CBS man feels out of step with Town’s seniors’ dances
By Craig Westcott
A Kelligrews man who claims h’s not allowed to take an ‘out of town’ date to the seniors’ socials organized by the Town of Conception Bay South is demanding that council now ban anyone who hails from outside the community from attending.
Sam Reid was so angry when he couldn’t take along a date from Holyrood that he sent an Access to Information Request to the Town asking for a full report on the cost of hosting the seniors’ socials at the Royal Canadian Legion.
The total cost for one social – for ticket supplies, entertainment, food, refreshments, and the pay of two Town workers and students – came to $6,191.
With about 250 tickets sold at $5 per pop netting revenue of $1,265, that leaves the Town paying some $4,926 each time it hosts a social, which occurs four or five times a year, usually around Christmas, Valentine’s Day and other special occasions on the calendar.
Reid said if CBS taxpayers are paying that kind of money, the events should be restricted to CBS residents only.
Demand for tickets is high and sales are brisk, according to Reid.
“The tickets go on sale at 10 o’clock (in the morning at the Town Hall) but at 8 o’clock they will open the doors to the building, and you can go in and take a number (to get called) to buy your tickets,” Reid said. “There’s a lineup there for that every time.”
Those queuing to buy tickets are restricted to a maximum of four tickets each with the understanding they are for CBS residents only.
But Reid said there are a good many from outside CBS who attend the functions, which consist of a meal and dance.
“It’s only for CBS residents,” said Reid. “I’m living here by myself, I’m paying almost $3,300 a year in taxes, and I want to bring my friend who’s outside, in Holyrood in this case, and it’s, ‘No, you can’t do it.'”
After paying taxes for nearly 48 years, Reid argued, he should be entitled to bring a guest when he attends the socials. Afterall, he added, if there were more senior aged people living at his residence, he would be allowed to buy tickets for up to three of them.
Reid said he knows people from outside CBS who attend the socials and even drove one home to Holyrood one time. “It’s unbelievable, the amount of people there (not from CBS),” he said. “I’ll tell you another odd thing; I’ve got a buddy who pays taxes on land here (in CBS), but lives in Holyrood. He grew up in Long Pond. He can’t buy a ticket, and he’s paying taxes on land.”
Reid said people have encouraged him to bring along his date anyway, reasoning nobody will bother to stop her from attending the social.
“I said, ‘No, it’s not right.’ She won’t go unless it’s legal for me to get her a ticket… I want this straightened out.”
Reid said up to abut a year ago, anybody buying the tickets had to show I.D., and list the names of all the people in the party going to the social.
“About a year ago, they stopped doing that; you just have to show your own I.D., and most people show a driver’s licence, of course, and you can buy three more tickets with no names on them,” Reid said. “It’s easy fix it – have them show the I.D.s when you enter the building. Maybe the rules could be one (ticket) per household, plus one guest. But what I’m really against is anybody from outside going in there who’s not paying anything to the Town.”
Reid maintained Town staff no longer want to talk to him about his complaints, but added one councillor, whom he didn’t want to name, said he agreed with his concerns.
The Shoreline requested an interview with a council spokesperson on the subject and is awaiting a callback.
