AND THIS IS WHY MAYOR ADAMS IS DESPERATE TO SELL ANYTHING HE CAN, AT ANY COST

Orangeville’s tourism facility to cost $500,000, 42% higher than was estimated:

http://www.orangeville.com/news/local/article/1508186--cost-of-orangeville-tourism-facility-climbs-to-500k

It is still very reasonable priced,” Adams said, referring to tourism as an economic driver.

Whole raft of articles on Orangeville (aka Citrusville) Police Service costing tax payers money with lawsuits, wrongful dismissals, human rights complaints, citizen lawsuits, wrongful death and of course union settlements for retroactive wages that were denied to some officers with disabilities etc.

http://www.orangeville.com/topic/policeunderfire

 

Orangeville taxpayers on the hook again

http://www.orangeville.com/news/local/article/1509045--arbitrator-awards-orangeville-police-officers-experience-pay

“The decision to save money at the expense of these three disabled employees was not consistent with the aim of the Human Rights Code to protect the dignity and worth of every person,” Stephens wrote.

Then the payouts for senior civil servants being dismissed.

http://www.orangeville.com/news/local/article/1497628

Then the fire truck crash, allegedy by a close family member of the Mayor-which one would presume that is the reason the OPP were called in, instead of the Mayor’s crack police force doing the investigation. Might be unseemly to have a member of police service board’s relative investigated by the police service. Wonder how much the OPP charge for this kinda thing?

http://www.orangeville.com/news/local/article/1495379--opp-join-probe-of-orangeville-fire-truck-collision

Maybe the Orangeville Police Service could drum up some extra cash, if on duty OPS officers weren’t handing out their own business cards while on duty to do training by their own personal business that the OPS should be doing as part of the community outreach (and paid for by Orangeville tax $$).

 
Wow, at this rate Robbing Adams, Mayor of Orangeville is going to have to sell that railway twice, or maybe even three times. Once just ain’t gonna do it.

PAY IT FORWARD

In the early stages of NDACT, a speaker at an NDACT meeting, Steve Odgen, made a presentation.

Steve had been fighting against Site 41 for over 20 years.

He didn't give up the fight even after they started construction on the Site.

In the end he was victorious and Site 41 did not proceed.

I recall something he told us that day, that whatever we learn through the quarry battle to be sure to pay it forward as there will be others who could use the help.

Right in our own backyard in Dundalk in the Township of Southgate we have a group who desperately need help.

Their own local Council has spent untold thousands of dollars in recruiting waste companies to be located adjacent to a school and residential areas.

The local Council held over 15 illegally closed meetings on the issue;

They will not disclose costs to the residents, even though it is tax dollars that are being spent;

They have rulings again them by the Privacy commissioner as they have not provided information to which taxpayers are entitled;

Southgate does not have proper zoning on the property, yet issued a building permit and are fighting against their own residents in court who have challenged the building permit.  Southgate says, in court, the zoning is correct, but in an astounding display of idiocracy...are undergoing a process to put the proper zoning in place;

They sued residents over a native blockade-NOT the First Nations, but their own taxpayers;

The material they want to truck in is raw human waste and offal material in tarp covered tractor trailers;  contaminated soil;  and recyclables from Toronto;

They are doing this against the protests of their local community;

The Economic Development officer, who recruited these companies and was paid for with tax payer money, held many of these closed meetings and now works for one of the recruited companies;

AND in an astounding slap in the face to ratepayers, are hiring a PR company to tout the good companies that will be bringing this crap to town-paid for with tax $$ to support some private companies.

Please spread the word and support them-go to their website and check out the facts. 

 

Learn more at www.stopthewastepark.com on Facebook at "StoptheBioSolidsPlant.." and follow @TruthNotTrash or @teamsouthgate on Twitter.

This is my way of paying it forward.

There is a public meeting on this issue October 3, 7 p.m. at the Southgate Council Chambers in Hopeville.  Spread the word and attend if you can to inform yourself.

If you live anywhere on the haul route (and we don't know that because Council and the company will not disclose it) you will be impacted, by odour, potential spills and truck traffic.

HELP NDACT ROCK COLLINGWOOD

Date: Saturday September 29, 2012

Where: Collingwood, Ontario

Time: 12:00 PM - 3:00 PM

11:30 AM Gather at Hurontario St. and Hume St., Collingwood

12:00 PM

• Meet at MPP Jim Wilson's office for Opening ceremony, located at 50 Hume St.
• Start walk to Hume St and Highway 26, MP Kellie Leitch's office

1:00 - 3:00 PM Guest speakers and music

Master of Ceremonies - Ernie Hilts, Provincial delegate for Simcoe-Grey

Confirmed Speakers:

• thahoketoteh -Mohawk First Nation from Kanekota
• Carl Cosack - NDACT Chair
• David Matthews - Past NDP Provincial Candidate for Simcoe-Grey
• Katy Austin - Past NDP Federal Candidate for Simcoe-Grey
• Mike Schreiner - past Green Party Provincial Candidate for Simcoe-Grey and leader of the Green party of Ontario

For full detailsclick here.

NDACT will have a table there with Information, Signs, Hoodies and Bumper Stickers.

 

http://www.ndact.com/images/event-poster-folder/collingwood-walk.pdf

FIESTY FEIST

To name a few locals starring in the Mega Quarry fight:

Jim Cuddy

Jeremy Taggart

Hobo Wally

...and now Feist...

thank you all!!!

Feist opposes mega quarry

http://www.samaritanmag.com/1389/feist-opposes-mega-quarry

For the last five years, all the merch from my tours goes to different charities and currently it goes to support the legal defence fund of the mega quarry,” Feist said, referring to the group opposing the building of a limestone quarry in the Melancthon Township of Ontario by Highland Companies, which would destroy agricultural land and threaten the water supply.

ANOTHER GOOD ARTICLE

"It would be an extremely short-sighted decision to choose quarries over prime agricultural land. One farmer who spoke to the committee pointed out that he can grow lettuce on his land for $18,000 per tonne year after year, while aggregates sell for a mere eight dollars per tonne, and can only be dug up once."

 

http://gleanernews.ca/index.php/2012/09/20/rosario-marchese-local-produce-or-aggregates/#.UFt_zK7ZbfB

FAR BE IT FROM ME

Far be it from me to be critical... BUT..

When politicans are critized for attending an important conference, at which they only had to ask to see a provincial minister to view their concerns, I have a concern.

One local politician flew to the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) conference, but paid for that flight out of pocket. Another brought his wife, whose AMO conference registration fee was paid for by taxpayers.
Can you guess who did what?
http://www.orangeville.com/news/local/article/1499661--amo-conference-costs-for-dufferin-taxpayers

I would hope not one single politican had to pay anything out of their own pocket to attend AMO.

This is their opportunity to get their issues in front of the various provincial Ministers.

AND they should be doing this at every opportunity.

In fact if they have THE biggest issue in Ontario, say a 2,300 acre, 200 foot below the water table open pit limestone mine, they should be bringing this issue in front of the OMAFRA, MOE, MNR and MMAH Minister at least once at month, or at the very least at EVERY OGRA/ROMA and AMO conference there is.

AND if they have to bill the taxpayers to take their spouse, kid, mistress, grandma, grandkid and dog, DO IT.

In the words of  Larry the Cable guy...GIT R DONE....

ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSIONER NOT HAPPY

"Ontario’s Environmental CommissionerGord Miller, who singled out the MNR as a “chronic offender” for repeatedly refusing to post proposals and decisions on the web, as required by Ontario’s Environmental Bill of Rights, legislation passed in 1993."

http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/politics/article/1259057--ontario-environmental-watchdog-gord-miller-says-ministries-hiding-from-public-scrutiny

 

RECONCILE THIS

The provincial government has just introduced the Local Food Act. Wonder how that will reconcile with the Aggregate Resources Act as of right now, the Aggregate Resources Act trumps everything, even agriculture.

BYLAW SCHMYLAW

This Orangeville news article talks about how County Council, way back in 1995, passed a parking bylaw for county roads, yet have never bothered enforcing it.   
http://www.orangeville.com/news/local/article/1503059--no-parking-tickets-on-county-roads-yet

Then why in the hell was a bylaw passed?

The public, should be able to rely on the fact that once a bylaw is passed the bylaw will be enforced.

But then this is the same County Council refused to enforcetheir tree cutting bylaw when Highlands was found in many proven contraventions of that bylaw.  In fact one elected official stated at a public meeting that they had never enforced it before, so couldn't start now.

WTF?

Why should non enforcement of the bylaw bother me?

The issue came up as a result of complaint to the OPP, County and Township of Melancthon about the gravel trucks from Strada "PARKING" every morning on County Road 17, 124 and the 4th Line of Melancthon for over an hour waiting to access the Strada site.

The morning of July 20 there were 16 trucks parked on that road before 6 a.m.

Recently the Court upheld a ruling that a municipality was found to be 2/3 at fault for the conditions of the road that left the two Deering sisters paralyized from the waist down.
http://www.durhamregion.com/article/1370619--oshawa-scugog-to-blame-for-crash-that-left-deering-sisters-disabled

If the County refuses to enforce their parking bylaw and when (NOT IF) someone plows into one of those many "parked" gravel trucks you can be sure the taxpayers will be the ones paying for Council's lack of leadership and enforcement on this issue.

UNLESS YOU ARE ON A COUNTY OF DUFFERIN ROAD

ROB STRANG

Rob has enlightened Mr. Crump on why aggregates should NOT trump agriculture.

So for those just joining the game, here is Rob's original article August 20, 2012:
http://www.orangeville.com/article/1488861--oil-pipeline-a-lot-different-than-a-road

Mr.  Crump's letter to the editor August 27, 2012:
http://www.orangeville.com/article/1492469--rob-strang-s-comparison-with-proposed-quarry-doesn-t-work-letter

Rob's letter in response to Mr. Crump September 17, 2012:
http://www.orangeville.com/opinion/columns/article/1503619--proposed-mega-quarry-is-a-mega-bad-idea-column

FAR FROM HONEY BOO BOO....PYTHAGORAS

I feel that we need to step this blog up a bit, you know, as Honey Boo's Boo's Mom June would say, lets slap some paint on the old barn...

So, Pythagoras, you know, the first pure mathematician (see pic below for reference)...

Pythagoras, 570-495 BC

would likely remind the Highland Companies that every grain of aggregate rock is embodied with a life force as important as human beings.

Pythagoras was instrumental in the premise that all natural phenomenon can be expressed mathematically and believed in transmigration of the soul – to animal, human, plant.

For the entire article, click here: http://www.vinecagray.com/blog/tag/melancthon/

BOO BOO

The only Boo Boo bigger than Honey..(and no offense to Honey, she is my new addiction, or more specifically Mama)

Would be if any bureaucrat or politicians approves Highlands insane idea for a giant hole.

MR. KLARMAN IF YOU PLEASE

Mr. Klarman, if you please
Forget the hole
Put back our trees

Pull up stakes and go back home
Leave our farms
and land alone

Keep your hands off our water
we're saving it for
our sons and daughters

We cannot say that we'll miss you
AND when you leave
take John Lowndes too

Thanks to an anon post under comments!!!

EASY WAY OUT

Seth Klarman aka Baupost aka Highland Companies here is face saving easy way out and you can still collect some coin.

Farmland prices are soaring as they are becoming increasingly scarce:

http://www.moneyville.ca/article/1254125--rising-commodity-prices-send-ontario-s-farm-land-prices-soaring
While the soaring prices are a welcome relief after 15 years of stagnation or decline, the short supply and high price of farmland is making it hard for existing farmers to expand operations and newcomers to get into the business.

So some savy investment advice-sell now, make a bit of profit before you lose your very expensive shirt.

There are lots of real farmers who would buy the land and actually farm it.

Sorry, no quarry.

ANOTHER UNHAPPY AGGREGATE PRODUCER

Couple weeks at the Niagara Escarpment Commission opted to file for a judicial review of the Consolidated Hearings Board decision allowing Walker Aggregates to expand its quarry operation.


The expansion would add 189.5 acres to its quarry, with approximately 168.8 acres planned for extraction purposes, directly across the road from their current operation.

The proposed site is habitat to the Bobolink, and has a stand of Butternut trees and a colony of American Hart's Tongue Fern — all of which are endangered.

One member of the three panel board voted no and cited concerns such as:

• aggregate extraction in the Escarpment Rural Area designation of the Niagara Escarpment Plan area is not compatible with the natural environment.
• the application only meets one requirement of the 'three-part' Niagara Escarpment Plan amendment test
• the proposed amendment "not justified, and is not consistent with other relevant provincial policies."
• the use of the property as a quarry could not realistically be called an 'interim use.

The NEC’s decision to appeal was applauded by the Citizens Group fighting this, as well as Environmental Defence, stating: "Ontarians don't want a mega-quarry that puts our land, water and wildlife at risk, for the benefit of few.” said Dr. Rick Smith, Executive Director of Environmental Defence. "I'm happy to see that the NEC recognizes this quarry in this location is a mistake."

A former Ontario Minister of Environment and member of the Clearview Community Coalition said: In all my time in government and as an advocate, the Walker decision caused me the greatest concern for the health of the Niagara Escarpment UNESCO Biosphere Reserve,” said Ruth Grier, “I commend the Commissioners for their vote to defend the Niagara Escarpment, one of Ontario’s truly unique environmental features.”

SO how did Walker Quarry react?

As per usual for the aggregate industry…blame and threaten and whine. Here are some quotes:

Walker Vice President:
"This whole thing just represents more delays," Walker Vice President said. "We are running out of rock (at the existing quarry), and we were down to the fine line where nobody's job would have been at stake.

"The delays are causing uncertainty for our employees and their families… I have to tell them (on Wednesday) what we're trying to do, but I also have to tell them we can't guarantee that they will be working continuously, and that there will be layoffs."

Walker vice-president …was on the road early Wednesday morning to his company's quarry operation, preparing to tell 22 Walker Aggregate employees their jobs were on the line.

Not only has it been expensive to the company, it has also been expensive to taxpayers, and says he couldn't believe the "disregard" for tax dollars. (HUH?)

READ ALL ABOUT IT:
http://www.theenterprisebulletin.com/2012/08/22/quarry-decision-produces-winners-and-losers

http://www.theenterprisebulletin.com/2012/08/20/necto-challenge-walker-decision

 

 

 

 

ARBOUR FARMS

Arbour Farms, who has been attempting for the past 12 years to establish a gravel pit on Airport Road, near county Road 21, has appealed Mulmur’s Official Plan, as apparently the aggregate industry knows more about local needs than the locals.


http://www.thecreemoreecho.com/2012/09/arbour-farms-seeks-changes-to-mulmur-official-plan/

They asked for these changes:

MULMURS WORDING:
The Township’s long-term prosperity, environmental health, and social well-being depend on protecting natural features, water, soil and minerals for their economic, environmental and social benefits.

ARBOUR FARMS WORDING:
The Township’s long-term prosperity, environmental health, and social well-being depend on protecting natural features, water, soil and minerals and mineral aggregates for their economic, environmental and social benefits.


  MULMUR’S WORDING:
when aggregate extraction is taking place, it is the intent of the Township to ensure that “its interests and those of local residents are recognized and protected, and that an appropriate balance between competing and often conflicting interests is achieved .”

ARBOUR FARMS WORDING
when aggregate extraction is taking place, it is the intent of the Township to ensure that “its interests and those of local residents are recognized and protected, and that an appropriate balance between competing and often conflicting interests is achieved . To achieve this, extraction shall be undertaken in a manner which minimizes social and environmental impacts.”

MULMUR’S WORDING
Human health and safety and environmental protection shall take priority over resource use proposals”

ARBOUR FARMS WORDING
Human health and safety and environmental protection shall take priority over resource use proposals. Resource extraction activities and sensitive land uses are to be appropriately designed, buffered and/or separated to prevent adverse effects and minimize risk to public health and safety.”

MULMURS WORDING
Proposals should not result in a negative impact on the rural character or the scenic resources and features of the Township taking into account mitigation measures including progressive and final rehabilitation of the site

ARBOUR FARMS WORDING
Proposals should not result in a negative substantial impact on the rural character or the scenic resources and features of the Township taking into account mitigation measures including progressive and final rehabilitation of the site.”

OUR OLD FRIEND LINDA JEFFREY -OOPS SHE DID IT AGAIN

Labour Minister Linda Jeffrey, asked at AMO (2012) if the government would strengthen the need for arbitrators to consider a municipality's ability to pay, reportedly indicated that the government would be prepared to put that legislation forward in the fall.


But as of last Friday, officials at the ministries of labour, municipal affairs and finance were unaware of any concrete plans to introduce legislation.
http://www.recorder.ca/2012/08/24/mayors-want-movement-on-arbitration

How this Minister still has a job is beyond me.

Remember her infamous quote at the 2011 OGRA/ROMA to the Mayor and Deputy Mayor of Melancthon when she was Minister of Natural Resources?

All together now….
"get constituents thinking about rehabilitation, because this will not be going back to agriculture, but maybe you could get a nice golf course.”

MAYOR ADAMS STANCE ON SELLING THE RAIL CORRIDOR TO ANYONE BUT HIGHLANDS

HEADLINE in Orangeville Banner READS: Dufferin County mulls use of abandoned rail corridor for multi-use recreational trail…..

"Acknowledging many issues relating to the proposed Melancthon quarry need addressing, Orangeville Mayor Rob Adams places selling the rail corridor atop his totem pole of priorities.

He argues it would go a long way toward reducing truck traffic on county roads if Highlands’ proposal, which will be subject to an environmental assessment (EA), is approved."

What he meant to say, and I am paraphrasing here, is if Highlands doesn’t purchase the rail corridor from Orangeville to Dundalk, he loses big time, see synopsis below.

http://www.orangeville.com/news/local/article/1497441--peaks-and-valleys-of-dufferin-s-rail-corridor

Quick recap from the July 22, 2011 post on this blog titled Tail of the Troubled Train:

• In 2000 Orangeville/Adams bought the rail line as an economic driver for Orangeville
• Cost $3 million, $2 million of which was paid for the by taxpayers of Ontario NOT Orangeville
• Net cost to Orangeville $1.5 million
• Rail proved not to be financially viable
• In 2009 Orangeville/Adams enters into an agreement to sell the rail line to Highlands for $7 million (including the “bonus” of $2 million he gets when the track is laid)
• Net gain to Adams/Orangeville $5 million not including the $500,000 annually paid by Highlands on property taxes

 Search this blog with the word Adams for more posts on this issue.

MY FAVOURITE ARTIST DOES IT AGAIN

HoB&K-more bad PR for the PR company

Select quotes from an article on Enbridge’s P.R. firm Hill of Beans and Knowlton:


Hiring Hill and Knowlton speaks volumes about the lengths which Enbridge will apparently go to persuade the B.C. public that supertankers and oilsands pipelines are a good thing for our province.

Guardian journalist George Monbiot describes Hill and Knowlton as "the public relations company famous for the unsavoury nature of its clients."

Hill and Knowlton advised the Chinese government in the wake of the Tianenmen massacre, set up lobby groups for the tobacco companies coached the girl who told the false story about Kuwaiti babies being thrown out of incubators, which helped to launch the first Gulf war. http://www.canada.com/Enbridge+defensive+with+million+advertising+blitz/6903932/story.html