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Home My WebLink AboutLakeshore Advance, 2011-06-29, Page 7Lambton Shores Zone 3 group speaks to council vada Hillman -Replay _akeshore Advance In a delegation previously presented to the Tri -munici- pal board was also a delega- tion at a regular Lambton Shores council meeting last week. Richard Matzka and Carl Belke went through the same power point that detailed what the Zone 3 Community Groupwanted council members to know about plant size, price and flow rates. The group is made up of Bob Sharon - Chairman and members Carl Belke, Ernest Lewis, Richard Matzka, lardy Speake and Campbell lhylor with associates Walter Kratz, Lee McCutcheon and Justin Speake. As reported in the Lake- shore Advance June 22, this group state, in their review the proposed Grand Bend Sani- tary Treatment Facility -- Expansion & Upgrade, as a whole, is the single most expensive capital project undertaken by municipal partners -. Bluewater, Lamb - ton Shores and South I luron. It is inoperative that both plant design and size he the most suitable for future require- ments but also more impor- tantly for current needs so as not to burden present taxpay- ers with a punitive and unmanageable debt. "The Zone 3 Community Group is a volunteer citizen Committee formed at a time when it appeared Lambton Shores Council was not responding to concerns oldie public with respect to issues of wastewater services, After 16 months of investigation and study of sewer systems and treatment facilities, this Committee wishes to share its research, in this instance, on sanitary treatment facilities." "We feel proper considera- tion was not given to alternate proposals such as a 'New Hamburg. lagoon and a mechanical Sequential Batch Reactor (SUR) plant. Given the current flows to the Grand Bend lagoon, it is the opinion of operating engineers we spoke to, that an upgrade to a New Hamburg process would be all that is currently required. I lowever, should flows be increased signifi- cantly by including any or all of Zones 1 to 4, a mechanical plant is warranted:' Members of the group obtained much of their edu- cation from field trips to com- munities with either a sewage collection system or a mechanical treatment plant of interest: ('Phis committee compared the facilities to the imposed Grand Bend facility at a proposed cost of $21-26 million). 'Woodslee, ON - where we were guided by the mainte- nance workers who oversaw their low pressure / grinder pump system - they provided a honest assessment of the system and would not recom- mend it. 'New Hamburg, ON - where we had a tour of a three -basin Sequential Batch Reactor plant. 'lie plant oper- ator provided an intimate view of the process and described strengths and weaknesses of the treatment method. (approximately $10 million) 'St. Jacobs, ON - where we had our first view of an oxida- tion ditch or 'Orbal' single channel plant. It was almost fully automated since daily inflows were relatively con- stant for the entire year. "Tilbury, ()N - on Dr. Tsfl's recommendation we toured the Siemens 'Orbal' three channel treatment facility. The plant was engineered by Dillon, and would be n model for the Grand Bend facility. ($13.1 million) •Arkeil, ON - at the Univer- sity of Guelph's Ontario Rural Wastewater Centre where we attended a seminar by Kath- erine Rentsch, Project Need Mortaae Money? F,11 S Residentlal 1 & 2 Mortgage S 3 25 Interest of Less • No upfront fees • Personal loans/mortgages • Consolidate your debts • Problem mortgage specialist Head 010ce Ph: 519.744.6251 uc. 010163 If you quality, payments: Amt. Approx. Mo. Payment ' 5,000 ' 13.55 '10,000 ' 27.08 '50,000 '135.42 '100,000 '270.83 ASTRAL FUNDING INC. 1-800-387-1932 04 10111 Sheet Harlow! Coordinator on septic systems who also gave us a tour of their tertiary an -site septic system displays. After the presentation council made comments butdid not explain the costs as it stands today, but that are on record. Council said they would wait for the report to come back from Dr. 'lhsfi at the July meeting. As reported in the Lakeshore Advance, if the full plant is $26.5 million and you deducted the Build Canada Grant of $14.9 million and the $1 million Green Municipal Fund Grant you get about $10.5 that has to be split between Lamb - ton Shores (48.4%) South l luron (30.2%) and Bluewater (21.4%).With Lambton Shores 48.4% share there is a little less than $5 trillion to pay. When you add in the MNR payment for the Pinery, Lamb - ton Shores share is only $3.77 million. Lambton Shores and its partners also received a $10 million dollar loan from the Green Municipal Fund for the project so the cost of financing the remaining project cost for all three partners is at half the standard bank rate.Lambton Shores recognized this potential cost and began ramping up sewer rates for the existing users Grand Bend, Forest, Arkona and 'Medford to help set aside money to pay for this cost and has been setting aside those monies in a reserve fund to further reduce this cost.None of this cost has been assessed to property owners in Zones 3 and 4, but the munic- ipality thought it would he prudent to make the plant large enough to service Zones 3 and 4 if it became necessary to do so because of Provincial regulations. The municipal treasurer has explained to the Lakeshore Advance in previous reports that the financing of the new plant is well within Lambton Shores capability.Residents in Zone 3 & 4 are not affected at all by the plant project. Also not part of the council dialogue at FST G.I.C. Rate 3.05 96 I m$.. drpn.N may apply GRAND WO 338.48 EXETER 135 -?4211 gig alsakr CLINTON 's 482-3401 aaa. kis. Deyirdme SIMON DESJARDINE CFP, CLU, RHU, EPC Certified FLwwrl•/ rMiu r. (I m,tereol/• 1'r.drnrriur 519-238-6399 55 Ontario St. N. Grand Bend • Investment Funds • RRtiP'e • lneurance • Mortgages "tie "miens Sim Yew IMO, Ow pisu o i 1 yew sMc y s." Wednesday, June 29, 2011 • Lakeshore Advance 7 last week's meeting was thatLannbton Shores has agreed to cover Bluewater's share of the cost for the new plant until such time as Bluewater has been able to develop its collection system, which doesn't exist at this time. When it is developed Bluewater has agreed to repay Lambton Shores along with the carrying costs associated with that short-term loan. The presenters feel the size of this facility is too large for the needs of the area. "I know you have paid lot to Dil- lon," said Matzka, "Please spend this money wisely." Deputy mayor Elizabeth Davis Dagg said they have to consider an upset limit and if Dillon can't do the job for $15 mil- lion, they should get someone else. Coun- cilor Ruth lllman said they have an agree- ment and have to continue with the process. She said there were points in this presentation that staff should look at. "Right now we are not ready to make decisions, we have to follow the process." Councilor Martin Underwood said he has confidence in the board members (Mayor 13111 Weber, councilors Dave Maguire and Doug Bonesteel) to use all the resources at their disposal. Councilor John Russell agreed he trusts the board members and asked what the status of this report was in regards to the tri -municipal board. Ile was told the report from Dillon engineer Dr. 'Ihsfi was coaling to the board in July. Councilor Lorie Scott said no one was questioning if they needed a sanitary treatment facility- but that the size and cost are at issue. 126 million is too friggin much money," she said. Mayor Bill Weber said that was the reasons for the meet- ings, "to go through the process:' Russell suggested they receive and file this report, "there is nothing new in this information. Let's get a report from the tri -municipal board:' Davis-Dagg said they are sending out tenders for the $21 and $26 million dol- lar facilities and they need to do that for a $15 million plant. Weber explained tenders have not gone out. Councilor Doug Bonesteel said there is enough doubt on this project and they need to do their due diligence. "Find the best plant for the best money to do the best job," he cautioned. GOETI'L[R'S ANNL'.11. 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