AWARE meeting in Collingwood on Saturday

Collingwood Enterprise Bulletin – August 10 2010
COLLINGWOOD — A grassroots organization of county residents will be holding a meeting at St. Mary’s Church Father Ellard Hall this Saturday.
AWARE Simcoe (Action Watch Affecting Residents Everywhere) has been holding meetings across the county for the last couple of months in a bid to affect change around issues of government accountability and environmental sustainability.
“AWARE is intended to mobilize residents throughout Simcoe County to get involved in the municipal elections this fall,” founder Letty McNeil told QMI?late last month. “We want to ensure the people who are elected are committed to protect water and the environment and are committed to being transparent and accountable.”
According to a news release, AWARE has “found a common thread of concern regarding a lack of accountability and transparency at the municipal level.
“This seems to be something residents everywhere have experienced,” said AWARE Simcoe interim chair Don Morgan. “People object to councillors having private discussions about public projects – and the public only finding out after key decisions have been made. The debate and the process must be open. Don’t deal with matters of public interest behind closed doors.”
AWARE points to other that have voters “looking for a change” on a number of municipal councils, including adverse impacts on agricultural land and the environment, and spending at the county level.
Saturday’s meeting is scheduled to run from 10 a.m. until noon. AWARE is also holding a meeting in at the Innisfil Community Church next Saturday. They’ve also held meetings in Barrie, Bradford, Utopia, Penetanguishene, and Coldwater.