A Shotgun Blast of Opinions

I know what you’ve been thinking – Where is Steve in the midst of all the chaos going on right now?
The answer is – putting together the Summer issue of County Magazine. So now I have a whole pile of things to say, and not enough room to
say it.
Let me start with – For God’s sake, let’s put on the brakes! Not every issue that hits the table has to roar through our lives like a
Hercules bomber. I can’t say it any better than that.
Relax a bit. The County is not going to hell in a handbag. Trust me on this.
There are a LOT of people with a LOT of opinions, a lot of stands, a lot of Fear for our Future. This is a good thing. This is part of a
thriving community.
Before I get to a point-by-point attack in future columns, I would seriously enjoy the opportunity to empty my brain, which has been
accumulating the same anger and frustration you’ve been experiencing the last couple of months.
I, too, will make many enemies by capsulizing important issues into a series of blunt statements, but my mental blackboard needs to be be
wiped clean.
You can agree or disagree, I don’t care. But I have to say what I see, right out loud, so we can work through this turmoil.
Let’s start with –
Friends of East Lake. Terribly sorry, but this ship has sailed. The deal is down. You fought a valiant fight, but the writing is clearly
on the wall.
It’s time to shake off your pain and anger, lean back and enjoy the view again, and see how it all turns out. Bringing this situation to
its knees is no longer in the cards. The best you’ve got now is an “I told ya so,” if the cottage project indeed turns out to be a horrible
thing in the next few years.
Next, I have to address the Dump situation. I join with the rest of the County in thanking Council for reconsidering dump closures and
hour reductions.
Big puzzle in my mind about the lone ‘no’ vote from Councillor Lori Slik, who tried to say Council needed to stick with its original
decision – even a bad one – but inadvertently said that making bad decisions and then reversing them happens “constantly,” according to
the press.
I don’t think the answer is sticking to the bad decision, it’s in making a good decision in the first place. It would be nice if THAT
happened constantly.
Again, according to the press, Council acted in response to public resistance. This is actually the way it should work – and used to
work. Council should respond to the public’s needs.
Speaking of mayoral candidates, what’s the deal with Sandy Latchford not wanting to state her platform at a mayoral candidates meeting?
Apparently her platform is still in progress, awaiting new input from people somewhere in the County, and it wouldn’t be right to
prematurely say what she believes, in case someone else joins the race sometime later, from somewhere in the County.
Sorry, Sandy. But you’re running for mayor. The starting gun has fired. It’s not a good idea to stand on the starting line and debate
the legitimacy of the starting pistol. When it goes ‘Bang’, it’s time to run.
Who cares if the event is ‘too early’. Believe it or not, with this many people seeking the office, a lot of County people are anxious to
hear what they have to say. And the earlier the better.
Having only a couple of weeks to sort out all that information serves no-one.
And here I go again, pointing a pistol at my head – Wind Turbines.
We’ve got approval on a couple of projects. Council would be wise to put a moratorium on future large scale wind projects until we see how
this initial venture at Ostrander Point works out in reality.
Even Dalton will buy a ‘wait-and-see’ attitude from our municipal council, now that he has his foot in the door. We are technically
fulfilling his evil mandate to tie and gag the people who happen to live near his experiment.
In this issue, there seem to be no genuine facts available to anyone, anywhere, about anything. So let’s just draw the line and, in
typical County fashion, we’ll report back on the success/failure of large scale wind projects in rural communities. I’m sure even the
provincial government would like that, since they have no legitimate information of their own, other than studies they have purchased.
All I’m saying is – let’s learn how a speedboat works before we start building the Titanic. This should be acceptable to both sides.
I know you’re begging for me to stop, though some of you have already started writing letters to the editor after Point No. 1. But
I have one more gripe before I finish.
I’m sure N. Savic (“County not perfect,” letters last issue) is about to experience the Wrath of God pouring down upon him, and I
don’t think I can save him.
If he hasn’t already been tarred, feathered, stoned, tied to a rail and run out of town, I have one question for him, “Where did you come
from?”
“Did you ever visit here before you moved here?”
Okay, that’s two questions.
This poor guy might just as well have said, “Hey! Where’s the subway?”
Sure, we could have 24-hour vet clinics, and round-the-clock post office service. And YOU can make it happen!
Just pay $150,000 to have your dog neutered at midnight, and $750 to mail your package at 2 a.m.
The rest of us know when the stores are open, and we adjust our schedules accordingly.
And, in closing, if I hear the word ‘imports’ again, somebody’s gonna get a big hurting.