Councillor wants to hear from constituents at town hall meeting
With the 2016 Budget under review, this time of year is always a good time to come together informally as a community, as we have over the past terms, to get your input on how the township should be spending your money.
Of course it’s also a good time to update you on what has been happening on some of the ongoing matters the public is interested in and look forward to what you can expect from this council in the future.
As has happened at our other Ward 5 town hall meetings, you will have a chance to shape the agenda, to tell me what you want to talk about.
If I’m to make informed decisions at the council table, I need to hear your opinions on things that matter to you and your neighbours.
As I always do, I will share my opinions on all these matters with you.
The budget is now at the stage where most of the departments have given council their wish list of services and spending, the various sources of revenue have been reviewed and councillors are making their initial inputs on suggested changes.
You will soon be invited to attend a public meeting on Dec. 7 at 6:30 p.m. in Stayner, to see the whole budget for yourselves.
Getting some details beforehand at a town hall is a good way, a less intimidating way, to ask questions and get answers.
I’ll save the details for the town hall saying only that based on staff proposed spending, we are heading for a 5.7 per cent municipal tax rate increase (the increase in tax revenue needed over last year) resulting in an average overall residential tax increase of 2.7 per cent (once you factor in policing, the school board and the county levies which are at a lower rate).
We may find out very soon if the industrial wind turbines (IWT) wpd is proposing will in fact be constructed in our community.
I think it is safe to say that while many of us favour green energy alternatives, council has made it clear that IWTs are not wanted in our community.
We are an unwilling host community. This view is shared by Collingwood – as operators of the Collingwood Regional Airport, by local development interests and by individuals and groups such as Preserve Clearview.
A final decision is pending the outcome of a court hearing on Dec. 18 at which the province, wpd, Collingwood and Clearview will be active participants.
You’ll have a chance to find out more at the town hall meeting and make you opinions known.
Also on the agenda is an update of another long-standing project poised to reach a final decision.
The Niagara Escarpment Commission is about to approve the issuance of permits to allow the closing of County Road 91, the opening of 26/27 Sideroad as the alternate year round route and the reconstruction of a portion of Concession 10 Nottawasaga.
Other topics on residents minds, such as the expanded and renovated Creemore Medical Centre, residential and commercial development projects such as Tim Hortons and Huron Tractor, bridge and road works in and around Creemore and Clearview, and the future redevelopment of the Collingwood General and Marine Hospital, to name a few, will be highlighted.
Please contact me at tpaterson@clearview.ca or 705-466-6321 if you want a specific topic addressed.
I hope to see you at the Ward 5 Town Hall meeting in Creemore on Sunday, Nov. 29, at Station on the Green, 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., always a lively and interesting session.
Thom Paterson is the Clearview Township council representative for Ward 5, Creemore and Avening.
