One big unhappy township

Oct 22, 2014

According to our Community Profile, prior to amalgamation, the population distribution was as follows: Hinchinbrooke (Parham) 1,328; Kennebec (Arden) 968; Olden (Mountain Grove) 906; Oso (Sharbot Lake) 1,413. Then CAO John DuChene reported in 2010 the following tax revenues by ward: Hinchinbrooke $1,259,000; Kennebec $1,246,000; Olden $1,046,000; Oso $1,308,000. Assuming for a moment that population distributions had remained stable over those ten years, these figures suggest that tax relative to population is highest in Kennebec and lowest in Oso, and by a full 39% (if population had remained the same the per person figures would be: Kennebec $1,287; Olden $1154; Oso $926). Apparently Kennebec and Olden are massive cash cows to the township.

According to the pre-amalgamation population figures Oso (Sharbot Lake) had only a 56% greater population than Olden (Mountain Grove), the least populated member of this group. Sharbot Lake has two gas stations, three restaurants, a large grocer, a pharmacy, a medical centre, a building centre and many other businesses. Mountain Grove has… To round out the list a corner store in Parham and three sporadically open artisanal shops in Arden. Clearly Sharbot Lake has a retail presence far disproportionate to its population base. Why?

A fire hall, an expansion to municipal offices, a railway museum, a major recreational trail, a new health centre, a farmers' market, a working public washroom, a new school, an economic development initiative; provincial, county and municipal money has funded these in Sharbot Lake. In Arden a fire hall, Mountain Grove a fire hall, in Parham that trail. There is a problem here.

I do not have up-to-date figures to substantiate what in my gut I know is wrong. At a recent all-candidates meeting I asked if, with our tax bills, we could get a listing of tax revenues and expenditures by ward (including pro-rated administrative costs). My thought was that this would tell us if there was a tendency to favour one ward over another, and if so that could be corrected. The local candidates to a man (there were no women) said no. Apparently we are now one big happy township, and that kind of information could undermine the happiness of the township. It sure could.

I don't know if I'm the only one who cares. If there is someone else who hates having most property taxes go to improvements to another town, please let me know at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. I'm not sure. It could be less than most, or it could be more. If our sad cast of candidates has its way, we will never know.

David Daski