Feature Article April 24, 2003
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A County once moreAfter six long years trying to explain how something called the Frontenac Management Board (FMB) had a role in municipal politics, the FMB is now history.
There are two peculiar aspects to the new county. One is that it is suspended at the border with the City of Kingston, only to start up again at Lake Ontario at the the Frontenac Islands, including Wolfe Island. It might have been more convenient if the City of Kingston agreed to declare itself a part of the greater Frontenac County, and leave off its own governance to the rural mayors, but that is unlikely to happen. The City doesnt seem to like or respect the rural mayors much these days.
If the Frontenac Islands feel isolated from the rest of the County, they still probably feel they are better off than they would be as part of the City of Kingston, where they would probably be looked at as a minor district at best.
The other strange thing Frontenac County inherits from the Frontenac Management Board is the fact that its offices are located outside of its borders, in Battersea. This is certainly an unusual, if not an unprecedented, situation. Maybe in the future the offices can be moved, perhaps to Cloyne. It would certainly make for a nicer drive to County council meetings.
The Frontenac County Council receives about 30% of the property taxes paid by landowners in the four townships it serves; yet that money is overseen only by a committee of 4 Mayors. Hopefully, in the municipal election of 2006 more representatives can be added to County Council to handle that significant taxation. It is too late, according to the Municipal Act, to make changes during the upcoming 2003 municipal vote.
The old County Council had an unwieldy 21 members. Hopefully, the new County can come up with a more workable structure. But that will take time to sort out.
In the mean time, we are thrilled here at the News to never again have to explain what the FMB is, or try and figure out what the FMB is. Starting this week, we will only mention the County of Frontenac, its council and its warden.
