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August 11, 2015

To the Editor,

It is almost eight months since residents of Hastings Highlands (HH.) have had to cope with disposal of their own household garbage. Garbage collection, a service promised with amalgamation in 2000 has been available to residents in all three Wards for the past 14 years; in Herschel Ward since the 1950s.
To our knowledge thus far in this new term, no attempt has been made by the Mayor to restore this service. Recently, Councillor Matheson proposed a Motion–passed by Council to invite David Moore, (our former garbage contractor for the past 14 years) to attend a Council meeting as a delegation to discuss the issue on Sept. 9.Presumably Moore will be asked if he tendered a bid verbally or otherwise last fall to renew his contract; and if not, why not? A more pertinent question might be to ask Moore what terms he would require now to renew a contract with H. H ?
Our information is this meeting cannot be scheduled earlier since the Mayor will be on holidays in August. Unfortunately most of the summer residents will be gone by Sept. 9, and unable to attend the meeting. However, those residents can still make their wishes known on the garbage issue by email or in writing to their Council Representatives.
Garbage is rather an ‘in-your-face-issue’; every householder faces it on a daily basis; it can’t be swept under the rug; it won’t disappear on its own. This year property owners also face a tax increase of almost four per cent–a huge increase for taxpayers in Herschel and Bangor, Wicklow McClure, where individual assessed values are much higher than values in Monteagle Ward. Apart from a rise in Police costs, much of this tax increase will be applied to meet the Administration Budget which has tripled this year due to additional hiring expenses. In comparison, the cost of garbage collection, a given with amalgamation– is a drop in the budget/ bucket! Breaking a promise and raising taxes substantially at the same time is a double whammy for ratepayers—leaving us to question: Who is in charge of minding this store?
Whereas we used to see one truck on the road collecting garbage: Now cars and trucks from 3,500 residents must travel the roads to dispose of their own garbage at a dump site every week, resulting in a significant impact on our roads and environment.

Lorraine Fell
Hastings Highlands