BY KAREN BEST
Dec 08, 2006
Haldimand Review
Haldimand County's new council is not wasting any time getting into the tough issues it faces over the next few months and the next four years.
At a special committee of the whole meeting on Tuesday, the seven members entered into a general discussion to bring issues to the forefront. County general managers listened and took note of issues relevant to their departments.
Mayor Marie Trainer called the meeting to allow councillors to bring forward resident concerns gathered along the campaign trail. She started off with the future of Haldimand's contract with the Ontario Provincial Police and looking at available options.
Councillor Buck Sloat said council owes it to the public to investigate policing alternatives.
OPP policing has not been effective in Caledonia, said Coun. Craig Grice, who represents the town. Because two-tier law is in their face every day, many people have lost respect for OPP, he said. The county must hold OPP responsible for their actions, he said.
Grice asked county staff to complete a cost analysis on a county police force.
Council then moved on Sloat's suggestion to meet with new OPP Commissioner Julian Fantino to discuss the Caledonia Six Nations occupation and other issues.
As the meeting carried forward into further details about the land dispute, Coun. Lorne Boyko suggested a motion asking staff to arrange meetings with Fantino, Jane Stewart and provincial negotiators, Barbara McDougall and federal negotiators, and two assistant deputy ministers working with the county on native occupation-related issues.
Grice supported the meetings but wanted them to be open to the public. One of the biggest sources of distress for people living closest to the site is lack of information, he said. He urged council to take a stronger stand on the entire issue.
"It tears the community apart," he said. "Whatever can be done has to be done. People want to know that we're there."
Boyko, who sits on the Caledonia liaison committee, said negotiators do come to council and share progress but the information is confidential. Negotiations is a legitimate issue to discuss in closed sessions as set out in the Municipal Act, he said.
Sloat told Grice and other new councillors that their initial meeting with negotiators and government representatives will provide them with background information on the process. Since the beginning of the occupation, Sloat wanted to have public meetings at least once a month to keep the community informed.
Grice joined the rest of council in asking for the meetings but remained firm on the importance of informing the public.
"People have to see we are being as open as we can on any issue," he said.
Boyko said more and more issues are dealt with in camera and some parts of those discussions should be held in open sessions. For instance, only a legal opinion on doctor recruitment money needed to be discussed in a closed session and the remainder of the debate should have been public, he said.
Sloat said it is up to the chair to call councillors to order if they are discussing matters that should be in open session.
Coun. Don Ricker asked about the opening of the Canborough landfill. By maximizing use at the current dump, the Tom Howe site, the county might be able to defer opening the dump near Dunnville until 2010, said physical services general manager Betty Matthews Malone.
Sloat was very irate with Norfolk County public works and environment services manager Eric D'Hondt's comments about Edwards Landfill. He said the comments were very irresponsible and that the dump's landfill approval certificate issued by the Ontario environment ministry would not allow the haulage of Norfolk County garbage into the site.
In an earlier interview with The Chronicle, D'Hondt said Norfolk is exploring its options for other landfills once Canborough is closed. Edwards Landfill, which he said was an extensive expansion, is under review as an option. Later D'Hondt said Norfolk County is not interested in buying Edwards Landfill or other property for a landfill. The municipality is looking for business with an active site with an approval certificate that would allow Norfolk County use, he said.
A consulting firm hired by Norfolk is looking at all landfill options, said Haldimand chief administrative officer Bill Pearce.