To the Editor

Eroding of Ward 3 Gooderham continues to transpire under the direction of Highlands East council. In its wisdom it has decided not to renew its contract with Canada Post and the post office as it exists will close by Sept. 12. Cecil Ryall our Ward 3 councillor not being vehemently vocal to hold public meetings prior to a negative decision by closed session only outlines his loyalties are not with his constituents.

Canada Post pays contractual services to the municipality for the use of the municipal building and the extra money generating services Tracy our postal employee secures are or were designed to offset Tracy’s wages. Her functions and responsibilities encompass various activities. There is much more to postal activities than just putting one’s mail in their respective mailboxes. Priority Post Express Post preparation of overseas parcels are just a few activities the layperson cannot grasp at the drop of a hat.
Tracy also schedules and prepares paperwork for community centre activities and posts same for public viewing and information. She is our tourist information contact and has been with the municipality for 20 years. It is impossible to express how valuable Tracy is to the successful operation of a longstanding postal service. Council is preaching taxpayers’ dollars being at stake and if so cutting administrators and assistants council benefits the trails position (especially seeing the position would be null and void during winter months and spring and summer trail work is done by Jim
Alden’s department.)
Council could either brown bag their lunches and/or pay for their own instead of having it prepared and paid for on the backs of the taxpayers. A little ingenuity and common sense goes a long way if council is concerned about taxpayers’ dollars being at stake.

As for providing an economic benefit to local business I think public outrage is going to backfire on that assumption and I can see many people moving their mail delivery to Irondale or Haliburton. As for a public meeting the decision has already been made by our so called council so what will be accomplished by this process? If it’s to save face it’s too late. If the venue does not work out the next step will be those green boxes outside where people will have to fight the elements to get their mail.
The closing of our Gooderham post office will not impact other wards however they are part of the Municipality of Highlands East and should consider the impact this closure would have on people in Ward 3 and abroad who depend on our post office.

The closure is a slap in the face to Tracy who has given 20 years towards our successful postal operation and a disgraceful action by council. Next municipal election cannot come fast enough.

Beverly MacDuff
Gooderham