Bancroft this Week

Children’s services seeking public’s help

The availability of child care is linked to economic development, according to Jessica Anderson, executive director of North Hastings Children’s Services. Yet recent cost increases, including a significant increase in their water and wastewater bill, as well as mounting hydro costs, threaten the ability to provide it. Utilities costs were $22,000 in 2016, and will be even higher this year. Anderson has sent a letter to parents and to the community at large asking for donations to keep the child care centre open.

Turn the page on phobias

I don’t know about you, but I am getting really tired of telling the human race to just get along and play nice.

Water: we are all in this together

The Bancroft water and sewage issue, and the increase in cost for people already struggling to keep up with utility and housing costs and put food on their tables, is on all of our minds.

Bancroft lobbies at ROMA

Mayor Bernice Jenkins believes in the “erosion” theory of lobbying: keep bringing the issues up, like waves breaking along a shoreline, and sooner or later some resistance will give way. The prime example here is policing costs. For years, Bancroft argued that the fees it paid for OPP service were unreasonable. Eventually, a new funding formula was developed which significantly lowered the town’s costs.

How to attend a council meeting

One of our readers called in asking how to attend a council meeting. What are the times and dates? Is there a way to get the agenda beforehand? Is there etiquette to attending council? How do I get involved?

Wollaston deputy reeve resigns

More evidence of disarray emerged at the Jan. 24 regular Wollaston Township council meeting. The resignation of Deputy Reeve Marilyn Brickles followed the day after the meeting.

Highlands East changes council calendar

The following are brief reports of items discussed during a Jan. 23 meeting of Highlands East council.

Council ‘laughing stock’: mayor

Bancroft’s Mayor Bernice Jenkins usually spends her opening remarks at council on developments in county and other levels of government, and on good news announcements. Not so at last week’s meeting. Instead, she delivered a blast at what she feels is a dysfunctional town council. Finding recent behaviour by councillors “bewildering,” she proclaimed that council lacked respect for each other, for the mayor, and for town staff. She declared a lack of team spirit, along with an absence of a common sense of direction.