SOUTH DUNDAS — For years, municipal staff have told residents to conserve services like water and sewer, but they have run into a catch-22. As conservation increases, the amount of use decreases and therefore the rates for consumption have to go up to cover costs.
In South Dundas they finally figured it out, to increase the flat rate on water and sewer to pay the expenses, not increase the cost of consumption. South Dundas Treasurer, Shannon Geraghty, figured it out and proposed the change to council, where it decided to increase rates in Iroquois and Morrisburg. Granted, the capital projects for the water and sewer systems are needed, infrastructure has to be kept in good working order. But now that they have figured this out, how many more fee increases are residents going to be hit with?
40 more turbines for South Dundas?
Wind turbine operator, EDP Renewables went before South Dundas council asking for support to bring up to 40 new wind turbines to South Dundas. The previous council passed a motion to be counted as an “Unwilling Host” to wind turbine development. South Dundas was the 70th municipality in Ontario to sign on as an “Unwilling Host”, there are now nearly 90 municipalities on that list. Ontario Liberal Premier Kathleen Wynne stated when she took office that she would not allow further wind development in municipalities that did not want them. EDP Renewables made their pitch however, and they want to build more in South Dundas.
Ken Little, the project manager for EDP, stated that Ontario’s energy surplus will soon be over. Which Ontario is Little talking about? Is it the Ontario that has been run into the ground by 12 years of Liberal mismanagement, that has caused skyrocketing energy prices and manufacturing to flee the sinking ship that is the province of Ontario? Is it the Ontario that has shuttered or reduced output from many cheaper sources of generation to pay for overpriced “Green” energy? Perhaps it is the Ontario that is facing, according to Energy Minister Bob Chiarelli, a 42% increase in residential electricity rates over the next five years? That is the Ontario that the residents are seeing. Skyrocketing prices, “green” energy lies and a basket case economy.
If a resolution to support EDP’s plan should come up to South Dundas council, it should be punted out the door. Not that it matters much, given the broken promise by the McGuinty/Wynne Liberal governments in Ontario, they will just do what they want, and you get to foot the bill.
Washrooms, a novel concept
Good on South Dundas council for pushing forward despite Mayor Evonne Delegarde’s vocal objections, to building a washroom in Earl Baker Park in Morrisburg. Also good on the Morrisburg Waterfront Implementation Committee for pushing the plan forward as well. For disclosure purposes, this writer currently serves on the MWIC, and supported the washroom project. From January to April, only four months, the proposal was made to put a washroom in that park, where the community playground and soon a new splash pad, will be. Now it is heading to a Request for Proposal, and will be built this summer.
Shocked is the word heard in the community, that council and administration moved this quickly to get this project going. Other than the lack of support from the Mayor, there has not been a negative word said about putting a washroom, in a park, next to a playground. Not even from those who believe that Morrisburg gets everything in South Dundas. Perhaps a majority in the community have figured it out that building a washroom in one of the biggest and most-used parks in the municipality makes sense. That a Port-a-Potty is an unacceptable alternative. Glad to see that some have figured that out.
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