Interview with Paul Fleming, Midhurst Ratepayers Association

AWARE News Network September 12 2012 

Yesterday, Springwater residents received a flyer in the mail with the title ‘STOP the Midhurst Secondary Plan.’ The glossy, full-colour publication signals the beginning of a public campaign by the Midhurst Ratepayers’ Association against the plan to add 23,500 new residents to the villages’s present population of 3,500.

The plan, which has been appealed to the Ontario Municipal Board by the provincial government because it violates provincial policy on growth, was approved by Springwater Council in 2008 and Simcoe County Council in October, 2011. 

The following is an email interview with MRA president Paul Fleming: 

We had the flyer distributed to every household in Springwater. We would like everyone in Springwater to know about the negative aspects of the MSP for two reasons — we want to create public support for our efforts to stop the MSP and to generate funds so that we can pay our planner and hire a lawyer to help us at the OMB.

in addition to all the copies done for every household in Springwater, we have roughly 2,000 more to use when we distribute the signs. We have 400 lawn signs ready for distribution. We would like to get a donation from anyone who takes them; however, we will give them away to anyone who is willing to put them on their lawn. The Ratepayers will have a booth at Autumnfest to distribute signs and flyers, as well, we will have a BBQ and hope to make some money for our planner and lawyer.

The issue with Springwater Council is a complex one because I believe that there are two issues that interplay. On the one hand, the Council seems to be well-coached by their lawyers not to say or do anything that appears to backtrack on any issues with regards to the MSP. I believe that councillors feel that they could be sued by the developers for breach of faith or some other legal issue, so I don’t think that they will acknowledge the validity of any of our points in public. 

I need to say that I genuinely believe that the Councillors are decent, publicly-spirited people. Three of them are personal friends and I hope to continue the friendships. Furthermore, I think that most of the Councillors genuinely believe that the MSP is good for the Township because they think there will be increased services and lowered taxes. However, I get the impression that most of the councillors tend to dismiss the Midhurst Ratepayers because they perceive us to be NIMBYs and that we have narrow and unfounded beliefs.

Even though we disagree with Council, we have always aimed to take a cooperative tack and have tried to get them to question their beliefs. For example, we have asked them to do a tax evaluation study to check their beliefs about the tax bonanza which we are supposed to receive. (We have a great deal of evidence that this development will increase taxes).

We have asked them to question the ecological impact of the development streambank erosion in the Minesing Wetlands & Nottawasaga River). We have asked them to think about the decision to remove 1,700 acres of prime agriculture land from production when there are hundreds of acres of “blow sand” adjacent to Midhurst that is undeveloped. Unfortunately our elected representatives have never answered these questions themselves but, instead, direct staff to give the “textbook” answers, i.e. answers that may apply to some other place but not necessarily to Midhurst. We find that these  answers, in most cases, lack credibility and balance, i.e. the staff don’t seem to want to admit that there will be costs to the MSP, only benefits.

The key message to Springwater residents depends on where you live.

If you live in Elmvale, Hillsdale, Minesing, Anten MIlls, etc. : Are you aware that the Township is poised to move to massive urbanization and that, in a few short years, your village will be a swamped by the metropolis of Midhurst? Springwater will no longer be a village of villages but a city with inconsequential satellites that will be rarely recognized in the grand scheme of things.  People outside Midhurst shouldn’t see the MSP as just a Midhurst-area problem, but one where their village will lose its influence in public affairs.

If you live in Midhurst, people should shake themselves from the complacency of believing that the MSP is simply another example of progress and that we can and should take action to protect our village character, our local farmland and our local ecology (Minesing Wetlands, Nottawasaga River).

In Midhurst, call either myself at 705-722-8714 or David at 705-229-4722. Signs are also available from The Conservatory at 21 Queen Street West in Elmvale.