Hello Guys,
I was hoping that someone from the LPWA Board of Directors would be able to enlighten me as to where we as an organization stand regarding this project ... this very expensive project.
I attended the initial public "open house" meeting at the Port Rowan Community Center a few years ago as well as a subsequent "follow up" meeting a while ago. I have also attended some FOCAS meetings where several concerns have been raised regarding this project.
A pamphlet regarding this project has recently been distributed in which it is claimed that the achievements to date have been "at NO cost to Norfolk taxpayers". I am "choking" on this statement as there is also a contradictory statement included within this pamphlet that states "Assistance for this project was provided by the Government of Ontario" ... I took that to mean "financial" assistance. Another statement implies that the Government of Canada is also providing assistance to this project.
Since both of these levels of Government receive a large part of their respective funds through taxpayers it would mean that the claim "at NO cost to Norfolk taxpayers" is at the very least misleading if not an out right lie.
Furthermore, I recently heard on the local radio station that Norfolk County has agreed to cover a $60,000.00 "shortfall" of funding for this project. I wonder where Norfolk County is getting this money from ... obviously NOT from Norfolk taxpayers. So from where?
I also noticed within the pamphlet that the Long Point Waterfowlers Association was included within the list of "Steering Committee Members/Organizations" for this project. Although I have been a member of the LPWA since January of 2005 and have attended every Annual General Meeting since then I do not recall ever having this project discussed at any of our meetings. I believe (if I recall correctly) that one individual asked about this project in 2011 but the topic was not addressed at that time. I thought nothing about it at the time as the Long Point and Area Fish and Game Club had decided not to get politically involved with this project as well.
So where do we as an organization stand regarding this project? I understand that Mr. J. Malcolm (President, LPWA) has attended at least one (1) meeting regarding this project but I was told that he had stated that he was attending the meeting as a private individual.
The pamphlet also states that "Citizen Members" include Mr. Jim Abbey, Dr. Dave Ankney and Mr. Robert Scott. However Mr. J. Malcolm was not included in that list.
I am not against this project but I am against the anticipated cost of this project. I believe that the money can be better spent (if it has to be spent at all) and I believe (without a doubt) that this project will cost much more than what it is projected to cost ... not including any future maintenance costs.
Please advise me if I have been misinformed or if I have misperceived something that I have read about this project.
Sincerely,
Jerome Katchin, D.V.M.
Port Rowan, Ontario
I was hoping that someone from the LPWA Board of Directors would be able to enlighten me as to where we as an organization stand regarding this project ... this very expensive project.
I attended the initial public "open house" meeting at the Port Rowan Community Center a few years ago as well as a subsequent "follow up" meeting a while ago. I have also attended some FOCAS meetings where several concerns have been raised regarding this project.
A pamphlet regarding this project has recently been distributed in which it is claimed that the achievements to date have been "at NO cost to Norfolk taxpayers". I am "choking" on this statement as there is also a contradictory statement included within this pamphlet that states "Assistance for this project was provided by the Government of Ontario" ... I took that to mean "financial" assistance. Another statement implies that the Government of Canada is also providing assistance to this project.
Since both of these levels of Government receive a large part of their respective funds through taxpayers it would mean that the claim "at NO cost to Norfolk taxpayers" is at the very least misleading if not an out right lie.
Furthermore, I recently heard on the local radio station that Norfolk County has agreed to cover a $60,000.00 "shortfall" of funding for this project. I wonder where Norfolk County is getting this money from ... obviously NOT from Norfolk taxpayers. So from where?
I also noticed within the pamphlet that the Long Point Waterfowlers Association was included within the list of "Steering Committee Members/Organizations" for this project. Although I have been a member of the LPWA since January of 2005 and have attended every Annual General Meeting since then I do not recall ever having this project discussed at any of our meetings. I believe (if I recall correctly) that one individual asked about this project in 2011 but the topic was not addressed at that time. I thought nothing about it at the time as the Long Point and Area Fish and Game Club had decided not to get politically involved with this project as well.
So where do we as an organization stand regarding this project? I understand that Mr. J. Malcolm (President, LPWA) has attended at least one (1) meeting regarding this project but I was told that he had stated that he was attending the meeting as a private individual.
The pamphlet also states that "Citizen Members" include Mr. Jim Abbey, Dr. Dave Ankney and Mr. Robert Scott. However Mr. J. Malcolm was not included in that list.
I am not against this project but I am against the anticipated cost of this project. I believe that the money can be better spent (if it has to be spent at all) and I believe (without a doubt) that this project will cost much more than what it is projected to cost ... not including any future maintenance costs.
Please advise me if I have been misinformed or if I have misperceived something that I have read about this project.
Sincerely,
Jerome Katchin, D.V.M.
Port Rowan, Ontario