KONC IS TOP NEWSMAKER ;
I vote for Betty Konc as Chair of the NO WATER OR SEWER committee as newsmaker of the year, she is the Wainfleet's Lakeshores Community leader, she is our voice.
Betty is our logic for reasoning, considering we have heard some irrational ideas from the region ie. honey wagon running up and down the road or holding tanks that need emptying every 12 days or the high cost they want from us for thier asset.
Betty has brought forth more enviromentally friendly ideas forward to help solve this issue and given the township, region a sound logical plan on how this would work. Pointed them towards other locations with proven numbers that have done the same thing that she has recommended.
From the inception of this committee Betty has pledged she would tell us and speak the truth, anything she has said can be easily backed up with proven documentation. She now has seven file boxes of documentation and a few more spread out in another committee members homes. She has spoken and researched with different alternative companies that deal with disposal. I have said Betty knows more about sewage waste and the different disposals of said sewage waste.
Betty does not get paid for any of the work, the hours she she puts in would rival any full time job. The residents call her 7 days a week and she provides the answer to their questions or will get back to them with the answers. Betty has called, written or emailed people across the country to ask for insight, help, advise or clarification on our situation.
She has spent a countless amount of money from her own pocket to dive into this issue and issues that surround it ie. development. The solution of pipe is simply a bad idea. Betty has brought forth many issues that simply would be forgotten about, a good example is Betty brought out to the public the number of times that the sewage treatment plants in Niagara dump raw, partially treated or treated sewage into the lakes and river. A number of newspapers took that concept and ran much larger articles on that very idea. Poor infrastructure is another concept and we now hear much more of that.
Betty has kept this community together with a vision that says NO to pipe. The perspective that she and the committee that she heads is realalitic. The lakeshore community is stronger because of her. We know more of our neighbours that live 3 miles down the road, we are united behind her and rally for the same cause.
Betty continues to battle this project, has hit her head against a wall at times, but more than anything her sense of humour has keeps coming through. Betty keeps coming back with more valuable ideas to continue this fight. Keep fighting, we all want you to continue for us and give you our support.
Helen Hoskin,
Wainfleet
NEW YEAR, SAME OLD ISSUE AT WAINFLEET LEVEE ;
IT'S A NEW YEAR, BUT WAINFLEET'S HOTTEST TOPIC SHOWS NO SIGNS OF COOLING OFF IN 2008.
MANY OF THE ABOUT 30 PEOPLE WHO ATTENDED THE MAYOR'S NEW YEAR'S LEVEE IN COUNCIL CHAMBERS LAST SATURDAY CAME TO DISCUSS THEIR CONCERNS WITH THE LAKESHORE SERVICING PROJECT.
ALTHOUGH WELL-KNOWN DETRACTORS OF THE PROJECT SUCH AS BETTY KONC AND HELEN HOSKIN WERE IN ATTENDANCE, OTHERS ARRIVED, ADDING TO THE LIST OF WORRIED RESIDENTS WHO HAVE FEARS ABOUT THE COST AND SOCIAL IMPACT OF THE "BIG PIPE" SOLUTION.
PHIL SCHERTZING, WHO FORMERLY SAT ON THE SCHOOL BOARD AND TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE OF ADJUSTMENT, SAID INDIVIDUALLY INSPECTING ALL THE SEPTIC SYSTEMS WOULD STILL BE THE SMARTEST WAY TO DEAL WITH THE CONTAMINATION PROBLEM.
"EVERY YEAR YOU WOULD NEED TO HAVE A SIGNED CERTIFICATE THAT SAYS YOUR SYSTEM IS OKAY," HE SAID.
HOSKIN, CO-CHAIR OF THE WAINFLEET WATER-SEWER COMMITTEE AND ALSO THE LONG BEACH HOWEOWNERS ASSOCIATION, SAID SHE'D LIKE TO SEE A BIGGER COMMITMENT FROM THE TOWNSHIP IN KEEPING ORDER ALONG THE SHORELINE DURING THE SUMMER.
"THIS SUMMER, TEENAGERS DRAGGED A PICNIC TABLE FROM THE ICE CREAM STORE TO THE BEACH AND BURNED IT," SAID HOSKIN, LISTING SEVERAL KINDS OF UNRULY BEHAVIOUR AT THE BEACH THAT TAKES PLACE AFTER LABOUR DAY WEEKEND.
HOWARD GUNN, AN ENGINEER FROM MORGAN'S POINT, CAME TO DISCUSS HIS FINANCIAL WORRIES ABOUT THE "BIG PIPE," SAYING HE FEARED IT COULD "BANKRUPT" THE TOWNSHIP.
"I CAN FULLY UNDERSTAND ANY LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT NOT WANTING TO GET INVOLVED IN A $100 MILLION EXPENDITURE FOR 1,100 PEOPLE," SAID GUNN, ADDING HE THINKS THE COST WILL BE MUCH HIGHER THAN THE PROPOSED $72 MILLION ONCE MAINTENANCE COSTS ARE FACTORED IN.
"THEY PROBABLY HAVE BETTER WAYS TO SPEND THEIR MONEY."
MAYOR BARBARA HENDERSON SAID SHE WAS HAPPY WITH THE TURNOUT TO THE LEVEE, SAYING IT WAS UP SLIGHTLY FROM THE YEAR BEFORE, AND ALTHOUGH MOST PEOPLE WANTED TO TALK ABOUT THE LAKESHORE, OTHERS WANTED TO TALK TO HER ABOUT PLANNING AND TAXES.
"PEOPLE ARE CONCERNED BECAUSE TAXES ALWAYS SEEM TO GO UP," SHE SAID.
AMENDMENTS TO THE OFFICIAL PLAN AND FINISHING THE SECONDARY PLANS FOR THE LAKESHORE AND THE NORTHEAST ARE TOP PRIORITIES FOR COUNCIL, ACCORDING TO ALD. TED HESSELS.
"I WANT TO SEE THE SECONDARY PLANS GET DONE SO WE AS A COUNCIL KNOW WHAT DIRECTION WE'RE GOING IN," HE SAID.
ALD. RON KRAMER SAID HE CAN UNDERSTAND WHY PEOPLE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THE "BIG PIPE," ADDING THAT IF THE PROJECT GOES OVER A CERTAIN COST, HE ISN'T GOING TO VOTE IN FAVOUR OF IT.
BUDGET TALKS AT COUNCIL DEFECITS AND
SURPLUSES IN SEVERAL DEPARTMENTS
Talks about the 2008 budget resumed during Wainfleet council's committee-of-the-whole meeting on Tuesday.
A report submitted by chief administrative officer Scott Luey stated most of the township's departments are in a surplus position, although there is still a large amount of year-end accounting to be done.
The fire, planning and roads departments are all projected to be in a deficit position, however. The fire and roads deficits were partly a result of a $18,719 vehicle for the fire chief and a tandem truck for the roads department $27,735 over budget.
Council approved that these specific costs be covered by those department's reserve funds. The planning department is seeing red because of the Ontario Municipal Board hearing and the cost of hiring an interim planner.
The biggest point of discussion was on what to do with the library department's surplus of $47,148. Ald. Evan Main spoke on the surplus first, asking for the money to be taken back by council because "that's taxpayers' money getting tied up."
Mayor Barbara Henderson approved the idea, saying it would be a good way of helping cover the planning deficit that council will be facing at the final budget. Council transferred the library surplus back into the Wainfleet's overall operating fund.
A TUMULTUOUS YEAR IN WAINFLEET 2007 YEAR IN REVIEW
It was a tumultuous year in Wainfleet to say the least.
The township seemed to be in a transitional period between its beloved pioneer and rural roots and its unknown future. Items which could be viewed as growth were often met with scalding opposition from residents, including the Lakewood Camp development, the northeast secondary plan and of course, the "Big Pipe."
2007 also saw one of Wainfleet's fathers, Gord Harry, former mayor and alderman, pass away at the age of 61.
* * * JANUARY
The region's "big pipe" solution got the year off to a bad start as the township was denied $9 million in funding for the project by the Canada Ontario Municipal Rural Infrastructure Fund for a third and final time. Still, Wainfleet Mayor Barbara Henderson remained positive.
FEBRUARY
Former Wainfleet Mayor Gord Harry died at Port Colborne General Hospital one month after being diagnosed with cancer at age 61. Harry first took office on township council as an alderman in 1989, before becoming mayor in 2000 until 2006.
"I never had to wonder what Gord was thinking - ever," said former Ald. Patrick Robson. "There was that openness, that honesty, that forthrightness about him that people respect."
"It's going to be hard for us to go on, but we will," said his daughter Debbie Montgomery, "We know he's in heaven."
MARCH
Wainfleet businessman Alfred Kiers became the federal Conservative Party candidate for the Welland riding, beating out lawyer Philip Lawrence.
Private company Environment One pitched its onsite product to township council at a committee-of-the-whole meeting, claiming it was a low-cost and environmentally-friendly solution to Wainfleet's water and sewer problem.
APRIL
Wainfleet began looking for a new fire chief after severing a five-year shared-service agreement with Port Colborne..
Betty Konc, Wainfleet water-sewer committee chair, discussed her disappointment with the region with The Leader after one full year of a boil-water advisory.
The Wainfleet Rail Trail was renamed the Gord Harry Conservation Trail, in memory of the former mayor who had recently passed away.
MAY
A public meeting was held to pass the budget, which saw a decrease in municipal taxes but an overall increase in taxes of less than one per cent because of regional and educational rates. The budget saw numerous projects including road resurfacing, facility upgrades and a Quarry Road bridge replacement.
Ald. Ted Hessels surprised council by announcing that an anonymous donor was willing to donate a "substantial" amount toward the purchase of 12 new self-contained breathing apparatuses for the township's fire department.
JUNE
The Niagara Region and Rankin Construction announced plans to build five energy-producing wind turbines in Wainfleet, proposed to be 30 storeys tall and generate enough hydro to power 3,500 homes.
Resident Carl Van Kralingen warned council about potential problems associated with the proposed Reeb Quarry, such as more vehicle crashes. But Reeb and his lawyer David White said they are "confident" the project will be approved by the Ontario Municipal Board.
Four more private companies pitched onsite alternative solutions to Wainfleet's water problems at the June 26 council meeting, the most unique being a composting toilet company.
JULY
Planner Michael Benner began a new job with an environmental engineering company in Hamilton. He said the biggest two upcoming concerns for Wainfleet were the official plan update and the water and wastewater problems along the lakeshore.
Wainfleet found its new fire chief, hiring Chris Cole, a Dunnville native. Cole was a 21-year veteran of the Port Colborne Fire Department.
A Wainfleet culinary tradition was passed on when the Innisfil family from Barrie bought the 2X4 Diner.
"We've been trying to find something like this for over two years," said co-owner Pen Smith.
AUGUST
A public meeting regarding the water and wastewater problems along the lakeshore was attended by more than 200 people, most of whom voiced their opposition to the "big pipe," expected to cost the property owners more than $20.000.
"Are our wishes going to be paid attention to?" asked Betty Konc, chair of the Wainfleet water and sewer committee. "We are the ones who live with this on a daily basis."
The regional health department continued to state its case against on-site solutions.
"On-site solutions are really not the ones that should be implemented," said Leo Gohier, acting regional director of water and wastewater management.
SEPTEMBER
It was the festive month of the year in Wainfleet, first as the Marshville Heritage Festival saw about 30,000 people descend on the village for a taste of the pioneer life. Perfect weather graced the three-day event.
Just a few weeks later, about 4,200 visitors learned the rural lifestyle at the Wainfleet Fall Fair, an amount double than what was anticipated.
Township council unanimously voted for a zoning change that would allow the building of 35 condominiums at the former Easter Seals camp for disabled children on Lakeshore Road, despite vicious opposition from some residents.
Many people argued that the condos would continue to contribute to a loss of Wainfleet's rural character and that the buildings themselves would be unsafe from water conditions.
The biggest detractor was Lee Bott, whose home is surrounded on three sides by the Lakeshore Road property.
OCTOBER
Following a presentation by Gohier, township council unanimously endorsed a new round of cost-analysis studies on extending Port Colborne municipal services down the lakeshore to solve Wainfleet's water woes. Regional council quickly followed suit.
The water-sewer committee countered with a public meeting, in which Konc described plans to become a ratepayers association. Many outraged citizens than attended the next council meeting to voice their opposition to the northeastern secondary plan during a public meeting.
NOVEMBER
Famed Vietnam burn victim Kim Phuc, immortalized in a timeless photo in which she is running naked but covered by burning napalm, stopped by the Wainfleet Brethren in Christ Church on Nov. 10 to speak about God and forgiveness.
"Dear friends, God is real," Phuc told the audience. "He answered my prayers."
After an in camera session at the Nov. 13 council meeting, the mayor and alderman voted to accept a consultant's recommendation to change township staff, mostly resulting in a new position of CAO.
DECEMBER
Hundreds of visitors enjoyed a pioneer-style holiday celebration at the annual Christmas in the Village event at the Marshville Heritage Festival on Dec. 2. There were homemade treats and toys, as well as a nativity scene and visits from Father Christmas which were enjoyed by all.
The Wainfleet Volunteer Fire Department celebrated its 60th anniversary on Dec. 11 with a homecoming dinner attended by firefighters past and present. The firefighters were thanked by dignitaries for their bravery as they reflected on serving the community
PORT COLBORNE, WAINFLEET INELIGIBLE FOR OSWAP
Port Colborne and Wainfleet will not benefit from an $8-million program aimed at providing assistance to existing water systems in small Ontario communities.
The Ontario Small Waterworks Assistance Program announced by the provincial government Tuesday won't trickle down into the budgets of either Port Colborne or Wainfleet, but is geared more to small and rural northern communities facing financial challenges with their drinking water systems.
"The devil is in the detail," Sal Iannello, director of operations for the City of Port Colborne, said. "We filled out the forms and tried but we got nothing."
Iannello said OSWAP was not designed for municipalities like Port Colborne. It was designed for municipalities under 1,000 residents where "a grant of $50,000 can make a big difference."
Iannello said Port is hoping to secure funding under the $300-million Municipal Infrastructure Investment Initiative.
This one-time program, administered by Infrastructure Ontario, is intended to help municipalities provide safe and reliable local infrastructure, including water systems. Municipalities will be able to apply for up to 100 per cent of their project's cost and will not be required to match the amount of the provincial grant requested.
"We have projects that are ready to go if we can get the funding," Iannello said.
Scott Luey, chief administrative officer for Wainfleet, said the money being offered through the OSWAP initiative is a drop in the bucket compared to the financial needs of Wainfleet's water and sewer systems.
The criteria for OSWAP also disqualifies Wainfleet because it does not include new construction.
"We didn't even apply for funding because it is for existing water systems," he said.
A total of 76 communities have met eligibility requirements for $8 million in OSWAP funding. OSWAP is the first part of a new $40-million five-year program announced by the province last August. The province is currently developing criteria for the second portion of the program.
Luey said the township will be applying to the province for funding through a $56-million Rural Infrastructure Investment Initiative, which can be used for water and wastewater.
He said Wainfleet was successful last year in securing $500,000 in infrastructure money for the Quarry Road bridge.
"We're trying to give taxpayers a bigger bang for their buck."
Luey said securing provincial and federal grant money for infrastructure programs is very important because Wainfleet just doesn't have the tax base to carry such large capital expenditures on its own.
He said the township has tried to secure infrastructure funding for its ongoing water and wastewater problems but it has been unsuccessful to date.
"We were turned down for all three rounds of COMRIF (Canada Ontario Municipal Rural Infrastructure Funding)," he said.
The estimated cost of a water and wastewater solution for Wainfleet has been pegged at $65 million to $72 million.
STEPS TO OPPOSITION
WAINFLEET RESIDENTS FORMING A RATEPAYERS ASSOCIATION
Wainfleet residents aren't sitting on their hands or staying mum over their discontent with the proposed water and sewer pipeline.
Together, Betty Konc, Helen Hoskin, Bruce Miner, Sherry Mayne and Andrew Watts have formed the Wainfleet Ratepayers Association and are completing the paperwork to become incorporated association.
"This isn't just going to go away, so we need dollars to fight on a more level playing field," Konc said. "Our main mission is to kill this whole idea of water and sewer. It's ridiculous."
Becoming an incorporated association has allowed them to raise funds to fight the proposed multi-million-dollar water and sewer pipeline. To date, more than 100 homeowners have paid $100 to be part of the ratepayers association, which allows them to vote on issues affecting Wainfleet
"The money is to help pay for things we think we need to do to strengthen our position. Consultants need to be hired, real testing needs to be done and there are going to be legal avenues we need to pay for."
Another strategic move the association implemented was dividing the lakeshore into six groups which are composed of a captain, co-captain and a committee to address new and ongoing issues.
The association began at the end of October with a council meeting tailgate party and protest. Since then they have organized a breakfast with Santa and barbecues to raise additional funds. A public meeting will be held in the upcoming months to ratify its five board members.
Konc said once the region completes an additional $1.5 million in studies, which are expected to take more than a year, the association can launch appeals.
She said although a small number of people she has spoken to along the lakeshore are in favour of the pipeline, the majority are opposed.
"People are either dead set against it or sitting on the fence."
She said the association's goal is to get Wainfleet residents involved and working together to unify one voice and to repeat their objections to the development.
SEWAGE-TREATMENT TANK REMAINS SHUT DOWN
Regional Officials investigating ways of ensuring there are no repeat spills
A sewage-treatment tank in Port Weller remained shut down Monday after a large spill late Thursday night.
Roughly 22,000 litres of sewage sludge leaked out of the treatment plant before the flow was stopped.
Niagara Region officials believe one of the so-called digester tank's main processing pipes became clogged, along with its emergency backup pipe.
Mike Janas, the region's manager of water operations, said it's possible the pipes became clogged with hunks of sludge from the thick top layer that sits on sewage being treated.
"The drain and the overflow all plugged at the same time," he said Monday.
"Sometimes you get chunks that break off in there. That's what we figure happened because the lines were plugged."
The lines have been cleared, but the digester tank remained closed Monday for further inspection.
Janas said he wasn't sure how long the tank will remain out of commission.
A second digester tank at the treatment plant continues to operate. Officials are investigating ways of ensuring there are no repeat spills, including the installation of warning alarms on overflow boxes that sit atop the tanks.
"It's still really too early to tell what we can do," Janas said.
Regional employees worked through the night Thursday into Friday with bulldozers and sandbags to trap much of the leaking sludge.
Some of it flowed into a Municipal Beach parking lot and down a nearby boat ramp onto ice on Lake Ontario.
Officials estimated about 1,000 litres of sludge ended up on a nine-by-seven-metre patch of ice.
Vacuum trucks were used to clean up most of the mess.
The provincial Environment Ministry credited the quick cleanup with preventing serious environmental damage.
The cold weather was also expected to kill off any bacteria associated with the spill.
RE: THE STORY IN THE JAN. 5 EDITION OF THE TRIBUNE,
HEADLINED "22,000 LITRES OF SEWAGE SLUDGE SPILL."
THE STORY SAYS: "THE LEFTOVER GOOP FROM SEWAGE TREATMENT THAT SPILLED THURSDAY NIGHT, TECHNICALLY CALLED STABILIZED SLUDGE, IS THE SAME MATERIAL THAT IS INJECTED INTO FARMERS' FIELDS EACH YEAR.
"IT'S TREATED IN DIGESTERS, WHICH MEANS IT CONTAINS LESS E. COLI THAN STRAIGHT SEWAGE, FOR EXAMPLE.
"BUT THE SEWAGE SLUDGE STILL CONTAINS AMMONIA, WHICH IS TOXIC TO FISH. IT'S ALSO OVERLOADED WITH NUTRIENTS, WHICH CAN SUCK NEEDED OXYGEN AWAY FROM AQUATIC LIFE."
PLAINLY STATED, "LESS E. COLI" MEANS THAT THIS "STABILIZED SLUDGE" STILL DOES CONTAIN SOME E. COLI AND AMMONIA AND THIS IS WHAT IS BEING SPREAD ON OUR FARMERS' FIELDS BY THE TANKER-TRUCK LOADS. THESE FIELDS ARE INLAND AND UPHILL FROM OUR LAKEFRONT PROPERTIES.
WHAT HAPPENS AFTER A HEAVY RAIN? WHERE DOES THIS E. COLI GET TO?
MEANWHILE, ANY TRACE, NO MATTER HOW SMALL, OF E-COLI SHOWING UP IN OUR WELL WATER CAUSES THE REGIONAL HEALTH UNIT TO ISSUE A "BOIL WATER ADVISORY."
AND AGAIN I ASK: WHERE DOES ALL THIS END UP AFTER HEAVY RAINS?
SEWAGE TREATMENT PLANTS ARE BASED ON OLD TECHNOLOGY THAT SEEMED TO WORK OK IN DAYS OF YORE WHEN POPULATIONS WERE MUCH SMALLER THAN THEY ARE NOW. HOWEVER, EVEN BACK THEN THOSE PLANTS RELIED ON BEING ABLE TO DUMP ANY EXCESS INTO WATERWAYS, RIVERS AND LAKES.
NOW, WITH MUCH DENSER POPULATIONS, THIS OLD TECHNOLOGY JUST CAN'T KEEP UP AND OUR GREAT LAKES HAVE BECOME VIRTUAL CESSPOOLS, SO TREATMENT PLANTS HAVE TO FIND WAYS TO GET RID OF ALL THE EXCESS.
THEY TAKE THIS E. COLI AND AMMONIA-BEARING "STABILIZED SLUDGE" AND SPREAD IT ON LOCAL FARMERS' FIELDS.
WHAT INDEPENDENT TESTS HAVE BEEN DONE TO ENSURE THAT THIS IS SAFE, THAT IT DOES NOT CONTAMINATE THE WATERSHED OR THE ENVIRONMENT?
IF ANY OF US OUT HERE IN WAINFLEET WERE TO PUMP OUT THE SLUDGE FROM OUR SEPTIC SYSTEMS AND SPREAD IT OVER NEIGHBOURING FIELDS, WE'D BE ARRESTED AND PROSECUTED FOR POLLUTING THE ENVIRONMENT AND ENDANGERING THE HEALTH AND WELFARE OF RESIDENTS.
OVER THE YEARS, THERE HAVE BEEN A COUPLE OF CASES OF RESIDENTS WITH "PROBLEM" SEPTIC SYSTEMS PUMPING OUT THEIR SEPTIC SYSTEMS' EFFLUENT INTO DITCHES AND STRINGENT BYLAWS HAVE BEEN PASSED AGAINST SUCH PRACTICES.
OBVIOUSLY A DIFFERENT SET OF LAWS APPLY TO US AS OPPOSED TO THE REGIONAL GOVERNMENT AND ITS HEALTH UNIT.
ALTERNATIVE TECHNOLOGIES FOR THE PROCESSING OF HUMAN WASTES DO EXIST. UNFORTUNATELY, THE POWERS-THAT-BE WOULD RATHER THROW MILLIONS OF DOLLARS AT MAINTAINING FAILING ANTIQUATED TECHNOLOGIES INSTEAD OF CONSIDERING VIABLE ALTERNATIVES.
A CASE OF (IN THE WORDS OF THE BARD) OPTING TO "BEAR THOSE ILLS WE HAVE THAN FLY TO OTHERS WE KNOW NOT OF?"
ANDRE GERMAIN
PORT COLBORNE
RE: WAINFLEET MAYOR'S NEW YEAR LEVEE
AT MAYOR BARB HENDERSON'S LEVEE I SPENT THE WHOLE TIME IN REMARKABLY CIVILIZED CONVERSATION WITH SOME OF MY ELECTED TOWNSHIP COUNCIL. I SAY ONLY CIVILIZED BECAUSE I CANNOT CLAIM THOSE CONVERSATIONS WERE POSITIVE. THOSE I SPOKE TO ABSOLUTELY REFUSED TO ACCEPT THAT ANY VIEWS OTHER THAN THEIR OWN WERE VALID AND SAY THEY WILL CONTINUE AS THEY HAVE DONE FOR THE PAST YEAR.
WHEN I TRIED TO INSIST I BELIEVE THE MUNICIPAL ACT GIVES LOCAL MUNICIPALITIES THE AUTHORITY AND CONTROL TO DO WHAT IS BEST FOR THEIR OWN COMMUNITIES I WAS TOLD THEY HAD NO SUCH AUTHORITY OR CONTROL.
MY NEXT QUESTION, THERE REALLY WASN'T ANYWHERE ELSE TO GO, AND DIRECTLY TO ONE OF MY SUPPOSED ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES WAS: "DO YOU MEAN I WAS WASTING MY TIME GOING TO THE POLLS AND VOTING FOR YOU?"
THE IMMEDIATE ANSWER AND WITHOUT HESITATION WAS: "YES."
AS AN ELECTOR, IN WHAT I THOUGH WAS A DEMOCRACY, THIS SCARES ME.
IF NOTHING ELSE IT DOES CONFIRM WHAT MANY OF US HAVE SUSPECTED FOR A LONG TIME NOW. OUR SUPPOSED DEMOCRATICALLY ELECTED TOWNSHIP COUNCILLORS HAVE ACCEPTED THEY ARE NO MORE THAN POLITICAL EUNUCHS. THEY ARE ONLY CARRYING OUT WHATEVER DIRECTIONS THEY ARE GIVEN BY NIAGARA REGION.
IF THAT IS THE SORT OF REPRESENTATION YOU ALL WANT THEN FINE. IF NOT, IT'S TIME TO DEMAND ANSWERS FROM THOSE WHOM WE ELECTED AND MAKE THEM REPRESENT US RATHER THAN NIAGARA REGION, SPECULATORS AND DEVELOPERS.
THE TRIBUNE ARTICLE ON RIDGEWAY SPELLS IT OUT IN THE SUB-HEADING 'LOCAL GOVERNMENT FAULTED FOR NOT PUTTING ADEQUATE PLANNING CONTROLS INTO PLACE.' OUR TOWNSHIP COUNCIL HAS CHOSEN THE SAME ROUTE. THE PHOTOGRAPH IS THE FUTURE FOR HUNDREDS OF ACRES OF LAKESHORE, WINGER, ALL OF WAINFLEET UNLESS WE ALL CALL OUR TOWNSHIP COUNCIL AND SAY A RESOUNDING "NO!" THEY NEED TO PROTECT WAINFLEET NOT JUST SELL IT TO THE HIGHEST BIDDER. AND THEY CAN IF THEY HAVE THE WILL TO.
Andrew Watts
Wainfleet
TALK AT WAINFLEET COUNCIL LEVEE FOCUSES ON BIG PIPE
WAINFLEET
A NEW YEAR, SAME OLD ISSUE.
A FEW DOZEN WAINFLEET RESIDENTS CAME OUT TO TOWNSHIP COUNCIL’S NEW YEAR LEVEE ON SATURDAY. ALMOST ALL WANTED TO VOICE CONCERNS ABOUT THE BIG PIPE.
ROSEMARY FLAXY WAS AMONG THOSE WHO ATTENDED.
“WE’RE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT WATER AND SEWER AND WE CAME HERE TO EXPRESS OUR CONCERNS IN A VERY NICE WAY,” SHE SAID.
IN OCTOBER THE TOWNSHIP ENDORSED A RECOMMENDATION FOR WATER AND WASTEWATER LINES FROM PORT COLBORNE AS THE PREFERRED SOLUTION TO THE LAKESHORE WATER PROBLEM. THE AREA SOUTH OF THE FORMER RAILROAD TRACKS HAS BEEN SUBJECT TO A BOIL WATER ADVISORY FOR MORE THAN A YEAR-AND-A-HALF.
WHILE MAYOR BARB HENDERSON DID TALK TO SOME RESIDENTS ABOUT TAXES AND PLANNING ISSUES, THE WATER AND WASTEWATER SERVICING PROPOSAL WAS THE TOPIC OF THE DAY.
“IT’S BEEN THE STAR OF THE SHOW I GUESS YOU COULD SAY, BUT THERE ARE OTHER THINGS HAPPENING IN THE TOWNSHIP,” HENDERSON SAID.
COUNCIL CONTINUES TO WRITING ITS NEW OFFICIAL PLAN – A JOB LEFT OVER FROM THE PREVIOUS TERM OF COUNCIL – AND THE REEB QUARRY ISSUE WILL SOON BE BACK ON COUNCIL’S AGENDA.
SHE REPEATED HER VIEW THAT THE BIG PIPE IS NOT A DONE DEAL. OVER THE NEXT YEAR THE TOWNSHIP WILL WORK WITH NIAGARA REGION TO PIN DOWN THE COST AND TO DETERMINE FINANCING OPTIONS. IF THE PROJECT IS UNAFFORDABLE WAINFLEET WILL NOT PROCEED WITH IT, THE MAYOR SAID.
“WE MADE A DECISION IN OCTOBER TO LOOK AT WHAT IT’S GOING TO COST. I REALIZE THERE’S STILL OPPOSITION IN THE COMMUNITY BUT I THOUGHT THEY MIGHT SEE THE BENEFIT IN SEEING WHAT IT’S GOING TO COST,” HENDERSON SAID.
COUN. RON KRAMER SAID COUNCIL IS DONE WITH THE ISSUE UNTIL THE ISSUE OF COST IS DETERMINED. ALTHOUGH NOT A SUPPORTER OF THE BIG PIPE (HE WOULD RATHER SEE A SMALL-BORE WASTEWATER LINE BUILT AND NO WATER LINE), HE SAID WORRIES OF THE LAKESHORE BEING OVERRUN WITH DEVELOPMENT ARE OVERSTATED.
“WE AS A COUNCIL DON’T WANT TO SEE IT BECOME ANOTHER BINBROOK,” HE SAID.
HOWARD GUNN, WHO LIVES AT MORGAN’S POINT, CAME TO VOICE HIS OPPOSITION TO THE PROPOSAL AND TO SHARE HIS DOUBTS ABOUT THE COSTS THE REGION HAS DISCLOSED. GUNN SAID THE REPORTED CONSTRUCTION COST OF $70 MILLION FOR THE WATER AND WASTEWATER PIPELINES IS AN UNDERSTATEMENT, AND THAT ONCE BUILT , THE PIPE WILL BE SUBJECT TO ONGOING MAINTENANCE COSTS. THAT WILL ADD EVEN MORE TO THE COST TO BE BORNE BY RESIDENTS. “THERE’S A LOT OF WORRIED PEOPLE WHO HAVE RETIRED HERE,” HE SAID.
MEANWHILE, THE WAINFLEET WATER AND SEWER COMMITTEE CONTINUES TO OPPOSE COUNCIL’S PRO-BIG PIPE RECOMMENDATION.
BETTY KONC, THE COMMITTEE CHAIR, WAS ALSO AT THE LEVEE. SHE HAS SOME 507 LETTERS FROM RESIDENTS OPPOSING THE BIG PIPE WHICH SHE PLANS TO MAIL TO HENDERSON IN THE NEAR FUTURE.
SHE WASN’T TOO IMPRESSED BY THE TURNOUT TO THE LEVEE, BUT SHE CAME TO AGAIN EXPRESS HER OPPOSITION TO THE MAYOR AND COUNCILLORS.
“HOPEFULLY THEY’RE ALL GETTING AN EARFUL,” SHE SAID.
MANY COTTAGERS ARE NOT YEAR-ROUND WAINFLEET RESIDENTS AND A MAILING WILL SOON GO OUT TO NON-RESIDENT PROPERTY OWNERS – SOME WHO LIVE AS FAR AWAY AS CALIFORNIA AND THE UNITED KINGDOM – TO INFORM THEM OF THE TOWNSHIP’S DECISION.
Mayor Barb Henderson , talks with Rosemary Flaxy, during the Wainfleet council’s new year’s levee Saturday afternoon. A steady stream of residents dropped in to township hall, mainly to talk about concerns over the Big Pipe water servicing proposal.
By MATTHEW VAN DONGEN
VERY MINIMAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT: OFFICIALS
At first, no one noticed the sewage sludge oozing out of the Port Weller treatment plant towards Municipal Beach.
It was dark and an alarm didn't sound until close to midnight Thursday - almost three hours after a digester pipe and its emergency backup clogged at the Lake Ontario plant.
An estimated 22,000 litres of sewage sludge spilled from the digester, enough to fill a medium-sized fuel tanker truck.
It's one of the largest local treatment plant spills Niagara Region officials can recall - and a first for the Port Weller facility.
Luckily, ice and the efforts of plant workers kept most of the goop from entering the water.
"We were able to contain the bulk of the material in the plant," said Mike Janas, the region's manager of water operations.
"The cold weather helped us keep it out of the water. It's not something you want to see happen ever, but the fact that it happened in winter helps."
Regional employees worked through the night with bulldozers and sandbags to trap about 75 per cent of the leaking sludge on plant property.
The remainder flowed into a Municipal Beach parking lot, with some of the black, soupy discharge oozing down a nearby boat ramp and onto the lake ice.
Officials estimated about 1,000 litres ended up on a nine-by-seven-metre patch of ice.
The ice stopped much of the muck from entering the water, said wastewater operations manager Bryan Kent, and made it easier for vacuum trucks to clean up the mess.
The cold weather was also expected to kill off any bacteria associated with the spill.
"I suppose if you're going to have a spill, this is the time to have it," said Bill Hunter, manager of health protection and promotion for Niagara's public health department.
A summer spill would have meant closing the beach for swimming and extra testing for bacteria levels, said Hunter. "As it is, we're satisfied there's no public health risk."
The quick cleanup also prevented potentially serious environmental damage, said Rich Vickers, local manager for the provincial Ministry of the Environment.
The amount of sewage sludge spilled had "the potential to cause a serious impact" if it got into the lake, Vickers said.
The leftover goop from sewage treatment that spilled Thursday night, technically called stabilized sludge, is the same material that is injected into farmers' fields each year.
It's treated in digesters, which means it contains less E. coli than straight sewage, for example.
But the sewage sludge still contains ammonia, which is toxic to fish. It's also overloaded with nutrients, which can suck needed oxygen away from aquatic life.
Those problems would be exacerbated under ice, Vickers added.
Some sewage sludge did make it into the water, although Vickers said it's hard to say how much. But ministry water testing, so far, has shown oxygen levels are fine.
"They (regional officials) acted quickly, took responsibility and we're satisfied with the way the cleanup is progressing," Vickers said Friday.
Vacuum trucks were still sucking dark slush out of the water late Friday morning near the boat ramp, where workers had previously broken and removed dirty ice.
Bulldozers and backhoes spent hours scraping blackened earth out of the beach parking lot. By early afternoon, the cleanup was almost complete.
The solid waste is destined for the Humberstone landfill in Welland, while the recovered liquid will be recalculated through the sewage treatment plant.
The ministry will ask for a "full report" on the cause of the spill and measures to stop it from happening again, Vickers said.
Janas said the region has shut down the faulty Port Weller digester while officials try to find the problem. A second remains operational.
The fact that a process line and its backup failed simultaneously "is very unusual," he said.
"The stars must have aligned for this one," he said.
Four of south Niagara's mayors will gather later this month to lay out their top priorities for the year ahead.
The Welland-Pelham and Port Colborne-Wainfleet chambers of commerce have joined together to stage the Mayors of South Niagara Luncheon on Jan. 24 at the Days Inn in Welland.
At a cost of $20 per person for members and $25 for non-members, audience participants can hear the mayors expand on what they, as a group, feel the top 10 issues facing south Niagara are.
The first of its kind event in this area is meant to "get a sense of (the mayors') top 10 priorities for the southern tier for 2008," said Dolores Fabiano, executive director of the Welland-Pelham chamber, in an interview with Tribune reporter Greg Furminger.
The four mayors - Welland's Damian Goulbourne, Port Colborne's Vance Badawey, Pelham's Dave Augustyn and Wainfleet's Barbara Henderson - are still working out their presentation, but it's clear the four communities have many issues in common as well as their differences. Each community has its distinct personality and issues, but they also share many goals.
Common themes which are easily discernible would include transportation corridors, water and waste disposal, social justice, economic development and job creation, to name just a few.
The need to work collectively in pursuit of solutions and advancement on these issues should be self-evident.
South Niagara needs to be heard at various upper levels of government, from Niagara Region all the way to Queen's Park and Parliament Hill. South Niagara's needs often differ from those of the northern half of the peninsula.
While these upper levels of government may already be aware of south Niagara's needs, using a collective voice and working together carries its own force and persuasive power.
The region has seen what acting as a cohesive unit can achieve through its ongoing Niagara Week programs, during which local politicians travel to Toronto and Ottawa to make this region's case on pressing issues of the day.
Using the same collective approach for south Niagara makes perfect sense and the chambers deserve credit for initiating the luncheon.
The mayors also deserve credit for seeing the benefits of working together.
We look forward to hearing their collective vision for southern Niagara and look even more eagerly to seeing them work together to bring that vision to fruition.
FOR THE FIRST TIME IN OVER A YEAR THE MAYOR OF WAINFLEET AND ALL MEMBERS OF TOWNSHIP COUNCIL WILL BE AVAILABLE, IN PUBLIC, TO ANSWER QUESTIONS FROM THEIR CONSTITUENTS ON AN INDIVIDUAL, FACE-TO-FACE BASIS.
RECENT REPORTS HAVE HIGHLIGHTED WAINFLEET TOWNSHIP COUNCIL'S OWN PERSONAL OPINIONS OF THEMSELVES.
THEY ALL CLAIM TO HAVE DONE A GOOD JOB FOR THOSE OF US WHOM THEY REPRESENT AND INTEND TO CONTINUE AS THEY HAVE DONE SO FAR.
THE INVITATION TO THE LEVEE IS OPEN TO ALL WAINFLEET RESIDENTS AND I WOULD URGE EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU TO FIND THE TIME THIS SATURDAY BETWEEN NOON AND 3 P.M., TO GO TO THE WAINFLEET TOWNSHIP COUNCIL CHAMBERS AND MEET YOUR TOWNSHIP COUNCIL.
IF YOU WISH TO ATTEND JUST TO WISH THEM A HAPPY NEW YEAR AND TO ENJOY THE REFRESHMENTS THEY ARE OFFERING THEN ATTEND AND ENJOY.
IF YOU HAVE ANY SERIOUS CONCERNS OR QUESTIONS YOU WISH TO PUT TO THEM, I PERSONALLY WOULD ADVISE YOU TO THINK ABOUT EXACTLY WHAT YOU WANT TO ASK, THEN WRITE IT DOWN. TAKE THOSE NOTES WITH YOU, TAKE A PEN, AND THEN YOU CAN RECORD THE RESPONSE YOUR MAYOR AND COUNCILLORS GIVE YOU.
THIS MAY WELL BE THE FIRST AND LAST OPPORTUNITY FOR US ORDINARY RATEPAYERS AND RESIDENTS TO LET OUR TOWNSHIP COUNCIL KNOW HOW WE FEEL ABOUT THE DIRECTION OUR ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES ARE TAKING WAINFLEET AS A RURAL TOWNSHIP AND AS A COMMUNITY. DO NOT MISS THIS OPPORTUNITY.
SO THIS SATURDAY, THE MAYOR AND HER COUNCIL INVITE ALL THE RESIDENTS OF WAINFLEET TO HER NEW YEAR LEVEE AT TOWNSHIP COUNCIL CHAMBERS.
I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU THERE.
ANDREW WATTS
WAINFLEET
They are listening and know we aren't going away!
Here's hoping for some changes to the problems .
