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Notes on nodes

June 27, 2013   ·   0 Comments

Dear editor:

I am not appraised of who has mandated the formation and subsequent discussions going on under the title of “urban nodes” is it the provincial government or from county?

In any event, by merely opting to restrict this proposed program of rationalization to simply the “nodes” it still smells very much like trying to dilute the cost of infrastructure already built or planned for within the “node”.

However it turns out, there will be winners and losers and which side of that equation will we New Tecumseth be on?

Let us face it at a time when our Council are considering increased development charges for the next 4 years in the belief that if we build they will come and therefore the  DCs will pay the bills.

The consultants report clearly indicates where, why and when DCs do not cover such growth here or any where else within the “nodes” 100%.

In fact, most projects now being under taken have as much as 35% charge back to all property tax payers to cover the benefits of upgrades to existing infrastructure and soft infrastructure items on the approved DC eligibility list.

So why do we want to regionalize our water, transport (maybe sometime out there in the future) and waste management within the nodes? What economic and administrative benefits will fall to us all here in New Tecumseth. Has we as a municipality been asked or have we given this Council and the Mayor a mandate to negotiate away our capital assets?

This would a matter best left till after the 2014 municipal elections and possibly after the next provincial government election which could called any time the outstanding 5 by-election dates are set.

In this writers opinion our Mayor is operating “way-outside of the box” in these matters and Council and staff should be raining him for the good of us all.

Gordon McInnes,

New Tecumseth

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