Enough is enough!

Dear sir:
Well, enough is enough from the “spin doctors” on town council and administration.
I cannot believe the things that the current town council and administration have done, and continue to do, which cost us taxpayers significant amounts of money.
As a local taxpayer, I have watched in horror as this council and administration decided to involve all of us in a condominium project, which was determined unfeasible by private contractors and now currently is costing us taxpayers roughly $16,000 per month to cover unsold units.
They demolished a very workable recycling program and turned it into a disaster, which has resulted in us sending more items to our landfill site.
Then, they spent our money on the Fort Frances High School project with all kinds of giveaways, including taxes, sewer and water hook-ups, tipping fees, and a “free” lot for dumping debris—all under the pretense of business development.
But yet, when another local business owner sought a similar deal, our town council and administration advised him that he never qualified and that his request was different. Now I understand he may not relocate within our town at all.
Are not all businesses equals in this town?
And now the icing on the cake is the announcement of our town’s $1.81-million deficit and the “spin” applied to it by our town administration in last Wednesday’s Fort Frances Times.
To quote our town’s CAO “. . . the true deficit of actual over-expenditure was $160,000 . . . adding that $160,000 accounts for just 0.0083 percent of the town’s $19.2-million operating budget.”
If the stated true over-expenditure was only $160,000, why does the town need to pull $1.81 million from our reserves? Because they over-spent by $1.81 million, which actually equates to 9.43 percent of the town’s operating budget, not the .0083 percent as quoted.
I believe a basic financial management course is obviously needed at the Civic Centre and that responsible fiscal accountability needs to happen immediately.
The cookie jar soon will be empty at this rate of spending. What does the 2003 budget have in store for us taxpayers—another deficit or another improper use of our reserve funds?
Where does all this nonsense end? Instead of properly running our town, we have seen some councillors arguing about the town’s remuneration package they receive.
Enough is enough. I firmly believe it is time for a change with both town council and administration. Thankfully, there are some alternatives for us to vote for in this upcoming election as it is time to get rid of the council incumbents.
I am tired of watching our wonderful town being dragged down because of irresponsible management.
Yours truly,
Jim Kibiuk
Fort Frances, Ont.