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my FERRY UPDATE BULLETIN APRIL 16, 2007 . MARCH 14 NLEETING AMONG MEMBERS OF THE AMHERST SILAND FERRY CONIMITTEE AND OUR MPP LEONA DOMBROWSKY, PROVINCIAL MINISTER OF TRANSPORTATION DONNA CAN SFIELD, AND EASTERN REGION DIRECTOR OF MTO CATHY MOORE This was a very collegial visit, friendly and helpful attitude exhibited by our visitors Various committee members presented facts'to the visitors The MPPs were interested to learn some things that they had not as yet heard, and also revealed that they had never yet been asked by Loyalist Township whether an "up--load" of the Ferry to the Ministry was possible. They said that they would be willing to entertain such a request seriously, if it were made by Council, or by a sufficient number of Island residents and landowners . MTO has decided to initiate an audit of the Ferry Service accounts, which will be done on an expedited basis . MARCH 26 LOYALIST TOWNSHIP COUNCIL NIEETING FOR PUBLIC COMIVIENT ON THE MISCELLANEOUS FEES BYLAW" Over 40 Islanders attended, which represents about 10% of the Island's population, out on a weekday night -- well done, Islanders! Judith Harrower, Caroline Yull, Eva Little, Lorna Willis, John Schutzbach, Ross Haines and Zander Dunn all spoke Council members asked a few questions for clarification, and argued with some presenters, but did not engage in any kind of mutual discussion In the end, the "Miscellaneous Fees Bylaw" was tabled for a couple of weeks, because of some problem With the facts and figures for the Masters' Swim Program, which was one of the other "miscellaneous fees" . It is to be hoped thatm future, such an important issue as raising the Ferry rates will be dealt With in its own spec1fically-named bylaw, making it easier to track in the agendas of future Council meetings . PROJECTED DEFICIT FOR FERRY SERVICE (2007) This deficit is one example of the problems with the Ferry Service budgeting process at the Township. The projected deficit was $118,000 Within two weeks of our learning that there was to be an audit of the Ferry Service's books that projected deficit had been reduced to approximately $8,000 3 This abrupt reduction of $110,000 was apparently achieved by re-thinking some of the Administrative Costs allocation. Because the Ferry Service represents approximately 12.5% of the Township budget, the share of the administrative costs allocated to the Perry is automatically set at 12.5% This might seem fair, until one looks at the fact that the ferry budget is almost all taken up with wages and fuel. These are not paper-based costs ~- there are not huge mailing costs, or other costs such as the several thousand dollars' worth of new furnishings and computer equipment and information technology costs that are included According to the most recent Census Canada statistics, Amherst Island represents just under 3% of the whole population of Loyalist Township, just to put this into perspective. Let's remember what the sign at the mainland dock says "the ferry is a public place as a part of the road system of Ontario" -- we think it is time the Province of Ontario took over this particular part of its road system, and remove the lion's share of the burden from such a small group of its citizens