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HomeMy WebLinkAboutLakeshore Advance, 2011-11-02, Page 54 Lakeshore pdwnoe • opinion November 2 2011 www. Iakeshoreadvance.com Moore Ailvaoco PUBLISHED WEEKLY PO.BOX 1195 58 Ontario St., North Grand Bend ON NOM 1 TO phone: 519-238-5383 fax: 519-238-5131 email: Iadvanceebowesnet.com giWrIEDIA • NEIL CLIFFORD Publisher/ Advertising Manager nd Itf ordObowe sne t. core LYNDA HILLMAN-RAPL.EY Editor IadvanceODowesnet. core STEVE NORMS' Advertising Sales MARK STEPHEN Adverdsing Saba JULIE HARRISON Typeset nryCiassifl eds KATHY YOUNG Accounts Receivable © vamelakeshoreadvancecom SIASOIdP110N RATES ADVANCE Regular $39.95 (38 0541.90 0S1) Online subscriptions available•—MIM tails Publication Mat Agreement No. 40084883 RETURN UNDELIVERABLE CANADIAN ADDRESSES TO LAKES*IO E ADVANCE CIRCULATION DEPARTMENT PO.Box 1195 58 Ontario St. North Grand Bend ON NOM 1 TO For any non -deliveries or delivery concerns: phone: 519-23e.5383 e mak; IadvenceObowesnet.com curies d address, orders ler subscriptions, and undsNwnble copies (return pato guaranteed) ars b bs sent to Lak stir eAd#ures at the address Indicated hen. Adverthkq N accepted on the condition that In the event d a typographical erns, the porton of tie advertising space occupied by the masons Rem together with a reasonable allowance for signeturs, will not be charged tor, but the balance of the adwKtlee- ment t±MM bs paid N es app1 oabts raise. Wel acknowledge the tlnandal support of the Government of Canada through the Canadian Periodical Fund (CPP) for our publishing activities. Canada �� *mew MIAs IX1.21atd Gray WNW Alsasoteaen srd tM Ontrrlo Comm* Noispo s +rico.son editorial Role models for the future leaders Lynda HIllman-Rapley Lakeshore Advance Ats I sat with 170 local people at he leaders of the Decade event ast week I thought of a Rick Mercer report 1 had just watched on Yoti I ube video. He was talking about a 15 year old boy who was bullied to death- because he was gay. He said we can't keep saying things will get better - we have to make things better. Ile told viewers that our children today need role models and as I looked around the venue, I could breath a sigh of relief knowing the youth of this area are in very good hands. The Grand Bend Community Foun- dation sanctioned Leaders of the Dec- ade gala was an amazing evening that honoured people in every walk of life. There was no economic status or IQ test that defined who is a leader. In this community, there is no shortage of people to wear that badge of honour. Those honoured and so many more are heroes- not because they leap off tall buildings but because they give of their time and talents and their experi- ence. They offer guidance to the next generation and when you take a look at who is following in this generation's footsteps—our youth- you can't help but think, at some time they too will be standing as leaders. '1'o mark ten years of community leadership, this Grand Bend Commu- nity Foundation hosted event, has given us pause to think about the peo- ple who have made exceptional contri- butions to the community, enriching it through his or her leadership and vision. 'Ihese are the mentors, or as Rick Mercer would say the much needed role models. letters to the editor Open letter to Mayor Dowson and Bluewater Council Members Re: proposed Bluewater 1,ake- shore sewage system Let me begin by saying that I have never written a letter to coun- cil before nor felt the nerd to. I am not a political activist, however my concerns regarding the pro- posed lakesltore sewer project and the manner in which things are unfolding has prompted to me to write this letter. On Clot 1711 1 attended the Blue - water council sheeting and listened to Dillon Engineering's presenta- tion and took particular note of Mr. Boussey s comments. It is apparent to me that Mr. Boussey continues to provide only material that furthers the cause of implementing the sewer project and is not being impartial ( if he wasn't going to he impartial, why was Dillon hired ? ). An impartial opinion is needed in guiding coun- cil in this matter, not biased one way or the other. Once again Mr. Boussey inferred to council that sewers were better at dealing with Pharmaceuticals than a septic sys- tem is. Where is his proof ? Mr, Boussey offers to debate die issue with his detractors, but never offers proof of his own. Clearly Mr. Bous- sey has a vested interest in seeing the project move forward. If sewers are indeed really needed why stop at St Josephs ? is the soil north of St Josephs different & better suited for septic systems ? Is there a magic line somewhere ? Why not go all the way to Bayfield ? Although Duron Engineering is not officially recommending mov- ahead at this time unless there is I irtlding from senior Govt sources, comments made by Mr. Boussey made Monday night tall another story. 'i'wo weeks ago 1 sent an email to Brent Kitnuner asking hint if the "I Liggins Eng Ltd" project at I len- drick Rd was included in the 1•:A done for the proposed Lakeshore sewer project. Mr. Kittmer advised me that since there was no official request for development on the site that the potential development was not considered in the L.A. It is clear to me that Mr. Boussey is trying to sway the council in mov- ing ahead with the project, regard- less of what Dillon I ahg's official position is. 'Ibis was quite evident when he made the following cont- inent to council after his presenta- tion. " who knows, maybe the developer would be willing to pay the whole thing to get it to I len- drick Road". Clearly a reference to the "Higgins Eng Ltd" group.'lhere is no reason to have made that comment other than to try & sway the council's decision! Council members should be ask- ing themselves, why did Mr. Bous- sey omit the I iendrick Rd poled from the EA numbers, but now wants to use them to get the project started. Clearly hinting/ implying that they might be willing to pick up part of the costa Where did Mr. Boussey get that information from ? Why would he make such a state- ment ? The Cynic in me wonders .... Is there some back room dealing going on here ? Do you as a council member want that potential stain attached to you ? If you have been listening to your constituent& ....(as you should be the vast majority of the affected property owners clearly do NOT want the sewers. Dillon's own EA will tell you that. A poll in St Joseph's Shores I & 11 showed that of the owners that responded all are opposed to mandatory sew- ers. Only one property owner was interested if the cost is in the $10,000.00 range. Bayview subdivi- sion has polled their members with a similar result. I am convinced that if you poll the other affected subdi- visions you will also find a very sim- ilar result. 'this begs the following ques- tions. If the clear majority of prop- erty owners are opposed to the project, why is it still being consid- ered sid- ered pry council? Why is council still debating supporting the Sl'F in Grand Bend ? Clearly the prig for implementation is far too expen- sive for property owners to absorb and with current governments def- icits there is no reasonable expecta- tion for senior government funding to assist anywhere in the foreseea- ble future. Regardless , the majority of property owners are opposed at any cost. 11's my belief that the property owners of I lay West are being asked and used to subsidize Lambton Shores need to expand their STE Once again I ask, Why ? What is the net benefit to Bluewa- ter ? Specifically in regards to Monday night's meeting. Why was the motion tabled by Mr. Gillespie "deferred" ( for the 2nd time in as many weeks) to November 7, 2011 and not voted on Monday nit ? Why weren't the minutes of the last meeting available at your meeting Monday night ? Surely the clerk had those minutes saved on a lap- top, could they not have been printed off & passed around to council members ? That way a vote could have been held Monday night. 'Ibis matter is dragging on way too long, and clearly some council members are dragging their feet on the matter. Property owners are waiting for an answer, they need and deserve to know what council's decision is. can only hope that council members are not considering totally disregarding the wishes of the majority of property owners in favour of a small minority and one particular developer (I iiggins Eng Ltd ) iutd going ahead with this project. At the all candidates meeting in Zurich last fall 1 st(xxi and asked if each one of you would stake the commitment to hold a referendum on this issue before a decision was made. Each one of you answered "yes" to that question and commit- ted to it. 1 ant now asking you to hold true to that promise. Why are you making a decision without holding a referendum ? In conclusion I would like to remind you that "majority nine" is the 1st tenet of a modest Democ- racy. As has been evidenced in demonstrations around the world in recent weeks and months, the once silent majority is insisting on being heard and listened to. I urge you to listen to the majority and put a stop to the whole project. 1 trust that you will do the right thing for the right reasons. See this letter at www.lakeshoreadvance. com Sincerely, Dale Bray St Josephs