Initially published in the Alliston Herald on March 12, 2009
The Good: Shortly after moving to New Tecumseth in 1999 I became aware of the existence of the Community Living Association for South Simcoe (CLASS) - an organization dedicated to helping those with developmental disabilities live and participate in their community.
The organization's staff appear, from my perspective, to be extraordinarily hard working, dedicated and professional. They deserve a great deal of credit for how CLASS and its clients remain a fixture and valued part of our community.
The Bad: After countless volunteer hours and the passage of many years, the Alliston and District Humane Society (ADHS) is, to its credit, ready to construct a shelter in Adjala-Tosorontio.
Unfortunately, the ADHS have encountered a variety of hurdles including an insistence by township council that bars be installed in all of the windows.
The ADHS has indicated that the new facility will not be used to store cash or narcotics. Nevertheless, in what can only be described as a bizarrely paternalistic attitude, council has, at least until recently, insisted upon the bars as protection from vandals.
Given the apparent desire of Adjala-Tosorontio council to protect rural buildings from vandalism, why do the windows at their own municipal offices not have bars? Surely the photographs of town councils from years past are at greater risk of theft (well, at least the frames) than "Bessie" the 13-year-old Beagle who suffers from flatulence.
The Ugly: The saga of the water pipeline becomes more murky and clouded with each passing day.
At last week's council meeting we learned that the town is the guarantor of the $21.3 million debt owed by the New Tecumseth Improvement Society (the entity that was set up for the benefit of New Tecumseth taxpayers as the "owner" of the water pipeline) to the Ontario Clean Water Agency (OCWA). Given that NTIS has not made a single payment to OCWA towards the debt (and is therefore in default or at risk thereof) it's not clear how this little tidbit has escaped notice of the town's auditors. Is the existence of the guarantee in these circumstances not something that ought to be factored into the town's borrowing limits?
The Puzzling: At Monday's meeting CAO Terri Caron referred to an intention that the pipeline debt would repaid through the town's purchase of water from NTIS. The statement left me scratching my head. In particular, to use 2004 as an example, we know the town paid NTIS "rent" in excess of $1.5 million that year in order "to service the debt obligations associated with the pipeline." Yet we also know from OCWA that none of their $21.3 million debt has ever been serviced and we know there is another $10 million debt payable to the town (which, given the size, would appear never to have been serviced either). What's going on?
The Bad: In 2005 an Ontario Water Strategy Expert Panel recommended that the Province assume the Collingwood pipeline assets and debt. It was a proposal that was heartily endorsed by Mayor MacEachern in a subsequent news release. Unfortunately, the discussions that followed (and apparently remain ongoing) appear to have occurred under a cone of silence with only a handful of senior staff privy to the details.
The pipeline asset is incredibly valuable. The asset is worth far more than the cumulative debt. Accordingly, any contemplated transfer of the pipeline to the province must ensure that the town receives adequate compensation for the asset.
It would be irresponsible for the town to simply hand over the asset and walk from the debt. That would not represent fair or adequate compensation. It would be tantamount to giving it away.
If this is the mayor's intention we need to be told about it now.
