Letters: November 5, 2009

Nov 05, 2009

NIHI (No Internet Highspeed Insight), Ed Nowicki

Lions Vision Screening, Bill Robinson

Bear Shock, Andrea Dickinson

Re:  Letter “Patriot Missiles”, Chantell Nixon

NIHI (No Internet Highspeed Insight)

I can understand why North Frontenac wants out. South Frontenac keeps getting all the improvements in most all situations. High speed internet has been dangled in front of us internet users for years now and we are still being left out. 

If the latest promise from Barrett Xplore and Actionable Intelligence is to placate Arden and Kennebec Lake users with cheap satellite service (Highly Discounted), why not have satellite everywhere? The reason for going wireless was that satellite service was inferior and unstable as quoted in many public meetings, articles and township promises. The service will be as predictable as the weather. Bad weather = Bad service.

Now it seems it is North Frontenac Telephone Company who is to blame because they serviced Parham. It is a free market and if our leaders chose a company that cannot compete and offer affordable service, then maybe we should change that arrangement.

The reason for going with these people was because we were going to share wireless from north to south. It looks like this is another thing gone south. If we are making fair and equitable policies an issue in our region, then let us be fair and equitable.

Now we have a dangle of greatly discounted rates. No details have been provided and the fine print is nowhere in sight. My insight from years of use and working in the industry is that the prices are and will be an elaborate shell game; $49 per month is not a great price. What are the installation fees going to be?

Looks like Dial-Up is still the most reliable and cost efficient way to go. Maybe if all the township administrators had to use Dial-Up until the whole area was dealt with honourably, the results could be different.

My basic feeling is that we have been euchred again by bad deal-making and broken promises. The inability to deliver on promises by all involved is a shame. Not sticking to the plan is a failure in public administration and again an example of regional inequality. Talk about developing an election platform - looks like I have at least one issue. 

Maybe all those involved in this plan should have under-promised and hoped to have over-delivered as opposed to over-promised and under-delivered. Now I know the meaning of the word “scorned”. 

I hope someone steps up to the plate and rectifies this situation. I know living in the country has some disadvantages and realize this is not the most important thing on most people’s agenda. What bothers me is that it has been put on the agenda and not been dealt with properly, equally, fairly or honourably. It is how you do it and not what you do.

Ed Nowicki, Arden

Lions Vision Screening

Thanks for printing my article "Eye See so that Eye Can Learn". As an addendum to this article I am hoping you will let families know about the incredible support there already is in the area for children's eye health through the Lions Club.

I received a phone call from Dawn Hansen, the president of the Lions Club in Sharbot Lake, to let me know that their Lions Club has been involved in screening children for vision problems in Senior Kindergarten and Grade One since April 2005. Through their Vision Screen, they are able to red flag children who might otherwise be missed. Many children who need glasses or corrective measures through an optometrist have been caught through their program. Years ago Helen Keller inspired Lions Clubs across the province and around the world to be knights of the blind. The Lions Club in Sharbot Lake and surrounding area, in Kingston, Napanee, Tamworth and indeed many other parts of the province, are fulfilling this request with energy and enthusiasm through Vision Screen.

Families may contact Dawn Hansen to learn more about Vision Screen by calling 613-375-6318.

As well as initiating this and many other family-oriented programs in communities, some Lions Clubs are also involved in hearing screening at school entry. Locally, the Lions Club identifies children who need medic alert bracelets so that they can find support though the medic alert program.

Thanks for letting your readers know.

Susan Ramsay, Early Literacy Specialist,Hastings-Frontenac-Lennox & Addington

Bear Shock

I was shocked to see this bear hanging from a tree on Sunday afternoon. I am unclear as to the rules surrounding bear hunting or killing - and I am as nervous as anyone about running into a black bear on my daily walks in the woods. Our family and neighbours have taken steps to ensure we don't leave rotting garbage out in order not to attract them. I just want to know why this poor guy is hanging in a tree, gutted, right on County Road 38 for all to see. It just seems so disrespectful to nature.

Andrea Dickinson

Re:  “Patriot Missiles”

I can’t believe the council paid more attention to the style of Dave Winney’s letter rather than the content. After all, it was written by a resident of North Frontenac, and taxpayers have every right to comment on the state of their municipal government. Anyone reading both the initial letter and the responses from council members might deduce that council DOES NOT have taxpayers’ best interests at heart. Dave is concerned about what council isn’t doing for taxpayers, and he voiced his opinion…how is this threatening? This is, after all, a free country…thanks in huge part to the sacrifices made by people like Dave. In fact, he’s been to Afghanistan to work alongside our men and women who are fighting this war. And he was retired at the time! Nobody forced him to go; he did it willingly for his country, his family and his friends. How DARE Councilor Wayne Good threaten him for speaking his mind.

Let me outline some points of interest, using as little humour as possible so council members can understand:

1) Why does the Township of North Frontenac have so many FULL TIME employees when Addington Highlands can function with only a "skeleton crew"? We already know that North Frontenac wants to build a new municipal building to house all those “necessary” employees…where is that money going to come from?  I bet they could find a few employees that aren’t really necessary.  After all, if Addington Highlands can run a township with a handful of people, I bet North Frontenac could do it with half the number they have now.

2) Electric fencing to keep bears out of the dump? The bears help reduce the garbage by eating whatever is edible. Dump employees can carry bells, whistles, pepper spray, rifles, etc. as protection. If you keep bears out of the dump, they will eventually go in search of other options…such as people’s homes and cottages. There have already been more bear sightings on private property since they erected the bear fencing. The township will have to lay off all their employees when they’re sued for bear attacks on their taxpayers. In addition, the fencing will require continued maintenance…another expense for the taxpayer.

3) Clear plastic bags? They already offer incentives for recycling (one bag of recycling = one free bag of garbage). Anybody interested in saving money should be recycling. If you make it more difficult for people to dispose of their refuse, they will stop trying. I’ve noticed the garbage along our roadways is much worse than previous years and it’s always in non-clear plastic bags. If council is truly concerned about the environment, they should be lobbying the federal government to come up with affordable alternatives to plastic garbage bags, and then giving taxpayers incentives to buy and use them.

When is council going to address the CONTENT of Dave’s letter? Perhaps that’s the real “threat”…they don’t want to deal with the suggestions, which he clearly outlined at the end of his letter. I think, with elections coming next year, council members may want to keep in mind that it’s taxpayers who elect them…they need to listen & respond to the voters.

Chantel Nixon, Seasonal & Concerned Resident