County ‘maintaining’ direction with Site 41 certificate

By Kate Harries WaterWatch
Word is that the names Stephen Ogden, Dale Godhawk and Garfield Dunlop came up during the December 15 media training session that was part of the $250,000 package Simcoe County councillors purchased from pricey PR firm Fleishman-Hilliard.
No, Ogden’s name wasn’t mentioned, says County Clerk Glen Knox, in replying to Ogden’s request for any information relating to him that was discussed during the session. “I personally do not recall any discussion during that session where your name was referenced,” Knox writes in a January 5 letter.
Knox did send Ogden a copy of the documents that were circulated to councillors in attendance. Posted here is a list of ‘County Council Key Messages’ and just one of those messages, relating to the Dump Site 41 Certificate of Approval.
The document – prepared by the fabled County communications department – reveals exactly what Simcoe County councillors were doing when they retained the Certificate of Approval.
Not holding onto to it “in case” it was needed, as we were told by the likes of Doug Litle and Anita Dubeau.
No, they’re holding onto it because it’s part of the plan. “Holding the Certificate of Approval is the only way to truly ensure the County’s direction is maintained,” the document says.
What direction? What’s this ‘maintained’ business? Is there to be no change to previously established plans? Weren’t we told that closing the dump site marked the beginning of a brave new approach to waste management? Hasn’t the premise of the Stantec presentations been that all options are on the table, and the waste strategy steering committee will be making decisions on what the direction will be?
Another astonishing statement in this document: “The Certificate confirmed the sound science behind the landfill, deemed it to be environmentally responsible and, in partnership with zoning bylaws, it has the effect of increasing the net value of the land.”
Sound science? This makes it clear that the need for the Site 41 calibrated computer model (modflow) to be made public is more pressing than ever. Increasing the value of the land? Why do councillors consider that to be important? This gives the lie to assurances that there are no plans to sell Site 41. Bring on Bill 32, MPP Garfield Dunlop’s private member’s bill to revoke the Certificate of Approval becomes more important than ever.
So – let’s get this straight. County councillors voted to halt Dump Site 41, but still believe it to be environmentally responsible and feel the certificate is important because it increases the value of the land.
What this means is that they voted to halt the dump site not because they were persuaded that the water needed to be protected or that landfills are an outdated technology, but because they’re a craven bunch, backing down when faced with a popular uprising but secretly planning to carry on regardless with their crimes against the environment.
We regret that nowhere in this “messaging” is any sense that the County Council leadership (senior staff and key coouncillors) learned anything form the events of the past year, that it ascribes any value to the input of citizens, or that there are any plans for a new era with a fresh approach to waste management.
It appears that the waste strategy steering committee is a diversional smokescreen to give the appearance of public consultation, while County Council “maintains” its direction.
Come clean, councillors. Let us know what direction this is, and what is really going on?
County Council Key Messages
Key Message: NSLS Certifical of Approval