L. Lawson | Feb 20, 2019


Thanks to Jeff Green for the informative article on the transportation services funding for our community. Whether you live in SF, CF, or NF, we all know people or have families in all these communities and should want to support ALL in need, equally.

I cannot believe that council would even be presented with the option (1) of dropping support to such important services to the people who live in our county. As a tax payer, I for one have no issues with placing 1% of the tax money collected to cover these services provided FOR ALL in our community. To see that since its inception in 2003 to 2017, the FTS (Frontenac Transportation Services) has provided these services within their budget, only then (2017) having a deficit and asking more funds be provided. Rather impressive.

I appreciate the wonderful services provided by SFCS for their seniors, however just stating more funds are required by them because of higher population is unfounded and unfair. NFCS provides transportation services for ALL, not just our seniors. Should we forget about our young, disabled, or homeless? I think not. We need to supply this service to the larger demographic. Providing services, the farther away you go, the higher the cost will be. This does not mean we should not provide the service. It means we need to look at the services provided to both fairly.

Getting volunteers is not easy and I’m sure it gets more difficult the farther away from Kingston you get. Imagine a volunteer giving their time and kindness to drive someone from, say, Sharbot Lake or farther, to Kingston and home again, compared to Sydenham/Harrowsmith… No comparison. Both needed and equally as kind, but how many would volunteer for the long distance? We reimburse them for their gas, but shouldn’t they get what any other township employee would get for reimbursement of driving expenses? They give of their time and kindness already. So, this now becomes a “cost”, not just a kindness, discouraging volunteers from the long distances.

I hope council gives this serious consideration, as in the blink of an eye, this could be any one of us in need of these services, and these are the people who will be there for you.

I applaud all those who have to fight every single day and justify every cent to provide services for those in need. I also recognize NONE of this is possible without our volunteers!

Thank you for your time.

L. Lawson

Support local
independant journalism by becoming a patron of the Frontenac News.