It’s odd. We live in a City where we pay large salaries to city staff and managers and then elect a mayor and council to lead.
They then dump off decisions to even more pricey consultants. Does this make any sense? Maybe we shouldn’t have staff and managers and just hire consultants to run Cornwall?
Maybe we don’t need to elect a council and mayor either as they seem historically reluctant to take a stand on issues unless it’s election time and then quickly forget the issues they took a stand on.
In the end the old adage of getting the government you deserve comes into play, especially in Cornwall where we elected a councilor who when not kissing babies, seniors, and allegedly under age River Queens was allegedly forging documents. We also elected an old hack who waxed poetically about JFK in a municipal election and reads magazines of his employer during council presentations.
The issue of Sunday transit isn’t really that complex. You ask Len Tapp for cost estimates for three different levels of service on Sunday. You ask Maureen Adams about the budget impact of those estimates. You hold a public consultation with the public to see what they really wish.
The reality is that our city has a larger than average amount of seniors and people on fixed incomes who don’t drive. Having them limited, especially in Winter, hurts the local economy.
People with less incomes spend more of it locally. So while Sue Stewart and Economic Development (isn’t that a joke!) poobah Bob Peter’s wife go shopping in Vaudreuil Dorion spending their filthy lucre, but your average pensioner has to cough up for taxis if they want to go to a movie or restaurant in Cornwall on a Sunday.
And of course there is the shadow of the church regarding this issue, and the impact of Sunday being a day of rest which can’t be underestimated in a community that is predominately been born to the Catholic religion.
Frankly any of council that vote that they need a study should resign because clearly they have some leadership and decision process issues. Could you imagine going to breakfast with one of these jokers?
Do you want Sunday buses in Cornwall? Are you willing to see taxes rise for it?
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The city council / administration has a thing for consultants. On top of the consultants being hired to study Sunday bus service there are other consultants that are or have been hired by the city to do studies. Are all these consultants really necessary? What do we have city staff for? Some of the more recent consultants that have or were hired studied the following: protective services (approved for $150k in this year’s budget); study on council pay (2014); ED strategic plan; Emerald Ash plan; GSDL strategic plan 2016 – 2019; Wastewater Treatment Plant Environmental Assessment (2010); Cornwall Business Enterprise Centre (ED – 2008…currently on city payroll); extension of Lemay, redevelopment of Municipal Works Yard (2015); Recreation, Parks and Facilities (2009) Si Miller environmental assessment . I’m sure if I dug deeper I could find more. But I think you get the point. We have city staff. Why not use them?
Hugger is it any wonder why we have no money for art galleries and culture, not to mention swimming pools and splash pads when we burn all this money on consultants? There’s a time and place for a consultant. That should be when the city doesn’t have the necessary expertise only.
It’s a wonder we have any money for anything but consultants.
It’s easier to duck and cover and point fingers at the consulting firm later on down the road if things turn out bad. Better to stay under the radar, collect your salary and cross your fingers and make it to retirement. If you want to see leadership and decision making powers at work you’re better to look at the private sector (the consulting firms, lol) and talk to folks who built up their own businesses from the ground up. There’s no good reason why the City’s transportation department can’t figure this out on their own.
For a measly $10 thousand, I’ll advise the Cornwall City Council that Sunday bus service is a good idea. It’s a win-win deal. Cornwall saves $60 thousand, and I get beer money for the next two years.
The city of Cornwall makes over 2 million a year running the buses 6 days a week and since there raisin the price to $2.90 in May they shouldn’t be complaining about bringing Sunday bus service into effect.
And there is no way it is gonna cost them an extra $400,000 a year to run the buses on Sunday.
And on top of that buses should run till 1am in this town cause a lot of people get out of work at midnight and 1am and end up taking taxis home from the Far East end of town and cost like 20 bucks to get as far as brookdale.
I’ve had to walk home a few times cause I didn’t have a ride when I finished work at 1am.
Cost for consideration for Sunday service in Cornwall ! Why has nobody considered the fact that drivers get paid double time and a half if they work on Sunday. It’s in their contract Really good wages to drive around big empty buses all evening. Something to consider before blaming the city. Blame whoever negotiated that contract item for them. I am all for Sunday Service and ride the buses all the time and I also like the two new buses on the road. This is a needed service in this city but I cannot see ridership grow enough to pay the cost to run empty buses and pay out driver’s big wages on Sunday. Just my thought.
Why do we not have people with enough brains or experience that can make an informed recommendation for council to consider? Lack of leadership and direction.
Why are staff so quick to outsource information gathering rather than showcasing their own abilities? Lack of leadership and direction.
Where are the people whose jobs/function is to monitor, control and identify problems/solutions and why are they not being held either accountable or considered an asset or resource of merit? Lack of leadership and direction.
Cornwall needs leadership and direction. Cornwall needs a mayor.
“Does Council Really Need to Fund a $70K Study for Sunday Bus Service in Cornwall Ontario FEB 5, 2016 ”
Jamie, is this one of your teasers, to grab readers attention, like the “Enquirer” does at grocery checkouts ? lol I thought during the past election, that prospective candidates got the message loud & clear regarding the City’s wasteful use of consultants ! Who were the Councillors, that approved this absolute waste, of our precious tax dollars ? As previous writers have stated, this study could of been easily handled, by our own, very capable, competent & well paid City staff . This decision to spend $70K, is outrageous ! Last October, we elected these people to lead & make decisions on our behalf, still waiting folks !
Mr. Parisien can you imagine if our public art gallery were not to get funding this year and close because the city spent $70K on a study for such a basic issue? Or perhaps this study is simply an excuse to not have to deal with the issue and take flack from voters?
City taxes are high enough, Most housing prices are already over inflated these days. Things like $290,000 for a 2+1 bedroom house, crazy when you think of wages in Cornwall. I paid $95,000 for my house and it was on the market for over 2yrs, they had the taxes based at $155,000, I called them up and they dropped them down $95,000. My father owns 3 houses, They are all over valued by $50-$60k. Its just a way for the city to grab higher taxes. This needs to stop, its all over spending, raising the cost of living to very high rate for such a low earning city. We don’t need Sunday services, could you imagine that, it would be all time and half pays, plus the extra fuel, maintenance, Insurances. What you should be complaining about is Winter hours, In the summer when its hot, you get a bus every 30mins, but when the winter comes and you can get frost bite in a few minutes they stick you out in the cold for 60mins. I don’t take the bus, but a few times when I was younger I missed the bus by a few minutes and was stuck in the cold for almost an hour, lost feeling in my feet, face, wind burn, chapped lips. Really sometimes it isn’t about money, its about public safety. If we could get Sundays at regular rates, say a limit schedule 8am-4pm (church is usually in mornings, One shift only, not 2 and double the cost. Then fine.
Property values are not determined by the city, they are determined by MPAC. So, if anyone has issues with their house values contact MPAC.
I don’t use the bus here in Cornwall. But I can see a need for limited service, perhaps with modified routes. And instead of using the full size buses, use the Handi-Transit /community buses. As for the 30 /60 minute schedules it appears it all depends on demand.
A fleet of 15 passenger vans would likely do a more efficient job of moving the limited number of riders in this community. Larger vehicles maybe for peak hours and routes, smaller vehicles for off peak and less utilized routes. The implementation of a sustainable plan however seems to be well beyond the capability of current management. Fund the study by simply getting rid of the positions that should be competent in this area but have proven to not to be.
With access to all ridership stats a competent analysis for this small city could be accomplished in several weeks for a fraction of proposed $70,000 fee. We are once again being hosed and disrespected as taxpayers.
Every half hour a forty foot bus goes by my place and it’s empty. I’m paying for that!!!
Sunday bus service is a must and I have always been against unions and this is what drove the jobs away to third world countries – the unions wanting higher and higher wages. It doesn’t take a person to make $70K to open their eyes and see that the service is a necessity and not everyone drives. There are people with medical conditions or financial who cannot drive and the same with seniors.
About the art gallery it is an asset for any community and what I would like to see is an instructor or two teaching art to children and this would increase the arts in the community. Many long years ago I remember Cathleen Dancause wife of the lawyer Dancause teaching art at the armories in Cornwall and that was excellent to have. Kids need development in life and art develops the mind and soul and music does as well. Not everyone is athletic and I am for the arts.
Mike why put a 40 foot bus on the road and instead put one of the small buses like what takes the handicapped people to work, shop, doctor, etc. and use that system 7 days a week and from 6 a.m. to 12:p.m. Here in Ottawa buses are packed to the gills and there are certain times of the day and evening when there are a lot less people riding them. Buses are badly needed and in the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s era in Cornwall people rode the buses. Buying small sized buses is the way to go for Cornwall. If only Cornwall were to amalgamate with Long Sault, Ingleside, Morrisburg and all the rest there would be better chances for employment and be able to go beyond the limits of Cornwall which is so very small. You have to think ahead and make changes or else you will stay well behind.