Petition circulating for Bothwell, Zone Township to leave Chatham-Kent

Dissatisfaction with service levels and concerns it could get worse is prompting an effort among some residents to have Bothwell and Zone Township separate from the Municipality of Chatham-Kent.

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Since the beginning of September discussions have been taking place with residents in these communities on the eastern edge of the municipality regarding a petition to formally request the provincial government to allow Bothwell and Zone Township to leave Chatham-Kent and amalgamate as a lower tier municipality under nearby Lambton County.

“We kept it away from the media up until now just to give us that opportunity to have a constructive discussion,” said Emery Huszka, who helped organize the petition. “It wasn’t a sales pitch, it wasn’t a dog and pony show, it was people talking to each other about how we govern ourselves.”

Huszka said it is understood the province was looking for efficiencies when Ontario municipalities were amalgamated back the late 1990s. However, he noted many amalgamations took place willingly, but the one in Chatham-Kent was forced.

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“This is an oversight and we’re hoping we can just correct this oversight and we’d be happy,” he said.

Huszka is a resident of Florence, which is in Lambton County, but he pays taxes in Chatham-Kent on the family farm located in Zone Township where he was raised and remains strongly connected to the community.

He said there continues to be nervousness over the “continual pressure” of local facilities such as the Bothwell Arena and other facilities and services being looked at for cost savings.

Huszka said a proposal leading into the latest budget deliberations that included cost-saving suggestions such as closing several rural fire stations, libraries and service reductions impacting rural road maintenance and dust suppression was a concern.

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On Friday, Bothwell’s volunteer fire station was assisted by crews from fire stations from Thamesville, Ridgetown, Orford and Highgate that saw about 30 firefighters on scene to battle a fire that destroyed three buildings in Bothwell’s downtown.

A decision by council to approve in principle reducing the size of council from 18 members to 15 members is also seen as a way of eliminating more rural voices, he added.

“At what point do you just say, ‘Uncle, this is enough folks. You’re just not getting it,’” Huszka said. “We feel left out, we feel ignored in a lot of ways.”

Scott Stocking, whose family has lived in Zone Township for more than a century, said there is a feeling in general that services are being taken way.

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“This hasn’t happened overnight,” he said. “It’s finally getting to the point people are very discouraged.”

Stocking is concerned about the state of the roads in and around his farm in the Zone Center area, including dust suppression.

“Dust control is big thing out here,” he said. Not only does it help keep things clean, it is also safety issue for seeing other vehicles on the road, he added.

Noting rural residents don’t have streetlights, sidewalks, municipal water or sewage lines, Stocking said they just want to receive the services they need.

Prior to amalgamation, Stocking remembers “we had a smaller crew and we were getting better (road maintenance).”

Huszka and Stocking have found the vast majority of residents they’ve talked to are willing to sign the petition.

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“I can count on one hand the number of people who aren’t signing,” Huszka said.

“I have not had one complaint,” Stocking said. “It’s always been, ‘Yes, how soon can we get it done?’”

Dave Beamish, owner of Bothwell Fine Furniture, said, “The community feels slighted” by the municipality.

He points to an ongoing concern the community’s arena could be targeted for closure in the future due to budget cuts.

Noting the community bought the arena years ago, Beamish said, “It’s all paid for and you can’t run it? It’s ridiculous.”

He said the view of many people is service cuts are going to pay for amenities that benefit Chatham. He cites a proposed $52 million community hub that will house a new city hall, library and museum as an example.

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“There should have been a referendum on it,” Beamish said. “We just feel that we have no voice.”

East Kent Coun. John Wright said with the condition of some rural roads, cuts to services, and a disagreement over the proposed community hub, “it’s boiling” in the rural areas.

When asked if he’s raised these concerns with administration and council, Wright said, “I’ve said it all along, ‘You’re taking, taking from them.’”

He is concerned what will happen when the issue of raising the farm tax ratio is looked at again. Chatham-Kent currently taxes farm land at 22 per cent, the lowest rate allowed. The top tax ratio a municipality can set on farm land is 25 per cent.

“That’s really going to push them over the shelf,” Wright said.

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Huszka said there is confidence Lambton County is capable of handling the small needs of Bothwell and Zone Township, such as building services, library services, social services.

He also noted historically, Bothwell and Zone and Lambton County were once together.

The plan is to have the petition ready to give to Lambton-Kent-Middlesex MPP Steve Pinsonneault by the end of the month for him to present at Queen’s Park, Huszka said.

Pinsonneault said in an email he is aware of the petition and “appreciates the concerns raised by local residents.

“However, it’s important to recognize that decisions regarding municipal restructuring or amalgamation are complex and involve multiple levels of government, with careful consideration given to a range of factors,” he added.

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Noting he can’t predict the province’s position on this specific petition, the MPP said, “I believe it is essential for all stakeholders—residents, local leaders, and provincial authorities—to be part of a thorough consultation process.”

The final decision would depend on a variety of factors, including the potential impact on both the local and broader regional community, he added.

Pinsonneault said he will continue to monitor the situation is

“I will continue to monitor the situation and is “committed to ensuring that all voices are heard in any ongoing discussions.”

Huszka said if leaving Chatham-Kent is allowed, “we will still talk to our neighbors.

“Family can disagree and still co-exist,” he added. “We just don’t want to co-exist under the same roof necessarily.”

Although he doesn’t know where the petition will go, Stocking said, “I hope they (municipality) get their eyes opened.”

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