The future of North Perth

North Perth is a comfortable small town with Rural and urban qualities that make it very unique and different from the larger urban centres that garner most of any government's attention.  The larger centres have the dollars, the people and thus the political clout to get the ear of every tier of government.  We don't !  BUT, we do have the best quality of life and we are my preferred choice of a place to call home!  By the way, having lived in 23 different places throughout Ontario in my lifetime, I know of what I speak!

I fear that we are on the cusp of being discovered and that the quality of life that we enjoy may be 'threatened' as city dwellers continue to move here because of our lower taxes, community safety and unique non-city feel, etc.  At the same time I don't want the very reason that I like living here to be threatened by unmanaged growth.  I don't necessarily want to stay small, like some I know, but I don't want us to lose our small town, urban and rural charm and quaintness!

We need to protect our way of life through strategic planning and initiatives to attract relative businesses needed by our local residents for specific services and/or places to work. We need to attract businesses that can provide employment and support the urban and rural parts of our community.  But there is a very fine line between growing responsibly and losing what we have. 

Most importantly, we need to have a local council and local committees and organizations that support and that care about every aspect of our lives.  Each must be determined to maintain our independence and control over what happens in North Perth.  

A smaller council, elected at large is fine (probably an improvement) but control over local spending and planning and growth has to be maintained IN NORTH PERTH!   

Urban and rural representatives are needed on Council to represent the two unique parts of our municipality.   But I don't think we need the current ward system to enable that!  Perhaps to alleviate fears about council members representing all parts of our community, we should simply specify that candidates declare themselves as urban or rural and that a minimum of 2 from each sector will be elected to the 7 person council (MAYOR, DEPUTY MAYOR and 5 COUNCILLORS) elected at large.

Here is another thoughts:

We must not allow 1 person or even the minority to breakdown the very fabric of who we are as a town.  (For example, just because 1 person complained about the nativity scene on municipal property, it should NOT have had to be moved to the Catholic Church).   IN Canada we do NOT have a law that insists on the separation of Church and State - that's an American thing.   Rather we have the constitutional right to express any religious beliefs.  A nativity scene should have been allowed just as a muslim or Jewish or Hindu or Buddhist expression of faith should have been allowed should someone have wanted to put it up!   In my opinion, we can be accepting of all without being judgemental of or discriminating against any!

Thanks for allowing me to ramble.