HomeMy WebLinkAboutLakeshore Advance, 2013-01-09, Page 4Wednesday, January 9, 2013 • Lakeshore Advance 3
Lambton Shores mayor says he is staying put
Rumours of his
demise are greatly
exaggerated.
Heather Wright
SMI Agency
Lambton Shores Mayor Bill Weber
wants to make sure everyone knows he's
not about to step down as the mayor of
the community.
Weber and council have been
embroiled 111 controversy for months for
the cancellation of the original sewage
anent plant and the ongoing debate
wilding a new plant. But the latest
controversy of the dismissal of the (:AO
last month has heightened tensions
around the council table and in the
community.
Weber says the controversies and the
clear division between council has led to
people on the street questioning when
he's going to resign.
"People have been asking. l have been
asked in Grand Bend, I have been asked
by someone in Forest," he says.
"I want to end one of the rumours out
there," he told council during its last
meeting before the Christmas break.
"I've been asked if the mayor is going to
resign or not whether I'm sticking
around or not. 1 was elected for four
years and I'm not going anywhere."
Ihe packed public gallery erupted into
cheers.
And Weber acknowledged he is facing
it lot of criticism about the most recent
AA
I want to end one of the
rumours out there," he
told council during its last
meeting before the
Christmas break. "I've
been asked if the mayor
is going to resign or not —
whether I'm sticking
around or not. I was
elected for four years and
I'm not going anywhere."
--Hill Weber, L[Jn)h1011 Shores
rn(1V01*
controversy over the dismissal Of lohn
Byrne.
"I'm getting questions but 1 have not
responded;" says \Veber noting council
made a decision that it would not release
why Byrne \vas dismissed other than
council \vas going in another direction.
" flay want more information about
%vita( our new direction is...1 \will speak
wall the voice of council town 1 know
\\'hil( ('0(111CI1's \v1sheS illi' 11111 1111►51'
tltle511111s ate being asked by the public
and the media" Under the Lambton
Shores (.1)dt' 1)1 (.olldtlrl, the Ittayl►1 Is
not to voice his personal opinion but
support council's decisions. "That's the
Policy that 1'111 sticking 11).. .when we \will
talk about that is up to council:'
As if to rntderseine his point, during
the questions from the public, thele
were st'\'elal demands lot 1111)I1' info' ma
tion ;thou! 11\1 he's dismissal.
"1 want to knmv \what direction you
guys are going 10 go.' says \1'aynr I{Wnett'
-cd like to know what happened 10 NIt.
liyrse like to know the legal fees. I'd Tike
to know \oleic the dollars are coming
froth.
\\'e all ta\payer5 we all have a right to
know ‘out's going 011:'
\Veber 511\'5 the terms of lhi itt' s settle-
ment ate subject to a non- disclosure
ag!evinent and the Irnlniripality slay
Lambton Shores mayor Bill Weber
stake the legal ties associated
with tett' negotiations availa-
ble sometime in lanuary. 1Ie
didn't l'OI11l1ll'llt on why
Lynda Hillman -Replay
Byrne was dismissed or what
the future direction of cotulcil
(night he.
LAMBTON SHORES COUNCIL
Beach hazard study draws mixed reception
Gord Whitehead
Lakeshore Advance
Lambton Shores council wants more
time to ponder spending more than
$28,000 to help define the limits where
building should be allowed on the
beach area of West Ipperwash.
St. Clair Conservation Authority is
*g the municipality to share the
of a consulting firm's study of two
stretches of so-called "dynamic
beaches" on which development now is
prohibited by provincial policy. The
issue impacts shoreline residents front
Centre to West Ipperwash Roads as well
as those in an area of Sarnia, the latter
creating a proposed cost to that city.
Patty Hayman, St. Clair's director of
planning, told Lambton Shores council
at its December 17 meeting that she is
recommending a site specific study to
determine a reduced dynamic beach
limit, now defined as 45 metres from
the flood hazard line. The West 1pper-
wash and Sarnia's I 'Merest -Nisbet areas
appear to be eligible for analysis
because it appears that coastal proc-
esses have been impacted by past
development when there were no poli-
cies and regulations.
Hayman said the conservation
authority is continuously receiving pro-
posals for redevelopment in the
dynatnic beach area "and the current
policy states the propont'nt must corn
plete a coastal report which examines
their lot and limit of coastal processes
to possibly reduce the dynamic. beach
limit:"shat could cost each land owner
$3,000 to $5,000 and could result in
inconsistent and piecemeal reports itt
contrast to the outcome of an overall
study, she suggested.
\Vaud 'Three Colin. Louie Scott sup-
ported participation in the study, "so
that individuals don't have to foot the
hill."
"What benefit is it to the 1 1,000 peo-
ple in Lambton Shores?," asked Ward
Two Colin. Doug Bonesteel. !layman
didn't respond but Mayor 11111 Weber
commented, "Wt' have time to get Illl)t't'
information on this and whether it
should be (charged) as a local improve-
ment. Maybe it's an agreement in prin
ciple with further discussion on
funding."
'Ihe St. (:lair planning director said it
is a good time to do the study because
of [sake I luron's record low water level.
"It will assist the landowners who are
encroaching on the dynamic beach. It
has serious consequences to West
Ipperwash," !layman told council.
Until recently, the Ipperwash area
was a 'no man's land' sandwiched
between the watershed jurisdictions of
the St. (:lair and Ausable-Bayfield con-
servation authorities. For that reason,
there is a lack of background details
such as 19110s' contour Wrapping wren the lake
level \vats high.
lite St. (:lair planner's presentation included
photographs of buildings destroyed by storms
such as one in Match, P173,
Alter the dynastic beach discussion will Hay-
man. l.alnbton Shores council voted, \\'itlout
debate, to accept ilei conservation autitot ity s pro
posed '2013 budget of nearly $5.0 million which
includes a levy increase of $1.063.0( to 529,001.00
0111,81111)ton Shotes ratepayer's.
Treasurer Janet Ferguson noted the proposed
dynamic beach study cost is 1101 inc 11(1191 in that
budget. St. (:lair's special levy for operation and
inspection of the Inti Dodge ('onseroation Area at
forest is being raised by 5400.011 to a total of
$1,000.00 for this year.
Lambton Shore's is also on the (took for a
5'2,0.1 5.0(1 share oldie projected 562,000 cost of 31)
slapping the St. (lair watershed.
29-4919
1,ANIl;'l
COUNTRY
4
ON ti l l O Il E S ll l';' I' l ll lt; N 11i: N' l'
OR
St 1 SII)ISI1) l NH'S
ItiTI':I) ‘I0'111':N'l' LIVING
‘1,1. IN('I.l�til�:1':Il.k1-1 1'.kRI INC .11' .'1)35O:OO-1'.N1.
1111 \1.( 01111lt'1 \1,iil ►rt'sl:II('5.1.0111 01' 1.011' 1111)('.(►(inl