Council needs a Reset

Re: Development Debacle (October 30). Like David Cleave, I am also “gob-smacked” by Council’s denial of the Cold Creek development proposal. This is even though I have learned to be skeptical of developers. 

Mr. Cleave is right that this will go to the provincial Tribunal. He is right that he will win and he is right that it will cost taxpayers significant time and money. The lands have long been approved for development, and our need for affordable housing is dire.

Having appeared before Council twice this past year on an unrelated issue, I got a window into the current bag of hammers. I’m past being the civil activist I used to be: I ran for Council twice in King Township and Chaired Concerned Citizens of King Township for seven years. But I have enough in me to write this letter!  Here are three things that might interest those concerned about this dysfunctional Council:

1) Ask our Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing to dissolve (unlikely) and restructure (possibly) this Council. Ford did it with Toronto. The over-large Council that cannot make decisions, effective ones at least, is an old story.  Between Picton Terminals and Cold Creek, with their obvious contradictions in goals, and in particular, with no explanations on either, this Council is redundant. I would ask the Minister to have a serious look at restructuring this municipality. The number of counsellors should be cut in half. King Township, of similar size and population, functions very well with six councillors and the Mayor.

2) Ask the Minister to create a two-tiered governance structure, similar to that of York, Durham and Peel Regions.  This would remove large infrastructure projects from local Councils. If the County were merged with Quinte West and Belleville, it could better plan and control larger regional projects, funding, and governance. The Wellington and Picton water and wastewater infrastructure projects should be Regional projects, as well as Highway 49. Cold Creek would be within the purview of a local Council made more effective with streamlined governance.

The time for both of these options might be right: Doug Ford is seeking an early election. His cabinet might be interested, if not just for the optics. A restructure could bolster housing and infrastructure targets. 

3)This Council has lost the confidence of its ratepayers and citizens. It’s time they get the message. 

Greg Locke, Picton

Wrecking Crew Doing What it does Best

So it appears that the councillors that some call the Wrecking Crew are at it again, opposing what the Town’s planners have supported. Now the Town will have to find additional funds to defend the indefensible in front of the OLT. 

The anti-development crowd is hard at work. This bunch don’t seem to understand the inconsistencies in their positions, especially given Ontario’s intention to repair roads where development is set to happen, and where the Vital Signs report set out the dire need for affordable housing.

Is there something about Mr. Cleave and his company that they don’t like? Based on the way certain people who work with or for Mr. Cleave have been given short shrift by the Town, maybe there is? Or is it simply the anti-development crowd doing what they do best?

The Town also can’t seem to build modern and responsible water facilities due the the anti-development crowd, many of which, in making their arguments about cost, conveniently avoid discussing the near-term need to upgrade the aging facility in Picton, with its dated pipes in Picton Harbour, supposedly threatened by runoff at Picton Terminals.

This is a Council that, in the past, refused to follow the wishes of the electorate to reduce its numbers and where much of what Council is supposed to consider is held up by some members who don’t do their research, don’t understand what is in front of them, or simply fail to show up.

Richard Pearse, Picton 

The Wrecking Crew Strikes Again

The County got rid of an inept and overreaching Integrity Commissioner. But it appears we have nonetheless attained the pinnacle of Council and Mayoral malfunction — or perhaps malfeasance. 

Council has grown (or regressed) to a right vs. left or us vs. them position in both presentation and voting. Community be damned.  

What’s left to discover is if the Council and Mayor can act with integrity going forward. The ongoing debacles, getting rid of one legal battle against Picton Terminals to create a known path to another legal battle does not suggest that either integrity or wise choices are in the cards going forward.

Secret meetings.  No public input.  Blasting the cliff face off Picton Harbor.  Denying affordable housing.

Abbott and Costello at least got a laugh with their “Who’s on first?” routine. Perhaps remedial education is required to address the ongoing ignorance of required procedure needed for legal governance before any vote is taken.  Or at least, have some discussions to alleviate — and maybe obviate — the two voting blocs.

Or is it their intent to destroy the integrity of PEC along with its cliffs?

Barbara Dahlman, Prince Edward County