By Robin Thorneycroft
Ottawa city council has disregarded the wishes of small business owners on Preston Street by re-appointing Coun. Elisabeth Arnold to sit on the Preston Street Business Improvement Association board, says Peter Harris, executive director of the Preston Street BIA.
The BIA, created to improve business in the Preston Street area, has had Arnold as a member of their board for six years. In that time, the BIA members say they had a number of issues, such as parking and taxes, which created disagreements between the board and the councillor.
Every year, the city collects more taxes than the regular Preston Street property taxes. The extra money is placed in a fund, over which the elected board and association members have total control. The board also has one city-appointed representative – Coun. Elisabeth Arnold.
“My role is to be a liaison between the city and the board, as well as the ward councillor – to bring the concerns of the residents to the board and vice versa,” says Coun. Arnold.
But that is not enough, says Harris. He says the business owners deserve more.
Not all business owners live in the area, which is why having a representative of the city on the board is so important, says the chairman of the Preston Street BIA, Mario Giannetti.
“I live in Nepean, I don’t get a vote in the area,” says Giannetti. “We have to work with the councillors, there is no question.”
The BIA requested the new city council place a different representative on the board, and the BIA board unanimously voted to request that Coun. Shawn Little, of Kitchissippi Ward, be added.
“I think we wanted new blood. We want to see business looked after, not just the consumer part of it. We also want to see more of the business sector involved,” says Giannetti. “At the time, we thought someone new might be better.”
The BIA approached Coun. Little, who agreed to have his name stand as the requested member of council.
“I know a couple of the merchants on the board,” says Little. “I have helped them with city relations several times in the past. I guess they thought I would be able to represent them better.”
The decision was rooted in a desire to find someone more pro-business, says Harris. Despite the wishes of the BIA, the city voted to give Arnold another term on the board.
“I wanted to continue to be a representative on the board; I asked my colleagues on council to do that and they did,” says Arnold. “And I am looking forward to working with them.”
Beyond being unhappy with the appointment of Arnold, Harris says there is an underlying lack of respect from the city for small businesses.
“Small businesses are among the hardest workers in Ottawa. They are constituents like anyone else,” says Harris. “Yet there is no voice for small business at (city council’s) table. It seems like they are seen as only bank accounts to be sucked dry.”
Despite the history of incompatibilities and the BIA’s disappointment over Arnold’s appointment, Giannetti says, they helped fuel discussions to improve the relationship.
“We have come to an understanding about being proactive and I think she has committed herself to doing that,” says Giannetti. “Only time will tell.”