Friday, March 9, 2001
Reprinted from: The Promoter, 48 Main St., P.O. Box 535, Bobcaygen, Ontario KOM
1AO
Tel: 1.705.738.6188 Fax: 1.705.738.4187
The Promoter is a moderate sized newspaper serving a readership of approximatley 9000 homes in what used to be Victoria County. The town of Lindsay was the principal population centre until we were made " a city" at the beginning of January 2001.
ONE FIASCO AFTER THE OTHER
by Rose Anne Kulmala
It's hard to believe that it's just over two months since the new council took control
of this new city. Now it appears even many of those who thought amalgamation was the best
thing since sliced bread are changing their minds. They are finding the bread a little
hard to swallow, for good reason.
Now all the `untruths' we were told are really becoming evident. Like the one about saving
money! I guess that's why those who weren't too upset in the early stages of this
transition are now starting to worry, for one thing it's hitting them where it counts - in
the pocket book!
There are more and more cracks appearing at the council table now that some members have
been given enough rope to hang themselves. It also becomes increasingly more evident that
our elected representatives have little if any say, and when they do get the opportunity
many of them can't seem to make up their minds.
The First Fiasco of course was the name. Some of those who had voted no
to City of Kawartha Lakes in Committee actually voted yes at the public council meeting.
With that particular issue, the decision of council made sure, as did the province before
them, that the wants and needs of the residents of this new city had no impact on
council's decision. So much for representation. In one foul sweep much support was lost
for the city, and friends and a neighbouring municipality were insulted, offended and
angered by us. What a wonderful start.
Second Fiasco - Lindsay Riverfest a prime example of who does what. When
Riverfest applied to council for a $30,000. grant, council voted NO. Then they came back
and asked for a $30,000 loan and council said NO. Finally, council passed a motion
to...well, see Panter's column on page 4.
Now lets talk about the fiasco of motions and wibble wabble on the nutrient management
plan score. First of all Councillor Villemaire of Ward 8 approached Councillor McGee of
Ward 5 to see if McGee would support a motion to form a Committee to work on a nutrient
management plan. McGee took a common sense approach and suggested to Villemaire that
perhaps the motion should beto strike a committee to study the need for a nutrient
management plan in the City of Kawartha Lakes.
Villemaire agreed and brought forward the motion. The motion passed. End of story? No. I
don't know just who got to who or why, but by the next council meeting Villemalre moved to
rescind her own motion and put forward another motion that a Committee be appointed to
proceed with the nutrient management plan? Talk about confusion - nobody seems to know
what they are doing or why. Mostseem to be way out of their depth in understanding of what
is going on. Others seem to linger in voting and then proceed to go in the direction they
feel the majority will vote.
It's like being at a dinner party and not knowing which fork to pick up. If you wait long
enough someone else will decide to die
in and you can follow their direction. Unfortunately when it comes to this council, we
have more people who don't know
which fork to use than those who do and the `don't knows' are making some pretty bad
decisions.
So what do I know? Well not much, except that this is one major mess. A mess recommended
by an academic who has recommended other areas not amalgamate for the same reasons he
recommended we should. (See "Words come back to haunt us", by John Panter, Pg.
16).
The nutrient management thing is really scary. If council follows some of the other
nutrient management plans they are using as guide lines our farmers could face severe
hardship. It seems these nutrient management plans speak with forked tongue. In one breath
they tell you these plans are needed to control intensive farming and in the next they
seem to be telling us that the only farmers who know what they are doing and can afford to
follow the nutrient management regulations are large
intensive
farming operations.
So much for our family farms, which one report admits are going the way of the dinosaur.
The report is correct; we are losing our family farms - to regulations such as these. One
of the largest farms I know of in the area is the Beatty farm just south of Bobcaygeon. I
don't know whether Sue and Brian Beatty could afford to build a manure storage barn to the
tune of $50,000 -
$100,000. If they are forced to do that, will they decide the fight isn't worth it? The
bank would probably be telling them what to do for the next 20 years.
I'm not quite sure what intensive farming is but I don't think it's Victoria County farms.
But after all we don't want those urban folks moving into our new `city' to smell manure
now do we? No I haven't forgotten about Walkerton. Walkerton is the best
tool this government has had in decades. Just wait till that one hits you in the pocket
book. Pretty soon your well will be monitored 'for your own good' you know, but it will
cost you - for every drop you use. I don't think the nutrient management thing is quite
over yet!
Before we get over nutrient management another insult has raised its ugly head. The City
of Kawartha Lakes has just arranged to have the Lindsay Daily Post publish a glossy, full
colour cover, 66 page promotional paper with the title `Welcome to the City of Kawartha
Lakes' · Parks, Recreation and Culture Spring/Summer 2001 Guide to Programs and Services.
So what's wrong with that you ask?
Nothing until you look through it. The Mayor has a nice warm greeting on page 3, part of
which reads ".......welcome
to the residents of the City of Kawartha Lakes and the many visitors who may use and enjoy
the many varied programs and facilities that are available throughout the City."
On page 51 is a message from the Director of Client and Community Services, Jane Lunn, ".....to
extend a warm welcome to all the residents and visitors to our beautiful new City of
Kawartha Lakes. ".....
lt is our goal to make sure all the municipal services you rely on and/or value are
available to you....." CA John Robinson also does his part on page 58
".......Our new City is blessed with some of the most beautiful natural features one
could find anywhere. It is also fortunate to have such a wealth of facilities served by
volunteers and staff throughout the various
communities..."
So what's wrong with that? Well nothing, except that about 64 of the 66 pages are
promotional features, calendars, dates and time of all the groups, organizations, and
facilities in LINDSAY. For instance on page 65 you will find a list of churches in the
City of Kawartha Lakes. You may be interested to know that Bobcaygeon, Fenelon Falls,
Dunsford, Kinmount, Longford,
Digby Laxton, Feneion Township, etc. etc. etc. apparently have no churches. Nor do we have
any service groups. While Lindsay is listed as having a Rotary Club, no mention is made of
the Fenelon Rotary Club which is so active in our area nor our Bobcaygeon and Fenelon
Falls Lions Clubs. To be fair, the Forbert Pool is mentioned, and this appears to be one
of the few facilities anywhere outside of the town of Lindsay.
So what do we do now? SEPARATE. That's right I think the municipalities who are obviously
not part of the City, in that they do not like what's happening added to the fact that
according to this publication they are not part of it anyway, should separate from the
City of Kawartha Lakes.
Let Lindsay be the City of Kawartha Lakes if it wants to, most of us don't want to. Sound
crazy? Not really. Several areas in the Country are talking about just that. Apparently
the people'ln Cape Breton are discussing separation from amalgamation. Musquodoboit, an
Eastern Shore district of the Halifax Regional Municipality, after being amalgamated 3
years ago, is preparing itself for de-amalgamation this Spring.
One of the main reason for Musquodoboit being so upset is the urban bylaws being forced on
rural people. Sound familiar? Add Ottawa's woes to that. Their woes being a transition
debt of $180 million which the province has now decided it will pay 50% of rather than the
75% first talked about and the messes get bigger and bigger. Ottawa doesn't know what to
do with itself. This is our capital we are talking about and the long arms of Harris which
have reached out to destroy it. Speaking of separation, maybe Faye McGee out in Fenelon
Township, when it was still Fenelon Township was not too far out of line when she was
discussing separation back before this amalgamation was finalized.
Editor: Rose Anne Kulmala
Graphics: Anne L. Kulmala
Advertising: Sue Hodgkinson
Sandy Lakatos
Lynne Westlake
TEL: 705-738-6188
FAX: 705-738-4187
Page 2 - The Promoter - Friday March 9, 2001
THE OPINIONS EXPRESSED IN THIS PUBLICATION ARE THOSE OF THE WRITER AND NOT NECESSARILY
THOSE OF THE PUBLISHERS
Let's Learn more about this "Nutrient Management Thing"