Lakeshore Advance, 2011-03-30, Page 3Wedne
2011 •
Bluewater In hot water over committee representatlon
Vanessa Brown
Lakeshore Advance
Bluewater's lack of committee representation
continues to cause the municipality problems as
it's now affecting the Tri -Municipal Grated Bend
Area Sewage 'Treatment Plant Expansion board
it's overseeing a proposed $26 million project.
' 1'he latest board meeting, held March 18 in
Exeter, was cut short when Lambton Shores Ward
2 Coun. Doug Bonesteel left the table. The sew-
age treatment plant expansion is a three-way
project between Bluewater, Lambton Shores and
South Huron. Each municipality has appointed
three members of council to sit on the board,
except Bluewater. Eight of its councillors attended
the March 18 meeting, but couldn't contribute to
the discussion and had to sit in the gallery, as the
public does at any regular council meeting.
Bluewater councillors have twice struck down
Mayor Bill Dowson's committee recommenda-
tions since January, disagreeing with his choices.
Lambton Shores Coun. Bonesteel says he
walked out of the March 18 meeting to benefit
Bluewater,
"Out of respect to Bluewater, we c'an't sit at the
table without them," he said in an interview with
the News -Record, "I wasn't making a judgment
on Bluewater at all. My concern was that that
meeting would continue in violation of the spirit
of the mediated Joint agreement. We're talking
about a multi-million dollar project that, if it goes
through, would have to be managed by the three
municipalities,"
As a result of the hoard meeting, Mummer
Councillor -at -large 'Tyler llessel motioned to
stove forward and appoint Mayor Bill Dowson,
Deputy Mayor Paul Knopp and Coun, George
Irvin (Stanley) to the al -municipal board, at the
municipality's regular council meeting last Mon-
day night. Dowson initially recommended that
the three be part of the hoard hack in January.
"1 don't see why we shouldn't be moving for-
ward on this right now," Coun, !Jesse' argued,
Klopp, Dowson and Colin. lanisse Zimmerman
(Zurich) didn't think it was the right time to move
forward on one committee selection, In Illuewa-
1er's procedural bylaw, councillors are to be
appointed to their respective committees as a
whole; it is newer dune one by one, Dowson said,
But Mummer's committee bylaw expired in
December, muddying the waters further. The
(question clone clown to whether Or not council
could cement its committee representation
piecemeal, or if it had to pass theta all at once,
"I think what he's (1 tessel) trying to do is make
headway with this," said Coun. Kay Wise (1 len-
sail), "I think we were all pretty embarrassed on
Friday, and the answer to that would be, 'can we
snake this one right?"'
IheTri-Municipal Grand Bend Sewage Expan-
sion board technically isn't fully active without
Bluewater representation. It's also a tittle -sensi-
tive matter. Bonesteel said Lambton Shores coun-
cillors agreed at their council meeting, also held
last Monday, not to participate in the next board
meeting unless Bluewater sends representation.
aphe board is due to meet again 00 April 1. If Blue-
ater doesn't pass its committees by then, Bon-
esteel has asked South I luron Mayor George Rob-
ertson, also chair of the tri -municipal board, to
send a letter to Bluewater that will notify staff that
Lambton Shores will consider Bluewater is not
interested in the project if it doesn't appoint rep-
resentation within 30 days.
In a 5-5 recorded vote, !lessee's motion to
appoint Dowson, Klopp and Coun. Irvin to the
tri -municipal board was struck down. Dowson,
Klopp, Coun. Dave Roy (Stanley
East), Coun. Zimmerman and
Coun. John Becker (flay East)
opposed 1t. 'Those in favour were
Coun.1Iessel, Coun. John Gillespie
(flay West), Coun. Irvin, Coun.
Wise and Coun. Geordie Paltrier
(Bayfield).
North Perth Firefighters
Honoured
Members of the Bluewater Fire
Department opened Bluewater's
March 21 council session to hon-
our two North Perth firefighters
who died recently.
Chief Dave Johnson, along with
district chiefs Rick Fisher (Zurich),
Ken Buxter (llensall), Dave Roy
(Brucefield) and Ian Siesketna
(Dashwood) paid tribute to Ray-
mond Walter, 30, and Kenneth Rea,
55. The two volunteer firefighters
were killed while battling a blaze at
the Dollar Stop in Listowel on
March 17.
Chief Administrative Officer Lori
Wolfe read the Fireman's Prayer,
after which Mayor Bill Dowson
called for a moment of silence.
Chief Johnson then addressed
council, offering his condolences.
"It's very unfortunate, the cir-
cumstances that we're here this
evening," he said. "It's unfortunate
it happensl` but 1 truly hope and
pray it never happens again."
"It's too bad it takes a tragedy to
get our atte'ntionE 1111(1 we want to
remember them," Dowson added.
Recycling Shakeup?
Switching from weekly to bi-
weekly recycling pickup would
save each Bluewater household $12.57 a
year, says Francis Veilleux, president of the
Bluewater Recycling Association.
'Ihe move would mean getting rid of blue
boxes, replacing them with larger plastic
containers that residents can wheel out to
the road every two weeks. Neighbouring
municipalities Central Huron and Goderich
have made the switch. Veilleux said it's a
more efficient system.
"If we wanted to maintain the low costs of
the past, we need to be innovative and
change the system," he said.
The blue -box system is physically labori-
ous, Veilleux added, and subject to injuries.
An "automated collection system" includes
a mechanical arm on each truck that picks
up each container. 'Ihe driver then stays in
the vehicle, operating the arm with a joy-
stick. Veilleux said it's revolutionized waste
management.
He presented council with two options
for automated collection. One involves
weekly pickup, which would add almost $8
to each person's recycling bill. The alterna-
tive is bi-weekly pickup, which brings sav-
ings with it. If Bluewater chose the second
option, larger containers would be needed
as residents would wait an additional week
for pickup. The Bluewater Recycling Asso-
ciation would provide each household a
container.
The organization collects garbage and
recycling from 20 municipalities in Ontario.
Veilleux said its vision is to convert 90 per
cent of its households to an automated col-
lection system within the next three years.
Dowson said he's watched the trucks
making collections in Goderich, and has
been "quite impressed."
No paper, no problem
Beginning next month, as you walk into a
council meeting and glance around its
chambers, you might notice sleek, black
laptop -looking machines sitting in front of
each councillor. That's because Bluewater
council is going paperless with its agendas,
and will be equipping each councillor with
an Apple iPad.
Councillor -at -large Tyler Hessel is also a
member of County council, which earlier
provided hien with an iPad. Ile said it's
much more convenient than lugging
pounds of paperwork to each meeting.
Councillors will be able to download
each meeting's agenda on their iPad, along
with any necessary board/committee
reports and briefings.
"1 haven't had any problems with it and
we're running some pretty elaborate soft-
ware," Coun. llessel said. "As for use, I can
say it's like reading a bookl` It's very user-
friendly with a touch -screen idea,"
Councillors will be provided with a train-
ing session to learn the device's features
and downloading capabilities.
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