Money for new town hall, but not for rural road
By Meade Helman AWARE News Network Apruil 4 2013
CLOSED SESSION: Council held another closed session prior to the council meeting that lasted 1.5 hours. EDITORIAL COMMENT: What is going on that they have so many closed sessions?
AWARDS PRESENTATION: Mayor Doug White was presented a Queens Jubilee award by MPP Julia Munro for leadership and economic development. The only other member to receive this award was councillor Hordyk, who received his several weeks ago.
NEW TOWN HALL: Council has engaged an architect to review the projected costs of a new town hall both that the planned town center site and a privately developed site in the “downtown”. EDITORIAL COMMENT: We are going deeper in debt every day it seems, we don’t have money to fix roads or install bike lanes or trails, but we have 10s of millions for a new town hall? One of the councillors told me, don’t worry, we won’t borrow money, we will lease it. A lease is the same thing as a mortgage. You still have to pay it. But in the end you don’t own anything. How is that better? It seems that having monuments is far more important to some of our council than fiscal responsibility. Thank goodness we have councillors opposed to this scheme.
ENERGY MANAGEMENT: A deputation discussed the County’s plan to coordinate energy conservation among the various County communities. According to the presentation there are no upfront costs and the town is guaranteed to pay for the system out of the savings.
BRIDGE REHABILITATION: York Region Sr Project Manager did a presentation on the proposed rehabilitation of the bridge on Bridge Street leading south. The road will be down to 2 lanes in the summer, for at least 8 weeks. Part of the work is replacing the light standards. Councillor Lamb expressed concern that, since these were especially designed for the southern entrance to the town that the replacements be of the same design and quality as the originals. It was unclear what the Town’s share of the cost would be.
MORRIS ROAD: Residents of Morris road appeared before council to requested that Morris Road be repaired and paved. The road is in very bad shape with potholes and a huge hump in the centre. It hasn’t been resurfaced in decades. EDITORIAL COMMENT: Isn’t it interesting that we seem to have all kinds of money to spend “for the future of the town” but we hear time and time again about the rural and older sections of town being ignored or told that there is no money for that. Maybe council should start thinking about those of use that are now paying taxes and have been for years.
WASTEWATER PLANT: Engineering reported that the town had to do a replacement of 13 pieces of equipment in the wastewater plant. Cost was unclear.
COUNCIL CHAMBERS: Plans were announced to relocate Council Chambers to the Zima Room in the library. The move will require the purchase of an audio system for just under $17,000, the room has more seating and better audio visual equipment. EDITORIAL COMMENT: Now if they just set up the room so we can not only hear, but see what is going on!
NEXT COUNCIL MEETING: April 16 2013
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