Quality of water. Recently we paid the appliance repair man one hundred dollars to clean up our dishwasher of gunk so we don,t have to buy a new one. We scrape the dishes before loading. I removed the filter on the vanity sink and couldn’t get the blk. Gunk out with a compressor. Still have it. Our neighbour was filling a small pool,could see the dirt in the water. Municipality going to give free water for the dirt. It may only relate to all the other problems we are having on Trent Island.
Thanks Art for laying the utilities and taxes out for the ratepayers to see. Both utilities and taxes have crept up in the past few years. The amalgamation were to save the taxpayers money. The number of staff and vehicles have also increased, they were parking four over in front of the water treatment plant. Have seen a couple that haven,t moved when there was snow.
I was in the Municipal office to pick up a written copy of the budget. There was seven employees there at desks. Too much of our dollars are going to staff and vehicles.
One item that I have seen is the renovation of the Municipal office, there was a sign in the window that said one hundred and twenty thousand, five hundred and seven. This was the same time I was trying to get a decent patch. Drains were there and tore out a perfectly good parking lot with grass on both sides to make it bigger. Crate said the old furniture was stored in the basement of the old municipal building. It turns out that this renovation costs close to a million dollars. I heard that they got a grant for Covid and it went in to the building.
Decisions like this directly affect our taxes. The slam that Gene Brahaney said was when the budget of lower Trent which he is a member was questioned and the increase costs of the Hastings water tower wasn,t questioned.
This council needs to work to bring our taxes and utilities down. (1) There should be no increase in wages for the non union staff in 2025. Example is the Nappan Island work that left the rate payers with 1.7 million bill. Planning staff member said development charges would help to pay for it but the developer went bank rupt. So no houses being built.
(2) A engineer experienced in all aspects of roads water and sewer should be hired. A engineer was hired but didn,t last a year. Only explanation I got was issues. Bob Murphy and I had a good site visit to explain the problem on Trent Island with him. The blow off at the end of the water line got fixed that was a waste of water (money)
A in-house engineer in my opinion would save taxpayers money by giving a municipal voice.
This council is led by a three time elected official. He should lead by taking this report by Art Chamberlain seriously and cutting staff and items from the budget. Could start with telephones, software, vehicles. They shouldn,t be replaced until they are worn out.
I hope that the other members of council would support him in this endeavour. Yes I had a meeting with the Mayor and two members of council. I brought up a neighbouring Municipality and the one member said they only clean up when they are having an event.
Well they not only keep the Municipality clean but they have lower taxes and utilities.
Two merchants that I know of live in that Municipality but run stores in Trent Hills, the one person said he sold his house here and purchased a bigger better house where he now lives.
I wiil be copying Mayor Crate and the administrator to read this comment.
Joe Watson a tax payer for over fifty years, I also have a plaque from the old Town of Campbellford for my years of service to the Municipality.
I would ask you to call the Mayor and your ward councillor and tell them you want answers.
Great story, very informative!
My headline is an oblique reference to this Johnny Cash song.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BK7P4Sgomtw
Oh I got the reference, don't worry! Loved it 😀
Quality of water. Recently we paid the appliance repair man one hundred dollars to clean up our dishwasher of gunk so we don,t have to buy a new one. We scrape the dishes before loading. I removed the filter on the vanity sink and couldn’t get the blk. Gunk out with a compressor. Still have it. Our neighbour was filling a small pool,could see the dirt in the water. Municipality going to give free water for the dirt. It may only relate to all the other problems we are having on Trent Island.
As ratepayers we have to ask ourselves: Water we gonna do?
Here are a few suggestions:
-- drink less water and your whiskey neat (the consumption of which is likely to rise to cope with higher bills)
-- shower together (married couples only, unless you're really good friends with the neighbours)
-- use bathwater to 'flush' toilets
-- implement cottage rules
-- change clothes every FOURTH day to cut down on laundry -- and your circle of friends
-- buy rain barrels
-- find recipes that include dishwater
That's it. Let me know in a month how it worked out for you.
Thanks Art for laying the utilities and taxes out for the ratepayers to see. Both utilities and taxes have crept up in the past few years. The amalgamation were to save the taxpayers money. The number of staff and vehicles have also increased, they were parking four over in front of the water treatment plant. Have seen a couple that haven,t moved when there was snow.
I was in the Municipal office to pick up a written copy of the budget. There was seven employees there at desks. Too much of our dollars are going to staff and vehicles.
One item that I have seen is the renovation of the Municipal office, there was a sign in the window that said one hundred and twenty thousand, five hundred and seven. This was the same time I was trying to get a decent patch. Drains were there and tore out a perfectly good parking lot with grass on both sides to make it bigger. Crate said the old furniture was stored in the basement of the old municipal building. It turns out that this renovation costs close to a million dollars. I heard that they got a grant for Covid and it went in to the building.
Decisions like this directly affect our taxes. The slam that Gene Brahaney said was when the budget of lower Trent which he is a member was questioned and the increase costs of the Hastings water tower wasn,t questioned.
This council needs to work to bring our taxes and utilities down. (1) There should be no increase in wages for the non union staff in 2025. Example is the Nappan Island work that left the rate payers with 1.7 million bill. Planning staff member said development charges would help to pay for it but the developer went bank rupt. So no houses being built.
(2) A engineer experienced in all aspects of roads water and sewer should be hired. A engineer was hired but didn,t last a year. Only explanation I got was issues. Bob Murphy and I had a good site visit to explain the problem on Trent Island with him. The blow off at the end of the water line got fixed that was a waste of water (money)
A in-house engineer in my opinion would save taxpayers money by giving a municipal voice.
This council is led by a three time elected official. He should lead by taking this report by Art Chamberlain seriously and cutting staff and items from the budget. Could start with telephones, software, vehicles. They shouldn,t be replaced until they are worn out.
I hope that the other members of council would support him in this endeavour. Yes I had a meeting with the Mayor and two members of council. I brought up a neighbouring Municipality and the one member said they only clean up when they are having an event.
Well they not only keep the Municipality clean but they have lower taxes and utilities.
Two merchants that I know of live in that Municipality but run stores in Trent Hills, the one person said he sold his house here and purchased a bigger better house where he now lives.
I wiil be copying Mayor Crate and the administrator to read this comment.
Joe Watson a tax payer for over fifty years, I also have a plaque from the old Town of Campbellford for my years of service to the Municipality.
I would ask you to call the Mayor and your ward councillor and tell them you want answers.