Dear Editor:
I write this letter on behalf of the Council of the County of Barrhead in response to the May 3, 2011 article entitled “Town’s Residential Mill Rate Rises 1%”. The article spoke about the Town of Barrhead’s 2011 Operating and Capital budgets, and how the Town’s mill rate must go up in order to pay for anticipated increases in expenses.
The Town and County of Barrhead have a close working relationship. We share many services that are provided for the good of all our residents. We may be separate municipalities, with our own budgets and tax rates, but we still are one community.
Therefore, it was troubling to the County Council members to read remarks in the Barrhead Leader that seem to indicate that the County is to blame for some of the mill rate increase in the Town of Barr-head. In fact, the County of Barrhead will contribute more money to Town operated programs in 2011 than it did in 2010.
In the recent past, the Council authorized the County’s Municipal Sponsorship Program (MSP) Grant, plus additional funding, to help the Town purchase equipment for their recycling program in the Town of Barrhead.
The County of Barrhead operates its own recycling program at each of its six waste transfer stations and, in addition, partners with the Town of Barrhead by contributing to the operational costs of the recycling at the Regional Landfill Site. The County Council encourages residents of the County to take their recyclables to any of the six Transfer Stations or to the Regional Landfill site.
In addition to operating recreation facilities, parks and campgrounds within the County of Barrhead, the County has contributed for decades to the operating costs of the Town of Barrhead Agrena and pool facilities and in doing so, the County has taken inflationary costs into consideration; thereby, increasing its financial contribution each year.
For the past many years, in the spirit of co-operation and for the best interest of citizens, a number of programs were developed by previous Councils and are delivered in partnership between the two municipalities. These programs include Regional Fire Services, Municipal FCSS Program, Regional Landfill, Airport Operations and Water Services, which are continually monitored and reviewed by County Council to ensure efficiency.
The County Council continually reviews municipal programs and services to ensure they are delivered to its citizens in the most cost-effective and efficient manner possible.
We plan to continue the good working relationship we have with the Town of Barrhead.
If you have questions or comments, please contact the County of Barrhead office at 674 3331, or talk with your local Councillor or me.
Bill Lee, Reeve,
County of Barrhead
