Feature Article September 30, 2004
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Dont look for a change in government soon - Scott Reid
by Jule Koch Brison
MP Scott Reid visited Central Frontenac Council this past Tuesday in the first of a series of meetings he has requested with local Councils.
Reid gave a presentation to council on his goals as an MP and outlined the services offered through his constituency office. These include certificates and pins for special occasions; assistance with fundraising, petitions and research; arranging for visits to Parliament Hill and the House of Commons; and acting as an ombudsman, among others.
He reviewed his election promises, which were: to promote the rights of property owners; to work on electoral reform; to maintain two offices in this huge riding (his second office will soon be opening in Napanee. He already has one established in Carlton Place); and to continue to remind the public about the plight of farmers, which he has tried to do mainly through his Ask if its Canadian Beef campaign.
Councillors had several questions for Reid, one of which was from Jack Nicolson, who asked, How long will this minority government last? Reid answered, Longer than anyone is anticipating. He said he thought that neither the government nor the opposition were in a strong enough position to push for a new election and his prediction was at least two years.
Frances Smith asked about the water regulations, Bill 170/03, and Reid replied that while he had no direct influence and could be wrong, he had the impression that the Minister of the Environment, MPP Leona Dombrowsky, was not pushing the bill, and his office could help with organizing petitions. He said that the government is always reluctant to admit they might be wrong, and sometimes they simply put off an issue for reconsideration and let it die.
For the last few years, Reid has been donating the MP salary increase from 2001, about $20,000, to improving rural emergency health care. The money has been purchasing defibrillators and funding training for every high school student in Lanark County in CPR. He asked councilors for input in how best to spend the $20,000. Mayor Bill MacDonald commented that while it was laudable for Reid to donate his pay increase to charity, MacDonald felt that politicians arent paid enough; to which Reid replied that he wasn't suggesting that everybody should do it, but that as a single person from a wealthy background, he had decided to do it.
Councilor Logan Murray asked about sustainable funding for municipalities to deal with the services downloaded from the province, which he said really were a result of federal policies. The maintenance of Road 38 in particular is a big burden, which Logan said diverted funds from being spent on back roads, thus hurting economic development in the township.
Reid said there should be equalization funding for small municipalities, and suggested looking at how other countries handle the problem.
Other items from Council Digital dilemmaCouncilor Janet Gutowski has been invited to sit in on a meeting between township staff and the Frontenac Environmental Partnership (FEP). The FEP had asked council to let them use township digital mapping data to share information with cottage associations. North and South Frontenac and Tay Valley townships have approved similar requests from the FEP; however, Central Frontenac Council asked staff to meet with the FEP to get more information.
Gutowskis intention to attend the meeting caused a division on council. This will put you, and staff, in an awkward position, said Mayor MacDonald. Some councilors agreed with MacDonald while others felt she should attend. Its a sad day for democracy if Im denied the right to attend the meeting, said Gutowski.
In the end, MacDonald opened the meeting, which takes place on Sept. 30, to all councillors and members of the public.
ED for breakfast
The Economic Development Committee (EDC) will be taking a survey of local businesses in the next few weeks, and will be holding a Business Over Breakfast event at the Sharbot lake Legion on Monday, November 22 at 8 a.m. The hour and a half session will give business owners an opportunity to meet with the EDC and each other.
Wilkinson road dumpThe Wilkinson Road dump has been closed, and must be covered over. Councilor Murray asked if there was time to put tenders out for and get the work done before this winter. He emphasized that council should always put jobs out for tender so there can be an open and transparent process. Public Works Manager Bill Nichol said there was not time, but council felt strongly the work must be done as soon as possible
CF Township has budgeted $53,000 for the closure, and Bill Nichol has a quote for $43,000. Council passed a motion for Nichol to get three quotes and proceed with the work.
Crushing tenders
When the question of aggregate crushing came up, Councilor Murray repeated his position about tenders. The township will be paying $20,000 in royalties for crushing 25,000 tonnes in the Graydon Gray pit, which is not owned by the township. Dont we have a pit of our own? asked Murray. Other councilors replied that the quantity and quality of the aggregate is superior in the Graydon Gray pit, and that the township would run out of aggregate if it used only its own pits. It will take six or seven weeks to do the crushing, so once again the time required for tendering became a problem.
Nonetheless, Council decided to put out to tender both the crushing and the supply of aggregate sources.
Mr. SandmanMurray has also received complaints that the piling of sand in Olden Township is being done improperly. Bill Nichol has already looked into the problem and moved the conveyor. He said the problem came about because the operator fell asleep.
