Re: Central Frontenac Buys Two School Properties

Wayne Robinson | Sep 07, 2016

In the recent Frontenac News there was a major article (Ratepayer gets no satisfaction over former school purchases, Aug 25/16)on Central Frontenac Council’s decision to purchase the closed public school buildings in Parham and Sharbot Lake and I could not but notice the rather disparaging tone of the article towards our Mayor Frances Smith. Ms. Smith and her council were elected to govern this municipality to the best of their ability for a four-year period. That principle of democracy is well established in Ontario as with the rest of the free world and it has served Ontarians well for a long time. My experience has been that on average, fair-minded and well-intentioned people run for and get elected to local councils each four years to make sure our communities are safe and given proper services. We elected these members to council with the intention that they will consider issues in the community and make intelligent, well-informed decisions. I trust the Mayor and her council did exactly that concerning the school properties that they chose to purchase on our behalf for the long-term benefit of this community.

It is way too easy to be a sofa quarterback while other people are on the field playing. If this is such an issue for ratepayers then there are a few options. One, run for council next election and exercise your talents in the world of municipal governance, or do not vote for this council next time around, but in the meantime give them the credit that they deserve and let them run the business of the municipality. This council is made up of eight Councillors and a Mayor that care about our communities; let them do their job.