News

 

Was Prowind Canada able to ease the concerns of the South Branch Wind Opposition Group (SBWOG)? Simply put, the answer is no.

January 10th, 2012 marked Prowind Canada’s final public meeting at Matilda Hall in Dixon’s Corners with respect to the proposed South Branch Wind Farm near Brinston.  

Although the meeting began with Prowind’s typical open-house style, the meeting’s main event came an hour into the night with a question and answer period lasting over two hours. 

Upwards of 70 people showed up for the forum, looking for an opportunity to ask questions, express their fears, and share their uneasiness about the big change. There were also a few people in attendance to applaud the wind energy initiative and the Prowind group.

Several South Dundas council members and a few township employees also attended the event. When asked for his general impression of the meeting, Mayor Steven Byvelds said, “I do feel that the meeting went well.” 

Members of SBWOG did not share the Mayor’s opinion. In a January 11th email, Bruce Albers, a representative for SBWOG, stated: “Suffice it to say that many of us found the answers given by Prowind to be slanted and in many cases simply untrue, to the extent that we will submit a formal complaint to the MOE (Ministry of the Environment.)”

On his own behalf, he said, “there are many issues I have with the answers that were provided by Prowind as well as the format.” Albers, and many other residents affected by the wind farm, felt that there should have been room for public rebuttal during the forum.

Another issue raised with the forum was the absence of any representatives from either the Ontario Health Unit (OHU) or MOE. 

Prowind’s forum panel consisted of four people: project manager Juan Anderson; President Jeffrey Segal; Rochelle Rumney who is in charge of environmental assessments; and, Dr. Loren Knopper, co-author of Health effects and wind turbines: A review of the literature. It was pointed out that Dr. Knopper is an academic doctor, not a medical doctor.

According to Anderson, other agencies like OHU or MOE were not invited because “that’s really not their role.”

When asked about statistics in reference to wind turbines on health, Knopper said there were none. What is known, he said, is that reports put it around the “10 per cent mark for people who may find it annoying.”

The audience followed up by asking why Prowind hasn’t gone ahead and done some studies of their own. Segal replied, “we’re not in the business of doing health studies.”

When asked if Prowind has petitioned the government for a third-party epidemiological study, Anderson answered: “No, that’s really not our role. We go on the existing research.”

Knopper was then asked if he had written a paper suggesting that more studies need to be done on the effects of wind turbines on health. In short, his answer was “yes.”

In terms of recourse, should residents experience adverse health effects, the audience was told that MOE has a hotline available 24 hours per day, seven days per week. “It’s up to them (MOE) to investigate,” he said. 

In any case, Knopper claimed, “there won’t be any adverse health effects based on the 550 metres and 40 decibels.” 

The province requires that all turbines be a minimum of 550 metres away from  residences. According to Knopper, with that distance, sound will not rise above 40 decibels.

It was suggested by both Anderson and Knopper that most health-related issues that arise in a wind farm area, do so indirectly and, most often, due to annoyance. Knopper pointed out that a person’s attitude and visual cues predict whether or not they might be annoyed. 

It was also pointed out by a few panel members that most people who complain of health-related issues are those who are not profiting from it.

Knopper interjected, saying, “if you read negative things, hear negative things, then you’re going to be worried and annoyed.”  He further pointed out that annoyance leads to stress and, stress can lead to health issues. 

In addition to health-related worries, the residents in the audience were also concerned with property values.

According to Segal, “impirical evidence in both Ontario and elsewhere is demonstrating that there is no property value loss.” In terms of backing this up, Segal said he had documentation he could send to anyone interested. 

An audience member introduced names of wind farm areas where substantial property value loss was experienced.  Segal denied knowledge of any such findings, but agreed to look into it further.

He pointed out that there are many other factors, other than the presence of a wind farm, that could play a part in why an area’s property values decline.

Speaking of money issues, members of the audience wanted to know how much profit Prowind would make from the South Branch Wind Farm. They also wanted to know what the actual landowners (the “participating” residents who will have turbines on their land) would be receiving in terms of compensation.

In terms of Prowind’s gross revenue, Anderson said, “those are private financial details of the project. It’s not something we can really comment on.”

In response to how much the participating landowners were making from the deal, he said, “that is private between landowners and Prowind.”

When asked about the cost of energy on the average Ontario tax-payer due to the FIT program, Anderson replied, “there’s a lot of political spin that gets put on that.”

As for long-term jobs produced by the farm? Anderson revealed that due to a “higher amount of maintenance in the beginning, (there will be) 10 permanent jobs.” However; “ongoing, long-term there will be two to three.” 

Nearing the end of the forum, the panel was asked the crucial question of whether any of them live within one kilometre of a wind farm. The answer for each of the panel members was ‘no’.

As stated earlier, one of the issues SBWOG had with the forum was the lack of any representation from governmental or environmental authorities. The Leader was able to contact the South Nation Conservation Authority (SNC) as well as the Ministry of the Environment (MOE).

On January 12th, Geoff Owens from the Planning and Engineering department of SNC spoke with The Leader. He revealed that under the Conservation Authority Act, “our rights are not superceded by the Green Energy Act.”

He said that Prowind’s project’s “natural hazards have to comply with our regulations before they get a permit from us.”

The SNC deals only with the environmental factors, however; everything else would fall under the jurisdiction of the MOE or the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR).

On January 13th, The Leader received an email from MOE. Kate Jordan from the Communications Branch of MOE reported that “the ministry has not received an application for a renewable energy approval for the Prowind Canada project.”

“It is our understanding,” she continued, “that the company is going through the needed public consultation work required under the renewable energy approval process.”

“Public involvement and participation is a significant part of the approval process. Developers are required to hold at least two public meetings and all comments received through public consultation must be documented and reported to the ministry as part of the application. We review all comments submitted carefully as part of our review of the application.”

Jordan also stated: “We also post complete applications on the environmental registry site for the public to review and comment on before we make any approval decisions.”

She went on to say that “our priority is that renewable energy is developed in a way that protects human health and the environment. The stringent Renewable Energy Approval process ensures that protection.”

“We have taken a cautious approach when setting standards for wind setbacks and noise limits to protect Ontarians. Ontario is a leader in establishing clear setbacks that are protective of human health and the environment.” 

“Developers must demonstrate that projects will meet the ministry’s 40 decibel noise guideline – the sound in a library – to protect the surrounding community. The World Health Organization says this level is protective of human health.”

“The Environmental Review Tribunal (ERT) and Ontario Superior Court have also ruled in favour of our protective renewable energy framework. The ERT upheld our approval and ruled that it is fully protective of human health and the surrounding community.”

While Prowind Canada moves slowly and steadily ahead with their project, the South Branch Wind Opposition Group is still working hard to have their demands addressed.

The SBWOG executive met on January 12th to discuss strategies and options moving forward. Next up is the South Dundas council meeting on January 17th. 

South Dundas council intends to discuss the requests made by the South Branch Wind Opposition group made earlier, in December. 

The January 17th South Dundas council meeting took place after The Leader’s Tuesday press deadline and news from the event will be covered in the January 25th edition. Check back then for more news on the subject.

[…]

 

Time-of-use rates for those who buy their electricity from Rideau St. Lawrence Distribution Inc. will not be going into effect this month, as was previously expected.

In fact, it appears quite possible that the change won’t take place until March 2012.

Originally, the local hydro utility expected to have their 2012 Electricity Distribution Rate Application filed by December 2011. 

However; according to Chief Financial Officer Allan Beckstead, Rideau St. Lawrence contacted the Ontario Energy Board on Monday to confirm that they “are not moving ahead” with the application. “It just does not make sense,” he said.

In explaining the reasoning behind the decision, Beckstead said, “it’s a deep subject. It’s tied in with the province’s Meter Data Management and Repository (MDM/R) and the standards.”

Rideau St. Lawrence has decided to wait until the MDM/R is finished testing and everything can be done properly and in compliance with all rules and regulations.

When asked about the reasoning behind the Time-of-use rates, Beckstead explained that the province’s intention is “to provide a more stabilized load for generation. It costs a lot to have it on stand-by.”

In terms of cost to customers, Beckstead couldn’t say anything for certain. He did, however; offer the following: “From the majority of articles that I’ve read, if you don’t change anything you might see a $2 increase per bill.”

According to Beckstead, Time-of-use rates are expected to “probably” be implemented sometime in March. 

However, he also added: “We don’t really see it as an advantage to our customers so we’re not in a hurry to get there.”

Rideau St. Lawrence Distribution Inc. services South Dundas, Prescott, Cardinal, and Westport.

[…]

 

On January 12th, a winter storm hit the area with freezing temperatures, freezing rain and, of course, snow.

Students woke up to good news on the 12th: a snow day! Schools remained open, but buses were cancelled.

Unfortunately, Friday the 13th proved to be unlucky for those hoping for another snow day. Despite the freezing rain, snow, and poor driving conditions, buses were not cancelled. 

According to the Upper Canada District School Board’s (UCDSB) website: “the UCDSB strives to ensure the safe transportation of children. Ultimately, each parent has the right and legal obligation to protect their child. You may decide to keep your child at home at any time if you feel that it is too risky to have him/her transported to school.”

By mid-morning on the 13th the storm was still going strong and, according to police reports, “SD&G OPP officers responded to a total of 37 traffic/weather related calls for service. The incidents ranged from vehicles in ditches to property damage collisions. Fortunately, no injuries resulted.”

Flashbacks of 1997’s Ice Storm were front and centre in the minds of many local residents, especially when, at 11:54 a.m. on the 13th, the power went out in Morrisburg, Williamsburg, and areas farther north. Iroquois was not affected.

According to John Walsh, a representative for Rideau St. Lawrence Distribution Inc., “the storm caused trees to come down on the main line that feeds Morrisburg.”

The main line belongs to Hydro One and “they repaired the problem.” Hydro power was up and running by 1:31 p.m.

And, on January 17th, children were gifted with another snow day. As of 9:20 a.m., there was still a freezing rain warning in effect for all parts of South Dundas.

[…]

 

On January 10th, 2011, Chris McDonough became the first full-time fire chief for South Dundas.

Almost a year later, on January 4th, 2012, he talked with The Leader about the many changes that have taken place, including the amalgamation of three fire departments into one.

The Morrisburg, Iroquois, and Williamsburg stations came together to form what is now known as the South Dundas Fire and Emergency Services (SDFES), a name chosen by McDonough to reflect the variety of services provided.

Such services include, but are not limited to: public education, inspections, suppression capabilities, water rescue, and auto extrications. As McDonough, attested, “it’s been a busy, but very positive year. I’ve really enjoyed the challenge.”

He went on to explain that, in addition to regular fire suppression services, “as the community grows, more services are required.” He pointed out, for example, that SDFES is also responsible for the area’s auto extrication calls as well as calls associated with incidents on the St. Lawrence River. 

McDonough attributes many of the changes to population growth. In the summer, with tourism and the addition of “more people coming to visit the community,” the SDFES is much busier. In fact, “call volume was up last year.”

According to McDonough, Christmas time and the winter months “people tend to get complacent in regards to fire and life safety.” Here he referred to the predominance of accidental fires due to improper use of candles, heating, decorations, and, in addition, to the lack of carbon monoxide (CO) detectors in homes.

McDonough reminded that South Dundas council recently passed a by-law making carbon monoxide detectors in homes mandatory that have fuel fired appliances or attached garages. He believes that South Dundas  is the “first in the county to get that by-law in place.”

He would point out to residents that the by-law “is for their own safety.” In fact, McDonough reported that last week Ottawa Fire responded to an incident where a family was transported to hospital with severe CO symptoms due to a defective furnace.

The South Dundas firefighters have been promoting the carbon monoxide alarm program along with the smoke alarm program to great effect. So far, as promised earlier in the fall, they have been able to visit 50 homes in the township to check and install smoke alarms. The program, McDonough says, “has been well received in the community and has been very successful.”

As for the firefighters themselves, according to McDonough, the deputy-chiefs and firefighters from all the stations “really work well together. There’s no longer three separate fire stations.”

“We’re working together and moving forward in a really positive way.”

Representatives from each of the three stations have formed a training committee and a fire prevention committee, which meet monthly. Everyone is dedicated to ensuring that all members are “in line” with the section 21 training guidelines.

In fact, McDonough revealed that, going forward, the firefighters will be using the new training facility in Lyndhurst, Ontario.

In addition to the aforementioned monthly meeting, Chief McDonough also meets monthly with the three deputy and assistant deputy-chiefs from each station. As he explained, the stations are now working as one, which means assessing needs and helping each other out when necessary. 

“We rely on each other,” he said. “We’re all coordinating together now. The officers and firefighters are working really well together. It’s been quite a transition.”

Another positive change for the South Dundas Fire and Emergency Services can be found in its administration. Reports, training records, and inventory from all three stations have been brought together to form one main archive. In addition to providing easier access to information, the new system also allows the chief to ensure that the SDFES records are complete and properly filed. 

“This has also been a cost savings to the residents; having everything centralized we can evaluate our resources and avoid duplication,” said McDonough.

As for fire team members, McDonough was quick to commend and applaud the generosity and professionalism of everyone. In terms of the number of volunteer hours many of the firefighters put in, he said, “it’s just been amazing… incredible. I’ve been very pleased with that.”

Firefighters meet three to four times a month for continual training, keeping everyone ready and prepared for whatever might arise. The chief tries to attend some of these meetings as well.

In addition to the volunteer hours they put in for training and for actual emergency response, the firefighters also make time for fun events with the public.

“We’re trying to get involved in community events and public functions,” because, as McDonough pointed out, “it’s all community services.”  

The three stations have also come together to work on renovations and to ensure that each station has what they need. The Morrisburg station is expecting the delivery of a new heavy rescue truck by the end of this month. And, in 2012, the Iroquois station may just find itself with a new pumper rescue truck.

“I’ve had a lot of positive feedback from the guys. They are happy with the changes,” McDonough confirmed.

With that said, due to some retirements, the South Dundas Fire and Emergency Services is looking for some new recruits for the Williamsburg and the Morrisburg stations. Those interested can go to www.southdundas.com for more information. Without a computer? Call the township office for additional information at 613-535-2673.

[…]

 

“I want to be fair to both sides. I advise council that you read both sides of the story,” said South Dundas Mayor Steven Byvelds at the December 6th, 2011 council meeting. 

Byvelds was referring to a request for help earlier in the night from the South Branch Wind Opposition Group (SBWOG), a group formed in late 2011 and composed of several residents living in close proximity to Prowind Canada’s planned South Branch Wind Farm  near Brinston.

On January 10th, Prowind Canada held their final public meeting at Matilda Hall in Dixon’s Corners, giving all sides the opportunity to ask questions, get answers, and voice concerns.

The meeting took place after The Leader’s Tuesday press deadline and news from the event will be covered in the January 18th edition. 

For now, however, it may help to get an idea of where things stand on both sides of the proverbial fence. Unfortunately, there seems to be an abundance of conflicting information floating around telling two completely different versions of the same story, each with its own ‘evidence’ for support.

Without getting caught up in this debate over verifiable facts, the more pertinent question seems to be: What does the South Branch Wind Opposition Group want to achieve? The Leader spoke with a representative for the opposition group, Bruce Albers, on January 6th.

According to Albers, SBWOG wants “a halt to all projects until a third party epidemiological study proves they are safe.”

“There is no compromise when it comes to the health of my family and livestock,” he added.

From the research he has done, Albers believes that the construction of wind farms “causes harm to residents, decreases property values, does not decrease GHGs (green house gas emissions), is inefficient and expensive.”

If that is true, then why are wind farms becoming so prevalent in Ontario? According to Jane Wilson of Wind Concerns Ontario, a friend of SBWOG, “its all about that subsidy. They’re here for the money and that’s it.”

The subsidy Wilson is talking about is covered under the Liberal government’s Feed-in tariff (FIT) Program, enabled by the Green Energy and Green Economy Act of 2009. 

According to their own literature, the FIT program is a “guaranteed pricing structure for renewable electricity production. Prices are designed to cover project costs and allow for a reasonable return on investment over the contract term.”

The companies producing the wind farms can expect 13.5 cents per kilowatt return. Wilson pointed out that Quebec is selling hydro power for a mere six cents per kilowatt, leaving Ontarians paying 7.5 cents per kilowatt too much.

She also said that the South Branch Wind Farm project will include 626 foot tall turbines, making them “among the largest in North America.”

The reason for the increased height of the South Branch turbines, according to Wilson, is to compensate for the fact that there is little wind in the area and, so, the turbines need to be taller to pick up the increased winds at a higher altitude.

On the other side of the fence, however, Prowind Canada maintains their good intentions. In October 2011, Cathy Weston, former Managing Director of Prowind Canada, said the South Branch Wind Farm is “a great step forward in renewable energy.”

She maintained that the company is open and honest with the public in an effort to be responsible and transparent.

In a phone interview on January 9th, Jeffrey Segal, Weston’s recent replacement at Prowind Canada, voiced the same message saying that Prowind is available and listening to concerns from the public and, in fact, have already taken some concerns under advisement and made changes.

Segal pointed out that minimum government requirement for distance between homes and turbines is 550 metres. Prowind’s turbines average over 700 metres, he said. 

In October, Weston told The Leader that only two houses come within 600 metres of a turbine and the rest are at least one kilometre (1,000 metres) away.

In response to the height of the wind turbines, Segal informed that “no turbines have been selected” as of yet.

He acknowledged that there are bits of “misinformation” out there that have “gotten blown out of proportion from reality.” He reminded that the final meeting, in addition to the several meetings leading up to this, is an opportunity for “anyone with concerns over the project” to ask questions.

The point of the meeting, he said, is to ensure that “people who have genuine concerns have a forum.”

Segal admitted to not having heard of the South Branch Wind Opposition Group before the January 9th interview.

In response to what Prowind Canada would do should issues arise for residents after the wind farm goes into operation, Segal said, the issues will be “dealt with in a structured and transparent way.”

He pointed out that there are mandatory protocols in place for possible issues. 

Prowind Canada, as Weston pointed out in October, “wants to do things properly.” 

“We don’t want to have issues,” said Segal.  In an effort to avoid them, he claims Prowind Canada is doing things properly from the start.

In an effort to be transparent, at each of their public meetings, Prowind Canada has provided  ‘unbiased’ reports, displays, and documents for anyone to peruse.

In fact, for the question and answer period of the January 10th meeting, as advertised, the panel featured Dr. Loren Knopper, co-author of Health effects and wind turbines: A review of the literature.

In an interesting twist, both Wilson and Albers pointed to the Prowind Canada expert as proof of their conviction that wind farms are harmful to health. They supplied a now-public document written by Eric Gillespie of Eric K. Gillespie Professional Corporation, Barristers & Solicitors: “The conclusion of Knopper and Ollson (2011) acknowledges the existence of ‘trade-offs’ between ‘mental and social well-being’ of some individuals exposed to wind turbines ‘against the larger demand for energy and its source.’”

In addition to supplying their own proof, each side, it would seem, is also providing their own interpretation of that proof in an effort to support their own agenda. Disregarding the proof and its various interpretations, the question remains: what will happen with the South Branch project?

At the end of 2011, the South Branch Wind Opposition Group met with the ‘affected’ township councils and asked for help. According to Albers, “so far Edwardsburgh/Cardinal has refused to do anything about the issue, even after providing two presentations that included sufficient documentation to indicate the significant risks to the local population, and Jim McDonell has not returned my email asking for a meeting about the issue, nor did he show up to our information session.”

Jim McDonell, MPP for Stormont, Dundas, and South Glengarry, contacted The Leader on January 9th in response to the South Branch Wind Farm project.

McDonell attended the last Prowind public meeting in October, where he said, “I didn’t get any feedback at that time that anyone in the community was upset.” 

McDonell spoke out against the Liberal party’s Green Energy Act, pointing out that it has even been “condemned by the Auditor General as not being affordable.”

In addition, he reminded, that the Auditor General also found that for every job created by the Green Energy Act, three to four are lost. “It really doesn’t make any sense,” he said. “They’re blindly moving ahead with it.”

McDonell agreed that “the logic of generating green energy is great,” but “to have the government guarantee a 25 per cent return is absolutely crazy. The government of Ontario can’t afford it.”

As for Prowind’s final public meeting on January 10th, McDonell was unsure at press time whether he would be able to attend the event due to a previously-booked commitment.

Right now, McDonell said, he and his cohorts are still “trying to return the decisions to the local level” via a petition. They want the Premier to “listen to what the residents are saying.”

The SBWOG is still waiting on the decision of the South Dundas council as to whether they will lend their support.

Without support of some kind, it appears unlikely that SBWOG will be successful in their current endeavour.

Albers remarked that “the majority of the population live in cities where they simply don’t care about what happens in the rural areas. Out of sight, out of mind.”

Will Prowind Canada be able to ease the concerns of the South Branch Wind Opposition Group? Check back next week for a follow-up to the January 10th public meeting.

[…]

 

It’s taken model railroader, Sheldon Oglestone, close to 10 years to bring his beloved Ontario North to Morrisburg, and he now wants to share it with the public.

Oglestone has re-constructed the place of his childhood and early years in Northeastern Ontario in his basement using his love of trains and model railroading as a base. The extensive layout features Oglestone’s home community of Temagami (60 miles north of North Bay) and the Ontario Northland train system which connects communities from North Bay to Moosonee to James Bay. 

A locomotive engineer, Oglestone was employed by Ontario Northland before he began a 14 year career in the Canadian Military.

He never lost his love for trains nor the area he grew up in, and so, 25 years ago, he turned his memories towards model railroading.

After retiring from the military, he and his wife Florence moved to Morrisburg (Florence has roots here), from Osgoode, where he left behind a model railroad layout “that was pretty much wall to wall in an 18 by 18 foot room.”

A year after he settled into his Morrisburg home, a new layout was started, and now he says, it is “99 per cent finished.”

For that reason, he has decided to open it as “The Ontario Northland Museum” to the public, by appointment only, starting this Saturday, January 14, from 2-4 p.m. Although there will be no admission charge, donations will be accepted and these donations will be given to the Dundas County Food Bank.

Visitors to the Museum can expect to immediately feel Oglestone’s love for the railroad, model railroading and his home community. 

“I still go up once a year and run the real ones (trains). They still let me play with them. I do a little fishing. I speak Cree, and I have a lot of friends up there.”

Oglestone also has a lot of friends in the Morrisburg area, and many of them are fellow model railroaders. Shortly after he arrived in town, he was tracked down by fellow model railroader Steve Skerry and together they formed the Seaway Model Railroaders club which meets regularly at the McIntosh Inn and now has 28 members.

Many of the members enjoy visits to Oglestone’s basement where, “I invite the guys over, and we play with it. It’s sort of a game.”

Oglestone has 18 trains, (not all run at the same time) which have all the bells and whistles…sounds and lights. 

He has passenger and freight trains running through Temagami, Moosonee, Cobalt and Cochrane and, from memory and extensive research, he has constructed a number of buildings located in each of these communities in the years from 1955 to 1975.

The first step was to lay out the track, followed by the landscaping which includes hills, ponds and bush lots. There are both lumber and mining camps and farms and farmlands. 

He even constructed a Tim Hortons at Cochrane, which, he points out, is the birthplace of Tim Horton.  Ironically, Cochrane didn’t get “a Tim Hortons until 1995.”

There is an actual model of the Latchford Bridge over the Montreal River and the now closed iron ore “Sherman Mine’ at Temagami. Also featured is the famous “old Cochrane Train Station.”

In nearby Temagami is located the ‘actual’ Busy Bee Restaurant and Grant’s Home Hardware.

From his imagination, Oglestone has added some fun setups, such as a car crash, where, “the guy wasn’t hurt bad enough, so I broke his leg.”

In another spot, bears are climbing over a vehicle stopped along a roadway and nearby, police have a motorist stopped and the SWAT team is out in full force.

Reimer Express Line and Coca Cola trucks are all making their deliveries.

“It’s mostly been from memories, all compressed of course. I’ve actually had people come up from New York to see it. A lady came with her son from New Hampshire and he didn’t want to leave. Everyone who sees it is thrilled.”

“It’s a hobby. It’s a relaxing thing to putter about and now that it’s 99 per cent finished I want to share it.”

Those wishing to visit the Ontario Northland Museum located in Sheldon’s home at 28 Blake Crescent in Morrisburg, are invited to call 613-543-2445 or e-mail snoglestone@yahoo.ca. It will be open, by appointment only, on Saturday afternoons.

[…]

 

“A lot of people didn’t even know it had happened until it was over,” said South Dundas Councillor Evonne Delegarde, in reference to the Boil Water Advisory in August.

On December 20th, Chief Administrative Officer Stephen McDonald put forth a final version of the new Boil Water Advisory Protocol. Discussion ensued and it was eventually decided that more work needed to be done on the protocol, leaving the motion deferred until a later date.

The report included lists of establishments to be notified, lists of places to mount warning advertisements, and lists of media to be contacted in the event of another emergency situation. 

It was also suggested that a database of resident contact information be compiled so that people might be contacted via phone, whether by township employees or by a paid outside source.

After reading the report and listening to McDonald’s recommendation, Delegarde pointed out, “a lot of elderly don’t get out” to see posted signs in the community.

She told council: “my preference would be to go door-to-door right off the start.”

Councillor Archie Mellan reminded council: “the first few hours are probably the most critical.” He maintained that “whatever (method) is the most thorough and the quickest is the best, in my mind.”

Council discussed the positives and negatives of several methods  for conveying critical news to the residents of South Dundas. 

In terms of telephone versus door-to-door, Mayor Steven Byvelds said, “most young people don’t use land lines anymore and most cell phones aren’t listed. Door-to-door is our best and most economical option.”

McDonald reminded council that “our response is contingent on how many people we have available to do it.”

Deputy-Mayor Jim Locke suggested the Lions Clubs as possible volunteers to help in such a situation.

It was agreed by everyone that a resource base of volunteers would be a very valuable tool. The  underlying idea being that the more people on hand to spread the information, the quicker people are informed. 

In the end, McDonald agreed to come back to council, in January, with revisions to the protocol.

[…]

 

It’s the topic many prefer not to discuss: death and funerals.

At the December 20th South Dundas council meeting, it was brought to council’s attention that there are many within South Dundas who are in need of financial assistance when it comes to funeral costs.

Deputy-Mayor Jim Locke, referring to local funeral homes who, at times, provide funeral services at basically no cost, said, “private businesses shouldn’t be expected to provide social assistance as the norm.”

Councillor Jim Graham agreed, saying, “I certainly think indigent funerals are our responsibility, not the responsibility of the funeral homes.”

“It’s our responsibility to look after our residents be they rich or poor,” he continued.

Mayor Steven Byvelds agreed and it was decided that the township should look into setting up a reserve fund for the purpose.

[…]

 

“We won’t change South Dundas overnight, but we do need to grow. How we grow is something that we will all have to work on,” said Steven Byvelds during his first year end review as Mayor of South Dundas, just 12 months ago. 

On December 16th, Byvelds had the opportunity to discuss and report on just how much South Dundas has changed in the past year, good or bad, and what council’s plans include for 2012.

Old High School

The refurbishment of the old high school, according to Byvelds, was and continues to be the big news item for this particular South Dundas council. He reported that, for the most part, he is hearing good comments from the public. 

Byvelds revealed that council is looking forward to the completion of the project, saying, “it holds great promise and hopefully we don’t hit too many roadblocks.”

He reiterated council’s stance on the reasoning behind the project, saying, “this building (in Williamsburg) was in theory a temporary building.” In any case, he also pointed out that council’s needs have “outgrown” the present building.

In terms of how this move will affect Williamsburg, Byvelds admitted that “from a municipal point of view, it will be good. From a Williamsburg point of view, it’s another thing leaving.”

He suggested that council will “work with them (residents) to see what we can bring here” to Williamsburg.

Byvelds admitted that, most often, South Dundas residents remark on the seeming favoritism toward Morrisburg and Iroquois. 

He reminded reporters that “council is always concerned that we have to think of all of South Dundas.” However, “we aren’t really growing as a community. Morrisburg and Iroquois are growing.”

Budget Talk

In terms of tightening the belts in 2012, Byvelds said, “it will be a little tighter of a year. Economically when things change in the world, we have to recognize that as a council, and work within those parameters.”

“Going forward, we’re certainly going to have to look at our budget. We don’t have the growth or the high income jobs.”

“I don’t see us overspending, but we have to do what we have to do to not get behind.”

For example, “we want to do something in Industrial Park (in Morrisburg). We think that is a good investment. We need to invest to get that going.”

He finished the discussion on budget concerns, reminding reporters of two things: “we’re in a very healthy fiscal position,” and, “growth has to pay for itself.”

Iroquois Golf Course

“It’s one less thing that we as council have to worry about,” said Byvelds, referring to the Iroquois Golf Course and the lengthy controversy that surrounded it.

“I think we were as open as we could be concerning that.” Referencing public meetings devoted to the issue, he continued, “we gave people an opportunity to voice their concerns.”

“They have a two-year lease there. They have the possibility of looking at development. It’s their business. They’ve paid their bills.”

“From a municipal point of view, we were looking at another 50 grand easy and we weren’t prepared to do that.”

Improvements

In discussing some of the improvements made during 2011, Byvelds talked about the boil water advisory protocol that was initiated. He referred to the drinking water and wastewater systems being upgraded and he talked of the study being done on the storm drain systems.

“Hopefully it will not only be better for the community, but it will hopefully drive more people into the community.”

Jim McDonell

Byvelds was asked to comment on how he thought the election of PC Jim McDonell would affect South Dundas considering that the province is run by a Liberal Premier.

Byvelds responded, saying, McDonell “will have his work cut out for him. It was easier for Jim Brownell. 99 per cent of rural MPs are progressive conservative. It will have its challenges. The money is not going to flow as easily. He has a tougher row to hoe.”

Byvelds reminded reporters that he would be attending the Rural Ontario Municipal Association conference in February and, he noted, “the Premier will be there that day.”

Working as Warden

Byvelds assured reporters that he did not let his decisions as Warden for the United Counties interfere with his responsibilities as Mayor for South Dundas and, vice versa.

“When I’m for South Dundas, I’m thinking about what is best for South Dundas,” he said.

Byvelds pointed out that “lots of systems within our society are trust. You’ve got to have some trust in society.”

New Fire Chief

In January 2011, a new fire chief was hired, uniting the three South Dundas fire stations of Morrisburg, Iroquois, and Williamsburg. Byvelds stated: “Fire Chief McDonough has really done a good job. He’s getting our three stations working on the same page. Chris has brought a lot of expertise in fire prevention and how things should be done on scenes.”

“It’s been fully demonstrated that when we have to work with other municipalities that we have one point person. As council, we needed that,” he explained.

In assessing the new South Dundas Fire and Emergency Services, Byvelds said, “I think we’re starting to sinc up. It was an investment we had to do. It was just the right move to do. We did our research.”

He maintained that the decision was based on safety, not politics.

Byvelds pointed out that “after a year, we haven’t heard any significant negatives.”

Council’s Objectives

Byvelds maintained that council’s objectives have been and continue to be “reinvestment, to not raise taxes, and to keep community involved.”

He advised patience, saying, “You can’t expect those 10 issues to be dealt with in one day.” He wasn’t referring to any issues in particular, just the speed at which issues get resolved.

Byvelds believes that “overall, council has worked well together.”

He admitted, “we don’t always agree,” but, he continued, he would be concerned if they did always agree.

Attendance at Meetings

When asked how he felt about the low turnout of residents at the regular council meetings, Byvelds pointed out, “they’re always concerned for the most part, but if they feel things are going well” then they don’t feel the need to show up.

Strategic Plan

Byvelds told reporters that “the strategic plan will be rolled out in the new year. Council is hoping that the community does get involved.”

He hopes the plan is “steered more by the community rather than by the council.”

“Give us an idea of where you want to go with South Dundas,” he invited.

He pointed out that this plan is meant to cover all of South Dundas, including the smaller rural communities. He also said that council wants to hear from “everybody, not just the special interest groups.”

According to Byvelds, council is interested in learning about the attitudes of South Dundas residents and what it is “they want to grow in South Dundas.”

He would remind everyone: “It’s not council’s plan; it’s your plan.”

In Summation

There were “a lot of good things” in 2011. As Byvelds pointed out, the Iroquois Golf Course situation was resolved, council successfully completed their first budget, and council reinvested in the community.

Looking ahead to 2012, Byvelds admits that the “budget is going to be a challenge.” He and council want to “reinvest in the community without bankrupting the community.”

He maintains that it is important to “always have a vision.” And, in addition, he wants council to continue being open  to new ideas from staff, as well as from the community.

[…]

 

“The services of the militia of Dundas County and sister counties deserve an honoured place in history, and in no better way can we cherish the memory of  those fellows than by paying tribute to the spot on which they fought and bled for their country,” wrote J. Smyth Carter in 1905.

Bill Shearing referenced this quote during his proposal to South Dundas council on December 20th where he recommended that council erect four signs along County Road 2 recognizing specific historical events connected to the War of 1812. 

“Our township has much forgotten history,” he said, “especially with the War of 1812.”

While council agreed with Shearing’s reasoning and historical documentation, they decided that Shearing needed to do more research into possible funding for the  signs as well as options for sign construction and design.

Councillor Evonne Delegarde was very supportive. “I think that would be nice to have,” she said, reminding council that “it’s going to be a great year for tourism.”

[…]