Review-Mirror

By Margaret Brand The Review-Mirror A research study released by the Fraser Institute this week con- cludes that Ontario's push for municipal amalgama- tion in the 1990s has failed to deliver cost-savings and efficiencies for large and small cities. The study compared, pre and post amalgama- tion financial indicators in the amalgamated commu- nities of Kawartha Lakes, Essex Township and Haldimand-Norfolk rela- tive to comparable un- amalgamated communi- ties. Former Rideau Lakes CAO Bob Maddocks thinks the study's author's missed the point of amal- gamation for the province. "Amalgamation wasn't done to save money. Amalgamation was done so the municipalities could take on the new responsi- bilities," said Maddocks. "People don't realize we had twice as many municipalities prior to 1995. For anyone to sug- gest that we could have continued and that was sustainable didn't know what they were talking about," he said. "Amalgamation wasn't done to save money. Amalgamation was done so the municipalities could take on the new responsi- bilities," he said. In almost all cases — in both the amalgamated and un-amalgamated commu- nities — the study finds significant increases in property taxes, compensa- tion for municipal employees, and long term debt between 2000 and 2012. In other words, un- amalgamated and amalga- mated municipalities appear to exhibit similar trends suggesting there was no tangible benefit to amalgamation. "If amalgamation had in fact led to cost savings and lower property taxes, then one would expect an amalgamated municipali- The largest investiga- tion in the Ombudsman's Office's history, more than 10,500 complaints has revealed Hydro One's defective new billing sys- tem in 2013 had disastrous consequences for thou- sands of customers. Ombudsman André Marin is calling on Hydro One to overhaul its corpo- rate culture to focus on customers and transparen- cy. He has urged the gov- ernment to preserve inde- pendent oversight of the utility in the public inter- est. Hydro One lost sight of its public interest purpose and failed to adequately consider the impact on its customers," states Marin in his report 'In the Dark'. "Its overconfidence in its technical superiority fostered complacency. It forgot to consider the con- sequences to its cus- tomers," he said. Problems with the sys- tem transition resulted in a massive disruption of billing, including over- billing, no bills, estimated bills, and outrageously bad customer service dur- ing the scramble to fix technical glitches. Marin said Hydro One deliberately kept the situa- tion under wrap to deceive the electricity regulator, the ombudsman office and other stakeholders about the extent and nature of the company's billing and customer service disaster. 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Photo by Margaret brand Call 359-5660 53 Main St., Elgin duncan s TV & APPLIANCES Range •Self Clean •Hidden Bake Element •Express-Select® Controls Regular 899.95 Model #CGEF3030PW $ 799 95 Refigerator •Custom Flex Door™ •Bright LED Lighting •Spillsafe® Shelves Regular 999.95 Model #FGTR184SQP $ 799 95 SPRING SAVINGS Continuing a 30 year tradition serving North Leeds - Delivery & Set Up Available •Continued on page 3 Delta Mill off to a busy start The Delta Mill Society opened its Old Stone Mill for the season over the long weekend and last weekend welcomed anoth- er flood of visitors for Brockville's Doors Open event. The mill had black- smithing demonstrations on Saturday as well as milling in the afternoon when the original purpose of the mill came to life grinding heritage locally grown Red Fife wheat. Long-time volunteer Anna Greenhorn has a sense of pride that the mill has once again turned into a hive of activity. She's been a volunteer with the society for close to 50 years and has seen the building change from a structure that some people in the 1960's wanted to demolish to the point of pride the circa 1810 mill is •Continued on page 3

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