All In Favour Of A Commissar?

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "To-day's The Day":

Clearly reading how many layers are involved in the water supply in Aurora I think we can save ourselves money by eliminating one of them.

I propose that since the Region is responsible for the supply and treatment, let's make them responsible for the delivery too. Let's get Aurora out of the picture entirely. We can save tax dollars by getting rid of the people at the Town office that read meters, prepare bills, and process payments. The Region can pick up a few of the clerks for their water department, clearly they would not need as many as exist in all of the various cities and Towns in York. Same for the people that repair the water mains.

Aurora will have a smaller payroll, they would not have to worry about the endless debate about water rates and they might be able to get a budget approved before the end of a fiscal year.

Moe Howard

**************
Mr. Howard

In case I have created a false impression,I am  compelled to correct it.

It is not within our power to alter  the separate  responsibilities of  region and  municipality.The Province of Ontario  is Grand Poo Bah in these matters

Conflict of interest  in municipal  treasurers fixing  the  price to be charged for water is not the problem I worry about.

A treasurer's role is very much more than once a year reporting to Council about how to raise sufficient revenues to pay the region's  ever- swelling water bill.

The ever-taxing task of nurturing and growing $69 million dollar in reserve funds is far more daunting and significant. 

Why would you imagine a reduction in staff at the municipal level  and transfer to the regional level would cost less money?

If you know something I don't about how government works, why not share with therest of us.

We  have nine water breaks a year and  the job is contracted out.

We spend about a million a year  cutting and lining perfectly fine pipes with plastic.

That's a fat contract  to the private sector of questionable value since  figures for water losses are complacently increased  from 8% to 12% in a single year.

Bless Your Heart Child, What makes you think  transferring staff from  towns to the regions would result in a smaller payroll in Aurora? Or improved  service?

Why do you feel the debate about water rates is endless? Is it because  you  just don't want to hear it any more?

Are you one who believes  no debate  is good debate? All debate is tedious debate? If  politicians would just swallow will nilly, whatever  staff advise,  to provide you with  complete assurance all is well?

Forgive me but you sound like the ideal modern-day candidate for public office. A Mayor perhaps.

And  rubber-stamping  a budget  with great aplomb and vigour, would be a good thing and well worth the peace and contentment of getting a budget approved before  the end of a fiscal year.

Let's hear it for the merits.

Do you by any chance work for a local government? A treasurer perhaps?