HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1992-07-22, Page 6PAGE 6. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, JULY 22,1992.
Letters
THE EDITOR,
Raymond Story's play, The
Glorious 12th, currently playing at
your Festival is one of Blyth's best.
Without minimizing the perform
ances of the others, we wish to
commend the truly fine effort of
Marianne Copithome as Meggie.
Your readers should be informed
that this is a show that should not
be missed. Talent in writing and
acting is what has made Blyth
famous and this is a prime
example.
Wilk and Ed Gillin
RR 1, Ripley.
THE EDITOR,
I would like to comment on the
recent decision of the Brussels
Council to purchase an ad for $133
and the B. M. & G. arena board to
allow the Bulls Hockey team free
arena rental for their 10th
anniversary Oldtimers game.
I think that council has purchased
ads congratulating places and
people on anniversaries or openings
and I don't find this a problem. I do
however, feel that justifying it by
saying the Bulls have brought a lot
of money into town and have spent
money at the arena for ice rental is
wrong. We must remember that any
payment to the arena is for a
service. The Bulls receive the use
of the ice which includes cleaning,
hydro and upkeep of the building.
The Figure Skating Club, the
Intermediate Hockey team and any
other organization using the arena
also pay for this service. They are
all receiving something for their
money; in other words it's not a
donation.
As for bringing money into town;
I'm not sure what this means. I
believe the fans who attend the
hockey games pay to get in; this
payment goes to the Bulls, who in
turn use this to offset their costs.
I'm not sure how this means money
for the town.
The true donators and money
bringers into this town are the
many volunteers, who belong to the
various non-profit organizations.
The money for the pool, the ball
park, the work on the school yard
and the insurances for the arena
was donated by these organiza
tions. The work was all done on a
volunteer basis. These are the
people who should be receiving
free things for their fundraising
events. They donate everything
back to the community.
Will the Optimists or Lions be
receiving free arena rental?
Because whatever criteria was used
to allow the Bulls to use the arena
for nothing should apply to all who
use it.
Beth Crawford
Brussels, Ontario.
THE EDITOR,
The following lines were penned,
for publication in The Citizen, prior
to Oct. 5/91 election, for reeve and
councillors. It missed: Now again it
seems applicable. To those who
aspire to political office - “Show
Us”.
You say that you deserve success;
Pilch in and start to show us.
We think that you deserve far less
And ought to be below us.
It's up to you and what you do;
Mere empty words won’t change our
view.
Come prove our viewpoint isn't true!
Results are all that we will count;
If you can climb, begin and mount!
Present your case - we’re on the
Jury:
But all of us are from Missouri.
- Verne D.
I suggest that anything worth
saving is never thrown out, or
discarded. I have a long memory. It
does seem that Blyth council has
had many problems, past and
present. I and many concerned
citizens wonder “why”. The
editorial July 15 Citizen regarding
changes in council was disturbing
and petty. We the people were the
electorate, we made our choice.
Those outside who would like to
manipulate must remember they
were not elected and must butt out
Any person in an official
position, serving the village,
deserves the co-operation and
support of all citizens. Criticism,
close to slander, is a reflection on
the character of those who would
be guilty of it
Verne (Scrimgeour) Dakin.
THE EDITOR,
With the announcement in
volume 8 issue 27 of The Citizen,
that councillor John Elliott was
tendering his resignation after
serving eight short months, of a
three year term of office; I am
prodded into this response.
What would prompt a dedicated
booster of the Village of Blyth, to
resign so suddenly? In patiently
retracing council reports through
back issues of The Citizen, one can
only interpret a feeling that seems
to suggest some political jostling
over issues such as maintaining
control and being a diligent watch
dog of ail expenditures; no matter
how previous councils may have
viewed the expenditures or
projects.
Having served as a former
Council member of the village of
Blyth for over 12 years; it is of
common knowledge that an
incoming council has no obligation
to commit its members or any
funds to the schemes and plans of
past council, the exception being an
obligation to repay debentures or
accounts for finished projects of
previous council.
It grieves me to think, that just a
short eight-and-a-half months ago,
we had an election in Blyth; at
which time the ratepayers turned
out in almost record numbers to
elect a council. There had been a
candidates meeting, in the forum of
an old time “town hall meeting”;
and although poorly attended by
the ratepayers of Blyth; the
candidates all had a chance to
respond to the public. Further to
this meeting, The Citizen provided
space for each candidate to state his
or her personal platform and policy,
if elected.
This was a spirited campaign,
with all the candidates mounting
some sort of canvass or solicitation
of the ratepayers, while seeking
their votes. It goes without saying,
that certain problems or misunder
standings fraught the election right
from the start, to some degree
plaguing the election right through
to the counting of the ballots. There
were upsets and surprises, but a
council was elected. What has
transpired in the meantime?
At the time of the election, I put
some verses together, using my pen
name “Sweetgrass”, which was
circulated to every mail box in
Blyth. The Citizen also ran a copy.
I'd like to quote from the last two
verses of that writing.
What makes a politician, from people
just like you?
What makes them tick, accept abuse,
as all of them must do?
Lord hiows it's not the glory, the pay
won't make them rich.
Why do they choose to miss good
sleep, maybe end up with an itch.
It's civic pride that motivates, that
drives these people on.
Or something stems from an abuse, or
something has gone wrong.
Because they all are human flesh,
mistakes are sometimes made.
It’s then they'll walk that "lonesome
mile," to retirement in the shade.
I have known former councillor
Elliott for the last 47 years. When
he became old enough to become a
policy forming member of his
family’s business I quickly learned
he was a challenging adversary in
debate. He liked to win an
argument equally as well as I did,
but was always open to the other
person's view point. Quick to offer
his advice, if asked for it, but never
despotic. Another reason I have to
ask; - why has he resigned?
Returning to the reports of the
Blyth council meetings, one can
imagine with some conjecture, that
for a councillor, who had made a
policy statement as a candidate at
the “town hall” meeting, that if
elected he would dedicate himself
to cautionary examination of
expenditures, and would do
anything prudent in the pursuit of
essential expenditures for goods
and services that was within his
power to negotiate.
It might have become a case of
complete and utter frustration to
learn that further sizeable
expenditures were anticipated by
the Clerk/Treasurer of Blyth, for
the village office when submitting
the 1992 budget to council for
approval. When a discussion arose
over these office expenditures, it
was noted by other council
members; that these were only
proposals! I seem to remember
other proposals only, that somehow
became ongoing projects.
In volume 8, issue 21, of The
Citizen I find certain statements
attributed to the Clerk/Treasurer of
Blyth slightly less than
preposterous - if the card playing
ratepayers, and their guests, are
responsible Sor the escalation in the
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