Work has begun on a Request for Proposal to have an audit report completed with costing on the status of the facility.
Email me if you want to be part of a team that crosses the finish line with regards to a community hub in Harrow! sbondy@essex.ca
It is time to listen to our Tax-investors! Sometimes things happen slow until they happen fast. One thing I know for certain is we will NEVER BUILD NEW in Harrow.
Council has an Obligation to Serve the Community
I am adamant that using the former Harrow High School will be our one and only chance at a community hub/recreational center. That does not mean I do not think we could sell off a section of the building for private use but I think we need to keep the community use areas like the gym and cafeteria. I have asked Town of Essex Administration who they have been entertaining and working with in the private sector because I believe we owe it to the people in our community to be fully transparent with whatever we have in the works. I personally have talked to one group who is interested in making the school into two story housing. I believe there are better locations for housing- anywhere but our recreational core. I explained this to the group I talked to. Who is talking to who and who is planning what? Good question.
I will not go down without a fight on this one- there are better locations for housing and once this greenspace is developed it is lost forever. Our Town and community are growing and it is time for council to recognize the need for balance in the Harrow/Colchester area. Council has recieved over 240 emails on this topic, the most on any issue ever!
Council needs to work for the people and listen to the community. There are many ways to get this done without a huge burden to the ” taxpayers”. Our community is much more than ” taxpayers”, we are a community of all ages and it is time to recognize that. We lost our high school, I am hoping we do not lose anymore. Check out the Essex Ontario YouTube Video from June 7th to hear of one possible tenant wishing to lease space.
Below are a few clips from our Procedural Bylaw and Code of Conduct which show it is council’s role to serve the public, NOT the private.
The Corporation of the Town of Essex By-Law Number 1926
Being a by-law to provide Rules of Procedure for the Conduct of Meetings of the Municipal
Council and its Committees and Boards
Council
2.3.1 It is the role of Council to:
1) represent the public and to consider the well-being and interests of the
municipality;
Code of Conduct for Members of Council
Integrity
Council Members will uphold the highest standard of ethical behavior including:
a) Making impartial decisions that benefit the municipality and are fair and equitable
to all residents;
Openness
Council Members have a duty to be as open as possible about their decisions and actions.
This means communicating appropriate information openly to the public about decision making processes and issues being considered, encouraging appropriate public participation, communicating clearly, and providing an appropriate means for recourse and feedback.
