Attendees:
- Fred MacLennan, President
- Alan Asselstine, Treasurer
- Peter Brimacombe, Secretary
- Gisèle Loiselle-Branch, Director (memberships)
- Nancy Seaby, Director (transportation and editorial)
- Shelley Parlow
- Patrick Richter (Southern Corridor and website)
- Bob Jeckells (Hunt Club Community Services Centre)
- Ezio Subissati
- Mike Seaby
- Tom Collins, The News
- Bonnie Conlon, City ouncillor’s office
- Maria McRae, City councillor
Motion: To support in principal, Maria’s efforts to maintain a 0% increase in municipal taxes or keep increases to a minimum. Moved by Alan Asselstine, seconded by Patrick Richter. Carried.
Motion: To accept the Board of Directors as proposed. Moved by Shelley Parlow, seconded by Patrick Richter. Carried.
Maria McRae:
- On October 23 the Quickie was held up at knife-point! This is the second robbery in the neighbourhood in 6 weeks. Maria has discussed these two robberies with Superintendent Charles Bordeleau of the Ottawa Police. Ther e was an on-going problem with marijuana use in Cahill Park over the summer. Maria has organized a Town Hall Meeting, Wednesday November 3 to discuss community safety.
- thanked the Hunt Club Community Organization for its letter June 28, 2004 in which it expressed its opposition to development in the Southern Corridor. She strongly opposes the NCC appeal to the zoning amendment adopted by the City. She would like a permanent solution.
- Sawmill Creek Constructed Wetland: On September 16, Maria was at the official start of construction. The Constructed Wetland will reduce erosion of Sawmill Creek, reduce runoff into the Rideau River and provide better flood control.
- Budget: One group within City Council has proposed a 4.4% increase in the City’s budget but there are many other demands which would require a bigger increase. Maria is opposed to this increase. Homeowners would see a rise in assess ed value multiplied by an increase in taxes. In order to balance its budget, the City would need $78 million in savings – this is impossible! The City has created a group of 6 councillors and 20 citizens to look for ways to run the City more efficiently , the group is called Tax Fighters. Public consultations on the budget start in January.
Patrick Richter is concerned about cuts to OC Transpo. It took him 3 hours to get to Barhaven, including a 20 minute walk. He had a regular bus pass but had to pay extra.
Nancy Seaby: Don’t cut back public transit in growth areas or residents will be forced to use private automobiles.
Peter Brimacombe: We just cannot afford urban sprawl. Development in the Southern Corridor is the only obvious way to build energy-efficient housing and provide efficient public transit systems.
Gisèle Loiselle-Branch is against development in the Southern Corridor. We don’t need more housing because existing housing will be available as the owners get older and move out.
Maria McRae: The Southern Corridor is part of the Greenspace Master Plan; there will be public consultations. There are important wetlands in the Southern Corridor near McCarthy Road and to the east.
Alan Asselstine: On November 16, the Advisory Committee will meet to review North-South extension of the O Train.
Ezio Subissati: In the private sector, increases in productivity are expected to balance increases in inflation. The City should expect the same.
Maria McRae: Municipal spending is different than consumer spending: 68% of costs are tied to labour which are tied to collective agreements. We have to look for common-sense efficiencies: the needle exchange program is an effective way to prevent the spread of hepatitis but we don’t need a special van to run the program. We should look for efficiencies in our ParaMedic Service: because of SARS, calls for heart attacks were reduced from 17,000 to 9,000. We are draining our capital reserves, they aren’t adequate to maintain our infrastructure. Staff in the Planning Department is burning out; when people leave, they take with them the knowledge gained through years of experience. She was opposed to the construction of the new $7 million library in Greenboro.
Nancy Seaby: The library now provides access to the internet, some people go to the library just to look at pornography on the internet! On another issue, the new bus shelters are funded by private companies: They put up advertising in the bus shelters and pay a fee to OC Transpo.
Robert Jackells is on the Board of Directors of the Community Services Centre. http://www.huntclubriverside.ca/indexe.html The Centre needs to expand to run its programs. There are programs for single parents and immigrants. There should be a swimming pool and a library kiosk. The Centre is looking for $7.5 million to expand the existing Hunt Club/Riverside Park Community Centre. It wants to raise money and will get matching grants from the Federal and Provincial Governments. Robert thanked the Hunt Club Community Organization for its $200 donation to Camp Spirit. The money was used to send children on a field trip to Upper Canada Village.
Alan Asselstine provided a Statement of Revenue and Expenses. Expenses exceeded revenue by $129.70. There were assets of $8,191.58.
Fred McLennan proposed members of the Board for the coming year:
- Fred McLennan, President
- Alan Asselstine, Treasurer
- Peter Brimacombe, Secretary
- Nancy Seaby, Transportation and Editorial
- Gisèle Loiselle-Branch
- Shelley Parlow
- Patrick Richter
- Art Miskew
- Fred Winters
Nancy Seaby: The library now provides access to the internet, some people go to the library just to look at pornography on the internet! On another issue, the new bus shelters are funded by private companies: They put up advertising in the bus shelters and pay a fee to OC Transpo.
Next meeting: Mon 6 Dec 2004 at 7:30pm