I have to congratulate the "Group of 7" (a/k/a Ramara's Council) for taking their show on the road. As a proponent of participative, open and transparent government, I was quite impressed by the significant turnout by Ramara's Citizens. I hope the "Group of 7" agree with me that this was a good meeting, in that council heard from their constituents. We can only hope they were listening!
The issue of the night was a proposal to integrate the municipal water system into a single, unified entity. Currently in Ramara their are settlement areas that have their own water treatment facilities. The cost to build and maintain each individual system is bourne by each local community. It is a user pay system, in that only homes linked to the network pay for the system's operation and upkeep. These fees vary between each individual system due to its size, design, quality, age and the number of households linked to it. These fees can be quite varied between each system.
If the township were to unify the system and create single municipal wide water rate, the would be winners and there would be losers. Some fees would go up. Some would go down. This point was the reason for the night's vocal attendence. I am lucky I have my own well and don't pay into the municipal system, and I attend these meetings to ensure that the "Group of 7" don't sneak any water costs onto the Gen'l Expenditures, and have all ratepayers subsidize the municipal water system.
From individual deputations I found out there is a significant variation in the quality of the water, among the individual water systems. Certain neighbourhoods pay for water that is no better then the water that comes out of my well, which I get for free. I believe that Ramara needs to address these differences in quality before the system is unified. What comes out of the tap in system has to be of equal quality to the water coming out of another. If this is not the case, I would not support a move to a unified system.
Ramara council needs to address this variation in quality. Council needs to consider the concerns voiced on this night. Ramara council needs to weigh the needs of each community against the best interests of all ratepayers in Ramara.
Listening to the people tonite was a start. A very good start. Much of the success for this night has to go to Ward 1 Clr. White, who was able to get these deputations onto the agenda at the last minute. This is open and transparency in government.
Ramara council the people have spoken, where you listening?
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