• Protecting Water and Farmland in Simcoe County

County residents call on neighbours to get involved in waste strategy

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In Simcoe County
Feb 4th, 2010
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The following release has been issued by WaterWatch Simcoe County and the Site 41 group
Public consultations February 8, 9 and 10 in Alliston, Wasaga Beach and Midland
SIMCOE COUNTY ONTARIO — A number of concerned residents of the three communities selected by Simcoe County for public consultation sessions on a new strategy for dealing with waste are calling on their neighbours to get involved in the process.With just one week’s notice given by Simcoe County before the meetings, there is a concern that many interested people might not be able to get out. Residents of most municipalities will have been left in the dark by the time the strategy gets finalized, they said.
 “It’s vitally important that our county councillors hear what the people are saying – that there has to be a shift away from garbage disposal and toward resource recycling,” said Don Morgan of Midland.  “Simcoe County needs to involve citizens – because without popular support, there’s no hope of making effective change,” he added.
The County’s public consultation plan had been for open-house sessions with its consultants. Council voted to include public meetings after an appeal to Warden Cal Patterson in a letter that has now been signed by 185 citizens.
The open houses start at 4:30, the public meetings start at 7 p.m. next Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday in Alliston, Wasaga Beach and Midland.
Rudy Chernecki of Wasaga Beach said the options presently before Simcoe County include new and creative approaches that need careful consideration.
“There’s no magic bullet. Some proposals require more individual involvement, others are more costly,” he said. “It’s important that whatever approach is selected by council in June has been fully canvassed and understood by the residents – because it will be the plan for the next 20 years”.
Stan Copeland of Alliston urged everyone to get out to the meetings that are being held next week. “You need to come out and be heard or face having our water and garbage problems dictated by a select few,” he said, adding that more sessions need to be scheduled across the county, so the politicians are clear on what people want them to do. “We have 16 municipalities, and residents of each one need the opportunity to find out what’s going on.”
The following public consultation sessions have been scheduled.
Mon Feb  8,  Nottawasaga Inn, 6015 Highway 89, Crystal Ballroom, Alliston
Tues Feb  9,  Wasaga Beach RecPlex, 1724 Mosley Street, Oakville Room, Wasaga Beach
Wed  Feb 10,  North Simcoe Sports and Recreation Centre, 527 Lens Self Boulevard, Bill Thompson Room, Midland

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