Big Issues in Wasaga

There are so many BIG ISSUES involving our Council and the direction they are taking our town. I think reflecting on the sheer number of these issues is overwhelming for most, but it is important to realize WHY so much is happening at once.

Mayor Smith has modified processes and eliminated public input (or even scrutiny in some cases) to speed up every project on he and Andrews idea board.

Way back during Discussion #9, I pointed this out when I mentioned a speech the Mayor made. In that speech, Smith said, “THERE IS NO REAR VIEW MIRROR, AND THERE’S NO SIDE MIRRORS. ITS FULL SPEED AHEAD, AND BY THE TIME ANYONE KNOWS WHAT WE’RE DOING, IT’L BE TOO LATE. “

So, he wants to do things so fast that it will be too late. Too late for what? That was my question back in January. Today, I understand a little more.

If they can get private property signs erected on beach paths used by Wasaga Beach families for generations, it may be too late for the next Council to reverse that without large legal costs.
If they can form a corporation to conceal the details of Municipal Real Estate transactions, it will be too late for anyone to stop them and, deals for property certainly cannot be reversed.
If one of those properties is the old arena, it won’t matter what other future uses could have been realized. It will be too late- a developer can make his millions creating housing.
If they can get friends to take high paying jobs at the new Entertainment Corporation, it will be too late to simply shut down a corporation without EXTREMELY high severance packages.
If they can sell off Municipal Beach One and Beach Two properties before lame duck, those deals will be impossible to cancel by the next council.
If they can increase all of the top staff positions pay, while increasing their own, the next Council is stuck with those budgeted expenses.
If they can give away half of the parking at the TPAL, simply so they can claim their new high school is a “hub”, that property will be gone forever. Want a big event at the TPAL? It will be too late… those parking spaces will be gone.
If they continue to build a municipally funded Health Centre, it will be too late for the new council to simply shutter it on day one. There will be long term leases, equipment purchases and staffing issues to be dealt with.
If demolition starts at Beach One and all of our remaining buildings are demolished prior to a publicly approved development plan… it will be too late. The buildings will be GONE!

The list can go on (and it does) but for now just reflect on the fact that your Mayor actually uttered the words,” BY THE TIME ANYONE KNOWS WHAT WE’RE DOING, IT’L BE TOO LATE. “

(I do not make these things up- video is available of him smiling as he says what he says. )

Think about that statement for a moment, then reflect on what it really means. Then decide if you WANT to speak up about something… anything, before it’s too late.