I'm sure I speak for most of my Sydenham neighbours in wanting only good things for our fellow citizens in the Town of Meaford, including having access to high quality library services like we have been enjoying since 1994 as founding members of the Owen Sound and North Grey Union Public Library.

However, you will not get the library services you want by allowing your library board to deprive your Sydenham neighbours their access to such services. If you and Meaford Council allow the recent decision of the Meaford Library Board to stand (cancelling the contract with the Union Library), you will not only further erode Meaford's reputation as a municipal partner, but you will be harshly judged by your Sydenham neighbours.

As was widely recognized by participants at this week's public information meeting at the Union Library in Owen Sound, the problem is primarily a 'system' problem, and we were all encouraged by Grey County Warden Al Barfoot's promise to us to make an integrated Grey-county-wide library system one of his priorities.

The Meaford Library Board is much more likely to get a new home for its library by being a good partner in the Union Library alliance and an advocate of a county-wide system than it is by being small minded and willing to deprive its Sydenham neighbours of their right to library services.

I call on Meaford Council to override the Meaford Library Board's current position, ensure no interruption of library services to Sydenham residents, and become an advocate of a modern, integrated County-wide library system serving all residents equally.

The best way of doing this is for Meaford Council to agree to live out the full term of the current Union Library agreement (not a 1-year patch-up agreement). This will show Meaford can be a reliable partner in an eventual County-wide system. The Meaford Library Board can then make its case for being an early beneficiary of the new system's capital budget in order to rehouse the Meaford Library.

I can assure you that your Sydenham neighbours are watching closely how Meaford Council honours or dishonours this commitment made to us at the time of amalgamation.

Doug Miller

Annan