Letters August 26, 2004
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Re: Grading private roads sparks Maguire's ireWhy would the Township of North Frontenac raise havoc over the grading of a private road by municipal equipment when this type of activity generates revenue for the municipality? Mayor Maguire wanted "there to be no road work done that was not approved in the budget". What happens if a massive section of road is totally destroyed? Just because there was no budget line to cover the repair, does that mean the destroyed road remains unfixed until the next budget year because the money wasn't set aside for the expenditure?
Money being generated by the municipal equipment doing work on private roads cuts down on tax monies that have to be raised, does it not? The Sunday Lake Road in question is in fact a municipal road. The municipality has title to it but chooses not to maintain it because the municipality of the day did not see to it that the road was of the proper standards when built initially to be taken over by the township.
John Ibey was initially approached by one of the Sunday Lake residents about grading the road, but when told by Ibey that the municipality could not do the road for an association, the resident was told to get someone else to hire the municipality and the bill would be made to the other person then billed back out to Sunday Lake Association. With Mayor Maguire wanting the cottagers to have more to do with the municipality - does one hand know what the other is doing in our municipality?
More concentrated efforts should be put forth in ensuring proper tendering processes are in place.
Mayor Maguire must have been the only person who knew the heavy rain storm was coming on August 2 but he failed to let anyone else know so we could have kept the grader in the garage for our own impending emergency rather than out there maybe generating a few dollars for the municipality.
Bob Olmstead
re: article on Lanark LandownersIn responding to Jeff Green's article of August 12th, "Lanark Landowners Association: A growing concern" I'm sorry I missed it earlier, but just returned from Cape Breton Island where people still regard their traditions and take their use and ownership of land with much more than a grain of salt.
It is not at all surprising with the rapid growth of the Lanark Landowners' Association when you stop to realize the extent to which Ontarians have been bamboozled by government propaganda. Your headline is a perfect example. "A growing concern?" The only growing concern worthy of public recognition is the wimpy, constipated fear of government which continually oversteps its lawfully prescribed boundaries and moves in the sphere of tyranny. You will recall that the concerted use of FEAR in the last election orchestrated the lowest voter turnout in over one hundred years! Fear is now being used as a "technology" to undermine large segments of populations that do not agree with the new government perspective: total citizen control.
What holds our two billion dollar failed Canadian gun registry in place but fear? Fear is now turning our neighbors to the South into a police state. Wake up!
No LLA is not a concern, but an example. "This land is our land" is a fitting motto. If you can't get your head around it, maybe you would rather be a "Subject" again rather than a "Citizen." Freedom is not for the feeble--in mind or in spirit. And the only rights you ever possess are the rights you are capable of confidently affirming in a timely manner before authority; no conviction, no knowledge, no rights!
G. Leslie Balogh
re: Sunday Lake Drive grading
The idea that we the residents of Sunday Lake Drive are getting a free ride or special attention because the township graded our road is ludicrous and insulting. As an association we are responsible for the maintenance of Sunday Lake Drive and because the township demands a public boat launch we also pay insurance annually for the road. Gemmill Sand and Gravel has won the contract each year to maintain our road and because of their expertise we trusted his judgment when he said that he did not have the grader necessary to grade the road deeply enough. He subcontracted the job through the works manager to the township. The task was completed over an eight-hour period and when the bill is received it will be paid.
The mayors concern about the budget does not seem to apply since we are paying for the service received, contrary to the council receiving our taxes for delivering no service.
Why not make available, to all cottage associations willing to pay, the equipment when it is not maintaining community and public roads. This would be one way of putting money back into the budget.
Mavis Wade
More on grading of lanes"Grading of private lanes" not only sparked the ire of Mayor Maguire, but also has irritated many of my North Frontenac Township neighbors. Veteran members who were on council prior to January, 2004 have been aware of this 'so-called' long-standing practice and obviously condoned it. They are now offended if anyone, including the rest of their newer council colleagues, should dare question this activity or suggest it be stopped. Their justification is 'the old regime did it so it must be right'.
Prior to the mid-1990's the practice of grading private lanes using township equipment and manpower was not permitted within the new North Frontenac Township. The exception to this was perhaps in Councilor Hook's old township of Barrie.
One might wonder why councilors who condone this practice cannot answer simple, related questions such as: Where does the money go? Are there any receipts given? Where in the operations budget did we approve this kind of activity?
Here is a new list of questions this discussion generates: Why would any councilor or employee ignore the procedures and decisions set out in the budget process? Does township really get paid or do we do it for free? Is there so little for the roads department to do that they can afford to take over the work private construction firms would love to do? When is the township going to grade the rest of our private lanes?
A few months ago the roads committee told Sunday Lake cottagers their road was far too sub-standard for township to maintain - why are they now grading it without council's permission? Why is it that most township gravel roads remained in vital need of grading on the day the private lane was done (i.e. Greer, Green Lake, Canonto, Wilbur, River)? What road maintenance company will do this job for $55 per hour (even before PST & GST)? If it happened on a holiday Monday, were we paying the operator time and a half?
Does the roads committee authorize this just for their friends or can we all get in on it?
Silly, sarcastic and ridiculous as these questions may seem to our veteran councilors ... so is the practice of grading private roads using township equipment and employees. Much worse and offensive to taxpayers is the act of ignoring budget and operational rules set out by council. In any other business someone would be reprimanded, their budget allocations would be reassigned and they'd probably be fired for this. Members of council, veteran or new, are not immune to their very own rules either!
Perhaps you've finally awakened the sleeping gorilla - the taxpayers of North Frontenac. From now on we'll be sleeping with one eye open.
Leo L. Ladouceur
Are Communities Losing Councils Support
[Editors note: this letter to the editor concerns an article that was not published in the Frontenac News, but in the Business Spot Light August 2004)
Freedom of the Press is the foundation of a Democratic Society. This however is based on the premise that the author has researched and verified the facts before printing for the public to read.
First, lets get some facts corrected - It is the Oso Recreation Committee that hosted the Karaoke competition last year not the Central Frontenac Recreation Committee; secondly, the idea of new toilets for the beach began at Canada Day not the Karaoke competition.
We, the Oso District Recreation Committee felt compelled to write in response to the above named article. We are very disappointed and somewhat disheartened to see such negative comments about VOLUNTEERS in this community.
Last years Karaoke competition was really not such a huge success!! We are not sure where Sam Jarvis saw the huge crowds at this event because if you didnt count the families and friends of the entertainers, the beach would have looked rather empty. The second day was better attended, but the numbers were not large. Financially, it was not a success either; the committee was responsible for paying for Mr Karaoke for 2 days, for the advertising and getting 10 volunteer judges. The food booth was held for 2 days and we didnt cover the cost of the food. The reason this years competition was cancelled is very simple. There was one bar participating, Katies Pub. If some individual entries were to come in the day of the event and pay their $50 entry fee, we may have ended up with 10 participants (estimated by Mr Karaoke).
Lack of interest from participating bars to sponsor participants is why the event was cancelled.
Our committee is made up of volunteers and one elected representative of Council. This year to date, we have organized and worked on three large events, the Snow Drags, a fund-raising dance for toilets at the beach (another group of VOLUNTEERS working on fundraising) and Canada Day celebrations. We have had approximately 15 to 18 meetings so far this year and have spent hours working at the events. As with most groups, we have a number of people on the committee but not everyone takes part in all the events, so we have done most of these events with 6 or 7 volunteers (2 business owners) and help from their families. This year some members had personal events happening in their lives such as family reunions, away on vacation, weddings etc. It is our summer too!!!
To say that Council is not supporting the business community is strange, because the recreation committee is not elected and it was never their mandate to sponsor events for businesses, our mandate is to sponsor events for the community with the involvement of the community and other organizations. We have worked with a number of organizations and would welcome the opportunity to work with the newly established Economic Development Committee in the future.
To date, we have not had people breaking down our doors to become involved in the recreation committee and when you receive criticism for not doing enough, why would anyone want to volunteer - thanks to these kinds of articles. It also makes those of us who have committed numerous hours wonder if we want to continue (but we will).
In closing, Oso Recreation Committee does care about the whole community and we do our best to carry out events for the community. If the business community or organizations want to rally together to do an event, we will work with them but our group shouldnt be expected to be a key event planner for economic purposes. We dont have the people, money, desire or mandate to commit to that kind of an agenda.
Active Committee Members -Frances Smith Chair, Cathy MacMunn Secretary, Anne Howes, Michelle Greenstreet, Josh McPherson, Jan McPherson, Angie Sergeant, Dave Willis.
