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Serving the Mapleton Community
Community News Volume 44 Issue 51
Drayton, Ontario
1 Year GIC - 1.90% 3 Year GIC - 2.25% 5 Year GIC - 2.70% Daily Interest 1.75%
Friday, December 23, 2011
Wind farm opponents upset, township seeks legal advice on NextEra project approval by David Meyer MAPLETON TWP. - The Stop Mapleton Wind Farms group has asked council here to help in its appeal of the approval for NextEra Canada’s wind farm southwest of Arthur. And after closed meetings throughout the day on Monday, council has decided to seek legal advice from county lawyer Peter Pickfield to determine if a judicial appeal of the approval is feasible. Clerk Patty Sinnamon said on Tuesday that means asking the courts to determine if all the legal processes were followed by NextEra. Mayor Bruce Whale said in an interview the judicial appeal can fall after the Dec. 23 deadline set for an Environmental Appeal Tribunal and would likely be filed in the new year. Council did decide it would not seek an appeal through the Environmental Appeals Tribunal, a route taken unsuccessfully by another anti-turbine group in Chatham-Kent. Resident John Krul told council Dec. 13 the sudden approval for NextEra came two years to the day after NextEra’s public meeting in Moorefield and his group wants help to fight provincial approval of a ten-turbine wind farm. Sitting in to hear that delegation was county Warden Chris White, chief administrative officer Scott Wilson and county planning director Gary Cousins. They had been part of an earlier county delegation, but since the county has taken a stand on wind farms, they remained to hear the residents’ complaints and later sat in on the legal discussions with council in a closed meeting. Krul pointed out council
had just heard from the county delegation that agriculture is a leading industry in Mapleton and the county. “That makes it important not to shoehorn wind farms in there as well,� Krul said. One thing that had him particularly upset is the provincial Ministry of Environment’s (MOE) method of doing business. He said his group had one meeting with the ministry in the summer, and had been promised another one. Instead, on Dec. 8, a member of his group was speaking with the MOE’s director of approvals late in the afternoon, and she gave no hint that NextEra’s application to build would be approved that afternoon. He said the approval document was a 13-page report, so she should have known the approval was coming, but simply did not let on to a member of Stop Mapleton Wind Farms what was about to happen. Krul called that “a slap in the face� to those opposed to the project. He told council after watching county slides about Wellington County during a previous delegation, “I’m proud to be here. We don’t want Wellington looking like Dufferin County, like Shelburne.� That areas has dozens of wind turbines across its rural landscape. Krul wondered if council continues to support his group in its opposition. Councillor Jim Curry said to the best of his knowledge, nothing has changed. “We’re holding steadfast.� Mayor Bruce Whale agreed “That is still our stand.� He said the township has Continued on page 2
County officials visit to ‘put names to faces’ for municipality
Final visit - Santa Claus arrived in style at last weekend’s Alma Christmas Parade, in what was his final stop in Wellington County before the holidays. More photos on pages 5-8. photo by Mike Robinson
Public meeting is Jan. 23 for smaller, private wind turbine project by David Meyer MAPLETON TWP. - While there is a group formed in this township to oppose wind turbines, one resident believes his plans are unlikely to cause as much controversy. Willem Roubos, of Concession 12 in old Maryborough, said in an interview his wind turbine proposal is what the provincial government had in mind long before it introduced its controversial Green Energy Act. “I have a FIT [feed in tariff] contract,� Roubos said. “I’ve been working on this already
for years.� The wind turbine he is proposing for his own farm is just over 200 feet high. “They are not like the wind farms,� he said of controversial projects such as the recently approved wind farm near Arthur in Mapleton Township. Roubos said he is in business with John Hogg, of Harriston, who runs Free Breeze Energy Systems, a company that has been in business since 1999 and builds and sells smaller wind turbines. It is the sole distributor for wind turbine manufacturer
RRB Energy, has an office in England and also works extensively in the United States. It’s Canadian office is in Waterloo. “He started this business 12 years ago,� Roubos said of Hogg. “He works in the United States.� He added with the reception wind companies have received in Canada, and Ontario in particular, that corporate strategy makes business “a lot easier than around here.� Then again, Roubos is not particularly a big fan of the Green Energy Act himself. Continued on page 2
by David Meyer MAPLETON TWP. County officials are making the rounds of Wellington municipalities, hoping to generate good will, understanding and to help give everyone a chance to meet county officials. They rolled into Mapleton on Dec. 13 to make a presentation to the council there. Warden Chris White said in an interview prior to the meeting that he and staff had been to Guelph-Eramosa and Minto for a similar meeting, and he met a councillor who told him, “I’ve never met a warden before.� White said, “That’s not right.� He added the idea is county and lower tier staff need to become familiar with each other and see how they can better work together. White added the county is becoming interested in economic development issues and Jana Reichert, of the Waterloo Wellington Community Futures Development Corporation, was also part of the group, and would present some statistics councillors might find interesting about business. White told council the group is on a “good will tour.� He explained the county is working now on economic development and hopes to attract business to the area. He added no matter which municipality gets a business, everyone else benefits, too, because the county takes over 60% of the municipal tax bill. He said it is time to get a profile together of Wellington that can be offered to prospective employers considering a move to southern Ontario. Continued on page 3
Council rejects three bids for roller due to high cost, lack of information
by David Meyer MAPLETON TWP. - In a penny pinching move, council here has rejected three bids to provide a rubber tire static roller for one of its road graders. There were a number of unusual moves last week surrounding director of public works Larry Lynch’s report and recommendations. He had obtained three bids to supply the roller, which is attached to the rear of a grader. That allows freshly graded gravel to be packed down immediately after being graded. Lynch said there are two township graders, and the one with a roller does a better job
because freshly graded gravel stays in place longer. His report stated, “This equipment is not mass produced and staff have been actively searching for machine shop personnel to fabricate such a unit. With over 150km of gravel roads in the township this addition to our fleet will have a significant impact on our gravel road maintenance operations.� He added staff had been able to identify three companies that could meet township specifications. The bids ranged from Harold Jones Enterprises in Arthur at $11,000 plus HST, Hutchison Welding, Listowel,
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at $12,350; and Graham Bowman Welding, also of Listowel, at $12,500. Lynch took the unusual step of recommending the Bowman bid, the highest, because he said that company provided the most information about what it would provide. “I recommend the higher bid because there is not much difference in price and I know exactly what I’m getting,� Lynch told council. Councillor Neil Driscoll was unhappy with the higher cost, and noted Jones builds such equipment for a living. Lynch argued, “That quote doesn’t tell me very much.�
When council held a vote on the more expensive roller, councillors Andy Knetsch and Jim Curry were in favour, and Driscoll and councillor Mike Downey were opposed. Mayor Bruce Whale broke the tie by opposing it. Council then considered a motion to hire Jones, the low bidder, for $11,000 plus HST. Downey pointed out council had just rejected two other items because of a lack of information. Driscoll said, “The biggest issue is we’re over the budget of $10,000.� Council then voted on hiring the low bidder. Downey
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and Curry were in favour, and Knetsch and Driscoll were opposed. Whale again broke the tie by opposing that motion. Lynch then asked who he could hire to build a roller. Driscoll said he could “go back to all three� or perhaps find someone else entirely. Lynch said he had been unable to do that over the course of the year. “I don’t see anyone on a list who builds packers,� he said. “Staff has been chasing this all year.� Lynch added the low bid was $1,000 over the budget, but, “We picked that out of the air.� Driscoll suggested, “Don’t
pick numbers out of the air.� Lynch said he had gone through staff to get the $10,000 budget figure. “I’m frustrated. I don’t know where to go.� Whale suggested if the township has a design and specifications, he could give that to all three bidding companies. He added if they cannot do the work, he knows someone that might be able to do it. Lynch agreed, “There are local people who, if you give them a drawing on a napkin, they can do it.� He asked Driscoll if he knows of anyone local who might be able to do the work. Driscoll replied, “You bet.�
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