Letter to the Editor

Open Letter to Town Council and Mayor

The Municipality of Sioux Lookout currently operates its By-Law enforcement on a complaint driven system.  If you have a concern about the state of a property, or an animal off leash, you must either call the By-Law Officer, or send your concern, via email (which, at last check – was not operational.)  Making a complaint against a neighbor, or member of the community, in towns such as Sioux Lookout or Hudson can be intimidating and uncomfortable, due to the size of the towns (small) and proximity of your neighbor.  I recently had the unsettling experience of feeling firsthand, what happens when your complaint is not kept in confidence, which resulted in an uncomfortable situation.  We do not always have the luxury of anonymity, nor should we feel uncomfortable, concerned, or worried when we have a concern regarding a by-law issue.  I would like to ask the Municipality of Sioux Lookout to consider adopting a proactive approach to by-law enforcement, that would see by-law initiating the complaint process when they see infractions.  Who better to navigate the system than those well versed in the policy, procedure and language of the by-law set forth and established by the Town.  My second suggestion is to provide a clarification, or a loose time line for compliance, instead of it being left to the discretion of the by-law Officer.  I believe that our towns could be safer, and properties kept in better repair, with a little less reacting and a little more proactively.  Thank you.
Krista Storey