Approval was given despite:
The missing money from Strada -tonnage fees to be paid on amounts shipped do not correspond with the money received by Melancthon-has not been resolved (working on it assured the Mayor)
No rehabilitation required to be deposited with the Township by Strada to protect ratepayers from the cost of rehabilitation (not necessary assured the Mayor)
At maximum capacity, this will permit up to 72 trucks an hour (according to the Township solicitor)
When the vote came in a sly smile spread across the Highlands representative at the meeting. Do you think he realizes, like the ratepayers at that meeting did, that Council has set a precedent in not requiring a deposit for rehabilitation?
This despite a recent OMB ruling that stated: The Board finds that no public authority, not the Province, the Region, the Town, nor the CVC should ever find itself responsible for the costs of mitigation measures for the proposed quarry. Entire decision here:
http://www.coalitioncaledon.com/images/clientupload/OMB%20Decision-Rockfort%20Quarry,Nov12,2010.pdf
The Mayor of Melancthon however assured ratepayers at the meeting that if Strada disappears, dissolves their company which is the simple filing of a paper, and not rehabilitate the site, Melancthon will rehabilitate it-AT THE EXPENSE OF THE RATEPAYERS, but we should just calm down because when they sell it Melancthon will recoup their expense.
What an
He even took issue with ratepayers saying they lived on the haul route and were experiencing dust, loss of value of their principle residence and noise. In fact his statement was "IF that is true".......
And quite frankly, any councillor that sat around that table last night and didn't speak up in opposition to what he was saying-"no problem, the taxpayers will pay if we have to and get their money back when it is sold"- is included in that exclusive Club reserved for the Mayor.
The ratepayers didn't even bother to point out that what most aggregate operations do is leave 10% of the pit unquarried and then say that they are not done with it and leave it for years and years and years (because leaving 10% is cheaper than rehabilitation) and do not even have to go bankrupt.
Why didn't they point it out. WTF is the use?
Like I have always said, whatever Council we had when Mrs. Fawcett was Mayor will be the same Council we get when Mr. Hill is Mayor because whatever mistakes Mayor Fawcett made they were made at the sole direction of Bill Hill...and so the saga continues, same old stupid.
ReplyDeletecouncilor Malik voted against it
ReplyDeleteYea, what happened to White's bravado?
ReplyDeleteSince you don't know what information is given by the lawyers maybe you don't know the whole story.
ReplyDeleteLet's rename the township to "Hill Township", since he has the last say and gets his way.
ReplyDeletere: anonymous Jan 23 10:07
ReplyDeleteThank you for that, Darren. If that is so, then why is it that we have a system that requires certain crucial information be withheld from the people whose lives it directly affects and from the people who fund the whole system in the first place. We can't handle the (whole) truth??
The won't be any hills in the township when Mr. Hill is finished. Only holes. "Hole Township" might be more appropriate.
ReplyDeleteYes Councillor, tell us the WHOLE story. If we have to get screwed it's always nice to know why. Especially since Daniher enjoys watching so much.
ReplyDeleteIf we have to get screwed, as the previous commenter said, it would be nice to get kissed first.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately it is the minority that reads this blog and keeps themselves informed and participating. The majority aren't informed or even care. That is why the same "old guard" got back in power to run our township so of course there will be little change. Nancy who stands on her won feet is only 1 against 4 others. I don't know what happened to Darren. This is all very predictable and exasperating.
ReplyDeleteWhat do we need to wake people up....a devastating tornado, or some major catastophe where lives are lost????????
Unfortunately, "the minority that reads this blog" are not getting accurate information. Just KW spinning the facts to suit her contention.
ReplyDeleteAttend Council and inform YOURSELF.
January 27 @ 2:20: if you could please point out the inaccuracies in this blog we would ALL be delighted to know the truth because we aren't hearing ANY Councillors except Bill speak at meetings. So if there is a "TRUTH" it would be nice to hear it. And the reason the public don't attend the meetings is they are fed up with Bill's bullying and harrasing ways when anyone DARES to disagree with him. He made the statement in front of a woman in the gallery who lives across from Strada that “IF the contention about dust and traffic and loss of equity on their homes as a result of Strada were true” and not one Councillor spoke up in her favour that perhaps all these trucks might be causing a problem. So I see he has the new council in line already. NOBODY opens their mouth to disagree and there is little to no discussion around the table on any issue, except Bill.
ReplyDeleteHey, over 30,000 hits on the blog means there are more people reading this blog than attending meetings of Council.
ReplyDeleteanother fact? No financial security was asked by Council from Strada for rehabilitation, so yes, just the facts please.
ReplyDeleteSo what you are saying, Jan. 27, 11:21pm, is Council is even stupider than we think??
ReplyDeleteHey January 27 @ 2:20. More people COULD attend the meetings and inform the public if in fact all meetings were at night, instead of through teh day when people are working. Council meetings are to be accessible to the public, not a coffee clutch for Councillors who seemed to be pissed that people are still coming to meetings and asking questions. And if it wasn't for this blog alot of things would have gone unnoticed and unquestioned, just the way Council likes it.
ReplyDelete