Ding!
A ringing bell greeted speakers who neared a five minute deadline imposed during a recent public meeting in Erin about a proposed bylaw forcing 107 homes to connect to the municipal water system.
Many bemoaned that deadline, arguing the town was somehow trying to cut them short or that the issue was far too complex to limit comments to five minutes. But truth be told, the deadline, which was not strictly enforced, was necessary to keep the meeting moving because there were so many speakers.
If you can’t make your point in five minutes, chances are you can’t make it all.
Clearly some at the meeting agreed with that sentiment, as Mayor Lou Maieron was serenaded at least once with a chorus of vocal “Dings” from the audience when he went on, ad nauseam, about the justification for the proposed bylaw.
However, in this instance, whether residents agree or not – or even like it or not – the town is taking the proper steps to ensure consistent water quality and to meet provincial guidelines.
Sure, the move should have been made years ago when the water mains were first put in place, and yes, the cost will be a major burden to every home affected.
But council has to deal with the current situation as best as possible, and the town has even offered several concessions to residents – including reducing the number of “triggers” that will lead to the mandatory connection and offering reasonable, amortized payment options – in an attempt to mitigate the impact on taxpayers.
That being said, if our home was one of the 107 in question, we likely would have been at the meeting arguing against the bylaw. No families we know can afford to pay $12,000 to $20,000 for a proposal that will essentially provide the same service they already receive.
Cost aside, there is one thing that has rubbed us the wrong way from the beginning: the poor communication on both sides.
Residents have repeatedly ignored the agenda and failed to display the decorum that is expected at council meetings. We understand the frustration, but yelling out, heckling, name calling and personal attacks serve no purpose other than to detract from those who are making legitimate points. Maieron was right in pointing out some residents at the meeting were being disrespectful.
“Yes, I’ve been rude tonight, and I’m proud of it,” one woman shamefully announced (to applause, no less) at the end of her address to council.
On the other side, while town officials have conducted themselves reasonably well at the water bylaw meetings, they have failed miserably when it comes to keeping residents informed.
Time and time again, the powers that be in Erin have incorrectly assumed that simply posting meeting dates on the town website is sufficient notice for residents, or even the two local Newspapers for that matter, which are seldom informed about special council meetings.
With the mayor currently complaining about inadequate internet service in the municipality, it should be abundantly clear the town’s website is not the best tool available for announcing special meetings.
Yet even the town’s Newspaper ads about the water bylaw failed to adequately explain the real impact the bylaw would have on residents. And town officials sent letters directly to those affected – but only after one resident made that specific request of staff and council.
It’s no wonder some residents feel council was trying to push the bylaw through without most people noticing. Whether it was intentional or not, that’s exactly how it looked.
And while the decision cannot be put off forever, if town officials were smart, they’d hold off on making a final decision on the water bylaw until after the summer, so residents do not feel duped again.
It will certainly be interesting to see what happens with the mandatory water connection bylaw. To date only one thing remains clear: it is well past time for some better communication from everyone involved.
Ding!
