Dear Editor,
In response to Mrs. Champoux’s rebuttal, I’m confident about the amounts I stated. Those are the totals for legal expenses. More than $100,000 by the time the fiscal year ends.
The general public is left to guess at the relative percentages, among various lawsuits. Regardless of how much of that cost is accrued from the lawsuit against the TCRA, it’ s a lot of money for no gain and a lot of aggravation. We’ re just where we were three and a half years ago, no proper fire hall, no road maintenance garage, and slow attrition on the upkeep of the hall.
Anyone who is involved in this community is in a conflict of interest, we’ ve been suing ourselves. The costs are being born entirely by the people of Thorne – one lawyer paid with tax money, one lawyer being paid with voluntarily-donated funds. Champoux’ s memory of the events differs somewhat from mine. As I recall, the first town meeting was preceded by a letter that set a confrontational tone.
The fact (if it is true) that Thorne is the only municipal government that doesn’ t own its building doesn’ t impress me, it’ s just one of many things unique about Thorne. I hope that Thorne is also the only municipality to sue its own volunteer social organization. All this, to allow the municipality to reach for the trophy for the Maddest Math of All, the magic grant for a grand new building at no cost to taxpayers! $0 cost and zero per centage tax increase. What is the source of this no-cost grant? What level of government ever gives away free money with no strings attached, and no matching funds necessary? The builders, like the lawyers, will be paid with money that comes from taxes paid by somebody, somewhere.
I’m a firm believer in gravity. One should start a building at the bottom, with a solid foundation. No one disputes the need for those buildings to house firefighting and road maintenance equipment. Now, if we discuss what we need and how to build it, we all know this is a community that can make it happen. Consultation is the key. Lawsuits should be the last resort, not the opening gambit.
Robert Wills,
Thorne, Que.
