discussion
- 12 noon-12:30 New business, open forum, networking
Refreshments provided, including home-baked goodies
BRING A FRIEND!
More info: t 705-812-0643, email: aware.simcoe@gmail.com
http://www.aware-simcoe.ca/
https://twitter.com/AWARESimcoe
DIRECTIONS: 3912 30th Sd/Rd & Big Bay Point Road in Innisfil - 705-436-1378 From Painswick (Hwy 11 South of Barrie) go East on Big Bay Point Road to stop sign at 25th Sd/Rd. Turn left and follow almost to the end and then turn left on 30th Sd/Rd.
HELP US MAKE LOCAL GOVERNMENT TRANSPARENT, ACCOUNTABLE & RESPONSIBLE
Friday, April 22, 2011
Springwater Council after the Honeymoon
The Springwater councillors have now been exposed to the numerous training and orientation sessions pertaining to the various activities that they were elected to oversee. Most are doing well and I would say only one councillor appears to be struggling with reading the many reports prior to the meetings. The reason for this observation is the questions from this councillor typically make no reference to the reports provided and normally come from left field. Being a councillor takes at least twenty hours of week if not more. I am sure the councillor can adjust over time.
On a positive note, for the most part the Councillors are doing their homework and challenging the things they should, especially in matters where hundreds of thousands of dollars are being spent. The new councillors challenge and question the reports with good questions in a very respectful manner. There is a tendency for the returning members of council and the new deputy mayor to lean toward what staff thinks is right rather than engaging in the debate and moving the township forward. Springwater has a competent staff and provide good input, but the direction must come from the elected officials which is starting to happen.
One example from the April 18th council is the discussion on the request for a new fire truck for close to a quarter of a million dollars. The existing truck is about 20 years old has 45,000 km and according to the chief can be put back into top operating shape for about $5,000 and might last another 4 years. Councillors Hanna, Webster, McConkey and Ritchie all asked appropriate questions that were not really answered. The threat of an unsubstantiated increase in residential insurance rates and the possibility of losing a special deal swayed the McConkey and Ritchie vote with only Hanna and Webster seeking a deferral of the resolution until more information was brought forward. The motion to purchase the $238,000 vehicle was supported by all members of council except Hanna and Webster. First of all the age of the trucks is only one part of the weighting factors for changing the fire insurance protection rating of a municipality. Proximity, number of firefighters and training have more impact on rates than the trucks. The second point that this was a special deal is baseless. Every specialty equipment manufacturer’s orders have been down for the last 3 years. To retain key staff and keep operating the companies are building a variety of products on speculation and if this deal goes by, I can assure you there is a better one not far down the road. A proper report of the actual insurance rating impact should have been received before approving the purchase. I feel the council prematurely approved a huge expenditure which may have been delayed a few years reducing our tax bill without compromising the safety and security of the residents.
The good news is that the second request for a new snowplow truck, again just shy of a quarter of a million dollars, was deferred with a good scenario presented by Councillor Webster where he challenged public works to rethink the way they have historically done their plow routes. This is why we have councilors to represent our interests. Kudos to Webster for his idea. That doesn’t mean it will work but the fact that it is being considered is positive.
The most detailed and thorough report, with no missing gaps, was from Ron Belcourt the Director of Recreation. I know Ron knows where all the bodies are buried in Springwater but his complete analysis of the cost of township supplied lawn maintenance versus subcontracting is one of the best reports I have seen presented to council in the last 5 years. I took some of his numbers, and I have done a lot of this analysis in my career, and I was within a few dollars of his calculations. If every manager provided information as Ron did, the council meetings would be easy. I am sure we will see more reports like that from the key staff, as it makes a councillor much more confident in their decision making.
I am still dissatisfied with the lip service given to public transparency at the council meetings, which all candidates promised to institute during the election. Providing a time at the end of the council meetings after the adjournment is not transparency. There is no requirement for the comments to be recorded in any official minutes. The public comment and question session should be a limited time within the actual council meeting, not outside of the meeting.
Even though it may surprise some, I disagree with the fact that council did not include themselves in the modified salary increases as somewhere down the road there will be a huge adjustment. The two tiered percentage increase system council adopted for this year is creative and allows the lower salaried groups who have been most hard hit with HST and gas increases a little more income, while limiting the increases at the higher income levels where it is not felt as much. I also do not agree with a total cutoff of the provided food for long meetings for either staff or councillors working into the evening hours after spending a good part of the day in meetings.
But enough of that. The good news is that this is a fairly cohesive and dynamic council with many differing positions which is quite healthy and adds to the dialogue and debate. Gone is the groupthink mentality of the last three councils. Bullying would not bode well with this group I can assure you. The mayor even though frustrated at times, because of the many questions, allows the members to speak and has been able to keep control which is a feat in itself. This council is being cautious of spending which is a good lesson for all levels of government.
So far so good would be my assessment.
On a positive note, for the most part the Councillors are doing their homework and challenging the things they should, especially in matters where hundreds of thousands of dollars are being spent. The new councillors challenge and question the reports with good questions in a very respectful manner. There is a tendency for the returning members of council and the new deputy mayor to lean toward what staff thinks is right rather than engaging in the debate and moving the township forward. Springwater has a competent staff and provide good input, but the direction must come from the elected officials which is starting to happen.
One example from the April 18th council is the discussion on the request for a new fire truck for close to a quarter of a million dollars. The existing truck is about 20 years old has 45,000 km and according to the chief can be put back into top operating shape for about $5,000 and might last another 4 years. Councillors Hanna, Webster, McConkey and Ritchie all asked appropriate questions that were not really answered. The threat of an unsubstantiated increase in residential insurance rates and the possibility of losing a special deal swayed the McConkey and Ritchie vote with only Hanna and Webster seeking a deferral of the resolution until more information was brought forward. The motion to purchase the $238,000 vehicle was supported by all members of council except Hanna and Webster. First of all the age of the trucks is only one part of the weighting factors for changing the fire insurance protection rating of a municipality. Proximity, number of firefighters and training have more impact on rates than the trucks. The second point that this was a special deal is baseless. Every specialty equipment manufacturer’s orders have been down for the last 3 years. To retain key staff and keep operating the companies are building a variety of products on speculation and if this deal goes by, I can assure you there is a better one not far down the road. A proper report of the actual insurance rating impact should have been received before approving the purchase. I feel the council prematurely approved a huge expenditure which may have been delayed a few years reducing our tax bill without compromising the safety and security of the residents.
The good news is that the second request for a new snowplow truck, again just shy of a quarter of a million dollars, was deferred with a good scenario presented by Councillor Webster where he challenged public works to rethink the way they have historically done their plow routes. This is why we have councilors to represent our interests. Kudos to Webster for his idea. That doesn’t mean it will work but the fact that it is being considered is positive.
The most detailed and thorough report, with no missing gaps, was from Ron Belcourt the Director of Recreation. I know Ron knows where all the bodies are buried in Springwater but his complete analysis of the cost of township supplied lawn maintenance versus subcontracting is one of the best reports I have seen presented to council in the last 5 years. I took some of his numbers, and I have done a lot of this analysis in my career, and I was within a few dollars of his calculations. If every manager provided information as Ron did, the council meetings would be easy. I am sure we will see more reports like that from the key staff, as it makes a councillor much more confident in their decision making.
I am still dissatisfied with the lip service given to public transparency at the council meetings, which all candidates promised to institute during the election. Providing a time at the end of the council meetings after the adjournment is not transparency. There is no requirement for the comments to be recorded in any official minutes. The public comment and question session should be a limited time within the actual council meeting, not outside of the meeting.
Even though it may surprise some, I disagree with the fact that council did not include themselves in the modified salary increases as somewhere down the road there will be a huge adjustment. The two tiered percentage increase system council adopted for this year is creative and allows the lower salaried groups who have been most hard hit with HST and gas increases a little more income, while limiting the increases at the higher income levels where it is not felt as much. I also do not agree with a total cutoff of the provided food for long meetings for either staff or councillors working into the evening hours after spending a good part of the day in meetings.
But enough of that. The good news is that this is a fairly cohesive and dynamic council with many differing positions which is quite healthy and adds to the dialogue and debate. Gone is the groupthink mentality of the last three councils. Bullying would not bode well with this group I can assure you. The mayor even though frustrated at times, because of the many questions, allows the members to speak and has been able to keep control which is a feat in itself. This council is being cautious of spending which is a good lesson for all levels of government.
So far so good would be my assessment.
Monday, April 11, 2011
Who will pay off the debt?
It will be difficult to decide who to vote for in this election. The parties promise similar spending habits with some more agressive than others.
No one talks about how to pay down the long term debt that now represents a debt owing by every man woman and child to the tune of about $16,500 per person. That is in addition to the personal debt of over extended Canadians.
Ask your candidate how they will not only retire the deficits of the last number of years and the ones projected for the next 5 or 6 years. Ask them how they plan to reduce the over 2/3's of a trillion dollar nation debt that grows every minute.
To view Canada's national debt go to this link.
http://www.debtclock.ca/ticker/widget.html
No one talks about how to pay down the long term debt that now represents a debt owing by every man woman and child to the tune of about $16,500 per person. That is in addition to the personal debt of over extended Canadians.
Ask your candidate how they will not only retire the deficits of the last number of years and the ones projected for the next 5 or 6 years. Ask them how they plan to reduce the over 2/3's of a trillion dollar nation debt that grows every minute.
To view Canada's national debt go to this link.
http://www.debtclock.ca/ticker/widget.html
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Inadvertant Creation of Poverty
First of all the mayor and councillors did a thorough job of vetting the budget for Springwater and did so in a prudent manner. I have no quarrel with the process or the results for the most part. However, the Springwater budget and the County’s future direction are unfairly burdening the low income families and their lower assessed properties with a higher proportion of the tax.
Let me explain the overall impact on your township portion of the 2011 tax bill. If you own a $400,000 dollar home you will pay $19.00 less; a $300,000 home $17 more; and if you are at the bottom of the heap trying to make ends meet with a $200,000 home you will pay almost $53 more. How does that make sense?
Part of the problem comes from the way the Springwater policing charges are being assessed in 2011. In the past everyone paid a $70 flat fee plus a mill rate based on property assessment. In 2010 you paid the following for policing based on assessment value, $155.11 for $200,000 home; $197.66 for a $300,000 home; $240.22 for a $400,000 home and $282.77 for $500,000 home. People with more disposable income in their $500,000 home paid about $130 more than someone in a $200,000 home. Sounds fair? In 2011 everyone will pay $194 regardless of assessed value. The new system adds a $40 burden to those that typically lack the means and are on fixed income, while those that have plenty will save almost $90. The rich get richer and the poor get poorer. I attended some of the budget meetings and heard the discussion and actually agreed with the logic that everyone should know what policing costs. I did not think of the actual impact of a flat rate approach on those that are less fortunate.
Both the Township and County appear to heading towards more user fee based systems rather than factoring it into the mill rate (sounds like a typical downloading scheme that we have seen with both the Federal and Provincial Governments). This will destroy those at the lower end of the scale as they will be overburdened with added costs. They already have less because of the impact of HST on the necessities of life such as heating and electricity. Everyone seems to punish them for being less fortunate. Does that mean that in the future road maintenance, snow plowing and recreation buildings will be fully funded by flat rate charges on the tax bill rather than part of the mill rate? That is definitely a departure from the concept of a cooperative community based tax system.
Keep an eye on Waste Management at the County as they move to a $2 per bag fee in 2012 rather than the costs being absorbed as part of the general tax bill. Again those at the bottom will pay proportionately more than those that can actually afford it.
I suggest you contact the Mayor, Deputy Mayor or your councillor and ask them to revisit their move to separate charges on tax bills for various services. Services such as policing and waste collection should be provided within an overall tax mill rate. Our country was built on the concept that those that have will subsidize those that do not. Picking up on a line from Michael Jacob’s last editorial in the Springwater News, I believe we are our brother’s keeper.
Let me explain the overall impact on your township portion of the 2011 tax bill. If you own a $400,000 dollar home you will pay $19.00 less; a $300,000 home $17 more; and if you are at the bottom of the heap trying to make ends meet with a $200,000 home you will pay almost $53 more. How does that make sense?
Part of the problem comes from the way the Springwater policing charges are being assessed in 2011. In the past everyone paid a $70 flat fee plus a mill rate based on property assessment. In 2010 you paid the following for policing based on assessment value, $155.11 for $200,000 home; $197.66 for a $300,000 home; $240.22 for a $400,000 home and $282.77 for $500,000 home. People with more disposable income in their $500,000 home paid about $130 more than someone in a $200,000 home. Sounds fair? In 2011 everyone will pay $194 regardless of assessed value. The new system adds a $40 burden to those that typically lack the means and are on fixed income, while those that have plenty will save almost $90. The rich get richer and the poor get poorer. I attended some of the budget meetings and heard the discussion and actually agreed with the logic that everyone should know what policing costs. I did not think of the actual impact of a flat rate approach on those that are less fortunate.
Both the Township and County appear to heading towards more user fee based systems rather than factoring it into the mill rate (sounds like a typical downloading scheme that we have seen with both the Federal and Provincial Governments). This will destroy those at the lower end of the scale as they will be overburdened with added costs. They already have less because of the impact of HST on the necessities of life such as heating and electricity. Everyone seems to punish them for being less fortunate. Does that mean that in the future road maintenance, snow plowing and recreation buildings will be fully funded by flat rate charges on the tax bill rather than part of the mill rate? That is definitely a departure from the concept of a cooperative community based tax system.
Keep an eye on Waste Management at the County as they move to a $2 per bag fee in 2012 rather than the costs being absorbed as part of the general tax bill. Again those at the bottom will pay proportionately more than those that can actually afford it.
I suggest you contact the Mayor, Deputy Mayor or your councillor and ask them to revisit their move to separate charges on tax bills for various services. Services such as policing and waste collection should be provided within an overall tax mill rate. Our country was built on the concept that those that have will subsidize those that do not. Picking up on a line from Michael Jacob’s last editorial in the Springwater News, I believe we are our brother’s keeper.
Monday, February 14, 2011
Springwater Council – moving forward
I want to correct a misperception I may have created in my last posting. Councillors Webster, McConkey and Hanna approached me at the last council meeting and mentioned that I left the impression in my last article that this council was focused on percentage in the budget deliberation. This is not true. There was a brief discussion at one of the early budget meetings on whether a simple percentage approach should be taken and it was rejected. The new Springwater Council has went through the line items and are cutting costs where possible and at the same time trying to avoid any service delivery disruption. They will be tabling the budget at the next meeting and I am sure the residents will appreciate the thoroughness of the process. When I reread my posting I realized I failed to separate the process that was used by the County and the Township. The County was more focused on the percentage approach. My point in the budget process is that it should only include what is needed to meet the needs of the tax payer. It should not include unneeded expenditures such as outside consultants doing the work that staff are paid to do or that could be done with key stakeholders and volunteers in the community. The council in the budget deliberation has been very effective in this area and should be congratulated.
With 5 of the members of Springwater Council being new, they did an excellent job at the 2011 budget and I am sure next year will improve their efforts and give us more value for our hard earned tax dollars. A positive move on this front was from Councillor Jack Hannna who suggested the establishment of a budget committee at the Feb 7th Council meeting under Items for Future Consideration. It received support from the other councilors which illustrates there is an eagerness by all to better serve the residents of Springwater from a fiscal perspective. This Council is getting things done by planning ahead and the addition of the Items for Future Consideration on every Council Agenda is quite effective in having new ideas brought forward. It prompts the council to think into the future. It is subtle, but you are now seeing a council driven agenda rather than a staff led exercise which I find quite refreshing
I was also pleased that the Council has passed a resolution to allow the Elmvale Foodbank to move to the unoccupied Knox Building and use the old Council Chambers. This should have been undertaken by the past council as the need was stated clearly in a deputation last May.
My next comment is truly a personal perspective and is not a concern for most people. Councillor McConkey asked about adding a public portion to the Items for Future Consideration section of the agenda before the closed session part of council. Deputy Mayor McLean and Councillors Webster and Clement spoke against the idea and were not interested in opening the actual council agenda up to open dialogue which I find disappointing. I think the reasons stated for not doing it were weak and not well discussed as few people attend the meetings. The good news is that there is an opportunity to ask questions and make comments at the end of the meeting after the adjournment which I guess will suffice for most people. Wasaga Beach have used an open 15 minute question period in the body of the Council Agenda for some time and have not encountered any of the fears expressed by Deputy Mayor Dan McLean. I do find the council position a little disappointing and contrary to what everyone stated at the public debates during the election campaign.
I also have one minor complaint which is easily corrected and was probably a simple oversight. I addressed a point to the Mayor, Deputy Mayor and Council via email. Two councilors phoned me and we discussed the issue which is great. The disappointment is that the written response I received which told me things I already know, which I found condescending, was provided by staff. If correspondence is addressed to council it should be responded by someone from council and most likely the Mayor. If it is a highly technical issue than the response from the elected official should say something to the effect that the matter was referred to that person, but the response should come from the elected official. If you check the correspondence that the council received on their agenda at the Feb 7th meeting, Premier Dalton McGuinty provided a written response to a letter from the Mayor and Council regarding the specimen collection issue in Elmvale. That is common courtesy.
I know this council has only been at it for 3 months and still in the honeymoon stage but it is great to see individual ideas are encouraged and yet still able to retain a common purpose of doing what is best for the Township of Springwater. I hope when we start addressing the real challenges such as growth and development that this council will dedicate the same energy to those important and difficult issues.
Council can only be as responsive to the needs of the residents of Springwater, if they know what they are. Come to the Council and Planning Committee meeting as that is where the future of Springwater is shaped. If you cannot do that email or write to your councilor and tell then what you think is important in your area. Far too few of us speak up and simply grumble behind the scenes. That is not effective or productive.
Since I follow it diligently, I know that we do have a council, that I think can get the job done and has a lot of fresh ideas and few personal agendas. That is what we wanted and that is what we got. I can only hope that the openness I have seen with the individuals remains for the next 44 months. Effective councils will have a healthy level of conflict. That is good as it challenges the individuals to do their job and not rest on their laurels. They can only do that, if they are held accountable and yes supported in those things that matter.
Keep abreast of what is going on in Springwater. It is our community, so let’s be part of the solution.
With 5 of the members of Springwater Council being new, they did an excellent job at the 2011 budget and I am sure next year will improve their efforts and give us more value for our hard earned tax dollars. A positive move on this front was from Councillor Jack Hannna who suggested the establishment of a budget committee at the Feb 7th Council meeting under Items for Future Consideration. It received support from the other councilors which illustrates there is an eagerness by all to better serve the residents of Springwater from a fiscal perspective. This Council is getting things done by planning ahead and the addition of the Items for Future Consideration on every Council Agenda is quite effective in having new ideas brought forward. It prompts the council to think into the future. It is subtle, but you are now seeing a council driven agenda rather than a staff led exercise which I find quite refreshing
I was also pleased that the Council has passed a resolution to allow the Elmvale Foodbank to move to the unoccupied Knox Building and use the old Council Chambers. This should have been undertaken by the past council as the need was stated clearly in a deputation last May.
My next comment is truly a personal perspective and is not a concern for most people. Councillor McConkey asked about adding a public portion to the Items for Future Consideration section of the agenda before the closed session part of council. Deputy Mayor McLean and Councillors Webster and Clement spoke against the idea and were not interested in opening the actual council agenda up to open dialogue which I find disappointing. I think the reasons stated for not doing it were weak and not well discussed as few people attend the meetings. The good news is that there is an opportunity to ask questions and make comments at the end of the meeting after the adjournment which I guess will suffice for most people. Wasaga Beach have used an open 15 minute question period in the body of the Council Agenda for some time and have not encountered any of the fears expressed by Deputy Mayor Dan McLean. I do find the council position a little disappointing and contrary to what everyone stated at the public debates during the election campaign.
I also have one minor complaint which is easily corrected and was probably a simple oversight. I addressed a point to the Mayor, Deputy Mayor and Council via email. Two councilors phoned me and we discussed the issue which is great. The disappointment is that the written response I received which told me things I already know, which I found condescending, was provided by staff. If correspondence is addressed to council it should be responded by someone from council and most likely the Mayor. If it is a highly technical issue than the response from the elected official should say something to the effect that the matter was referred to that person, but the response should come from the elected official. If you check the correspondence that the council received on their agenda at the Feb 7th meeting, Premier Dalton McGuinty provided a written response to a letter from the Mayor and Council regarding the specimen collection issue in Elmvale. That is common courtesy.
I know this council has only been at it for 3 months and still in the honeymoon stage but it is great to see individual ideas are encouraged and yet still able to retain a common purpose of doing what is best for the Township of Springwater. I hope when we start addressing the real challenges such as growth and development that this council will dedicate the same energy to those important and difficult issues.
Council can only be as responsive to the needs of the residents of Springwater, if they know what they are. Come to the Council and Planning Committee meeting as that is where the future of Springwater is shaped. If you cannot do that email or write to your councilor and tell then what you think is important in your area. Far too few of us speak up and simply grumble behind the scenes. That is not effective or productive.
Since I follow it diligently, I know that we do have a council, that I think can get the job done and has a lot of fresh ideas and few personal agendas. That is what we wanted and that is what we got. I can only hope that the openness I have seen with the individuals remains for the next 44 months. Effective councils will have a healthy level of conflict. That is good as it challenges the individuals to do their job and not rest on their laurels. They can only do that, if they are held accountable and yes supported in those things that matter.
Keep abreast of what is going on in Springwater. It is our community, so let’s be part of the solution.
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Township and County Missed Opportunities
I was pleased that a few more people were out for the January 24th Springwater Council meeting. You can see that the councilors are beginning to build their confidence and taking charge of their responsibilities. I have great hopes for this council and I think they may take our township to a much more successful level over the next 45 months.
At Monday’s meeting the only thing that I thought was shortsighted or not fully explored was the response to a simple request for a donation to the Annual Simcoe County Plowing Match that is being held in Beeton in August. There was a request for a $300 donation as the previous council had made in the past. I appreciate the focus on controlling costs but I can guarantee there is an easy $300 to save in administrative costs that could be better utilized supporting the core part of Springwater’s economy, farming. Mayor Collins was the only person to speak against the motion to turn down the request. I am surprised that councillors, Ritchie, Webster and McConkey did not support the request as many of their constituents are farmers. I should also chastise the author of the request as it was addressed “To Whom it may Concern”. If the Plowmen’s Association hasn’t taken the time to know the new council members, then maybe they don’t deserve the support. Common courtesy would have the letter and request addressed to mayor by name and the council as a whole. One good piece of news is that there is now an open session at the end of each council meeting for the public to ask questions. This is your chance to bring issues to the floor for future consideration. I hope our two County Representatives, the mayor and deputy mayor suggest a similar procedure at the County Meetings.
The other matter that concerns me, both at the township and county level, is the focus on the percentage increase in spending rather than the actual expenditures. Springwater Councillors have been doing a good job at questioning the line items which I find refreshing, but there is still too much focus on making the decision based on percentage. I agree that most people will be pleased with a 1.5% increase in their overall taxes, but in business we always strived for lower costs year over year. There are continually new technologies that assist in improving efficiencies, better ways of doing things such as a continuous improvement programs that can ultimately deliver the same quality of services at a much lower prices therefore reducing the overall operation of the township. I don’t think there is a lot to find in savings for those people that actually do the work like plowing our roads, keeping our recreation facilities in order, or protecting our safety, but as business has discovered in the last ten years, bureaucracy needs to be the focus and reduced. Council may feel they have done their job by holding taxes to a 1.5% increase, but did they really do the complete job? They can be excused this year as a budget has to be finalized and time is of the essence. I just hope next year they really look into all aspects of the cost of running this corporation. There are many capable minds on this council that have the business background and experience to do so.
I attended the Simcoe County Council Meeting on January 25th and it was also a refreshing change with a new attitude. There was little condescension, negative comment or people simply pushing their agendas. Many good questions and comments were forthcoming and I was pleased to see Mayor Collins and Deputy Mayor McLean engaged which is no easy task as they are new on this 32 person council. The previous council definitely lost the respect of the general populace because of the arrogance and high pressure tactics of both the head of council and a few bureaucrats during the Site 41 fiasco. The quarter million dollar public relations campaign did very little to fix it. One thing that would have went a long way to heal some of the ill feelings was missed at the meeting. Ray Millar the Tiny Mayor tabled a motion to add Gord McKay the Midland Mayor to the Waste Management Committee. The committee positions were appointed when McKay was absent. Gord is one of the most well read and researched person on the council when it comes to understanding the big picture of waste strategy. The motion was defeated as the old guard that supported Site 41 still has a lot of influence which is not conducive to rebuilding trust. This could have been a giant step forward and provided a new voice and perspective on this pressing issue.
It is important that we make ourselves aware of the actions of council. In 2011 over $20,000,000 will be spent by the Township of Springwater and over $400,000,000 by the County. Most of that comes out of our pocket.
We are the shareholders of these operations. If we do not engage, or ask questions then we have no right to complain. Come out to a few Springwater Council and County of Simcoe Council meetings and see how your elected representative is working for you.
At Monday’s meeting the only thing that I thought was shortsighted or not fully explored was the response to a simple request for a donation to the Annual Simcoe County Plowing Match that is being held in Beeton in August. There was a request for a $300 donation as the previous council had made in the past. I appreciate the focus on controlling costs but I can guarantee there is an easy $300 to save in administrative costs that could be better utilized supporting the core part of Springwater’s economy, farming. Mayor Collins was the only person to speak against the motion to turn down the request. I am surprised that councillors, Ritchie, Webster and McConkey did not support the request as many of their constituents are farmers. I should also chastise the author of the request as it was addressed “To Whom it may Concern”. If the Plowmen’s Association hasn’t taken the time to know the new council members, then maybe they don’t deserve the support. Common courtesy would have the letter and request addressed to mayor by name and the council as a whole. One good piece of news is that there is now an open session at the end of each council meeting for the public to ask questions. This is your chance to bring issues to the floor for future consideration. I hope our two County Representatives, the mayor and deputy mayor suggest a similar procedure at the County Meetings.
The other matter that concerns me, both at the township and county level, is the focus on the percentage increase in spending rather than the actual expenditures. Springwater Councillors have been doing a good job at questioning the line items which I find refreshing, but there is still too much focus on making the decision based on percentage. I agree that most people will be pleased with a 1.5% increase in their overall taxes, but in business we always strived for lower costs year over year. There are continually new technologies that assist in improving efficiencies, better ways of doing things such as a continuous improvement programs that can ultimately deliver the same quality of services at a much lower prices therefore reducing the overall operation of the township. I don’t think there is a lot to find in savings for those people that actually do the work like plowing our roads, keeping our recreation facilities in order, or protecting our safety, but as business has discovered in the last ten years, bureaucracy needs to be the focus and reduced. Council may feel they have done their job by holding taxes to a 1.5% increase, but did they really do the complete job? They can be excused this year as a budget has to be finalized and time is of the essence. I just hope next year they really look into all aspects of the cost of running this corporation. There are many capable minds on this council that have the business background and experience to do so.
I attended the Simcoe County Council Meeting on January 25th and it was also a refreshing change with a new attitude. There was little condescension, negative comment or people simply pushing their agendas. Many good questions and comments were forthcoming and I was pleased to see Mayor Collins and Deputy Mayor McLean engaged which is no easy task as they are new on this 32 person council. The previous council definitely lost the respect of the general populace because of the arrogance and high pressure tactics of both the head of council and a few bureaucrats during the Site 41 fiasco. The quarter million dollar public relations campaign did very little to fix it. One thing that would have went a long way to heal some of the ill feelings was missed at the meeting. Ray Millar the Tiny Mayor tabled a motion to add Gord McKay the Midland Mayor to the Waste Management Committee. The committee positions were appointed when McKay was absent. Gord is one of the most well read and researched person on the council when it comes to understanding the big picture of waste strategy. The motion was defeated as the old guard that supported Site 41 still has a lot of influence which is not conducive to rebuilding trust. This could have been a giant step forward and provided a new voice and perspective on this pressing issue.
It is important that we make ourselves aware of the actions of council. In 2011 over $20,000,000 will be spent by the Township of Springwater and over $400,000,000 by the County. Most of that comes out of our pocket.
We are the shareholders of these operations. If we do not engage, or ask questions then we have no right to complain. Come out to a few Springwater Council and County of Simcoe Council meetings and see how your elected representative is working for you.
Thursday, January 13, 2011
First Council Meeting of 2011
I attended the first Springwater Council Meeting of 2011 on Monday January 10.
This is a different council and my impression from the meeting is that they are not a bunch of puppets as we witnessed in the previous council. I just hope that more than Jackie Ritchie and I will monitor and follow this council over the next four years. If more of us participate we can build a fine township and move into the future together.
All the councillors asked good questions and did not rubber stamp reports or other agenda items. It sounded like they did their homework and actually read the information provided to them. Yes, that is their job and I hope they keep it up. There were a few rough spots but growing pains are natural and healthy.
I liked their questioning things like the actual line item expenses on the payables register and not just approving it. They questioned spending money on the Knox building to prepare for a possible doctor but with no guarantee from the recruiters that any will come. They questioned the costs to renovate the basement of the library when we have a vacant Knox building. That is good common sense fiscal management. I hope this council drives the bureaucrats to more accountability in the term and moves away from a somewhat country club atmosphere that existed at the Admin Centre. That is not totally staff's fault as they lacked leadership and direction from the former council. So far this counciil appears to understand that it is their job to run the township and get the job done by providing clear direction to staff. That is the way it is supposed to work.
The meeting went to 10:30 which signifies that they are doing their job. I won't expect to be home by 7:30 or earlier as I did in the last term of council.
So far we are getting our money's worth from this newly elected council.
Our new mayor Linda Collins did a good job in controlling the meeting which is no longer an easy task as these new councillors think for themselves and do want to make a difference. They also appear eager to be engaged on behalf of their constituents.
Good work and good luck to them all.
This is a different council and my impression from the meeting is that they are not a bunch of puppets as we witnessed in the previous council. I just hope that more than Jackie Ritchie and I will monitor and follow this council over the next four years. If more of us participate we can build a fine township and move into the future together.
All the councillors asked good questions and did not rubber stamp reports or other agenda items. It sounded like they did their homework and actually read the information provided to them. Yes, that is their job and I hope they keep it up. There were a few rough spots but growing pains are natural and healthy.
I liked their questioning things like the actual line item expenses on the payables register and not just approving it. They questioned spending money on the Knox building to prepare for a possible doctor but with no guarantee from the recruiters that any will come. They questioned the costs to renovate the basement of the library when we have a vacant Knox building. That is good common sense fiscal management. I hope this council drives the bureaucrats to more accountability in the term and moves away from a somewhat country club atmosphere that existed at the Admin Centre. That is not totally staff's fault as they lacked leadership and direction from the former council. So far this counciil appears to understand that it is their job to run the township and get the job done by providing clear direction to staff. That is the way it is supposed to work.
The meeting went to 10:30 which signifies that they are doing their job. I won't expect to be home by 7:30 or earlier as I did in the last term of council.
So far we are getting our money's worth from this newly elected council.
Our new mayor Linda Collins did a good job in controlling the meeting which is no longer an easy task as these new councillors think for themselves and do want to make a difference. They also appear eager to be engaged on behalf of their constituents.
Good work and good luck to them all.
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
New Host - Rogers Politically Speaking Collingwood
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2010 (COLLINGWOOD, ON) - Bill French is joining Rogers TV Collingwood as host of Politically Speaking Collingwood. As a recent Mayoral candidate for the Township of Springwater, Bill’s commitment and passion for local politics positions him well as host of Politically Speaking.
Bill began his career in broadcasting in the late 60’s honing his management skills and deciding on a career in business. This provided the opportunity for him to lead some of the finest entertainment related businesses, nationally and internationally in senior executive positions. They included HUCHM Productions, AP Video International, Sierra Communications all in Canada, Cinram POP DVD Centre in Los Angeles, Trace Optical in Boston and Cinram International in both Canada and Europe.
Currently, Bill operates a management consulting company Lordwill Enterprises Inc. that focuses on strategic planning, business development, interim management and executive training. Bill also teaches business courses at Georgian College on a regular basis. He is a regular contributor to Springwater News providing commentary on local politics and other issues.
Bill is pleased to host Politically Speaking, Collingwood and to discuss matters like the economy, job creation, growth management in the region, waste management and the environment with local MP’s, MPP’s and elected officials from Collingwood, Wasaga Beach, and Clearview Township.
“Having spent the first part of my career in local television, it is with great enthusiasm that I can now bring local political issues to the public in this interactive show format”, states Bill.
Politically Speaking is a LIVE call-in show allowing local residents to call in with questions, comments or concerns. Bill will host his first program on Wednesday, January 5th, 2011, LIVE at 8:00 pm only on Rogers TV, cable channel 53.
Rogers TV is a unique TV channel where community members take an active role in conceptualizing and producing programming for local audiences. Our staff and volunteers produce informative and entertaining local programming, reinforcing Rogers’ commitment to the communities we serve. Rogers is Canada's largest provider of wireless voice and data communications services and one of Canada's leading providers of cable television, high-speed Internet and telephony services. Rogers TV is only available to Rogers’ customers, including the company's 2.3 million cable customers in Ontario, New Brunswick and Newfoundland. For more information on Rogers Communications Inc., visit www.rogers.com. For more information on Rogers TV programs, visit www.rogerstv.com.
Locally, Rogers TV, cable channel 53 serves the cities of and surrounding Collingwood, Wasaga Beach, Creemore, Stayner, and Elmvale.
-30-
For more information:
Lucille E. Dalziel, Publicity and Promotions Coordinator
(705) 737-4660, ext. 6977 (Simcoe County)
lucille.dalziel@rci.rogers.com
www.rogerstv.com
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
