There may never be a better time, or a more crucial time, for the citizens of Elliot Lake to participate in their future than right now.
At the Ad Hoc Budget Committee meeting last Thursday, veteran Councillor Norman Mann invited the citizens to become involved in the budget process of 2024.
Frankly, as I sat in the gallery and listened to his opening and closing comments, I thought Mann was outright telegraphing a message to the citizens equivalent to: We are open, and we want your participation.
So, the next day, I reached out to two councillors to make sure I was not misinterpreting or putting too much weight on Mann’s words. I understand their response to say, I heard right.
Mann carries some political weight. While his vote count in the last election put him in fourth place for a council seat, he is the only member of council who was not a newly elected member in 2022 – a year where the electorate wanted change.
According to the city’s website, Norman Mann has served as a councillor continuously since 2010. His father, Fred Mann, served two two-year terms beginning in 1977 when Elliot Lake was a town and three more terms after we became a city. Weight and pedigree.
So, the invitation to the citizens to ‘follow the money’ (my words), does not come from a political neophyte.
As previously reported, in opening remarks, Mann said: “Through the [ad hoc budget] process, we will definitely be having some public input and that will be encouraged.”
And upon return from the closed session, he said, “We will advise the community once we have a date. At this point, we haven’t scheduled anything."
"Staff have information to prepare back to the committee. We can set up a schedule and go from there.”
Yes, I’m making a lot of those words, because Elliot Lake is not the same city of relatively new infrastructure largely gifted to the citizens when the mines closed. As I told one councillor on Friday, while discussing this budget cycle, “our beautiful little city is falling apart.”
And 700 other Elliot Lakers agree - the signatures collected in six days. Story here.
Most Elliot Lakers are the ‘little guy citizens’ or members of ‘the 60%.’ And while the percentage can be argued, it is a large group of people of modest means who came here to retire - or work for wages. And that’s long-timers and newcomers alike.
Elliot Lake’s more influential strata would do well to ask itself, “If these guys leave because the place is falling apart, who will buy my goods and services? And what will my own home be worth?”
We should all, 'follow the money' and watch for these opportunities for the citizen's input.
If the citizens of Elliot Lake don’t take up this invitation, will the last one to leave please switch off the lights?