South Colchester - Harrow Action Committee (SCHAC)

Fed-up grandmother to run for mayor of Essex

2010-02-25T09:39:00.001-05:00

A Harrow grandmother says she’s fed up with all the political grandstanding that’s gone on over amalgamation in Essex.

“We have a dysfunctional council and it needs to be changed,” said Dunn, a frequent observer at council meetings the last few years. “I just got a big mad on.”

In the last election, candidates were misleading voters by suggesting amalgamation could be undone, said Dunn. “All of those men knew it would never happen.”

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Essex arena garners praise

2009-04-09T08:33:00.002-04:00

"Things are getting better," said Mayor Ron McDermott. He donned a hardhat and heavy boots for the hour-long tour by Loaring Construction officials.

McDermott says he doesn't get any more angry calls and e-mails since the town, County of Essex and province all rejected de-amalgamation.

No doubt some critics will resurface in the 2010 municipal elections, says McDermott, who plans to run again as mayor.

And McDermott says there are still "diehards" in both ends of town not convinced the aging Memorial Arena nearby had to be replaced.

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10 years later, amalgamation's efficiency questioned

2009-01-10T15:46:00.002-05:00

10 years later, amalgamation's efficiency questioned
By Doug Williamson, The Windsor Star
January 9, 2009

On Jan. 1, 1999, amalgamation transformed Essex County from 21 municipalities to seven, and like other communities, Harrow was swallowed up in the process.

Amalgamation was forced on Essex County and other areas by the former Mike Harris government in the name of efficiency.

The ultimate goal was to save money, but 10 years later the jury's still out on that and any other benefits.

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NDP hopeful courts de-amalgamation vote

2009-01-02T18:08:00.004-05:00

NDP hopeful courts de-amalgamation vote
By Kevin Werner, Metroland West Media Group
News Jan 02, 2009

Provincial New Democratic leadership hopeful Michael Prue is cozying up to the area’s de-amalgamation activists. While the Progressive Conservatives and Liberals have washed their hands of de-amalgamating municipalities such as Hamilton and Kawartha Lakes, Prue is proposing his party support the Quebec model and allow referendums on whether to permit de-amalgamations to occur.

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Southern Essex separatists vow to keep fighting, Windsor Star

2008-12-05T09:23:00.002-05:00

Southern Essex separatists vow to keep fighting
Gary Rennie, Windsor Star
Published: Friday, December 05, 2008

ESSEX - In yet another blow to the citizens' group that wants to divide the town, Ontario Municipal Affairs Minister Jim Watson is praising Essex council for focusing on unification.

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1st Town Hall Meeting

2008-12-01T16:56:00.003-05:00

Thank you, to all who took the time to attend our first Town Hall Meeting at the Agricultural Bldg in Harrow this past Sunday, November 30th.

We especially appreciated the hearing the different views that were offered.

We are interested in a few immediate goals. First, we'd like to get this 'Blogspot' arranged by Chris Marrentte, up and running.

All I can say is, "Get on board and begin writing constructive thoughts and ideas." Your input is what makes a place like this a success.

We'd like feedback from those who attended Sunday's meeting....??

We'd like your ideas on how to boost attendance at similar meetings...?
Which days (or evenings) might be better for everyone..?? How frequently..??

Looking forward to hearing from everyone...!!

Stardustor

What's wrong with this picture?

2008-11-30T18:20:00.002-05:00

Please, tell us! Leave your comments below.

Essex De-Amalgamation Update, November 19th, 2007

2008-11-30T18:12:00.009-05:00

Essex De-Amalgamation Update

In our continuing search for information that will help us win our de-amalgamation battle, we’ve recently uncovered some surprising, but infuriating, news.

The facts we’ve come across now lead us to realize that many of our Provincial Legislators (MPP’s), prior to any amalgamations, were aware of the disruptions and the confusion they were about to bring upon large numbers of municipalities and their citizens.

On December 19, 1996, Dalton McGuinty, then leader of the opposition, stated while in the legislature, “With each passing day, people are becoming more and more aware that your Mega-city madness is about three things: Mega-Taxes, Mega-Cuts to services and Mega-Dictatorship by the province.”

During the year between December 1996 and December 1997, on at least 22 separate occasions, Mr. McGuinty made similar public statements in the legislature, expressing his party’s strong opposition to municipal amalgamations. John Gerretsen made nearly as many public expressions of his opposition to municipal mergers. Today, they’re singing a different song.

Subsequently, The prestigious C.D. Howe Institute of Toronto, published the results of an extensive research project they had completed. The report was entitled….“Local Government Amalgamations – Discredited Nineteenth-Century Ideals Alive in the Twenty-First.” The main thrust of their research concluded that, “Smaller, more flexible local governments are much better able to provide services and governance, at less cost, than monolithic amalgamations.”

If you want something that complicates a belief in God, try coming to terms with a legislature packed with individuals claiming to be among God’s special creatures..??

These lawmakers were aware that the actions they were taking would quite likely bring about chaos, confusion and municipal disarray.

We should all be very, very angry…!! Furious..!! Mad-as-hell.

Bruce Macdonald
South Colchester – Harrow Action Committee

-Letter to the editor, November 19, 2007

Premier looking to buy our vote on election day, September 16th, 2007

2008-11-30T18:08:00.008-05:00

Premier looking to buy our vote on election day

Our Ontario premier is to be congratulated. He's come up with a creative, new approach for financing his re-election campaign.

I'm certain that many have noticed the recent flurry of announcements telling us that some of our pet projects are now to be given financial boosts from the coffers of the provincial government.

Recently, we were told that a surplus of more than $2 billion was discovered "hidden away" somewhere in the cash drawers of our provincial treasury, coincidentally weeks away from the next election.

He's industriously funding a plethora of local pet projects, attempting to buy our favour come election day. He's hoping to influence our decision at the polls come Oct.10. Ingenious.

All this is being done at our expense, with our tax dollars, with our tax refunds, with our tax breaks, with our tax cuts.

Normally, government funding of various projects proceeds at the speed of an aging pachyderm. Come election time, I'm amazed at the alacrity, the acceleration, the ability to grease the wheels (palms?) of their spending apparatus.

There ought to be a law.

BRUCE MACDONALD

Harrow

-Letter to the editor, sent to various papers September 16th 2007(?)

Media Statement

2008-11-30T18:07:00.004-05:00

This de-amalgamation issue has been simmering just beneath the
surface of public opinion for the past eight years. Amalgamation was first imposed on us by the provincial government back in 1999. The local citizenry had no direct say in the process.

They stole from us, …our local heritage..!!

Almost immediately there was a strong backlash against the
compulsory union which mandated the present-day Town of Essex.

An earlier de-amalgamation petition drive, which was also aimed at
restoring the pre-existing local municipal structure, was supported by most, including our present Mayor.

That initial effort, lacking effective organization, fizzled and eventually, with the hope that we would ‘Go Away’, began gathering dust on the shelves of the bureaucracy Ministry of Municipal Affairs & Housing in Queen’s Park.

In our current de-amalgamation effort, we here in Harrow &Colchester South are not an isolated example. Throughout Ontario,there is widespread dissatisfaction with this forced, dysfunctional approach to “Mega-Municipal” style of government.

The Provincial Government promises of streamlined, more efficient and
accountable local government, the provision of better services at
reduced costs, have proven to be nothing more than bureaucratic
fairytales. Anticipated transition costs to area taxpayers have far exceeded expectations.

The vast majority of the residents of Harrow & Colchester South,
independent of political party affiliation, are voicing their opinion of the present situation. …..They are dissatisfied and demanding change.

They believe that they have a democratic right to evaluate and, on their
own, decide on their future direction in terms of services and local
government structure.

We intend to investigate all our options. We intend to proceed steadily along a conventional course and to take such further and other actions as may be deemed necessary to help us realize our democratic rights.

We are not going to allow this effort to get lost in the limbo of the
bureaucratic maze in Queen’s Park. We fully intend to press forward,
relentlessly, to attain our rightful goals.

South Colchester - Harrow Action Committee

Press Release, June 2007

2008-11-30T17:51:00.005-05:00

A group of concerned citizens has organized an effort to circulate petitions among the residents of Harrow & Colchester South seeking citizen approval to de-amalgamate and separate from the present Town of Essex.

Our goals include returning control of our local government to local citizens and to put a stop to thoughts of spending our tax dollars on a new arena.

Volunteers to help with petitions and canvassing will be welcomed.

In 1999, the former municipalities of Harrow, Colchester South, Colchester North & the old Town of Essex were, without local citizen approval, amalgamated into a single governmental unit. This forced amalgamation process was instituted on many provincial municipalities by the Harris Government’s “Common Sense Revolution”.

In most cases, this amalgamation is not working…!! It has proven to be disastrous, ….in more ways than one

Provincially, some 177 smaller, local governing units were “amalgamated” into 24 regional amalgamations. Currently, 17 of those forced amalgamations are going through various stages of attempting to “De-amalgamate”, to return to their previous form of local government.

The basic reasons for the lack of acceptance by the public to these forced amalgamations and the fundamental cause of the ensuing public outcry is that the local citizenry in these involved communities did not have a voice in making the decision.

The unfortunate belief by the Provincial Government that these forced amalgamations would be easily and widely accepted has been a colossal misjudgment on the part of the senior bureaucrats in Toronto and Queen’s Park. Instead, it has proven to be a seriously flawed process that has resulted in escalating taxes, higher costs, anger, suspicion, feelings of betrayal, loss of local control, unrest and deep divisions within these communities.

Examples are all around us in Southern Ontario as evidenced by formation of similar groups such as ours in: Chatham-Kent, London area –Alsa Craig, Flamborough, Glanworth and others in the Hamilton Region, Kawartha Lakes, Fenelon Falls, Lindsay; Orleans, Gloucester and others in the Ottawa-Carleton Region, ….the list goes on.

Then there’s the Ontario De-amalgamation Network (ODN), Voices of Central Ontario (VOCO), and the newly formed Ontario Landowners Association (OLA).

For us, amalgamation has produced a dysfunctional government. Contrary to earlier promises, taxes and costs have been increasing, better, more efficient service delivery hasn’t happened, less bureaucracy and streamlined government are unrealistic pipe-dreams..!!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

2008-11-30T17:49:00.008-05:00

If we leave the Town of Essex, where will we go?

Harrow & Colchester South did not need to amalgamated for any financial reasons. The amalgamation was imposed on us for political reasons by Queens Park. We will be able to return to our previous status, united under a single local governing body of our own choosing.

Wouldn't it be better to help to improve the situation within the Town of Essex than start a painful re-organizing over again?

Our councilors have attempted to provide the Town council with well researched, common sense proposals which reflect the concerns of Harrow and Colchester South. In most instances, they have been over-ruled by the controlling majority of 'old' Essex councilors.

Why don't we simply get everyone to sign a petition showing the overwhelming support for de-amalgamation and take it to the government in power?

We have been down that road before. Early petitions stalled in the Town Hall & Ministry of Municipal Affairs. The rest is history.

Is the situation really as bad as some people are saying?

The Town of Essex has been poorly managed and is in debt $25 million. It stands to reason that this will only to get worse in future years with debt increasing to cover the costs of the proposed new arena.

What can be expected in tax increases for the coming years?

Harrow & Colchester South has been hit with a 3% municipal tax increase this year. This year's typical $2,000.00 residential tax bill will have swelled to approximately $2,325.00 over the next five years. ...and that's not using any built-in inflation factor...!!! We have an Urban Economics professional researching this topic. Results will be made available in the upcoming weeks.

Why would a petition work now when it failed to achieve de-amalgamation in the previous attempt?

A petition is a strong show of support for the committee to use which will indicate the overwhelming desire to leave the Town of Essex. However, the committee feels that we need to also be prepared to pursue legal action if necessary.

Will we pay for de-amalgamating and what would the cost be?

A figure of $13 million has been suggested. That number represents 50% of current debt and is purely subjective. It should be noted that all the infrastructure that was in place prior to amalgamation i still in existence and available to us.

However, our position is that as the Province forced us into this amalgamation, the Province should be held responsible for getting us out of this untenable situation.

The $25 million figure divided among the residents of the Town of Essex represents about $2800.00 per household. In most cases, that is far less that the anticipated tax increases over the next ten years. The sooner we act, the better..!

There will still be municipal taxes..!! Our objective, our philosophy, is that municipal taxes and major expenditures should be subject to the democratic will of our own community, sound business principles and approval of local community members..!!

How long would the process take?

If the case of de-amalgamation in a Montreal area community is a model, then it could take a matter of months. The present Ontario Provincial Government lacks the political will to do so and is deferring to un-elected advisors within the bureaucracy who are affecting our ability to determine our own course of action.

Who are the committee members? Are they being paid?

The committee is made up of concerned citizens who are prepared to lead the way for de-amalgamation. No one is being paid, it is strictly done on a volunteer basis with a commitment to the good of their community.

SCHAC Mission Statement

2008-11-30T17:47:00.004-05:00

To have the Legislative Assembly of Ontario rescind the forced amalgamation order and return our local municipal government to the local citizens and their democratically elected officials in Harrow and Colchester South.

REASONS:

The citizens of Harrow & Colchester South had no direct say in the creation of the new Town of Essex.
The government by regulation and legislation forced the recent amalgamation, against the will of the obvious majority of the people.
The government has not delivered the promised streamlined, more efficient and accountable local government, nor the provision of better services at reduced costs.
The promise of tax decreases by the Provincial Government has not been met.
The expected transition costs to area taxpayers of this forced amalgamation have already exceeded the promised amount.

BELIEFS:

The Committee to Reinstate Harrow and Colchester South is independent of political party affiliation. It will however, use its lobbying power and influence on the Provincial Government as well as that of the Town of Essex to achieve the above objective. It believes that the communities of Harrow and Colchester South and its citizens have a democratic right to evaluate and decide on their future direction in terms of services & local government structure.

STRATEGIES:

These will include but will not be limited to:

Petitions door-to-door: to show significant level support by the citizens of Harrow and Colchester South.
Blue ribbon campaign: as a very visual reminder to both media and politicians of the level of support for the de-amalgamation campaign.
Investigation of opportunities to proceed with legal actions: to identify precedents and legal cases through which the Committee may initiate proceedings in law to realize their democratic rights.
Political lobbyists: to gain access to the key decision makers makes and arbitrators of actions which may bring about de-amalgamation.
Reinstate Harrow & Colchester South web site for information on our planned activities and background.
Research on fiscal issues and Press releases.
Letter writing campaigns to MPPs. (including John Gerretsen - Minister of Muncipal Affairs and Housing)
Newspaper advertising.
All party election forums.
Liaise with other interested citizens groups and business forums.