GETTING THE WORD OUT;
WAINFLEET RATEPAYERS ASSOCIATION HOSTED
ITS FIRST OFFICIAL MEETING
THE FIGHT AGAINST THE SO-CALLED BIG PIPE CONTINUES.
WAINFLEET RATEPAYERS ASSOCIATION HOSTED ITS FIRST OFFICIAL MEETING SATURDAY SINCE BEING INCORPORATED AS THE WAINFLEET WATER/SEWER COMMITTEE.
THE MEETING WAS DESIGNED TO CREATE A FORMAL STRUCTURE OF THE COMMITTEE
AND WAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET WORD OUT THAT MORE VOLUNTEERS AND RATEPAYER MEMBERS ARE NEEDED TO STOP PLANS TO CONNECT LAKESHORE RESIDENTS IN WAINFLEET TO PORT COLBORNE'S WATER/SEWER SYSTEM.
THE FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS FOR THE NEWLY FORMED ASSOCIATION, WITH ITS MEMBERS SUPPORT, WAS TO SELECT BETTY KONC AS PRESIDENT, HELEN HOSKIN AS VICE-PRESIDENT AND SHERRY MAYNE AS TREASURER.
OTHER MEMBERS OF THE ASSOCIATION BOARD INCLUDE ANDREW WATTS AND SEASONAL WAINFLEET RESIDENT BRUCE MINER.
WHILE THE ASSOCIATION WILL FOCUS ON THE BIG PIPE FIGHT, THE GOAL IS TO ALSO ENSURE RATEPAYERS HAVE A UNITED VOICE WITH ANY DEVELOPMENT THAT MIGHT IMPACT THE COMMUNITY.
"WE ALL NEED TO BE TALKING TO THEM (THE REGION AND TOWNSHIP) WITH THE SAME VOICE," SAID KONC.
"NOT JUST ABOUT THE BIG PIPE ... WE DON'T WANT MASSIVE DEVELOPMENT HERE IN WAINFLEET. WE NEED YOU, THE RESIDENTS OF WAINFLEET, TO ASK THE HARD QUESTIONS. WE (THE BOARD) CAN'T DO IT ALL BY OURSELVES."
AS AN INCORPORATED ASSOCIATION, THE EXECUTIVE HOPES IT WILL PROVE TO THE TOWNSHIP AND REGIONAL GOVERNMENT THAT RESIDENTS MEAN BUSINESS AND DON'T INTEND ON GIVING UP THEIR FIGHT. IT MEANS GETTING MORE RATEPAYERS, AS WELL AS PEOPLE TO VOLUNTEER TO DO SOME OF THE WORK, KONC SAID.
HOSKIN SAID SHE HAS SPENT THE LAST MONTH ATTEMPTING TO GATHER INFORMATION ON RESIDENTS ALONG THE LAKESHORE FROM PROPERTY TAX RECORDS. IT'S BEEN A STRUGGLE, SHE SAID, TO SIFT THROUGH INFORMATION JUST TO FIND RESIDENTS IN THE BOIL WATER ADVISORY AREA AND ALONG THE LAKESHORE.
THE INFORMATION THE ASSOCIATION IS GATHERING INCLUDES NAMES, PHONE NUMBERS, ADDRESSES AND THE TYPE OF WATER/SEWER SERVICES ON THE PROPERTY. "WE NEED THAT INFORMATION FOR SOMETHING WE CAN'T DISCUSS RIGHT NOW," SAID HOSKIN, ADDING THAT A VOLUNTEER WILL BE NEEDED TO VERIFY THE INFORMATION WITH RECORDS AT THE TOWNSHIP HALL.
"THE INFORMATION IS VITAL TO US."
THERE ARE ABOUT 3,000 PROPERTIES CURRENTLY INCLUDED IN THE ASSOCIATION'S DATABASE.
IT'S A CHALLENGE TO GET THE PROPER INFORMATION, SAID HOSKIN, BECAUSE THERE ARE MANY SEASONAL RESIDENTS IN THE AREA.
ANOTHER PROBLEM, HOSKIN SAID, IS THAT THE NIAGARA REGION PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND THE TOWNSHIP DON'T KNOW HOW MANY HOMES ARE SERVICED BY WELLS. IT'S INFORMATION MEMBERS WANT TO HAVE.
THE ASSOCIATION HAS ALSO BEEN STRUGGLING WITH GETTING ACCURATE INFORMATION ON HOW MUCH THE BIG PIPE PLAN WILL COST INDIVIDUAL RESIDENTS.
KONC SAID CALLS HAVE BEEN MADE TO CONTRACTORS BUT NO ONE IS WILLING TO GIVE ESTIMATES.
KONC SUSPECTS RESIDENTS WILL PAY OUT ANYWHERE FROM $30,000 TO $50,000, WHICH DOESN'T INCLUDE HOOK-UP COSTS.
THERE ARE THREE COMMITTEES AT THE REGIONAL AND TOWNSHIP LEVEL WORKING ON THE WATER/SEWER ISSUE INCLUDING THE JOINT COMMITTEE, WORKING COMMITTEE AND A NEW PUBLIC ADVISORY COMMITTEE THAT DOESN'T YET HAVE MEMBERS. KONC SAID SHE'S CONCERNED THAT THE RATEPAYERS WON'T BE REPRESENTED ON THE NEW COMMITTEE.
"WE NEED TO LOAD UP THE COMMITTEE WITH PEOPLE WHO ARE AGAINST THIS PROJECT - JUST A SUGGESTION," SAID KONC. RATEPAYERS ALSO SUPPORTED A MOTION RECOMMENDING THE REGION SELECT KONC FOR THE NEW PUBLIC ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
AS A RATEPAYERS' ASSOCIATION, THE GROUP WILL NOW HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PARTNER WITH COMMUNITY GROUPS AND BUSINESSES, AND APPLY FOR GRANT FUNDING. MEMBERSHIP FEES ARE BEING COLLECTED AND FUNDRAISERS ARE BEING PLANNED.
THE ASSOCIATION IS LOOKING FOR LAWYERS, CONSULTANTS AND ENGINEERS TO HELP IN THE FIGHT. FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT CA.GEOCITIES.COM/WAINFLEETWATER.
FIGHT AGAINST BIG PIPE CONTINUES
The fight continues, as the Wainfleet Ratepayers Association hosted its first official meeting Saturday since being incorporated as the Wainfleet Water/Sewer Committee.
Not only was the meeting designed to create a formal structure of the committee, it was also an opportunity to get the word out that more volunteers and people are needed as ratepayer members to stop the township and Niagara Region from pursuing its Big Pipe plans.
Those plans are to connect Lakeshore residents in Wainfleet to Port Colborne’s water/sewer system.
The first order of business for the newly formed association, with its members support, was to select Betty Konc as the president, Helen Hoskin as vice-president and Sherry Mayne as the treasurer. The other members of the associations board include Andrew Watts and seasonal Wainfleet resident Bruce Miner.
Now, as an incorporated association, the executive hopes it will prove to the township and regional government that they mean business and don’t intend on giving up. It will also allow the association to partner with community groups and businesses, not to mention apply for grant funding.
More details to follow
SATURDAY MEETING IMPORTANT FOR FUTURE OF WAINFLEET
BETTY KONC AND HELEN HOSKINS, WITH HELP FROM A FEW OTHERS, HAVE WORKED LONG AND HARD OVER THE PAST FOUR YEARS TO RAISE AWARENESS AMONGST WAINFLEET RESIDENTS AND OTHERS REGARDING WHAT REGIONAL PLANNING POLICIES WILL DO TO THE RURAL CHARACTER OF WAINFLEET TOWNSHIP.
DURING THAT TIME, MORE THAN 500 SIGNATURES HAVE BEEN COLLECTED AS A PETITION OPPOSING NIAGARA REGION'S PREFERRED LAKESHORE SERVICING PROJECT OR 'BIG PIPE.'
WAINFLEET COUNCIL CONTINUE TO REJECT THESE 500-PLUS SIGNATURES AS NON-REPRESENTATIVE. THEY AND THEIR STAFF, ON THE ADVICE OF A REGIONAL LAWYER, HAVE NOW DEMANDED A PETITION THAT SATISFIES THEIR CRITERIA IS THE ONLY ONE THEY WILL ACCEPT.
PERSONALLY, I FIND UNACCEPTABLE THEIR ARROGANCE IN IMPLYING IT IS ONLY US ORDINARY CITIZENS WHO ARE WRONG.
THE WAINFLEET RATEPAYERS ASSOCIATION HAS BEEN INCORPORATED AS THE WAINFLEET WATER AND SEWER COMMITTEE ONLY BECAUSE IT IS A NAME THAT IS ALREADY HIGH-PROFILE AND WELL-KNOWN IN THIS AREA. THE LAKESHORE SERVICING PROJECT, THOUGH A HUGE THREAT TO WAINFLEET, IS ONLY ONE SUCH THREAT.
THE APPROVAL OF A SUBDIVISION DEVELOPMENT, THE LAKEWOOD CAMP CONDO DEVELOPMENT IS ANOTHER. THERE IS ALREADY A PHASE 2 AND NO EVIDENCE THAT THIS TOWNSHIP COUNCIL WILL DO ANYTHING ELSE BUT APPROVE IT, WITH MANY OTHER POTENTIAL DEVELOPMENT SITES THAT THIS COUNCIL HAS ALREADY ADMITTED IT IS SEEKING DEVELOPERS FOR, ALL ON CURRENTLY RURAL AND EVEN AGRICULTURAL LAND.
OUR TOWNSHIP COUNCIL'S FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY WITH THE TAXPAYER DOLLARS THEY ARE SPENDING IS BEST DEMONSTRATED BY THE INCREASING COSTS FOR THE QUARRY ROAD BRIDGE PROJECT. THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE GRANT (TAXPAYER MONEY) AND THE FINAL PROJECT COST, THE 'ACCEPTABLE COST' TO THE WAINFLEET TAXPAYER, HAS RISEN BY 233 PER CENT IN LESS THAN ONE YEAR WITH NO COMMENT FROM OUR ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES.
A COMMUNITY MEETING AT BRETHREN IN CHRIST CHURCH HALL ON HIGHWAY 3 IS THIS SATURDAY, STARTING AT 10 A.M. IT IS IMPORTANT FOR ALL WAINFLEET RESIDENTS. ANY WAINFLEET RATEPAYERS ASSOCIATION IS MEANINGLESS UNLESS ALL WAINFLEET RESIDENTS BECOME INVOLVED, SO I WOULD URGE EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU TO MAKE TIME TO ATTEND THIS MEETING. WHAT HAPPENS IN WAINFLEET WILL AFFECT ALL OF YOU.
I BELIEVE A MAJORITY OF WAINFLEET RESIDENTS ARE OPPOSED TO BOTH THE BIG PIPE IDEA AND TYPE OF SUBDIVISION DEVELOPMENT CURRENTLY BEING APPROVED BY OUR TOWNSHIP COUNCIL.
BUT I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO HEAR FROM THOSE WHO SUPPORT EITHER OR BOTH OF THE ABOVE. WE ALL NEED TO TAKE PART IN ANY DEBATE ABOUT WHAT IS BEST FOR THE FUTURE OF OUR TOWNSHIP.
DON'T MISS THIS MOST IMPORTANT MEETING.
ANDREW WATTS
WAINFLEET
HESSELS RAISES CONCERNS ALDERMAN FULL OF QUESTIONS AT COUNCIL
Wainfleet
Ted Hessels has questions and he's looking for some answers.
The Wainfleet alderman raised concerns on a variety of issues at the March 11 township council meeting, including queries on the implementation of development fees and the lakeshore boil-water advisory.
Hessels asked chief administrative officer Scott Luey what the pros and cons were of development fees, a policy council was looking into before the departure of former planner Michael Benner.
Luey said development fees were simply "the cost of coming to Wainfleet," and said the money raised from them had to be put toward future capital investments the township would have to undertake because of the growth.
"For example, if the fire department had to have a second bay put on it because of the new homes," said Luey.
He said that installment of development fees would take months, or even up to a year, to complete, but added that council had approved retaining the consultant hired to assess a possible development fee policy.
Hessels then asked Mayor Barbara Henderson, as Wainfleet's regional representative, if she had available information on the exact number of failing septic systems and contaminated wells along the lakeshore, leading up to the Wainfleet Water and Sewer Committee's public meeting on March 29.
HENDERSON TOLD HESSELS SHE DIDN'T KNOW THE EXACT NUMBER OF FAILING SEPTIC SYSTEMS AT THAT TIME. AS FOR WELLS, HENDERSON SAID THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT HAS THOSE NUMBERS AND THEY WOULD BE HARD TO GET.
"There are so many records and documents that it would take a long time to get that information," she said.
"I think it would probably be pretty important to get that information," said Hessels.
Henderson said she would look into the numbers and have a reply at the next council meeting.
When council moved on from the committee meeting, Hessels again raised concerns during the adoption of the previous meeting's minutes. Hessels said he didn't understand how an alderman could declare a conflict of interest during the committee portion of a bylaw, but then vote on the same bylaw the following week, as Ald. Evan Main did regarding council remuneration.
"I don't know how it could be a conflict one week and not the next week," said Hessels.
Council adopted the minutes anyway because they were not factually incorrect. Luey said he would look into the procedure and answer back at the following meeting. Main said he agreed with Hessels, but the problem was that two alderman were missing at the Feb. 26 meeting when council remuneration was on the agenda.
QUARRY OMB HEARING RESUMES
The Ontario Municipal Board hearing regarding the proposed MAQ Aggregates Inc. quarry will resume Tuesday, April, 14 at 10:30 a.m. in Wainfleet council chambers.
Later in the day the township's lawyers from Sullivan Mahoney will attend the council meeting to provide members of council and the public with an update of the hearings.
To date about $60,000 has been spent to fight MAQ's application to build a new quarry.
MAQ appealed to the OMB after councillors refused to enact an amendment to the township's official plan to designate land on the south side of Highway 3 for use as a limestone quarry.
If approved, the quarry would cover 50.4 hectares between Reeb and Quarry roads. It would produce about one million tonnes of aggregate annually.
The OMB hearing began May 14, 2007. It has adjourned several times to allow parties for and against the quarry to conduct additional studies.
The hearing was last adjourned in November to allow for further investigation.
Quarry to move forward;
Township drops opposition to MAQ Aggregate Inc. quarry
as long as slew of conditions are met
Despite opposition to the MAQ Aggregate Inc. quarry and spending thousands and thousands of taxpayers dollars in lawyers fees, Wainfleet council has licked their wounds and will no longer oppose the quarry as long as a slew of conditions are met.
During last night's council meeting, township lawyer Tom Richardson, with Sullivan Mahoney LLP, told members of council and the public, that the township's representatives have been unable to come up with evidence to prevent MAQ from creating a 62.3 hectare quarry to the east and west of Bessey Road, off of Highway 3.
Richardson went to council for final instructions to return to today's OMB hearing - to be held in council chambers at 10 a.m. - where conditions for approval will be finalized.
"They didn't have evidence to prevent the quarry," Richardson said of two hydrogeologists who completed studies to find evidence to prevent the quarry.
"There is no further room to oppose it."
The hearing process began in August 2006, pre-hearings were held and 11 hearing days were held in May and June including a public hearing May 30 of 2007. The hearing adjourned, resumed in November, adjourned again and resumed yesterday morning.
To date, the township has paid about $60,000 in lawyers fees to fight the quarry which includes $15,000 from the City of Port Colborne and three ratepayers - the Van Kralingen, Marr and Shoalts families.
The township consulted with the region and Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority to test evidence in support of the quarry.
"We don't hope to live with the quarry but hope they live in harmony with us," said Carl Van Kralingen, noting many residents in the area don't support the quarry.
Ald. Ted Hessels asked Richardson what repercussions the township could face if they continued their opposition, despite having no evidence.
Richardson said since there is no evidence to oppose the quarry the township could not only be responsible for their costs, but also the costs MAQ has incurred during the hearings.
Mayor Barbara Henderson asked what conditions have been suggested which would allow MAQ to move ahead with the quarry.
Richardson outlined some of the conditions which will be finalized today.
They include:
- Remediation if nearby private wells are affected, including paying for the installation of a cistern and water;
- Monitoring of blasts and noise levels while excavating. Blasts will be co-ordinated with adjacent Hard Rock Paving's blasts.
- A series of provisions addressing the Eagle Marsh Drain. Discharged water will be controlled and only released when the drain's water levels are low.
- Limited hours - loading and shipping will be limited Monday to Friday from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. and 7 a.m. to noon on Saturday; general operations from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday to Friday; blasting from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday to Friday and no operations on holidays;
- MAQ will be responsible to maintain and rebuild Bessey Road;
Henderson emphasized that if the property was to be sold, these conditions would remain.
"We're all concerned about safety, what precautions are being taken," asked Ald. Rudy Warkentin.
Richardson said the entire area will be surrounded by a post and wire fence and a 21-foot berm. Both will be higher along the surrounding walkway.
The first stage of the quarry is expected to begin on the west side of Bessey Road along Highway 3 to Quarry Road which is expected to take about 10 years. The blasting will then turn south along Quarry Road along the trail.
"I've said no from the beginning and we should fight it. There comes a time when you have to lick your wounds," Ald. Evan Main said.
Richardson will attend today's OMB hearing where he will share council's direction with the chair of the board.
Technical and hydrogeological issues will be heard until the beginning of April.
The board will decide conditions of the approval, and will make amendments to the township's official plan and zoning bylaw according to the licensing of aggregate act.
COUNCIL RESIGNED TO REEB QUARRY
Quarry opponents living along Cement Plant Road will see numerous controls enshrined in the site plan conditions guiding daily mining operations of MAQ Aggregate Inc. at the proposed Reeb Quarry.
That was made clear Thursday night when municipal lawyer Tom Richardson, of Sullivan Mahoney, updated Port Colborne council on the proposed Reeb Quarry development, currently the subject of an Ontario Municipal Board (OMB) hearing.
While the MAQ Aggregate Inc. application deals with land that is in the Township of Wainfleet, the proximity to the Port Colborne municipal border prompted council to share the costs of an OMB appeal. The appeal began last year but was adjourned until recently to gather more hydrogeological information.
Wainfleet has now dropped its fight to prevent MAQ Aggregate Inc. from building the quarry and has opted instead to resolve the dispute through a series of negotiated site plan controls that involve everything from hours of operation to mitigation strategies in the event mining rock from the site damages the surrounding environment.
Ward 4 Coun. Barb Butters wanted to know the end-use plans for the quarry once MAQ Aggregate Inc. has exhausted its mining capacity on the site. Richardson said the pits would be turned into lakes and fish habitats would be created. Berming around the pits would also be planted with vegetation as the site develops, he added.
Butters also wanted to know what would happen if MAQ Aggregate Inc. goes "belly up" at some point after the digging began.
Richardson said any new owner would be obligated under licensing agreements to adhere to the existing site plan controls. If a new owner could not be found, Richardson said rehabilitation of the property would take place and that would be funded by a special provincial fund that is supported by the aggregate industry through a toll system on all aggregate material hauled in Ontario.
The fact digging in the first phase would begin south of Highway 3 on the west side of Bessie Road (toward Quarry Road) satisfied many councillors at the meeting, since it would be decades before daily operations would begin encroaching on Cement Plant Road.
Ward 2 Coun. Gary Bruno also wanted assurances that 30-metre buffers between the pits and quarry property boundaries could not be reduced. Richardson said moving further east toward Cement Plant Road would be subject to Official Plan amendments, Regional Planning Policy amendments and amendments to the existing licencing agreement.
Butters raised the issue of establishing a public liaison committee with MAQ Aggregates Inc. to deal with day-to-day problems that could arise as a result of operating the site.
Legal counsel Sara Premi, also of Sullivan Mahoney, said MAQ Aggregate Inc. intends to have six to eight residents sitting on a liaison committee.
The proposed terms of operation also stipulate that trucks exiting the site on Bessie Road will have to turn north to Highway 3 and cannot travel along Lakeshore Road. There are no conditions on the number of trucks leaving the site each day. Hours of operation are strictly governed under the site conditions.
Blasting must also be co-ordinated with Hard Rock quarry operations to ensure explosions do not happen simultaneously. Seismographs will also be installed at a residential property on Cement Plant Road during the first four blasts in Phase 1 and for all of Phase 2.
There are also controls built into the agreement to regulate the amount of water entering Eagle Marsh Drain.
The hearing has adjourned until Thursday, April 3 at 10:30 a.m. at Wainfleet Township Hall, when the board will hear the conditions.
| PRESIDENT | Betty Konc ; 905-834-1143 |
| Vice VICE PRESIDENT | Helen Hoskin ; 905-899-1803 |
| TREASURER | Sherry Mayne ; 905-834-1541 |
| DIRECTOR | Andrew Watts ; ; |
| DIRECTOR | Bruce Miner |
They are listening and know we aren't going away!
Here's hoping for some changes to the problems .
