On behalf of concerned taxpayers of Havelock Belmont Methuen (HBM) I present to you this petition to stop the sale of the Havelock Medical Centre.  Our concerns are with regards to the lack of due process and transparency surrounding the sale of the municipal owned Havelock Belmont Medical Centre at 75 Concession Street.

Our concerns are as follows:

1.    HBM did not use all communication strategies at their disposal to inform the public of the intent to declare the Medical Center surplus and councils’ decision to sell. Given the high stakes/high impact of this potential sale taxpayers should have been informed and invited to provide feedback.  A public meeting was not advertised or held. All council members promised to clearly communicate as part of their election campaign. This promise has not been upheld.

2.    Unlike the Havelock Medical Centre, the fate of the Town Hall was determined with input through a public meeting that was advertised through social media, ‘Community Happenings’ and a brightly coloured notice on the front door of the Community Centre.  At the same time, the Havelock Medical Centre was put up for sale with zero input from taxpayers. The sale of the Medical Centre has gone largely unnoticed as the advertisement of and the public meeting for the Town Hall were being held during the same time-period.

3.    HBM is the only municipality in Peterborough County with no Strategic Plan. Strategic Plans are used to bring together council, community members and stakeholders to create direction, vision, and short and long-term goals for the municipality. With no Strategic Plan, decisions such as selling community assets are unethical.

4.    On November 20th, 2020. Council set forth a list of priorities for 2021. The sale of community assets was not on this list.

5.    Elected officials are obligated to provide transparency regarding decisions made with municipal assets.  How was the listing price of the medical centre determined? How many agents and appraisers provided information?  Why is the six-year lease) with the option of an additional six more years) lease to the dentists renting in that building listed as a condition of the sale? Why are the dentists who rent the Medical Centre given first right of refusal on all offers on the sale?

Has the impact of this sale been fully considered by community stakeholders and community groups? Will this sale impact the likelihood of medical practitioners coming to the area? How will parking at the Concession Street Park be impacted given the sale of the Medical Centre and only municipal parking for that park? How will the sale of this community asset benefit our community? Will taxes be reduced? Will there be pay increases for municipal officials and employees? Will it be used to pay for the vacant land at the corner of Oak and George Street? A splashpad?

We respectfully request that the sale of the Havelock Medical Centre be placed on hold until a public meeting to hear how the taxpayers of HBM envision this property, and when the future of municipal assets have been addressed in a Strategic Plan. We demand transparency with regards to the sale of the Medical Centre and all assets moving forward for the taxpayers of Havelock Belmont Methuen.