Killaloe – Ted Browne has no intentions of stepping down as a member of council in Killaloe, Hagarty and Richards despite a request from a couple that he should resign.

The councillor made it clear last week he will not be stepping down as suggested in a letter sent to council.

 At a meeting last Tuesday night, a letter from Toni McLeod and Alain Rollin, residents on Great Heron Lane, (Golden Lake) to Mayor Dave Mayville, was introduced as an item of correspondence. The mayor said it was included as information, but Coun. Browne wanted it addressed immediately.

 “I’ll talk to that,” he said. “They want me to resign, but unfortunately for them, I will not be stepping down.”

He suggested any taxpayers who have a problem can call or email any of the councillors to discuss an issue.

“Maybe you can understand it better if you talk to me in person,” he stated, as he shared his cell phone number publicly for those listening in person or through the live stream. “I look forward to hearing from you.”

He told the Leader last Thursday he wanted to address the letter so the public would know someone had asked him to resign.

“They weren’t happy with what I said at the finance meeting, but that was my opinion,” he explained. 

Coun. Browne said while he did not recall exactly what he had said at the meeting, the gist was he didn’t feel he had the right to kick someone out of their home for not paying their taxes.

His comments last Tuesday evening were in response to the author, who said she and her husband moved to the township three years ago, and have generally been pleased with the community and support provided by the township.

The writer said the couple had attended the finance meeting on June 25^th and had their eyes opened, adding they were very disheartened by the 17 per cent tax increase, and “the perceived lack of concern for how this will affect those who are actually paying their taxes”.

She said they receive no services where they live such as water, sewer, garbage pick-up or road maintenance as the road is considered a private lane. Ms. McLeod said they already have the highest tax rates around Golden Lake noting other municipalities charge far less for similar or larger properties. She added it was unfair they were subject to the same tax increase as those residents receiving the services they do not.

“And then to see the display by one of the council members tonight sent us into a frenzy,” the letter stated. “I applaud your efforts to try and suggest ways to improve the tax and water and sewage arrears and we thought the proposed solutions were excellent. (Such as communication directly with those who are in arrears and try to find workable payment options and to cut water to those who do not pay).

“But when Coun. Browne spoke, he basically shot down every idea brought forward,” the letter continued.

The letter writer said they understood there are some people without the means to pay their bills, but it was not a good solution to make others cover the losses.

“If council cannot make the tough decisions, then they shouldn’t be part of the board,” the letter stated. “I can assure you that we and others on our lane will not vote for Mr. Browne in the future unless we decide to also stop paying taxes, as it is clear to us he would not do what is necessary to make us pay.

“Sometimes hard decisions have to be made and perhaps Mr. Browne should step down as he doesn’t seem to want to be part of a solution and just let the problems get worse,” it continued.

The letter also suggested money could be saved by eliminating some council positions or other programs. The writers said they are on a fixed income and although they have always paid their taxes, it wouldn’t matter if they didn’t because no one on council challenged Coun. Browne’s remarks.

“While I appreciate your position as mayor, I believe some of the council members are not doing what they were appointed for and people like us, who do the right thing, end up paying the price,” the letter concluded.