McKay deserves spot on waste management committee

Letter to Simcoe.com January 18 2011
I was dismayed and disappointed to find out Gord McKay, mayor of Midland, was not named to the County of Simcoe’s waste management committee.
I can’t image anyone being more qualified to sit on this committee. He was a founding member and chair of Zero Waste Simcoe, and a citizen appointee to the county’s solid waste management strategy subcommittee last year.
Mr. McKay is dedicated to creating the changes needed to solve the waste problem. He has travelled across the county presenting his vision to local municipal councils. He is well versed in provincial policy, and knows the key players at that level.
The waste management committee consists of the warden, the chair of the corporate services committee, and one member from each of the corporate services, human services and performance management committees. The problem is that two of the most qualified people – Coun. Mary Small Brett, who contributed to Adjala-Tosorontio’s progressive waste initiatives, and McKay, who crafted the county’s waste management strategy – both sit on the performance management committee. But the committee can vote only one member onto the subcommittee.
Council will be voting to confirm the recommended appointees on Jan. 25. I urge them to vote to expand the committee’s membership to include Gord McKay. We cannot afford to disregard a person with his expertise and commitment to solving our waste problems.
Linda Reynolds, Penetanguishene