I want to thank Bill Levesque for writing a very poignant letter concerning the Howard-Allen Cost Sharing Agreement with Carleton Place. This issue, however, has been in the papers and discussed with council members for several months. Perhaps following Bill’s letter we should review the history.
There is a voting block in our current council. The issue driving them to sit on council was the intention to reverse the previous council’s decision regarding the Don Maynard Park in Almonte. At a cost of over half a million dollars to the taxpayers of Mississippi Mills this decision was reversed. At the last council meeting, I attended Councillor Guerard said she was sure she could find the necessary funds to offset the debt. Well, here it is.
Late in 2021, A decision was made to withdraw from the library portion of the Howard Allen Agreement. Ms. Guerard was heard to say that Mississippi Mills was not a bank disregarding the impact of this decision on hundreds of library users in the South Ramsay region she presumably represents. Articles in the newspapers and letters to council have not made any impact. Residents in Mississippi Mills correctly point out that there is a wonderful library in Almonte so, access to Carleton Place library was not necessary.
The loss of financial support for the library in Carleton Place has been significant. It seems obvious that the council in Carleton Place was going to have to find a way to offset the financial impact. Withdrawing from the whole agreement was obvious. Who is going to pay the price—residents of Mississippi Mills.
I have felt for some time that this council and particularly the 4 person voting block has not taken into account the ease and flow of life and relationships between Mississippi Mills, Almonte and Beckwith.
We are paying a financial and a social price for this.
Thanks, Bill, for bring this issue back into the public eye. Hopefully, enough people will write to council before the 25th.
Joyce Clinton
South Ramsay resident