By Pam Wright, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Chatham Voice
A group of citizens are worried the Chatham-Kent Community Hub, proposed for downtown Chatham, will negatively impact taxpayers.
That was the gist of concerns expressed by folks who gathered in Tecumseh Park Oct. 29.
Around 50 residents, lawn chairs in tow, attended the “Save Our City Hall,” meeting organized by Chatham resident Liz Vallee.
At the meeting’s outset, Vallee said the outdoor event was being held to address two main concerns, including municipal spending on the hub and Chatham-Kent’s upcoming budget.
“These are two things that are affecting us really, really huge in the next little bit,” Vallee explained.
She said she believes the municipality overpaid for the Sears building, and claimed that Chatham-Kent continues to overpay for what it buys.
She also said “everybody” is feeling the pressures of a tough economy, noting C-K taxpayers can’t handle increased taxes.
“There are some of you here tonight and people you know personally that are on the brink of either losing their homes or becoming homeless,” Vallee said to applause.
“It’s gotten out of hand and something has to give. Everything that’s not an emergency right now needs to be put on the back burner.”
On Oct. 21, C-K council approved the next phase of the community hub project that will see the Civic Centre operations, the library and the museum amalgamate into a new public space in the former Sears building. The next stage will see the completion of the detailed design.
Six C-K councillors were present, including Michael Bondy, Ryan Doyle, Brock McGregor, Trevor Thompson, Alysson Storey and Rhonda Jubenville. Jubenville took to the microphone to answer questions from the crowd.
The North Kent councillor was another who expressed concerns about the hub and attempted to answer questions about municipal spending.
Jubenville has brought forward a notice of motion to hold a referendum on whether Chatham-Kent should proceed with the project. A request to council asking the clerk to report on how a referendum, including costs, could be conducted was expected to go before council at the Nov. 4 meeting.
Based on the feedback she’s received, Jubenville said there are “thousands,” including herself, that are opposed to the hub project.
“I just feel we need to go ahead with this in order to provide a platform to the taxpayers of Chatham-Kent to have their say,” she said, adding councillors are the “stewards” of the public purse and must listen to their constituents’ concerns.
Chatham Coun. Alysson Storey spoke to the crowd to help clear up confusion as to how the hub will be funded.
While some has been set aside to pay for the $53-million development, Storey said that $16.5 million of that will need to be debentured. She advised people to go to the municipality’s online webpage where all of the documentation about the hub is posted.
According to Vallee, everybody was invited to the park including all Mayor Darrin Canniff and all council members.
