A town divided.

I live in a small rural community in Eastern Canada. It's a cute town, a nice river, lots of woods, safe enough, great schools.

But our town has some huge issues, and is basically dying year by year. The town is constantly hiring consultants, etc. to try and figure out why people aren't moving here.

Recently, we had a town meeting regarding water rates, tax rates, and the lack of growth. The town council presented a "study" done by residents as to why people didn't want to move here. Their conclusion? Get ready to face palm. Negativity from residents on a facebook chat group was driving away would be home buyers and developers. Wow. WOW!

In reality, people dont move to our town because the tax rates are the highest in the entire province, with few amenities. The town us situated too far away from city centre to be a bedroom community, and too close to a next largest town, who has a much lower tax rate.

For YEARS, the younger generations have really come together to try and elect a younger town council, and
all though we successfully ousted the last CFO and elected someone competent, the new CFO still has to listen to the councillors, who are predominantly 65+ and only focused on the "beauty" of the town.

I.e.: the town has one water main that needs a complete overhaul. It's constantly breaking and flooding an intersection, leaving a street full of residents, even a councilor, with no water for a day or two every month.
Instead of voting to fix the water main, they decided to use funds to build a new park and erect a useless fence at the towns parking lot. Seriously. Their reasoning was, fixing the water main each month was a big part of the hours worked by the towns maintenance team, and keeping them employed was a priority for them. 🤦‍♀️

Eventually we'll have the most beautiful ghost town in all of Canada! I can't wait for this election and maybe this will be the year we can get some young blood on our council and fix the real issues.

a reply to: Atsbhct

Appears you answered your own questions.

High Taxes to fund projects that the city leaders choose. It is the usual public corruption. The right people have to make the money.

Look into who is getting the contracts for all of these "projects / consulting gigs" and how much they are getting paid out of the public tax coffers.

As usual, it is all about funneling money to the "right" people.

a reply to: Atsbhct

I'm active in my towns inner workings and I can sum up all of your problems with just one word... Money.

High taxes will keep people from moving there and businesses don't want to move to a town without growth potential.

And be careful about the "young" blood fixing things.
I've seen too many businesses and organizations ruined by young blood.

a reply to: infolurker

It's so funny because they aren't even that smart!

They've hired seven different consultants, none related to anyone or the town. One councilor said she hired them "from facebook"...

a reply to: Bluntone22

But in this case, the older generations just dont see the taxes as problem.

They spent last years budget on building a strip mall and forcing the liquor store to move into it. The other 4 units have been empty for a year and the council cant understand why.

What business would move into a unit in a town of 1200 people, where the rent is $5000 a month AND for some bizarre reason the tenant has to install their own custom plumbing.

The council is just ridiculous.

a reply to: Atsbhct

Consultants can be very sketchy... I'm sure some are great, but basically they collect money upfront for advice, and the results aren't really calculated into compensation. Like in this case for a small town, after any changes are made, it's going to be a few years before there are any noticeable changes in population growth.

Sounds like they should either focus on retirees, or young families looking for a quiet and quaint place to start their family. Either way, taxes ( and more importantly spending for the time being) would have to be reduced.

a reply to: Atsbhct

Don't misunderstand me.
Your town council sounds like it arrives at city hall in a clown car.
There need to go from what you described.

But,,,and it's a big but...

Make sure you don't replace them with something worse..
Young blood comes with fresh ideas but usually with little experience so make sure they are your best choice.

a reply to: Bluntone22

In a small town in rural canada, no one has much, or any, experience. But we definitely need people who understand the metrics of today's families and homebuyers.

a reply to: Atsbhct

I don't know about Canada but here in the states many of our rural town get shafted by the government with stupid upgrade requirements.
One town near me was forced to upgrade their sewer treatment plant at a cost of $8 million and the only way to pay for the project was to raise taxes a great deal.
Today the town is dying but they have a great sewer....just can't afford to hire anyone to work there....lol

originally posted by: Atsbhct
a reply to: Bluntone22

In a small town in rural canada, no one has much, or any, experience. But we definitely need people who understand the metrics of today's families and homebuyers.

Is this small town independent, or in a county, or collective of towns sharing municipal services?

a reply to: CriticalStinker

We're independent, but we won't be for long if things don't get figured out.

a reply to: Bluntone22

Our taxes have been high for the last ten years or so when they wanted to build a new elementary school. We were promised taxes would be lowered after, but of course it didn't happen.

Our sewer is ready to go, too. So the town signed away our water rights to a fracking company, who said the profits would pay for a new treatment plant, which the residents and local native community protested to the point the company wouldn't touch the project. We have enough tax revenue to build it ourselves, but the council says we need a new library and town hall.

The stupidity just never ends.

originally posted by: Atsbhct
a reply to: CriticalStinker

We're independent, but we won't be for long if things don't get figured out.

I don't know the area, but that might not be the worse thing in the world (keep in mind, I'd be a youngblood Bluntone refers to, and with good merit).

I just find it hard to believe a town of 1,200 people can operate independently to have a school, library, municipal sewage and water, and possibly a courthouse and police station. With just a little over a thousand people, after accounting a percentage of the employable working for the town... How many are left to do private sector to generate revenue?

We have a small town inside our county hovering close to 1,000 people. They have a post office and a fire station, both of which are part of the county structure, but mostly funded by the well off residents of the immediate community. The police are county, the court county, the water is wells and individual septic tanks. And most of them commute into the bigger town for work, though there are some artisan products made on the mountain.

a reply to: Atsbhct

That doesn't work here.

I think the Facebook page for my town is nothing more than a 24/7 neighborhood watch/gossip page.

Keep in mind I live in the country. Up until recently, no one had less than an acre of land, unfortunately a brand new city sprang up in our midst, but only a few homes have been built so the numbers are temporarily low still.

Rarely does anyone post to Facebook to say something nice. If an unknown car turns around in someone's yard, their car will be on Facebook with a BOLO report. Cut someone off in traffic, you will be posted on Facebook. Have an altercation in a local Ma Pa restaurant, check Facebook, you can bet the video will be there.

Someone needs help. Post on Facebook and two or more people will show up to help, free of charge. To be honest our Facebook presence is one of the things that we could do without, but for all the negativity, it is not stopping people from moving out here, and trust me, there is no dirty laundry that gets missed. There are open air fights with the local counsel and government, and they still keep on coming.

Be careful what you wish for.

a reply to: CriticalStinker

Our courts and police are county (RCMP), also. We're lucky to be a tourism town as well, but that's limited to 3 months of the year, but could be huge if it was developed.

a reply to: Atsbhct

Same situation here in northern Ontario.
We have all the remote reserves kicking their undesirables out and because we are the only larger city between here and Winnipeg Manitoba, they come to Thunder Bay.
The crime is absolutely horrendous here in Thunder Bay.
You can leave anything in your vehicles at night because some scum bag will smash your window and take it.
People have resorted to leaving notes on their dash “ No change” in hopes the low life will move on to the next guy.
Can’t walk down town with out being harassed for smokes, spare change, or anything else they feel they want.

Until we make our residents happy, no one is going to speak highly of this place.
People are sick and tired of our situation here.
I wouldn’t ever move here either if I had a choice.

a reply to: Macenroe82

I actually just listened to the Thunder Bay podcast. Talk about corruption! You guys have it.

a reply to: Atsbhct

Ya it’s a disaster here.

Murder capital for how many years straight now.
Sickening

a reply to: Atsbhct

Sounds like Illinois!

It's because of Facebook!

originally posted by: Atsbhct
I.e.: the town has one water main that needs a complete overhaul. It's constantly breaking and flooding an intersection, leaving a street full of residents, even a councilor, with no water for a day or two every month.
Instead of voting to fix the water main, they decided to use funds to build a new park and erect a useless fence at the towns parking lot. Seriously. Their reasoning was, fixing the water main each month was a big part of the hours worked by the towns maintenance team, and keeping them employed was a priority for them. 🤦‍♀️

I think you just nailed the real issue here. If this is a reason to keep someone employed, then your area job prospects ain't that great. And believe me, if a rural town's job aspects suck, why would I want to live there? Because you think it's nice? No bud, it don't work like that. It sounds like the underbelly of the town isn't negativity and taxes, it's lack of work.