What Was St Marys Ontario Council Thinking?
Response to the Town of St Marys July 26, 2006 Advertisement.


Ad placed in August 9, 2006 edition of the St Marys Journal Argus


What Were Town Council Thinking?

In the Town ad - July 26, 2006 - "The tax increase will be 1.75% for 2008"

Obviously, not what Monteith Brown Planning Consultants were thinking on Page 57 of their June 1, 2005 consulting report ...

"Based upon a conservative municipal borrowing rate of 6% and assuming a 20-year amortization, the debt service would be $1.41 million annually for the construction of a $16.5 million facility.

"If the Town were to finance the construction of the entire project (which is unlikely) a 24% increase in the municipal tax levy would be required based on the 2004 tax levels."

Now that it appears likely that the entire project rests squarely on the shoulders of St Marys taxpayers - it begs the question -

My goodness, what were they thinking

Please contact John Munro or Andrew Atlin 284-2654 for more information.
 

The Town ad referred to was placed in the Wednesday, July 26, 2006 issue of the St Marys Journal Argus.   The ad had the heading Many People Are Asking: What was Council Thinking?

The Friday, July 28, 2006 issue of the St Marys Independent ran the Town ad as a news item on page 2 under the byline of Kelly Deeks.

Kelly Deeks was hired in July 2006 as Coordinator of Fundraising and Special Events.   Deeks had been living in St. Marys with her boyfriend Mike Johnson and had been employed at the advertising agency MC Group in London, Ontario since graduating from Fanshawe College's Public Relations and Corporate Relations program in 2003.


Ad placed in August 16, 2006 edition of the St Marys Journal Argus


What Were Council Thinking?

Municipal Debt per Household
as of December 31, 2005
 
Chatham $ 3,595
London $ 2,660
Guelph $ 2,429
Aylmer $ 1,310
Stratford $ 1,072
St Marys $ 816
St Thomas $ 772
Brantford $ 766
 
After complex and
municipal operations centre
St Marys $ 7,810 *
Chatham $ 3,595
London $ 2,660
Guelph $ 2,429
Aylmer $ 1,310
Stratford $ 1,072
St Thomas $ 772
Brantford $ 766

Well, somebody has to be number one

My goodness, what were they thinking
 


Come to the new ratepayers association meeting
Thursday, August 17 at 7 pm
at the Friendship Centre.   We'll talk about their thinking
 
* estimate- based on 2005 data- 2,631 households and $14 million debt for complex and
$4.4 million for the operations centre, water treatment and salt shed