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Will this reignite this whole new vs. old Milton stuff?

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Rural residents want more attention to rural interests

Public meetings held on ward boundaries

By Joanna Phillips, Special To The Champion

News

Oct 08, 2008

Residents made a clear distinction between the needs of urban and rural dwellers during two recent public meetings on the same topic.
The latest meeting to discuss Milton’s four electoral boundaries — set in 1997 when Milton had a population of about 32,000 — was held at the Milton Sports Centre September 25.

The first was held at the Nassagaweya Community Centre September 18.

The Town of Milton has commissioned independent consultant Dr. Robert Williams to develop options and make final recommendations on the current boundary structure before the 2010 municipal election.

While the number of elected officials won’t change, said Dr. Williams, the “massive change in the community” since the last boundary review has brought the electoral boundaries — of which there are currently four — back for scrutiny.

He cited four guiding principles that will be used to re-evaluate, and possibly re-align, the boundaries: communities of interest; consideration of representation by population; consideration of present and future population trends; and consideration of physical features. For Miltonian Mike Grimwood, president of the Milton Rural Residents Association — who attended both meetings — what’s important is that rural residents have a voice for their specific interests.

He said the rural community has numerous challenges to its way of life, which aren’t faced by those in urban areas.

According to Gary Ellis, who lives in Ward 3 and attended the first meeting, the culture of town council has been “all councillors represent all of Milton.”

“The flipside is that no councillors are expected to represent their ward at council. That has to change, regardless of the number of rural wards and rural councillors, or there is no point in having wards.”

Meeting goers also brought up the fact that the rural community doesn’t get municipal water, and should therefore be exempt from the same tax rates as urban residents.

Milton’s municipal council is comprised of eight local councillors — currently two per ward — as well as two regional councillors and the mayor. The number of councillors won’t change, said Dr. Williams.

The town currently has more than 70,000 residents and is expected to grow at a steady pace over the next decade or more.

Most of Milton’s recent growth has taken place in Wards 1 and 4.

Residents are invited to provide feedback on the ward boundary issue by filling out a survey on the Town website, which can be found by visiting www.milton.ca/town-hall/projects/wardreview.htm .