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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1998-04-08, Page 7* * * * * * * * * USSELS lEn Hometown 71 Proud ! ATTENTION! We are planning a very special One Day Only CUSTOMER APPRECIATION DAY Please mark the date on your calendar and join us on THURSDAY, APRIL 16" Details on our insert in the Signal Star Flyer Bag to be delivered April 11th THANK YOU FOR SHOPPING AT Alan, Marj # Staff * * * * * * * * * * * * * -A- * * * * THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 8, 1998. PAGE 7. Morris wants input before making landfill decision By Jim Brown Advance-Times Staff A final decision on the Morris Twp. landfill site will be after a second public meeting later this spring. Morris council held a first meeting last Thursday evening at the Belgrave Women's Institute Hall, with approximately 50 people in attendance. Huron County wants Morris Township's and Exeter's landfill sites to be the future site for all county garbage. But Morris and Exeter have recently offered to sell their sites to the county. Morris is asking $1.5 million, with Exeter asking for $2.1 million. Both have conditions on the sale including road paving and free use. Thursday, Morris Reeve Bert Elliott said, "We want some input from the ratepayers as to which direction we go with the landfill site." Deputy-Reeve Keith Johnston said council had given the issue a lot of time and thought. "The council has considered the various options and the best option appears to be to sell the landfill site to the county and free the ratepayers of Morris from the liability of the site," he said. Johnston said councillors initially did not feel this, but after some serious consideration they are convinced this would be the only way the people of Morris would receive any reward from the site. He added that if amalgamation does occur, the township might lose the site to the new Liability a concern, Continued from page 1 to stop its masterplan process. They would need to go through expen- sive environmental assessment studies to get approval from the Ministry of Environment to take their garbage to a landfill in a neighbouring township. Bill Carnochan, reeve of Tucker- smith, said some municipalities that have begun using sites like the mid-Huron landfill were only able to make the switch because the ministry knew Huron was involved in a masterplan to fmd a long-term solution. Brian McBurney, reeve of Turn- berry, said he was warden when the long waste management study was initiated to solve the problems of a number of municipalities all going through the expense of each con- ducting studies to find their own sites. "It would be foolish to go on for 10 years and kill it (the master- plan) when we're this close," he said. But Bailey disputed the county would be killing the masterplan by suspending expenditures until the restructuring was complete. Davidson, however, argued that if the county suspends spending, resources like the consultants would be gone and it wouldn't be easy to start things up again. Even some of those who support- 1999 is a long way off, now is the time to have input into and receive information on the MSRI display within the Huron County Exhibit at the 1999 IPM. Briefly, the purpose of the MSRI display is to showcase items manufactured and services provided in Huron County to all those attending the IPM. It is our municipality. Art Clark of Maitland Engineering Services said Morris withdrew its offer to the county prior to a meeting on March 16 in order to get more feedback from its residents. Resident Keith Elston was concerned that county council had not received all the information his father had provided Craig Metzger at an earlier meeting. He said the Ministry of the Environment has limited the amount of waste put into the site on an annual basis because of all the water surrounding the landfill site. Elston wanted to know if Metzger had given all this information to county council in order to let them know about the "restrictions" on the site. He added that the site was not an average dump. Metzger agreed it was not to be an average site, but he was not aware of the "restrictions" on the site development. It was stated that Grey Township had wanted to use the Morris landfill site, but the Ministry of the Environment did not allow it. Clark said that hydrogeological tests on the site were done for only usage by Morris Twp. and the Village of Brussels. He added that if county council passes its waste management plan, they can take the Morris landfill site over without any compensation to the township. Clark said if the county is going to put additional garbage into the site, then they should assume the full cost of the site. Doug Garniss wanted to know says councilor ed the idea of completing the mas- terplan were not excited about the idea of the county becoming owner of the two landfills. Norm Fairies, reeve of Howick, noted the master- plan originally suggested the coun- ty would only act as a facilitator to co-ordinate municipalities into north and south zones using the Morris and Exeter sites. "I'm not in favour of spending money buying landfill sites," he said. And Carnochan worried about the liabilities the county might be taking on if it bought the Exeter landfill. Harvey Ratz, reeve of Stephen, had suggested there could be problems with contamination from the site affecting the Ausable River during flood seasons. "That could make it a site that's a lot more expensive down the way," said Carnochan in moving that a $5,000 limit be placed on the amount to be spent on the study. His amendment was accepted. Council voted against a proposal by Bailey to defer spending until the future of the structure of the county had been determined. In another motion, councillors approved paying a further $5,197 to Morris Twp. in engineering fees but declined to pay $6,695 the township paid for advice from a consulting economist and $2,177 in legal fees. how the process of selecting this site was different than the process in selecting the Ashfield Township site. Metzger said the process was different because Ashfield was a new site, while Morris already has a licence to accept waste. "A new landfill site requires an environmental assessment hearing," he said. "This was not the case for the Morris site." Metzger said that an environmental assessment deals with a lot more than just the environment. It also deals with the economic and social impact of the site. Mike Malhiot wanted to know what has changed since the county began looking for a county landfill site. Metzger said initially all 16 landfill sites in the county were near capacity and about to be closed. The county was looking at a large site of about 100 acres. As the amount of garbage generated by county residents has decreased, two of the existing sites — Morris Twp. and Exeter — met the criteria. Much of the decrease in garbage consumption is due to recycling and waste reduction. Kim McArter, who lives adjacent to the landfill site was concerned about the county guaranteeing the price of the property. She wondered who would buy the property when the water is not any good. Elliott said that the township has worked on getting the compensation for the adjacent landowners' property. They also wanted to get compensation for landowners who were not adjacent to the site but lived nearby. Landowners would not be able to sell their property within a specified time period before receiving the compensation. Metzger later said that if the property could not be sold, it would be bought by the county. Klaas Jorritsma, who lives across from the landfill site, wanted to know if there was 50 per cent less garbage being put into the site because of bag tags, where the rest is going. He also wanted to know why the Ashfield site was dropped. Metzger said that for the first six to 12 months some is dumped along the roadsides or in bushes, but then people stomp on their garbage more, they change their buying habits and more things are put into blue boxes. He said Ashfield was dropped because of the per tonne cost. The ideal cost would have been about $70 to $80 per tonne, but because there would be no commercial or industrial waste allowed, the cost went to about $120 per tonne. He later said the county can't go back to Ashfield if a smaller site was needed, because there were other smaller sites that were better suited than Ashfield. "We would have to go back to the beginning and start over again," he said. The waste management study process has so far cost more than $1 million. Some people were concerned that if the township agreed to take the money for the landfill site, they were in favor of the county's master plan. The township was also concerned about the future liabilities in regards to the environment. "We want the best deal for the people of Morris," said Reeve Elliott. "Tell us which way to go." Ross Procter wanted to know what Morris' options were. He also wanted to know what the compensation would be and whether or not the county looked at incineration. He said it's a serious situation when the county can take it over whether Morris residents say no to the draft plan, or not. Councillor Neil Warwick said council received a legal opinion that the county can do whatever they want, and if they take over the landfill site they don't have to compensate the township. "We explained our position to a good lawyer, and that is what he told us," he said. Warwick said the county wanted to implement its waste mar1agement plan in January, but Morris asked the decision be deferred. Jorritsma said Morris should tell the county that the residents of the township don't want the landfill site to become a mega dump for north Huron and maybe the county should look for another alternative. Procter said the garbage has to go somewhere, and although he never said whether or not he was for or against the Morris site becoming a mega dump, he said council should look at all the alternatives available and to look into compensation for the people surrounding the landfill site. Metzger said there is really no rush at this time, but the Wingham landfill site could be at capacity in two or three years. Elston said it is obvious that the county council does not have all the available information. "A number of things have been kept from them," he said. Gamiss said the people as well as the township council do not have enough information to make a decision. Procter said council should go back and come up with some answers as soon as it can and then have another public meeting as soon as they feel comfortable coming back to the people. A motion was made to that effect and it carried. IPM industry chairperson writes Continued from page 4 intention to allow any MSRI interested in participating in the display to be represented. Representation will allow increased exposure and awareness of your products and services. Limited space is available. Contact Rob Dionne at 236-7654, e-mail dionne@hay.net , or Fax 236-7517. Rob Dionne Industry Chairperson.