Library – The municipality in collaboration with the library board should look at the opportunity to establish a public and private partnership with the private sector. Where a combination of construction costs could be minimized for the construction of the library.
The Plan – After numerous conversations with Mr. Frank Miele (CAO) and Mr. David Kennedy (Treasurer), I support the 5 year plan. The truth to my understanding, is that the deficit will be eliminated by the balance of 2010. We as a community have learned from the past. The administration, I believe is on the right track to keep Meaford financially sustainable in the future.
Meaford Hall – The five year business plan for Meaford Hall is working very well. Management is determined to achieve its goal to “achieve an operating break-even” within five years and is well along the way to reaching that target. Since a majority of tickets are sold to patrons from outside Meaford, the Hall is also doing good job of promoting tourism into Meaford. I believe that this plan could be a considered as a good model for other “user pay” municipal facilities.
Taxes / Staffing – Lower taxes as close to the inflation rate as possible. The operational review study was approved by council a year ago. It states that we are right sized for Meaford.
Many people say we don’t need more retail space because there are vacant stores now. However the ones that are vacant are either not fit to rent or they have been converted to office space. I envision a Meaford that would have the streets more full of people than Niagara on the Lake has (or half as full… for people that are not interested in the success of our small business owners and the valuable jobs they create).
I believe we have a more beautiful setting than Niagara on the Lake or Creemore (which is very attractive and successful).
Meaford has to stop allowing ugly buildings to be put up on the focal points of the town. For example those condos on the harbour and those boxes across from Esso. Both those sites could have been developed with beautiful stately buildings. The ground floor should be retail and the upper floors residential. They should be made to look as though they were built in the nineteenth century so that they fit in with the main street.
There are ways that Meaford could be prosperous and have low taxes. It could be a viable town again on its own. St. Vincent and Sydenham would not have to cover the tax debt of Meaford. Nor should they have to.
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