Friends & Cottagers:
The recent announcement by Saugeen First Nation following the end of the State of Emergency and the Stay-At-Home order has created a significant increase in comments on the SCOI website. The volume and content of comments have reached the point where we have suspended further commenting associated with the “Travel within Ontario” post.
The SCOI Board wants to point out that all posts on the SCOI website are moderated. That means they are read and reviewed before posting. Our expectation from all posters is fairness, civility, tolerance, and forbearance. Many of the comments we have received (posted and unposted) have not reflected those qualities.
The SCOI website is not a public space but a private space where SCOI controls the content. As such, SCOI has the right to decline to publish a specific comment. If you have wondered why your comments have not been posted, in the opinion of the board they did not meet the expectations noted above. In hindsight, we believe that some comments which we approved for posting should have been withheld. That was our mistake, and we apologize to those who were offended.
You are always welcome to send us your comments on future SCOI posts, even if we do not approve them. We read them all and they do help to make us aware of your thoughts on whatever has been posted.
At the same time, this forum is not the place to be critical of our neighbours, SCOI, the Chief, Band Council or the Band’s senior administration. Our goal is to provide you with accurate and timely information about issues which are common to us all.
As always, we will do our best to respond to questions for clarification or further information. Being a cottager on leased land is different from cottaging anywhere else. Often there are no readily available answers to your questions. SCOI can do its best to assist you. We have a lot of experience and knowledge available to us. Just ask.
We are also aware that cottage owners who have chosen not to become cottage association members have been enjoying the information provided through the SCOI website. The SCOI website is managed and maintained largely with volunteer time. In the last year there has had to be a lot more time put into the organization because of the COVID-19 situation and the dramatic increase in commenting and content. There are costs associated with the ongoing operation of the web site which are covered by cottage association membership fees.
Because the web site is intended for members of SCOI, the SCOI Board has decided to restrict access to website posts to members only, beginning later this year. We will announce more details at a later date.
Thank you for your consideration.