by CONNIE TABBERT
Editor
COBDEN — Whitewater Region council members have decided it’s time the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry respond in a positive manner to a request to attend a meeting regarding the $9 million wastewater treatment plant.
To ensure this meeting happens, at last night’s Environmental services committee meeting, Whitewater Region Mayor Hal Johnson struck an ad hoc committee to set up this meeting. The committee members are Councillor Daryl McLaughlin (chair), Reeve Terry Millar, Councillors Charlene Jackson and Cathy Regier and Steve Hodson, manager of Environmental Services.
This committee was struck following the news from Mr. Hodson that the wastewater treatment plant project could be delayed, by at least a year, because the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (MNRF) have all of a sudden requested an in-depth study of the wetlands.
If the project is delayed, it could also mean losing the financial backing from the provincial and federal governments for the $9 million project, Mr. Hodson said.
He informed the environmental services committee, which is all of council, that the consultants have been trying to set up a meeting with the MNRF regarding the wetlands, but has been refused.
Mr. Hodson added that by updating the wastewater treatment plant, it will be a benefit to the wetlands.
“It’s township’s property but it’s designated significant wetlands,” he said. “We are not achieving much headway (with the project). We are looking at the project to see if we can tackle other projects that don’t involve the wetlands.”
“That’s terrible news,” stated Reeve Terry Millar. “My concerns here are our taxpayers’ monies are going into this big, big time. And that money is going to consultants to advise us and I have a heck of a problem with this that we pay all this big money for that advice and this is popping up at this hour after this much money is into this?
“It’s terrible, it’s really terrible,” he continued. “What are we paying for here? They’re to advise us.”
Reeve Millar noted council has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on consulting fees. Does council want to continue spending money on consulting fees or on working on the plant, he questioned.
“The Government of Ontario, on one hand, is pushing us to do this, give us this money, and the Government of Ontario, on the other hand, is destroying the deal, and in the meantime, they’re ripping off the ratepayers of Whitewater and I for one am fed up!” Reeve Millar concluded.
Mayor Johnson agreed with the Reeve, and added, “I firmly believe the Ontario government needs to get its act together.
“My suggestion is, we go forward and they can study this to death, they’ve got lots of time to study it,” he said, adding, “If they don’t want us to improve what we are doing, then at some point, then let them pay us back for what we have achieved.”
Deadlines are approaching and the township will have to pay the money regardless of who holds the project up, he said.
“The provincial government needs to pull up its socks, get on the same line, and fall in behind this council, because I firmly believe this council ‘had better start to grow a pair as they say’, and we’ll go forward on our own.”
The idea isn’t to destroy any wildlife in the wetlands, but help it live a better life, he said.
“We want to protect it as much as anyone else,” the mayor said, adding, “but firstly, we want to protect everything, including those in the user-fee system.”
Mayor Johnson stressed, “Let’s just move forward. I think that’s what this council needs to do. If the upper tier governments cannot get its act together, then we get our act together and move forward. Hit the accelerator and move on.”
Councillor Charlene Jackson suggested the mayor strike an ad hoc committee and set up a meeting with the MNRF to find out what the delay is and explain there are deadlines to meet.
“This is unacceptable in my opinion,” she stated.
Mr. Hodson said the project team and the Ministry of Environment (MOE) are on board with the current approach. The scope of this environmental assessment, will address issues with the wetlands and it’s going to show that the wetlands will benefit, as will Muskrat Lake.
“We don’t feel what the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry is asking us to do, under the scope of this impact study, in our opinion, is not under the scope of this process,” Mr. Hodson said.
The project team has done what it can to the best of its abilities, he said. He is going to tackle the MNRF by sending it a letter. He is preparing a letter to send to the MNRF, and will send it out to all of council for review and comments prior to it being sent out. However, following a discussion with the committee, that letter is not to be sent.
It was also agreed that the provincial and federal representatives from Renfrew-Nipissing-Pembroke be invited to get involved in this situation, even attending the meeting.
“I think we need, sooner rather than later, to get this over with,” Coun. Jackson said, adding, “This is ridiculous.”
Councillor Chris Olmstead said he has been discussing the treatment plant and government funding with other people, and it’s become clear that consultants and different ministries have created an industry of writing reports, reports and more reports.
“Until, as the mayor said, you grow a pair, and really push back and say no we’re not doing these reports, because they get paid based on reports,” he said, continuing, “If you want to spend a million dollars on reports, we’ll spend a million dollars on reports because they’re requesting them.
“It will really be up to this council, maybe an ad hoc committee, to really start putting a stop to these requests,” he said. “The project will get delayed.
“Council has to take a stand here and say, no, this is our township, we’re making the decisions locally here. The ministries can do what they want. It’s just a growing list of reports that we’ll keep getting asked for.
“I think it’s imperative that we put a stop to it now,” Coun. Olmstead said.
Once he appointed the ad hoc committee, the mayor said he would like to attend any meetings when he is able to.
Coun. McLaughlin said, “You can attend any meetings that you wish, that is part of your duties.”
