Friday, February 10, 2012

A SERIES OF CURIOUS EVENTS

First an article appears early in the week about a new proposal for the abandoned rail line-the chinese want to use it to construct a hydro corridor to service their turbines. They make the statement that:

“It would be placed on the side of the rail line easement, which would not prevent any future rail use,” Hammond said. “It was actually a stipulation in the discussions.” http://www.orangeville.com/news/local/article/1292539--county-ponders-new-rail-land-proposal

Awfully good of them to be worried about maintaining the bed for rail.

Then a flier went out to all mailboxes in Melancthon.  In my opinion, while it purported to be against wind turbines, it was thinly veiled disguise against opponents against the mega-quarry (either those who wouldn't sell out or have been very visible and vocal against the quarry).  The flier spoke more about the mega quarry, specialty crop and opposing the mega quarry than it did about wind turbines.

Then this little article appears today:
The Town of Orangeville and the Highland Group of Companies are arranging a five-year extension of an agreement regarding sale of the town-owned Orangeville Brampton Railway to the company.
http://www.citizen.on.ca/news/2012-02-09/Front_Page/Highland_town_renew_railway_sale_deal.html

This is the little deal where Orangeville is paid $500,000 a year from Highlands for the option to purchase the rail bed located in Dufferin should the votes at County happen to fall in favour of Highlands.  To date, Orangeville has received $2 million and over the next five years will received $2.5 million more.

7 comments:

  1. So why can Highlands pay $500,000 a year to Orangeville for basically nothing, and will not pay for Melancthon's peer reviews?

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  2. The flyers that were dropped into mailboxes in Melancthon were a pathetic and very transparent attempt to divide our community by attacking some of the finest and most dedicated people who are standing together to fight the mega quarry. (The flyers were also trying to take our focus off of the main issue here-- a battle to keep a 2300 acre, 200 foot deep hole out of Melancthon.) It is a reminder of how LOW quarry proponents (whoever they might be) are willing to go to kill our spirit. But it will have the opposite effect: It will make us stronger, it will give us more fuel to continue the battle. As a bonus, I have discovered that the flyers make wonderful poop catchers for my parakeet's cage. Although, to be honest, my bird deserves better....

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  3. Because Orangeville, for all its stupidity, was smart enough to ASK FOR IT. Melancthon Council could have asked for a hundred thousand ++++ for the Highland aggregate application, and were advised to do so REPEATEDLY, by more than one rate payer...but Nooooo Bill Hill and the gang would not listen. Now Council is crying foul...well, THEY are the turkeys.

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  4. Whoever put that flier out clearly thought it was divide the community, instead it has done the opposite, so thanks, whoever it was. I have not heard one single person, even anti-turbine people agree with what was in the flier. Instead of being anti-turbine, they are anti-whoever put out that flier.

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  5. The turkey Council has had Highland pay for the peer reviews from the beginning so 10:41am, you are incorrect. Now Council are asking for financial aid with any OMB scenerio. Gobble gobble...

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  6. Highland has always been paying for the peer reviews. That has been in place for quite a while. They are doing the same at the NVCA also. If Council had asked for and gotten $100,000 to pay for the application and peer reviews, they would now be out a couple of hundered thousand already.... 5:01 pm is correct, they are now asking Highlands to guarantee to pay for OMB etc but as of yet they won't agree.

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  7. Hey Councillor 5:01 you could have asked for all you needed in the application, you could have asked for assurances, you could have had it all laid out that they pay for everything. And it should have all been in the OP.
    Bill Hill and Debbie Fawcett sat in that council chamber and told rate payers that it would cost NOTHING to have Highlands file an application, even though they were told the impending costs could mount to be astronomical...so 'stuff it!'Everything Highland pays now is a planned PR move so they can shout to the press what benevolent corporate guys they are...a gift to the community. ln other words, Council put Highlands in the drivers seat. I look forward to hearing what your whine fest gets you at ROMA.

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