CITY: Core review set in motion by council A3 Wednesday, December 14, 2011 Free Press story helps displaced senior find a new home B1
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Late item, Haldi OK’d
DeLynda Pilon
newsroom@pgfreepress.com
Salmon Valley farmer Andy Angele blocks a city truck from dumping biosolids on a neighbour’s property D e Ly n d a P I L O N / F re e P re s s
Blockade halts biosolids DeLynda Pilon newsroom@pgfreepress.com
About a dozen neighbours set up a blockade Dec. 9 at the entrance of Wright Creek Road and Highway 97 North to stop a city truck from dumping biosolid waste on an area farm. The owner of the land contracted with the city, giving them the right to dump the waste, however neighbours have been concerned since finding out about the deal, worried how the material will affect their land as well as surrounding creeks. Andy Angele, a local farmer whose land adjoins the 117 acres where the waste will be dumped, has been protesting the move since he found out about it. He is concerned that the sloped piece of land the waste is headed for will drain into his land and into the creek. Leaching is also an issue, he said, and he believes that could contaminate the aquifer. During a dry summer, he said the waste could very well migrate onto his property and run-off could bring issues in the spring. In a previous interview, Angele said signage at other biosolid dump sites warn people not to eat anything that
grows above ground for a year and a half and anything that grows in the earth for three years and two months after an application. Angele heard the first dump of waste was scheduled to take place sometime last week, and since then he has been waiting at the junction of Wright Creek Road and the highway alongside piece of plywood held erect with a post with No Sludge On Farmland painted on it. Friday morning the city truck made its way to Wright Creek Road, loaded with waste. “They tried to come this morning,” he said. Angele got on the phone and called about a dozen neighbours, who all came out in support, blockading the road. “The driver stopped, of course. He was very nice. The police came and asked me what the situation was. Then the city officials came.” The city officials discussed the situation with the police. A decision was made to send the city truck back to town. Angele said if it comes out again, he and his neighbours will be ready. “We will keep on trying to block
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them. We had 1,000 signatures on a petition against this. We had support all the way from Australia.” Marco Fornari, the manager of utilities for Prince George, said right now the city is considering its legal options. “For now we’re going to spend the next couple of days reviewing legal plans,” he said. He added there has been a lot of consultation with Angele about the process, which Fornari said is not only safe, but has been in practice in the area for about 30 years. “We more than adequately answered any and all concerns that were brought forward. The application is nothing new. It’s been going on for 30-odd years in Prince George. It is safe.” He added the city has a registered professional hired to ensure all the methodology outlined regarding how to go ahead with the process properly is followed. This includes following setbacks from water courses. However, Angele doesn’t think the process is as safe as the city says and will continue to try to block any dumping. “I will be sitting here every week with this sign,” he said.
An amended agenda greeted the public at Monday’s council meeting, with the new item added being the fourth and final reading for rezoning the old Haldi Lake school to build a women’s treatment centre. The issue of putting the centre in the area has been a contentious one since it came to the attention of residents who were generally opposed to having the facility in the old primary school. When the public hearing came before council, it took more than five hours for all those who attended, the majority of whom were opposed to the centre’s location, to speak. A handful, also passionate, spoke in favour of the centre and its location. Monday night representatives of the centre were on hand, but residents who live in the Haldi Rd. area were scarce, though at that point in the process there was no opportunity for public presentations anyway. “At this point I don’t think it matters if you’re for or against this,” said Coun. Brian Skakun. “But I think with an issue as controversial as this it would have been nice to have it on the agenda as soon as possible even though no submissions are accepted from the public.” He added having it on the agenda would have shown transparency in government. “I can appreciate the timelines involved but I think people in the Haldi area needed more time than they got.” A question to city administration confirmed that, at the point of a fourth and final reading, no public notice needs to be given and no public input is accepted. Likewise, it is not unusual for such items to come to the agenda at the last moment because of time constraints. Coun. Garth Frizzell asked if the conditions, including disconnecting any wells on the property and dealing with some security issues, had been met. He was informed they both were. The fourth and final reading passed with councillors Murry Krause, Lyn Hall and Skakun opposing while Mayor Shari Green recused herself from the process due to her association with Marshall Smith, the centre’s executive director. Smith volunteered for Green during her election campaign.
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