​Readers question actions of Kincardine council

To the Editor:
RE: “​No to transient housing in Kincardine’s downtown core”

C. Brown wrote a letter with respect to building housing units beside the old W.E. Thompson Public School, and has made excellent comments.

Yes, we need housing but the mandate of local municipalities is not to provide affordable housing. We don’t have deep enough pockets and have to clear road blocks to allow business people the opportunity to develop units. Federal and provincial funding is needed.

Our taxes are out of control and will only increase if the local council continues this type of expenditure.

Another area of funding (that is not a municipal mandate) is building the hospital. The council is letting the upper tiers of government off the hook.

This municipality is in for some hard times and councillors don’t seem to realize they have to stop spending and just fund services that are a local responsibility.

I will end my comments and am sure there will be more comments.

R.P. Plater
Kincardine

P.S.: Raising taxes doesn’t hurt the people who have excess money; it only stops needy people from getting a much-needed place to call home.
 

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To the Editor:

I wonder how many $15,000 consultant reports are to be engaged before Kincardine council does what it was voted by the public to do, which is to do what the municipal voters want council to do, make statesman decisions based on affordability.

Having spent time on council, I can claim through participation, that this thought is not new or unique.

I am quite sure that the present approach of using our taxpayer money to have consultant(s) decide the direction and actions of our municipality, without having any responsibility to us, as we, the ratepayers, neither choose them nor fire them, is not acceptable and should be discontinued immediately.

Councillors are contracted to perform, and were not elected to add to the mill rate by continually subcontracting consultants.

Performing council duties is not easy nor is it for everyone, that is why councillors run for office and that is why we elect them.

Let us all remember, as council determines a new mill rate, what is affordable and sustainable! Any increase in excess of three per cent in any given year, is completely irresponsible.

Staff has duties and capabilities (the best affordable have been hired).

Council has duties and capabilities (the best have been chosen).

Ratepayers have duties and capabilities (their needs must match their available funds).

Respectfully submitted,
Bill Clubb
Kincardine