Editor:

The debate rattles on.

Last year, the council in budget debate, became aware of an agreement that enabled the residents of the former township of Sydenham to access the Owen Sound public library on the same basis as a resident of that city.

This arrangement has been long standing and was a term and condition agreed to at amalgamation.

The agreement does not provide any capital income to the Owen Sound library, nor has it ever. The funding has always been based on a census relationship.

During the 2008 discussions, based on the disastrous 2007 financial debacle, the council sought to reduce and eventually remove this expenditure from the municipal budget.

Here we are once again in a debate that has separated the community Meaford/St. Vincent against Sydenham.

The issue is simply that 1/3 of the Meaford Library budget goes to Owen Sound.

What is Meaford’s budget you might ask.

Well, without the Owen Sound amount it is $282,800, of which $255,400 represents wages and benefits. These costs are based on a 39-hour per week service.

Lets look at the demographics. All Sydenham, or “west Meaford” school children attend schools either in Owen Sound proper or on its boarders…

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