Landowners will back municipal candidate
Posted Mar 11, 2010 By Chris Must
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Tweet ThisEMC News - The Lanark Landowners Association (LLA) has announced that it will support any candidate in the upcoming municipal election in Lanark Highlands Township who shares its views.
At a public meeting hosted by the association March 3 at the Lanark Civitan Club hall, LLA President Jeff Bogaerts asked a crowd of about 60 township residents, "What are you willing to do to change your municipality?" After a number of disaffected township residents expressed frustration with the direction the current municipal council is taking, and said that the mayor and council don't represent their concerns, Bogaerts said, "The Charter of Rights has been squashed, stepped on," and added, "It's a war."
The association present said, "If you are interested in running in your municipal election, approach us. If we can come to an agreement, we will support you." The LLA, he said, "will put whatever resources we have behind you to get you elected."
Bogaerts opened the town meeting-style evening by explaining the ground rules, and invited anyone in attendance to speak on the topics of the township's proposed sewage treatment plant, municipal taxes and operating costs, and the need for business development. He introduced the topics by stating that since Hazel McCallion, now 89 years old, was first elected mayor of Mississauga in 1978, the city has never had to borrow money and is debt-free. "If fiscal responsibility can be done in Mississauga, it can be done anywhere else," he said. "If you do not participate, you will get the government you deserve."
After audience members were invited to comment on the proposed municipal water and sewage treatment system for Lanark Village, a $28 million project, township resident Wilma Gibson said the estimated price tag is the best problem with the project. "What really the crunch is I don't think the provincial and federal governments are going to give it to us," said Gibson. "If there isn't federal or provincial funding, we don't have a hope of doing anything, it's in limbo."
Gibson also said that providing municipal services to 225 homes while the remainder of the township continues to rely on private wells and septic systems would not be a good investment.
Raymond Donaldson, another long-time resident of Lanark Highlands, said residents "were never asked if we wanted to go with this or not." He said that since several smaller municipalities were amalgamated in 1998 to form Lanark Highlands, "there is no accountability for anything."
Donaldson said that the extent of the problem involving septic systems contaminating ground water has been exaggerated, stating that it is "not true that up to 40 per cent of the wells in the village are bad."
He also argued that the municipality has not addressed a number of additional costs to homeowners that would result from switching from private wells to municipal water. Wells would have to be decommissioned, an expensive process which would be the homeowner's responsibility, he said.
Funds from the sale of the Lanark public utility should be used to fix problem wells and septic systems rather than on any additional studies, said Donaldson, adding, "They're still spending on something that will never, never, never take place."
Another elderly ratepayer said many people on fixed incomes are worried about the impact on local taxes of a $28 million project. If taxes go up any higher, she said, "I won't be able to stay."
On the topic of wasteful spending by elected officials, another man in the audience with an artificial leg complained that Lanark Highlands councillors receive an annual honorarium of $12,000 a year, while he receives only $11,000 in disability pension.
Stating that the cost of refurbishing the town hall in his home municipality of Mississippi Mills is approaching $4 million, LLA executive member Merle Bowes said the amalgamation of small municipalities has led to "empire building."
"It's up to us to stop this nonsense," said Bowes. "Say no to these power mongers."
Bowes said the LLA has been instrumental in saving the livelihoods of rural residents, and organized demonstrations that helped stop the shutdown of farmers' markets in the province, threatened by new food safety regulations, which apply to restaurants. "Finally (former minister of health and long-term care George) Smitherman said okay, farmers' markets are exempt," he said.
Encouraging audience members to get involved in local politics, Bogaerts said, "There are a lot of ways to fight for your country, you don't have to be in Kandahar.
"We can fight for our freedom right here - it's a never-ending job."
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