Letter to EDITOR - REVIEW MIRROR - Jan 30 2024

Dear Editor,

At the Rideau Lakes Council meeting on Jan 22nd, Councillor Paula Banks put forward a motion for $10K to be spent in this year’s budget “to obtain professional services for the review of the existing [municipal] office building” in Chantry. This idea is wasteful and manages to be both “too little too late” and “too much too soon.”

A professional review of the existing building has already been done. Back in July 2021, Mr. Norwood, then the Manager of Facilities and Parks, presented a detailed report to Council on the Chantry offices (http://tinyurl.com/yc2tra3v, p. 137-217). Analysis by external engineers and architects had concluded that close to $900K in capital expenditures would be required over the following 10 years to improve components to a reasonable, modern standard and to maintain the aging building. Replacement or more substantial renovations would be needed anyway within 10-20 years and would not address the disadvantages of the current location.

The architects’ report stated: “Given the age and location of the existing building in the township, we do not perceive any economic benefit to the ratepayers of the municipality in undertaking a renovation of the existing administrative offices. Relocation would … provide the opportunity to design a flexible facility to strategically accommodate future growth and attract a talented workforce to serve the community into the future.”

Staff and Council agreed with the architects at that time, but members of the current Council have disregarded past advice and decisions. Meanwhile, our municipal workers are coping with cramped workspaces, leaky ceilings – and rodents.

A renovation will be “too little” – inadequate for the needs of a growing population and staff. The idea is “too late” because the majority of Council members have insisted on using capital resources this year on the Portland Hall instead. This means that our staff, who have already waited 26 years for a decent office building, would likely have to wait several more years (at least) before there are capital funds available.

“Too much” and “too soon,” because it is not responsible to spend another $10K on reports that will tell us what we already know from earlier investigations, and because current estimates will be out-of-date by the time the capital will be available for offices. The Portland Hall would increase the Township’s debt by about $2 million. It would be a long time before the Township could take on another large debt.

What’s needed is the right expenditure at the right time. For that we need responsible decision-making from Council that respects advice from external and staff professionals. 

Jane Willms