Site 41 concerns continue to haunt Simcoe County

By Laurie Watt Barrie Advance
The stench of Site 41 continues to cloud Simcoe County’s image and fill county councillors’ inboxes, some county councillors say.
Tiny Township Mayor Peggy Breckenridge told her council colleagues she received 30 e-mails one day asking about what winterization of the Conc. 2 site means and what’s going to happen in the spring.
 “There isn’t enough explanation about what’s happened and how much has been supported.
(Residents keep asking) Why aren’t we revoking the Certificate of Approval?” she said.
Her understanding is it could be one of two things: the certificate of approval needs to be kept in place to monitor groundwater levels or to enable the county to keep its options open as it conducts its waste management master plan and possible uses for the North Simcoe site.
“People are seeing phantoms out there. They’re afraid another council could come in and change what we have passed (to cease Site 41 construction) and build a landfill there.”
Adjala-Tosorontio Deputy Mayor Doug Little, who chairs the county committee responsible for waste management, said he’s getting tired of the Site 41 debris, especially as the county works on its master plan, due in July.
“This is very tiresome. We decided, each and every one of us, we’re not pulling the certificate of approval,” he said of a vote in September.
“To keep harping on it and keep coming back for more reports, we have other things we need to do. Let the (waste master plan) steering committee do its job.”
Tiny Township Deputy Mayor George Lawrence said the county has to focus on communicating with residents.
“Communication is key. I believe through the money ($250,000) we set aside for communications and image control, some money should be used to communicate and help us get direct information to the Community Monitoring Committee. They’re entitled to updates.”