Clr. O'Donnell Parkway Will Not Get Paved This Summer

You should have been a last night's meeting just to see John O'Donnell's face when he was told his route home along Concession 9, most likely woundn't get paved this summer. The purposed costs of $323 000 more then doubled when geological testing confirmed the current substructure of the roadway is not suitable for paving.

The Township's Roads Manager gave some background into the history of Conc. 9.
The basic substructure goes back to pioneer times when the roadway was first opened Trees were felled, and year after year stone was was placed on top. The geological testing showed that the initial layer of topsoil had never been removed, and provides an unstable platform for asphalt.

The added cost for this project comes from the need to remove this layer of topsoil, prior to paving. Unfortunately first you have to remove generations of crushed stone, to get to the layer of topsoil. This would include the truckloads of stone put down in March, of this year.

So what does that mean for the state of the rest of the roads in the township. In 2003 the township conducted a "Roads Needs Study," at great expense to ratepayers. Is this study now worthless? Why didn't the study document the condition of roads like Conc. 9? How many other roads have suspect foundations? The Roads Manager was asked by council this same question. He did not have a database to reference, rather listed roads of the top of his head, that had its' layer of topsoil removed.

In the private sector people would have been fired for such negligence. Finally I understand why this township roads are so bad. What makes it worse is that fact that municipal staff were aware of these deficiencies, and did nothing about it.

At the meeting where the township approved is disharmonous water rate, I asked the Township's Clerk what is the state of it municipal water infastructure. He could not answer me, since he did not know. There was no database.

In regards to the state of the township's roads, I read the 2007 Roads Needs Study, and had a basic understanding of our roads. Now one has to look at this expensive study with reservation, given its' deficiencies, established by the findings tabled at this meeting.

What other potential municipal infastructure time-bombs are out there? The Township's 10 Year Capital Budget is suspect and should be revised.

Rarama Council should immediately request the township to undertake an immediate audit of it assets, so that a determination of the "State of Township" Infastucture can be established. As well Councilmust also review the performance of senior municipal staff and determine if changes are necessary there as well.

The township will now used the budgeted amount of $323 000 to rehabilite the foundation of Conc. 9, leaving $0 to pave it. This is the tip of the iceberg.

All Ramara Ratepayers are going to be liable for the costs a years of poor planning, and mismanagement. Mistakes that will continue to be made over and over again because it is apparent that it is not learning from its' mistakes, and keep on using deficient methods and processes.

The time has come for the Township of Ramara to install a Quality Improvement Program, so that ratepayers can be assured they are getting the most out of their local government.