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by Fred Kirby                              December 5,  2007

I congratulate the Airport Best Practices Committee on their excellent report. I look forward to supporting them as they move forward in implementing their recommendations.

No congratulations go to Council. When deputy mayor, Laura Haight says that the airport was not a priority for the last council, she conveniently omits this Council’s ignominious role. It was early in this Council’s mandate that they, without due process and with the mayor dripping with favoritism, renewed the contract of the previous manager. Consider the possible income to be generated under the Committee’s recommendation, including market rent for the house on the property, and one can wonder what the taxpayers have lost in a mismanaged operation. Any Governing Committee should report directly to Council. For years there have been three levels of management and nothing has come out of that line of reporting except much financial waste. Fortunately, for those involved, waste of taxpayers’ money through lack of oversight or simple neglect carries no consequences in this municipality.

The following did not happen in Kincardine! When Mayor Gwen Gilbert told the South Bruce Peninsular Council that a legal opinion regarding their planned new clinic would be discussed in closed session, members of council rejected the motion and the legal opinion was openly discussed. Members kept a promise to its citizens to be open and honest with them on all clinic business; whereas Kincardine Council members hide behind a self-imposed silence.

Perhaps fear dominates their motives. Certainly they have no legal obligation to keep their mouths shut about the clinic. On the other hand, members have a moral obligation to share their concerns and plans with the public. Through taxes and donations citizens contributed, and still do, thousands of dollars to the Clinic yet Council tells the same citizens that the Clinic is none of their business. That is insulting. When I observe Council members rushing like lemmings to self-destruction, when I watch Mayor Kraemer fiddle while our community clinic sinks slowly into the mud and medical services fade away, I could feel sorry for the folks of this community. But why should I or anyone, including the Ministry of Health, be concerned for Kincardine when its own citizens will not lift a finger to stop the deterioration and take charge of their municipality?

There are some good, solid ideas such as a combined new secondary school with a community centre and physical rehabilitation centre but they will never see the light of day while Council and citizens fear to act. I have observed more gumption displayed on a primary school playground than I see among Council or shown by Kincardine’s citizens. Wake up before Kincardine becomes a way station on the road to somewhere else!

December 12, 2007

The Municipality is suing the three parties involved with the design and construction of the Medical Clinic: architect Allan Avis, J.P. Commercial Contractors, and Pryde Schropp McComb Inc. Is this the end of Pryde’s long relationship with Kincardine? I doubt it; Council is not noted for learning from research or experience.

There are two important aspects of the medical clinic issue that have not been addressed. Council needs to explain why planning for the new medical centre was not started months ago. The mayor is the only one I have heard of who believes the centre should be restored on its present site; it was a bad choice in the first place when Mr. Kraemer was previously mayor. What doctor would stay there and who would give a nickel to its restoration? The location must be elsewhere. Planning should have been well under way by now.

Now it is one course of action to sue other parties, but the part that is conveniently not being spoken of is the role of the original clinic committee and Council of that time. Larry Kraemer was mayor when the negotiations were taking place, Glenn Sutton chaired the committee, and Guy Anderson name comes up in the minutes as recommending various cuts in the allotted space in the design. Who accepted small rooms and walls that would not guarantee privacy? Who decided the door would face the prevailing winds and determined that there would be no canopy? Why did the committee change its original goals to build a clinic that would attract doctors, retain present ones and encourage services? We also need to know the role of the Manager of Public Works and that of the Building Inspector. It was a public building being built so who was looking out for the Municipality’s interest? Mr. Kraemer, when can the public expect this second press release?

If these folks have nothing to hide and realizing that silence itself is incriminating then plain speaking is in order. If the story hits the wires service and the national press, they will make this sorry saga look worse and you can forget doctor recruitment, tourism, and a place for retirement. It is Council’s call.