HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1997-10-15, Page 6Opinion
CrustyCampbell comments on council
Town employees have
asked for a one per cent 1bo bad so f
I don't know all the ins and t►' tt-a n con
-
I t i ng, s 1, propgg _
outs of it, but Coun. Brian by Gregor Campbell spouting, social -engineering,
Ferguson, who was speaking so-called "professional" edu-
for the town's negotiating calors (who nobody also
committee, said something to elected) haven't done like -
this effect near the end of last wise.
week's meeting of Seaforth During this particular coun-
Council. I was almost asleep "t+ ell's tenure, and especially in
at the time. But the report the last year, much in t
came scant seconds after �.;
ture work has been happen- t
deputy -reeve Bill Teall men- r`,�, ing in town -library, side- c
tiered such matters dealing • walks, roadwork and water- i
with personnel were probably tower: i
more properly discussed, This is good. Seaforth t
until resolved, "in camera" in Council has played our cards
committee of the whole, from well for concrete results, w
which the press is quite though the Ss have mainly o
appropriately and legally come from our pockets via w
excluded. taxes and transfe fro
ard. y kip o our self
righteous,
increase across the bo
Scuttlebutt
or home doing the "con-
ing" thing.
Public service ain't what it
used to be.
Our local politicians aren't
getting fat on the public
purse in this town.
They don't have a lot of
room or leeway to do so in
he current context of restruc-
uring, what with all the
hanges that have taken place
n the ground rules of politics
n this province over the past
wo governments.
Nobody knows exactly
here they stand these days,
r how the old pork barrel
orks in these Orwejlian
After waking me u
council was still in o
Sion, Coun. Ferguson
over to my little nest
asked me nicely not t
in the paper.
No hard feelings, bu
should know better.
Because I'm a repo
And I'm doing exac
opposite, which is wh
almost always do at a
meeting when someon
and tells me not to put
they have just said or done in
the paper.
I put it up top, front row
and centre.
If you want to keep some-
thing a secret then don't tell
it to anybody, and that goes
double for a reporter.
Keeping secrets is not my
line of work.
I'll tell you if it's "off the
record." I'll ask you before
and I'll keep my word.
It is also not my job to
make you look good, do
public relations for you o
write press releases. We
an advertising department
that does this. You pay fo
It is how they pay my sala
I am a reporter.
My job is to be the eyes
the ears of the public.
No more, no less.
It is not my job -to cover
protect, build up, tear dow
or give my opinion (nobod
elected me) about council or
anything else I am assigned
to cover.
A FACT ISA FACT
It is my job to tell you who,
what, where, why, when and
how, in a clear, readable,
accurate and concise manner.
It is also my business to wri
stories and take pictures wit
whatever flair I can muster,
that fit between the ads and
help sell this "news"paper.
If "the people," who aren't
necessarily there, would hay
heard it at any public meet-
ing, then so did I, although
few ever bother to go.
If I stick to reporting what I
hear and see and spell it
write, I think my readers
have enough brains to make
up their own minds.
It is not my job to be neces-
sarily positive or your basic
"Dial -A -Jingo" for council,
Seaforth, God, hearth, home,
p, while le
pen ses-
came hospital, charities, Huron Po
and County, the province,
o put it Premier Mike Harris, dehi
Canada, the species or the gr
t he planet.
se
I am eyes and ears, with an doe
rter. open mind and in nobody's up
tly the pocket.
at I list
If you say or do it in a pub- er i
public lic meeting, you have said or him
e turns done it.
what H
Period. mi
LACAC learned the same int.,
thing the hard way during the Th
term of this council. afra
If it is in the minutes of a time
public meeting, volunteer or war
otherwise, it's a fact you like
can't dance around. song
Facts are my bread and but- will
ter. For the truth doth make affor
us free.
But now, u Thi
upon my horse on musi
high, near the conclusion nt
rs
vels of government
THE BEST OF THE
For my money the
litician on this coup
puty-reeve Teal!, w
s homework, doesn'
randstand, is fair, has
nse of proportion an
sn't act like he has
his mind until he h
ened and weighed w
ssue happens to be
e is also an educato
ght add, not to be suc
m other times of political correctness.
. It is simply not true that
LOT rural Ontario gets short shrift
best from our urban counterparts
cil is when it comes to political
ho does representation.
t The facts and numbers say
a exactly the opposite, and very
d dramatically so.
made We have far more politi-
as first cians than we need per capita
hatev- in Seaforth and Huron
before County. The big bad cities
have far too few, if represen-
r, I tation by population is what
ked you are looking at.
my own stereotype
e deputy -reeve is n
id to ask hard questi
s when others feel a
d. Sometimes he sou
a broken record, sin
s such as, "How mu
this cost?" and; "Ca
d this?"
s broken record is li
c to my tight little t
s. I don't think a town of a lit-
ot tle more than 2,000 like
ons at Seaforth needs four council-
wk- lors, a deputy -reeve, reeve
nds and mayor.
ging I think if there were fewer
ch politicians around here the
n we ones that were left would
have more clout.
ke Maybe someone would lis-
ten to them.
ax -
g ears, convinced as
at I can make far be
f the money I make
overnment can.
o like the Reeve Bi1
tt's style. He says
on his mind and let
ips fall where they
ur reeve also has a
ing sense of perspec-
nd an exuberant wit.
omes across as some
Charlie Farqueson,
ou listen closely, what
t says is often well
istening to. He's bee
and is really rather
ike some kind of sly
fox, silver, of course
tt has been on
Council for 23
e has been reeve
86.
our current council's three- am tn h
year term, the time for an odd use o
your observation and personal
g
opinion, clearly so labeled, is any
have nigh. I al
OPINIONS AWAY! what's
what's
r it. I am ideally placed to play the ch
ry• the expert, having covered all may. 0
but two Seaforth Council refresh
and meetings in the term.
On both occasions my Hfive' a
hockey team wasgoingkind c
great of
for, guns in the playoffs. It
t
n became a question of riori- but y
y tics. What was really m Bennet
As I see it, this would be a
tter step in the right direction.
than Then our municipal politics
here might become less the
1 same old story, similar to the
tale about the ant crawling up
the elephant's leg with the
s intention of rape.
important in the overall Forth I
around
scheme things.
craft I
So I skipped council. y'
I'm not a big fan of politi- county
cians of any stripe. They Benne
Seaforth
come and go and kiss babies,
years.
and tend to get puffed upy
with what they think is heir since Ther19
r
to own importance. e
h And they cut into your sail- personal!
ing time.Forcefdependin
Nevertheless... seems la
u
This council has been tradi- NOT
tionally conservative, fiscally They ea
c prudent and responsible to us however,
ratepayers.
This year
The portion of our local total of $ 1
mill rate that municipal coun- their own
cil controls is now lower than This the
it was in 1991:
Holdingthe line for six going ho a
Ings, wee
years doesn't leave you a lot and pass t
of slack. talk about
Our representatives have should be
not spent what they don't the OPP o
have, and probably won't be Street. Pers
getting. prefer to be
st of this council I
y can take or leave;
g on the issue.
1 leadership often
cking.
GETTING RICH
rn what they make
which isn't a lot.
they budgeted a
9,030 for all of
remuneration.
y get mostly by
lot of boring meet -
re they support this
hat, and sometimes
whether the blinds
open or closed at
ffice on Main
onally I would
out on the Take,
Thank you
Dear Editor:
A big thank you goes out to
the Seaforth Agricultural
Society and the citizens of
this arca for their generous
Districtrth and
support of the c Foodbank at the he Fall
Fair. The Foodbank continues
to operate Tuesdays 10 a.m.
for support of foodbank
to 12 noon., Thursdays 1 ed the Foodbank with much
p.m. to 3 p.m. and the third needed food for the
Saturday of the month 10 our community. 1pleof
a.m. to 12 noon at the back of
Town Hall (old police sta-
tion) serving an average of 45
households per month. The
Food Drive and Backhoe
Basketball event have provid-
Deborah Bennett
Chairperson
Seaforth and District
Foodbank
Celebrating Community Su
Dear Editor: the Y Support Month
t
Each year Town and and hard tworkof ourdedication
Country Support Services staff and 500 volunteers who
(TCSS) joins with Ontario provide community and in -
Community Support home services to seniors and
Association and sister organi- others in special need.
zations across Ontario and Please join with us in rec-
Canada to celebrate ognizing and showing our
Community Support Month. appreciation to the front-line
This year the Minister staff and volunteers who pro -
Responsible for Seniors in
Ontario was also pleased to vidework; Meals oWheels,
community support
officially recogize the Diners Programs, Volunteer
Ontario Community Support Driving, Home Maintenance,
Association as we celebrate Telephone Reassurance,
Community Support Month. Friendly Visiting,
TCSS is pleased to honor
Respite/Caregiver Relief,
Information needed for Kinlo
Dear Editor: book. Ifyou or
The Township of ancestors lived here,
Kinloss in Bruce County please send information
is compiling a 'history to: Joan Barr, R.R. 2,
Homemaking/Personal
Support Services. These ser-
vices help to improve the
quality of life for residents of
Huron County requiring sup-
port and care.
Thank you for helping "To
Keep Good Homes Going" in
Wuron County.
Sincerely,
Jim Rose
Board of Directors
'Ibwn and Country Support
Services
lean Young
Executive Director
s
s history book
Holyrood, NOG 280,
395-2418, or Marian Zinn,
R.R. 2, Lucknow, NOG
'2H0, 328-3710.
Joan Barr
n
MINION UPOINT011, o•t ,1 I, 1907-41
Views expressed on our opinion pa
necessarily represent those of The don't
=Expositor or Bowes Publishers. The Huron
tor reserves the right to edit letters to the
or to refuse pubncedon
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