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Adjala-Tos holds support for Essa NVCA review

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In Nottawasaga Valley Conservation Authority
Nov 8th, 2009
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By Matthew Talbot Alliston Herald November 05, 2009
Since withdrawing his motion to dissolve the Nottawasaga Valley Conservation Authority (NVCA) last month, instead calling for an independent review, Essa Mayor David Guergis has continued seeking support from surrounding municipalities.
A copy of the motion Essa council passed Oct. 7 that called for the review has been sent to all NVCA member municipalities.
Adjala-Tosorontio council received a copy of the motion at its Nov. 2 meeting and deferred any action on it.
Adjala-Tosorontio CAO Bill Fox suggested holding off while the NVCA completes a staff report about a third-party review. He said council can then decide whether or not they support a review.
Deputy Mayor Doug Little suggested township staff could prepare a report that looks into any review of the NVCA.
“I’d hate to see this go back to Essa with us having defeated it,” he said, suggesting the deferral would be the best course of action.
Coun. Mary Brett, who sits on the NVCA executive committee, said the conservation authority has already made headway on a review, having discussed it at an Oct. 9 meeting.
Little said he was not in favour of the Essa mayor’s original plan to “neutralize the NVCA”, but said he was in favour of the review. He said he couldn’t recall a review of the conservation authority in 15 years and said any review should encompass not just planning, but also the whole organization.
“I don’t think the NVCA has any problem looking at ways they can improve,” Brett said. “They’ve been beat up. Some of the staff are pretty demoralized, and they’re pretty hard working over there.”
For a number of years, Adjala-Tosorontio has been critical of the NVCA’s budget.
Brett said the NVCA expects to increase its budget by 2.5 to three per cent this year.

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