Letters: September 16

Re: “Forest Farm – A Naturalist’s Paradise”

In the September 9 issue you printed a letter (Re: Forest Farm) complaining about the suspicious timing of a story about David Hahn. When I saw the picture that accompanied the story, I thought the timing had to do with the recent installation of solar panels on Mr. Hahn's farm. I found it interesting that Mr. Hahn was also mentioned in two stories in the same edition as the letter. He was in one story because he was the Champion Grower at the Verona Lions Garlic Festival and he was quoted in another story about garbage pickup in South Frontenac.

I think that David Hahn is in the paper because what he does is newsworthy. If other municipal candidates want stories about themselves in the newspapers, they should install solar panels, win garlic festivals, make profound statements, or be otherwise involved in community events.

Wolfe Erlichman

Increases in hydro costs

The Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters Association has conducted an analysis of recent and planned hydro rate increases in Ontario. The Ottawa Citizen used that analysis to estimate the increase in residential hydro rates for the average Ottawa resident. They found that the average monthly hydro bill for an Ottawa resident today is $117 and that it will increase by 42% to a total of $166 per month by 2015. Of course that will be on top of an increase of 18% that has already happened since April of this year thanks to rate increases and the addition of the HST. The CME isn't the only group with a concern about this. Energy consultant Tom Adams predicts that by October 2011 hydro costs in Ontario will have doubled since the McGuinty Liberals came to power in the province.
I have a simple question for the Premier and his government - are you folks out of your collective minds? Let's see, Ontario will be essentially uncompetitive as a home for businesses in North America, and rural Ontarians with limited access to alternative sources of heating will see a huge increase in their cost of living, ditto for seniors on fixed incomes. I could go on but that list alone is reason enough to put a halt to the increases.
I believe that the NDP and PC parties need to clearly state where they stand on energy costs, the FIT program, Korean wind power etc. before the next election. If they aren't going to commit to fix what the Liberals have done I want to know.

Bob Webster

Re: Arden Gets a Bone

I hate to be the one to dump on a politician’s well-deserved retirement from public life but in this case, I cannot help myself. I have read Gary Smith’s self-congratulatory synopsis (The Frontenac News, Letters, Sept 9, 2010), of his achievements in office and I have some more facts to add.

Mr. Smith states that “the environment is our economy” but his actions are less convincing. I have been involved in the opposition to an industrial development, which could adversely impact Lake Kennebec. Mr. Smith assured opponents that Quinte Conservation Authority would assure environmental compliance. It turns out that the Authority only reviews quantity of flow, not water quality. Much later, Mr. Smith remained mute as I tabled documents showing that the property was contaminated by oil and that the township had misrepresented the fact that the developer had not and did not intend to clean the oil contamination. The Ministry of the Environment has since ordered removal of the contaminants.

Mr. Smith congratulates himself for his role in the PARC, which eventually persuaded the Limestone District School Board to keep the Land O’ Lakes School. I personally became involved, well into Gary Smith’s PARC mandate, when this paper published an editorial stating that the school was most likely going to be closed. Through a lot of grass-roots organization, by myself and others, many people attended the public meeting to speak against the school closing. I did not hear of Gary Smith’s involvement in organizing public opposition. I did not see him speak at the public meeting. He didn’t even attend the meeting at which the school board announced its final decision.

I have much less involvement in the machinations leading up to the much-needed repairs for Arden and I have only met Pat Maloney once, perhaps twice. Nevertheless having read this paper, it seems clear that the one person that does speak loudly and clearly on behalf of Arden is Pat Maloney. I agree with Gary Smith that Pat Maloney should run for office as Mr. Maloney would probably make an excellent representative. If however he is not narcissistic or self-interested enough to take public office, I cannot see how that should preclude him from voicing his dissatisfaction and the dissatisfaction of many others in the way this council has treated Arden.

David Daski