Kudos to Council

The local paper reports today that at the September 3, 2009 meeting of Council, Melancthon Council has at last made a public statement that they are not in favour of a 2,400 acre, 200 foot open pit mine.

So lets give credit where credit is due and kudos to Council...BUT, and I am sure you can hear the but coming....BUT this is not enough.

Words must be followed by actions. What exactly is Council doing to win the battle over this proposed 2,400 acre, 200 foot open pit mine in favour of the status quo which is prime agricultural land within an hour of the GTA?

Council, so far, has been outmanoeuvred at every step in the wind turbine process and it does not appear as though they have used the "Lessons Learned" from that exercise to prepare themselves for the biggest fight of their political lives to be undertaken on behalf of the ratepayers of Melancthon.

"Melancthon Mayor Debbie Fawcett said, if the application comes forward, it’s unlikely the municipality will be able to prevent Highland from setting up a quarry operation" (June 23, 2009 Orangeville Banner).

This is quite simply untrue, there is much that can be done and this CAN be stopped. Please read up on the Adams Mine, Site 41, Flamborough Quarry and Melon Lake for references and hope.

Will it be costly? It doesn't have to be, but our Mayor said at the September 3, 2009 Council meeting that the municipality would NOT be implementing a fee to aggregate proponents, of say $100,000.00 per application as other municipalities have done. She stated this entire process isn't going to cost Melancthon taxpayers one penny and there was no need to pass a by-law to ensure the proponent will pay.

Just wondering, but what has the conflict of interest issue between Orangeville, Dufferin County and Highlands regarding the rail line cost Dufferin taxpayers to date?

Perhaps the Mayor could let her ratepayers know what Melancthon's share of this bill is and when Highlands can be expected to remit payment.