Letter to the Editor

If Lee Ballantyne's column "Top Cop would bring leadership to council" is an example of his political thinking, then maybe we should have more of it. He is at least as good as any other local political commentator I've read recently. 

Chief Frechette has been an exemplary leader and he has survived some serious and unfair criticism over the years with grace, and common sense reactions. It is, however, a big step to go from private citizen (which he will be by election time) right to the mayor's chair.

While this has, in general, been a terrible council with no leadership, there are a couple of people who have shown great promise. Although I worked for his opponent in the last election, John Brassard has been a pleasant surprise. 

Frechette would be a very welcome addition to council, and there will be a few more wards up for grabs, based on the expansion in the south end, and that would accommodate some "new blood".

Like Lee, I am baffled at this council’s reluctance to listen to the consultants and sometimes even their staff. They pay these people tens of thousands of dollars, for what? In the case of the police location, two consulting firms at two different times came up with exactly the same recommendations – a south ward location – and still they are ignored.

It’s insane to keep concentrating the police in the north end when the city is expanding south.

Without doubt, we need some ‘thinkers’ on council. We don’t even need “big thinkers” but at least some people who can see the City of Barrie beyond a four-year mandate and don’t squander our money on, mostly ignored, consultants.  

We desperately need a few people like those in the past, Arch Brown, Dorian Parker, and Les Archer.

Anyway, let Ballantyne “out of his cage” a little more often on political matters.

Al Wrigley
Barrie