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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1998-12-09, Page 6ON $3.00 THURSDAYS Drop Into either of our offices any Thursday with your word classified (maximum 20 words) and pay only $3.00 (paid In advance). That's 01.00 off regular rates ERIONIECIDIERIMU= • • 'Zen No one likes to be told what to do. But you decide. Smoking Would you like to quit smoking? Would you like to help a friend quit? There is information to help. Like Quit 4 Life, a website (quit4life.com) for teenage smokers who really want to quit. Materials are also available on smoking prevention and second-hand smoke. Alcohol and Other Drugs What are drugs? Why do people use them? How do they affect your life? Even if you don't drink or use drugs, you probably know someone who does. We have information to help peers and youth groups deal with alcohol and other drug-related issues. Nutrition • • • IRAN you feel about yourself is very important. Good nutrition is all about making healthy food choices and achieving and maintaining a healthy weight. Canada's Food Guide to Healthy Eating can help you make the-right decisions so that you feel good about yourself. Fitness and Active Living Being active is another thing that can help you feel really good about yourself. Canada's Physical Activity Guide to Healthy Active Living can help you make choices about physical activity — choices that are right for you. For information on these and other Health Canada publications, please call: 1-800-OCanada (1-800-622-6232) TTY: 1-800-465-7735 Or visit us at: www.canada.gc.ca Canada Yeah, I want to feel good. For life. "...helping young people get ready for the future" PAGE 6. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 1998. Letter to the editor Resident offers amalgamation observations THE EDITOR, I would like to offer some observations on the amalgamation process with which Huron municipalities have been struggling for many months. Amalgamation represents a major structural change in which the old structure will be completely dismantled, and as quickly as possible, a new structure (or structures) will be set up with new management and new rules. It's important to get it right the first time. Otherwise, the area could be saddled with a dysfunctional structure for many years. If the newspaper reports are accurate, the deliberations of municipal councils and the county council have been very superficial. At the moment, the only concern being aired is who wants to link up with whom. Earlier, there were reports of some possible savings through staff reductions, sharing of equipment and facilities. None of the reports I have read indicate that any deep thinking is taking place about the consequences — good or bad — which will come out of the changes. And there is no evidence that the provincial government has anything to offer along these lines either. This kind of re-organization provides an opportunity to re- invent the concept of municipality, to improve upon what the old order provided. Missing an opportunity is just as serious as failure to foresee a problem. The existing municipal and county structure was devised over 100 years ago. It was mainly intended to manage a very limited range of services for quite homogenous communities: farming communities, or villages, or towns. The new amalgamated entities will be responsible for multiple communities, with different needs, with conflicting priorities, but whose interests must be impeccably represented and served, It seems that the politicians are applying a 19th century solution to a 21st century problem. It simply doesn't make sense. This mistake needs to be addressed before the die is cast. There are more important basic • questions to be answered, and it would be a good idea .for the politicians to ask the citizens of the area for some input on such questions. Here are a few examples: • How many local governments does it take to provide services to 60,000 people (the population of Huron County)? • What are the assets and strengths of Huron County that can be built upon and used to enable this area to sustain an excellent quality of life for all of its citizens? • What kind of local government structure is going to support sound economic planning and development to sustain a long term, viable future for this area — not just in agriculture, but in all sectors? • What kind of local government structure is going to foster strong, vibrant, attractive communities with an excellent quality of life? • What kind of local government is going to be responsive to the opportunities and needs of people and diverse communities, regardless of where they live within the area? • How can we ensure that, whatever new political structure is created, it remains open to, approachable by, and accountable to its citizens whether they live in a large community, small community, or in a rural area? What I am suggesting is that these difficult times for councils are also providing an opportunity to make things better. They do not need to be "hard times" as many people assume. We don't need to limit ourselves to an old outdated model or vision. Our aim should be to devise a better model — not a clumsy patchwork of mistakes and compromises. Let's recognize that the old municipal and county structures are irrelevant now, that we can start with a blank slate, create a new future that is more in keeping with the needs and realities of today. Sincerely yours, Brock Vodden.