We need change now!

Sandra Small | May 28, 2015

Once again I attended a council meeting of North Frontenac Township and just like most township meetings, council made no decisions and everything was deferred to another meeting or behind closed doors.

Once again the mayor had to refer to the chief admin officer (CAO) and staff for direction and guidance. The citizens of North Frontenac voted for a change last year so we can get a new perspective on dealing with issues and finding resolutions to problems that meets the community’s needs. Understandably the mayor is not up to speed on all the issues of the community and relies on township staff for guidance. So I asked you what has changed. The ship is still being steered in the same direction using the same old tired processes for resolving community issues.

How do we change this to shock the system to look at change? Very easy.

We have many townships in this area and let’s do what any good corporation would do to move forward...Let’s rotate positions, like the CAO positions, so we can get a different viewpoint and not remain stuck in the past – which has not been working as communities grow and needs change. Change can be hard and scary but it also can be a learning experience for everyone and often leads to innovative and new solutions. Some of the benefits of changing personnel in townships:

1. Familiarity among council, staff and residents. People get familiar with one another in close knit communities including township personnel and stop looking closely at all the facts on issues. It is often difficult to go against the stream when the people live next to each other. However, township staff is hired to do a job, to give advice, make recommendations and run the administration of the township – not to make major decisions that concern communities. That’s council’s job to make those hard decisions when communities grow and change.

2. Staff morale. Staff might find change in employment brings innovation and a different perspective of their roles.

3. Residents might be happy to talk to someone with another view on how to solve problems that are taking years to resolve or to make a decision.

A very small road in the Norcan Lake area that had started construction five years ago is still not completed because of the township’s desire to not make decisions. I do believe the bridge to Prince Edward Island took less time. Everyone is tired of hearing about it but the township still spends time discussing, directing more engineering reports and studies. What a waste of taxpayers’ money!

The CAO role would benefit with expanding his or her knowledge on how things are being dealt with in other areas. Hands on learning and current knowledge is a bonus for everyone and would shift CAOs from the position of no change is good for everyone. It isn’t always about saving money. Things change, communities grow and the new requirements have to be addressed by the township.

We cannot keep referring back to what happened ten to twenty years ago. We must learn to accept situations that have changed and deal with it. I can tell you that my property tax bill grows (changes) every year and services and support remains the same. Funny how that happens.

Thank you for listening from a resident of North Frontenac.