Sharbot Lake is not the Centre of the Universe

Jean Brown | Feb 15, 2023

I’m proposing that the municipal councillors are suffering a condition I’m calling Sharbot Lake Syndrome- based on the well known and recognized Stockholm Syndrome. The Stockholm syndrome refers to the idea of groups of people being influenced by power imbalances that cause irrational outcomes. Our Central Frontenac municipal counsellors are in such a position- under the influence of specialists who are distorting their power advantage over the councillors and causing outrageous and irrational ideas that all favour Sharbot Lake. These outrageous ideas include- a sewage lagoon right in Sharbot Lake – all in order to bring in the train (needing a train station with increased sewage requirements, to set up apartments on the public school location lot (increased sewage) , and a plan to keep hiring more and more people in the township office- which compromises the existing septic system. Fixing these issues would take- again- the tax money generated for the whole township and funnel it into Sharbot Lake. So I’m encouraging the Sharbot Lake Property Association to go to bat by insisting that the Municipality abandon the sewage lagoon idea (and all related projects- train station, apartments, hiring more people in an office with a stressed sewage system) in favour of representing the Kennebec and outlying areas who need their roads fixed. This way, the Sharbot Lake waterways will be protected and the tax dollars will be equally shared. This will correct the existing imbalance whereby taxation revenues are unequally spent on Sharbot Lake projects. As I’ve said many times, our Henderson Rd and Arden road need paving and maintenance and they keep being deferred due to Sharbot Lake projects.

This causes such despair and hardship as our taxes rise yearly and our neighbours in north Frontenac pay 40% less in taxes than we do in Central Frontenac. We in Kennebec are not getting value for our taxes- due to the Sharbot Lake syndrome. I urge the councillors to escape the tyranny of this syndrome and to speak up, protest, don’t trust the “experts” . I also implore that the upper level Central Frontenac employees (not the municipal counsellors) donate back 10% of their salary so that our Henderson Road and Arden Road can be fixed.

Also councillors- don’t trust the experts and all their lingo about “pavement policies” or “cash flow Issues” and smoke screens about how Road 38 is a priority over over the Henderson and Arden Road. The best thing our township could do in my opinion is to declare bankruptcy and start all over with a new upper level management and a mandate to serve the whole township, not just Sharbot Lake. It’s unfortunate that a vote of non-confidence can’t be introduced, however it is possible to vote against proposals or to amend them to death and to stall into insolvency or eternity whichever comes first!

Say no to the Sharbot Lake syndrome- say no no no!!

Jean Brown