The more I read about residential development, I find it interesting that most of the potential development land in Springwater Township is held by a few speculators under different corporate holding company names. At Council and Planning meetings it sounds like the council feels obliged to respond to their bullying tactics and grant them development rights. Many of the designated residential growth areas are not yet zoned for development and most are still agriculture. There is no rush to build on these designated lands. In the Midhurst area most land designated for future expansion is actually prime agricultural land.
I for one, am not for fast and large residential development as it is not complimentary to the rural nature of Springwater. Large developers have their place in the world and work very well in larger urban centres like Barrie for example. The size of their developments in the 2,000 plus homes would not be unusual and would bring little attention as they would be in keeping with other developments in the area. As a comparison a 2,000 home development would mean about 5,000 extra residents in Barrie or a growth of less than 3%. If you take that same development size and place it in Springwater that would be a 30% increase in population. There are two developments of that size planned for Midhurst by one developer. That to me is uncontrolled growth that the township is not capable of properly controlling or servicing. I prefer the orderly development of the smaller developers and builders that has occurred in Elmvale, Anten Mills, Phelpston, Snow Valley and Minesing. The developments to date in the Midhurst and Hillsdale area have also been orderly, but that could change dramatically if some mega projects proceed.
It appears that both developers and council at times pick and choose their particular take on provincial policies. The one thing that is ignored is more jobs closer to home. The idea of compact accessible communities as dictated by the province attempts to reduce the dependence on the automobile. That means there must be more jobs closer to residential development. The intent of the province was not to create more bedroom communities. I was intrigued to read the agenda for the Feb 25th Springwater Planning Committee meeting where one developer is attempting to re-designate land from Employment to Commercial some distance from the residential clusters of Snow Valley or Midhurst. I am sure it simple economics. It is tough to find a job creating Manufacturing or Service enterprise, but probably easy to find another tenant for a strip retail plaza. The agenda says the request is from Geranium through its various land holding companies. I was pleased to see that planning has recommended no action on this request.
Don’t get me wrong, I believe in progress and growth but at a reasonable and cautionary pace. I know we can’t stand still and I would be the last to suggest such a thing. I plead with residents to get involved, talk to your councillors and come to the planning meetings. Without your input the councillors at times feel they have no alternative but to give into the pressure of these large corporations that do not understand or care about the rural nature and character of Springwater Township. We are the stakeholders of this Township. If we do not express our views, we will get what we deserve, unbridled and poor development. We are at that precipice in development in Springwater. In the end, if we fail to engage, we will be paying higher taxes for infrastructure long after these opportunists have went on to pillage the next small municipality
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Very Very Very Frustrating Experience
This article is not as refined as I would like, but I felt needed to be published on this site as a cry for help.
There is no other way I can describe the County of Simcoe Waste Management Strategy information session I attended in Alliston on Monday night at the Nottawasaga Inn. The County politicians and staff continually complain that they do not seem to be able to get the message out to the taxpayers. What they seem to be missing is that the message they are sending is either unclear or to put it more bluntly unacceptable.
It becomes painfully obvious that neither the County nor Stantec truly understand waste management. When questioned, the Stantec mouthpiece stated the best approach to waste management is diversion. That is the fundamental flaw in the strategy. There was nothing outlined on any of their boards that even remotely suggested that the aim in the long term is the elimination of the necessity for waste management. It won’t happen over night, but that has to be the goal. In other words there is nothing in the plan to eliminate waste at the source, except for supporting the initiative that the province may undertake in its Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) direction and some education to encourage consumers to make better choices.
The end result of this $200,000 plus Stantec contract, which will now be in excess of $250,000 in my estimation (because of these pesky taxpayers that want to be involved in the process which was not planned), will recommend more diversion, less pickups, more user pay fees and so on. Same old stuff as we have seen for the last 20 years since the County became responsible for waste management.
The open house itself spoke loudly to the County and Stantec’s lack of environmental understanding or awareness. Do they not realize that waste management is an environmental concern as it impacts our water and air. Here are some examples of environmental ignorance. The large display boards were all mounted on foam core which is Styrofoam based (very difficult to recycle or reuse). When asked, no one could tell me if the printed material that was distributed was recycled. I would say it was not, based on the feel and finish. There were free shirts and bags handed out to the attendees. The bag was re-useable, but the expense was a waste. I assume this was advised by their $250,000 PR consulting firm. This could have been eliminated and no one would have been disappointed. The survey booklet asks whether the County itself should undertake a “green procurement” policy. Most companies including the large auto manufacturers have done this for years as part of their ISO 14000 environmental responsibility certification which was first published in 1996. How can the County suggests it’s a leader in waste when it has not even attempted it themselves.
People please get involved. The County and Stantec are attempting to fast track a plan that in my estimation may be worse than what led to Site 41. Millions of dollars again could be wasted on another 20 years of misdirection. The Strategic Plan should not be finalized until the province concludes its long term direction or we will be in the same situation as we now find ourselves with the growth plan for the County. Phone, email and write your Mayors and Deputy Mayors (they are the County Councillors and decision makers) and have the process slow down so proper vetting can take place. I know former warden Guergis would like to add a completed waste management strategy to his resume as one of his accomplishments before the next election, but an ill conceived strategy will do very little good for us the taxpayers. We will be paying long after Mr. Guergis rides into the sunset at the next election. Please threaten your local politicians with political loss if they fail to take control and truly develop a well thought out plan that the County of Simcoe can be proud of.
Please attend either the meeting Tuesday Feb 9 at the Wasaga RecPlex or the Wednesday Feb 10 meeting in Midland at the North Simcoe Sports and Recreation Centre from 4:30 to 8:00. The presentation and Q & A is at 7:00. Have your voice heard.
I was recently reminded that if we fail to participate in the democratic process we will be governed by those that do.
There is no other way I can describe the County of Simcoe Waste Management Strategy information session I attended in Alliston on Monday night at the Nottawasaga Inn. The County politicians and staff continually complain that they do not seem to be able to get the message out to the taxpayers. What they seem to be missing is that the message they are sending is either unclear or to put it more bluntly unacceptable.
It becomes painfully obvious that neither the County nor Stantec truly understand waste management. When questioned, the Stantec mouthpiece stated the best approach to waste management is diversion. That is the fundamental flaw in the strategy. There was nothing outlined on any of their boards that even remotely suggested that the aim in the long term is the elimination of the necessity for waste management. It won’t happen over night, but that has to be the goal. In other words there is nothing in the plan to eliminate waste at the source, except for supporting the initiative that the province may undertake in its Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) direction and some education to encourage consumers to make better choices.
The end result of this $200,000 plus Stantec contract, which will now be in excess of $250,000 in my estimation (because of these pesky taxpayers that want to be involved in the process which was not planned), will recommend more diversion, less pickups, more user pay fees and so on. Same old stuff as we have seen for the last 20 years since the County became responsible for waste management.
The open house itself spoke loudly to the County and Stantec’s lack of environmental understanding or awareness. Do they not realize that waste management is an environmental concern as it impacts our water and air. Here are some examples of environmental ignorance. The large display boards were all mounted on foam core which is Styrofoam based (very difficult to recycle or reuse). When asked, no one could tell me if the printed material that was distributed was recycled. I would say it was not, based on the feel and finish. There were free shirts and bags handed out to the attendees. The bag was re-useable, but the expense was a waste. I assume this was advised by their $250,000 PR consulting firm. This could have been eliminated and no one would have been disappointed. The survey booklet asks whether the County itself should undertake a “green procurement” policy. Most companies including the large auto manufacturers have done this for years as part of their ISO 14000 environmental responsibility certification which was first published in 1996. How can the County suggests it’s a leader in waste when it has not even attempted it themselves.
People please get involved. The County and Stantec are attempting to fast track a plan that in my estimation may be worse than what led to Site 41. Millions of dollars again could be wasted on another 20 years of misdirection. The Strategic Plan should not be finalized until the province concludes its long term direction or we will be in the same situation as we now find ourselves with the growth plan for the County. Phone, email and write your Mayors and Deputy Mayors (they are the County Councillors and decision makers) and have the process slow down so proper vetting can take place. I know former warden Guergis would like to add a completed waste management strategy to his resume as one of his accomplishments before the next election, but an ill conceived strategy will do very little good for us the taxpayers. We will be paying long after Mr. Guergis rides into the sunset at the next election. Please threaten your local politicians with political loss if they fail to take control and truly develop a well thought out plan that the County of Simcoe can be proud of.
Please attend either the meeting Tuesday Feb 9 at the Wasaga RecPlex or the Wednesday Feb 10 meeting in Midland at the North Simcoe Sports and Recreation Centre from 4:30 to 8:00. The presentation and Q & A is at 7:00. Have your voice heard.
I was recently reminded that if we fail to participate in the democratic process we will be governed by those that do.
Monday, February 8, 2010
No Wonder People are Frustrated
I read the attached article by Stephen Ogden. (Just click on the title above and it will take you there).
It is almost unbelievable that county politicians and staff are so isolated in their thinking on waste management. It is clear that this vision written 20 years ago was an actual plan, not some spin created by a county bureaucrat through their consultant stooge. This only reinforces the importance of residents attending the information sessions on waste management that I posted recently. Please come out and support those who are truly trying to correct a travesty that is only being amplified by our county politicians and senior staff.
It is almost unbelievable that county politicians and staff are so isolated in their thinking on waste management. It is clear that this vision written 20 years ago was an actual plan, not some spin created by a county bureaucrat through their consultant stooge. This only reinforces the importance of residents attending the information sessions on waste management that I posted recently. Please come out and support those who are truly trying to correct a travesty that is only being amplified by our county politicians and senior staff.
Saturday, February 6, 2010
We Need Your Voice on Waste Management
Do Not Miss these Meetings:
On Monday Feb 8, Tuesday Feb 9 and Wednesday Feb 10 next week, the County are hosting information sessions. It is imperative that as many people as possible engage in this exercise. For the skeptics like me, the open houses are a charade. However it will do us no good not to participate. We cannot allow the arrogance of the county bureaucrats to control the destiny and continue with their ill fated plans for waste management. Your attendance will certainly be uplifting to those people on the Waste Management Strategy Advisory committee who are working hard for a visionary and long term sustainable solution.
Please come out closer to the 7:00 p.m. time slot as that is the only time there will be an open forum for questions. The first two and half hours is window dressing where the county's stooges will try to lull you into a false sense of security. Don't buy it for a second.
The following information is lifted directly from the County website.
Seeking your input...
We all generate waste. At the County of Simcoe, it is our job to manage your solid waste. To do this in the most environmentally and fiscally responsible ways, work has begun on a waste management strategy.
The strategy process will consider options to deal with your waste including:
• Ways to further encourage waste reduction and reuse
• Ways to encourage waste diversion
• How garbage, organics and recyclables will be collected
• Options for the processing of recyclables and organics
• How waste is transferred
• How do we dispose of garbage in the future
Before we move forward, we need to discuss the many options with YOU and get YOUR input. That’s why the County of Simcoe is hosting a series of public consultation sessions to get your thoughts on how we can work together to manage your waste.
Join us at the following locations to share your perspective. For more information, please visit wastestrategy.simcoe.ca.
Feb. 8
Nottawasaga Inn 6015 Highway 89, Crystal Ballroom
Alliston
4:30PM to 8:00PM
Feb. 9
Wasaga Beach RecPlex
1724 Mosley Street, Oakview Room
Wasaga Beach
4:30PM to 8:00PM
Feb.10
North Simcoe Sports and Recreation Centre
527 Lens Self Boulevard, Bill Thompson Room
Midland
4:30PM to 8:00PM
On Monday Feb 8, Tuesday Feb 9 and Wednesday Feb 10 next week, the County are hosting information sessions. It is imperative that as many people as possible engage in this exercise. For the skeptics like me, the open houses are a charade. However it will do us no good not to participate. We cannot allow the arrogance of the county bureaucrats to control the destiny and continue with their ill fated plans for waste management. Your attendance will certainly be uplifting to those people on the Waste Management Strategy Advisory committee who are working hard for a visionary and long term sustainable solution.
Please come out closer to the 7:00 p.m. time slot as that is the only time there will be an open forum for questions. The first two and half hours is window dressing where the county's stooges will try to lull you into a false sense of security. Don't buy it for a second.
The following information is lifted directly from the County website.
Seeking your input...
We all generate waste. At the County of Simcoe, it is our job to manage your solid waste. To do this in the most environmentally and fiscally responsible ways, work has begun on a waste management strategy.
The strategy process will consider options to deal with your waste including:
• Ways to further encourage waste reduction and reuse
• Ways to encourage waste diversion
• How garbage, organics and recyclables will be collected
• Options for the processing of recyclables and organics
• How waste is transferred
• How do we dispose of garbage in the future
Before we move forward, we need to discuss the many options with YOU and get YOUR input. That’s why the County of Simcoe is hosting a series of public consultation sessions to get your thoughts on how we can work together to manage your waste.
Join us at the following locations to share your perspective. For more information, please visit wastestrategy.simcoe.ca.
Feb. 8
Nottawasaga Inn 6015 Highway 89, Crystal Ballroom
Alliston
4:30PM to 8:00PM
Feb. 9
Wasaga Beach RecPlex
1724 Mosley Street, Oakview Room
Wasaga Beach
4:30PM to 8:00PM
Feb.10
North Simcoe Sports and Recreation Centre
527 Lens Self Boulevard, Bill Thompson Room
Midland
4:30PM to 8:00PM
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Same Old County Approach
I attended the Waste Advisory Committee meeting in Midhurst on Monday.
It now appears that the motion by the former Warden to form the committee was more about positioning and control rather than really finding new leading edge solutions for waste.
It appears that Stantec have been given a mandate to keep going in the same direction with some lip service that the County is a leader in waste management. Now that is a joke.
In business, we would at times establish a steering committee and they would discuss where we wanted to go in general terms and decide on a general vision. If the vision required outside expertise such as a company or consultant like Stantec, then so be it.
In the case of the County they engaged a consultant, directed them to come up with the vision and then established the Waste Advisory Committee. That is backwards and fundamentally flawed. That doesn't make sense as the vision, by all the documentation, has been established by the consultant Stantec prior to the first meeting which I believe are simply marionettes of the County's bureaucrats. In summary they propose to do the same as they have over the past number of years but try to divert a little more waste. It was stated by councillor Little that Site 41 might even become a transfer station. Did any of these guys at Stantec or at the County Administration work for GM?
The committee have excellent lay people with expertise and passion to really make the County a leader in Waste Management. It is unfortunate that their thoughts and ideas are somewhat dismissed in the dialogue.
I am also surprised that the County did not learn from its attempted control of the information session prior to the Site 41 County Moratorium back in the Spring of 2009. Within ten minutes the moderator (a high paid Lawyer) lost control and the meeting turned into what it should have been, an open dialogue and question period of the panel. The motion passed at the committee on Monday is suggesting an open house with displays and an opportunity to write out your questions or discuss your concerns one on one with the representatives from the consultant. Instead of expressing the flaw with this approach in my words, Kate Harries has said it well. Here is what she said about the proposed open house information sessions.
" Those of us who have experience of other public processes know that the open house format is designed by consultants to benefit consultants.
They control the framing of the discussion.
They can discard any awkward questions as being outside their view of what the discussion is about.
They can keep quiet about any inconvenient information that a member of the public may elicit
They control the record keeping.
They control the selection of comments to be reported from the open house... and
They control the manner of the reporting.
The process is fundamentally undemocratic. We call on the Warden and Council to intervene and ensure that proper public MEETINGS be held, so that people can come together as a community and hear what the County is proposing and what their neighbours have to say. The process needs to be transparent, fair and objective. The Steering Committee needs to be at the centre of the process. The consultants should be there for technical support. Members of the Steering Committee should attend the public meetings so they can hear from the public and answer questions. At each public open house there needs to be an opportunity for questions to be asked and answered in a recorded public forum. The minutes would then become part of the public record for the benefit of the Waste Strategy Steering Committee and the public at large."
This says it all.
If the County is serious about regaining any level of credibility before the next election they must be more transparent. The information sessions for their Waste Management Strategy is a good place to start.
It now appears that the motion by the former Warden to form the committee was more about positioning and control rather than really finding new leading edge solutions for waste.
It appears that Stantec have been given a mandate to keep going in the same direction with some lip service that the County is a leader in waste management. Now that is a joke.
In business, we would at times establish a steering committee and they would discuss where we wanted to go in general terms and decide on a general vision. If the vision required outside expertise such as a company or consultant like Stantec, then so be it.
In the case of the County they engaged a consultant, directed them to come up with the vision and then established the Waste Advisory Committee. That is backwards and fundamentally flawed. That doesn't make sense as the vision, by all the documentation, has been established by the consultant Stantec prior to the first meeting which I believe are simply marionettes of the County's bureaucrats. In summary they propose to do the same as they have over the past number of years but try to divert a little more waste. It was stated by councillor Little that Site 41 might even become a transfer station. Did any of these guys at Stantec or at the County Administration work for GM?
The committee have excellent lay people with expertise and passion to really make the County a leader in Waste Management. It is unfortunate that their thoughts and ideas are somewhat dismissed in the dialogue.
I am also surprised that the County did not learn from its attempted control of the information session prior to the Site 41 County Moratorium back in the Spring of 2009. Within ten minutes the moderator (a high paid Lawyer) lost control and the meeting turned into what it should have been, an open dialogue and question period of the panel. The motion passed at the committee on Monday is suggesting an open house with displays and an opportunity to write out your questions or discuss your concerns one on one with the representatives from the consultant. Instead of expressing the flaw with this approach in my words, Kate Harries has said it well. Here is what she said about the proposed open house information sessions.
" Those of us who have experience of other public processes know that the open house format is designed by consultants to benefit consultants.
They control the framing of the discussion.
They can discard any awkward questions as being outside their view of what the discussion is about.
They can keep quiet about any inconvenient information that a member of the public may elicit
They control the record keeping.
They control the selection of comments to be reported from the open house... and
They control the manner of the reporting.
The process is fundamentally undemocratic. We call on the Warden and Council to intervene and ensure that proper public MEETINGS be held, so that people can come together as a community and hear what the County is proposing and what their neighbours have to say. The process needs to be transparent, fair and objective. The Steering Committee needs to be at the centre of the process. The consultants should be there for technical support. Members of the Steering Committee should attend the public meetings so they can hear from the public and answer questions. At each public open house there needs to be an opportunity for questions to be asked and answered in a recorded public forum. The minutes would then become part of the public record for the benefit of the Waste Strategy Steering Committee and the public at large."
This says it all.
If the County is serious about regaining any level of credibility before the next election they must be more transparent. The information sessions for their Waste Management Strategy is a good place to start.
Saturday, January 16, 2010
Zero Waste Simcoe
The County of Simcoe has established an advisory committee to work with the County Staff and the consultant Stantec to develop a twenty year plan for its waste management. The initial report by Stantec appears to be more of the same with an uncomfortable slant to landfills as a big part of the solution. For some reason this approach still seems to make logical sense to the senior bureaucrats at the County who are directing the exercise.
I attended a meeting in Midland last week which was a town hall format and chaired by Gordon McKay from Zero Waste Simcoe (http://www.zerowastesimcoe.org). Even though it was an eclectic crowd, many consistent concerns where tabled, which Gordon will take to the next meeting of the waste advisory committee on Monday.
Waste is a growing problem and all of us are part of that problem. We must become part of the solution, if we really want to abandon the use of landfills in the longer term.
I encourage people to get involved with Zero Waste Simcoe and support their efforts and attend the County meetings which are open to the public. We saw what can happen when the citizens put pressure on the politicians to change their stance as happened with Site 41. Let us avoid another insane approach to waste management by putting pressure on the County as they develop the plan. This may help avoid spending 10 to 15 million dollars of our hard earned tax dollars on another debacle like Site 41.
Your presence would be appreciated on Monday January 18th starting at 9:00 a.m in the Council Chambers at the County Administration building in Midhurst. Please be involved and help us as a community come up with a new leading edge and inventive solution rather than follow the path of mediocrity in our long term waste solution.
I attended a meeting in Midland last week which was a town hall format and chaired by Gordon McKay from Zero Waste Simcoe (http://www.zerowastesimcoe.org). Even though it was an eclectic crowd, many consistent concerns where tabled, which Gordon will take to the next meeting of the waste advisory committee on Monday.
Waste is a growing problem and all of us are part of that problem. We must become part of the solution, if we really want to abandon the use of landfills in the longer term.
I encourage people to get involved with Zero Waste Simcoe and support their efforts and attend the County meetings which are open to the public. We saw what can happen when the citizens put pressure on the politicians to change their stance as happened with Site 41. Let us avoid another insane approach to waste management by putting pressure on the County as they develop the plan. This may help avoid spending 10 to 15 million dollars of our hard earned tax dollars on another debacle like Site 41.
Your presence would be appreciated on Monday January 18th starting at 9:00 a.m in the Council Chambers at the County Administration building in Midhurst. Please be involved and help us as a community come up with a new leading edge and inventive solution rather than follow the path of mediocrity in our long term waste solution.
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
EDHS Important Meeting Tonight
The following is a brief overview of the current SERVE status. I encourage all to attend this important meeting tonight.
The Springwater Elmvale Rural Voices for Education Committee (SERVE) and the Township of Springwater have been working together to try to save Elmvale District High School (EDHS) from potential closure.
At the Simcoe County District School Board meeting of May 21, 2009, Mayor Guergis presented his strategy to create the community of Elmvale as a Campus, now referred to as the Community Campus Partnership Strategy (CCPS).
Mayor Guergis has met with the School Board on several occasions regarding the CCPS and has received significant interest in the development of this strategy. The Elmvale Campus has been adopted as the key strategy that SERVE and the municipality are working on to help keep EDHS in Elmvale.
We are now asking for your partnership to support the CCPS.
With 18,000 + residents and growth to 26,000, the community has an ever present need for a secondary school and community use facility. Partnership opportunities surely exist right in our own community. You, your business or organization may be one of them!
A SERVE meeting will be held at the Springwater Township
Administration Centre Nursery Road
Tuesday January 12th, 2010 at 7:00 pm.
Anyone with partnership opportunities or ideas is
invited to attend this public meeting.
NO IDEA IS TOO BIG OR TOO SMALL!
The Springwater Elmvale Rural Voices for Education Committee (SERVE) and the Township of Springwater have been working together to try to save Elmvale District High School (EDHS) from potential closure.
At the Simcoe County District School Board meeting of May 21, 2009, Mayor Guergis presented his strategy to create the community of Elmvale as a Campus, now referred to as the Community Campus Partnership Strategy (CCPS).
Mayor Guergis has met with the School Board on several occasions regarding the CCPS and has received significant interest in the development of this strategy. The Elmvale Campus has been adopted as the key strategy that SERVE and the municipality are working on to help keep EDHS in Elmvale.
We are now asking for your partnership to support the CCPS.
With 18,000 + residents and growth to 26,000, the community has an ever present need for a secondary school and community use facility. Partnership opportunities surely exist right in our own community. You, your business or organization may be one of them!
A SERVE meeting will be held at the Springwater Township
Administration Centre Nursery Road
Tuesday January 12th, 2010 at 7:00 pm.
Anyone with partnership opportunities or ideas is
invited to attend this public meeting.
NO IDEA IS TOO BIG OR TOO SMALL!
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