Oro-Medonte Citizens Alliance joins AWARE Simcoe affiliate

AWARE Simcoe — EDGAR -– September 7, 2010 — The Oro-Medonte Citizens Alliance has decided to join forces with AWARE Simcoe by becoming part of an affiliate, AWARE Oro-Medonte.

AWARE Simcoe interim president Don Morgan welcomed OMCA members to a citizens’ movement that is striving for environmental sustainability and full public participation in government decision-making.
“AWARE Simcoe appreciates the OMCA’s commitment to honest, transparent and accountable government,” Morgan said. “If we are to have a continuing supply of clean air and water, if we are to have controlled and sensible growth, then for the sake of future generations, positive action has to be taken now.”
 At a meeting September 2 in Edgar, OMCA members voted unanimously to cease to exist as an organization and to work with AWARE Oro-Medonte to bring about improvements in local governance and to safeguard our natural heritage and rural character.
“Oro-Medonte Citizens Alliance came into being with the intention of raising awareness for the need for more open government at the local level, along with paying serious attention to environmental issues,” said Susan Woods, a member of the OMCA steering committee.
“We realize we have been working in parallel with AWARE on many fronts and it was obvious that OMCA and AWARE should join forces around our common concerns.”
AWARE Simcoe has grown out of the struggle at Simcoe County over the Site 41 landfill. The group’s experience and momentum have resulted in a strong voice for environmental awareness and openness in government. AWARE Simcoe has affiliates in many of the 16 municipalities that make up Simcoe County
AWARE Oro-Medonte is now engaged in completing plans for a questionnaire that will be sent to all candidates, and to develop a timetable for candidate interviews. The completed candidate questionnaires will be posted on AWARE’s website. Reports from the interviews will also be posted, following full disclosure to the candidates.
AWARE Oro-Medonte will compile all available information on each candidate and endorse those who, in its considered opinion, will best serve Oro-Medonte and represent residents with honesty, integrity, and transparency, and protect the rural environment and our water resources.