To the editor:
I find it interesting after receiving a million dollars in revenue from a casino, North Bay Council deems it best to pay down an Ice Palace debt, yet to be tendered, really? Are there no other pressing issues in this community? Not one?
I find it interesting at the brevity of our Mayor’s in-depth review of this Ice Palace project. With no independent comparative analysis? Accept the words of those already promoting the project, and read the same reports, all good? A little finger wagging and a few vacant stares, after a long council meeting. While some on Council were working to forward this project behind the public’s back? Then state “we won’t build, if it’s too expensive” how expensive? Then throw an additional million on the pile already spent (creating a 3.6 million dollar pile)? Perhaps I should not refer to this arena as an “Ice Palace” anymore. After all, in outer space, there’s a phenomenon called a “Black Hole.” Which effectively gobbles up all it encounters. Maybe that’s more appropriate?
I find it interesting that our Integrity Commissioner has yet to address Council re: INB. Neither I nor anyone else has any idea what he wishes to say. Might his comment affect your thinking on this project? Given this expenditure's enormity and in the interest of openness, traceability, accountability, and fairness, I’m flabbergasted. Our Mayor and Councillors repeated those words or something similar in their quest to get elected. My question remains…who are you accountable to? Do you remain only accountable to the spectrum of special interest groups you seemly represent; from Real Estate to Recreational groups? What of the rest of your citizens?
There are very dark clouds both economically and politically on the horizon. The spectre of world conflict is not unthinkable. Perhaps a belt-tightening now would be less painful than later. We can make do with less, much less.
I wish you all well but please, look toward your better angels, as the devil is in these details.
Ephrem Gallant
North Bay
