SD&G – An Alexandria resident is asking the county to respect signs requesting no roadside herbicide spraying after some guardrails near her property were doused with the chemical this summer.
Diane Faubert, who runs an organic farm on County Road 43, made a presentation to SD&G’s Committee of the Whole this morning (Sept. 30).
Faubert says the July spraying was “a disastrous event” and is “disturbing” since they have posted “no spray” signs for over a decade. She asked that the county use a whipper snipper and roadside mowing in the future, as has been done in the past.
There were concerns from Faubert about the chemical leeching into the river and also potential contamination of their well.
Coun. Steven Byvelds (South Dundas) says it appears that staff made an error and he apologized for that.
Still with the topic of roadside ditch mowing and herbicide spraying, the county will be looking at options to possibly do more mowing and less spraying. But a staff member warned council that doing so could at least double the $315,000 yearly budget.
Coun. Carma Williams (North Glengarry) says people objecting to herbicide spraying is not going away.
“There are people out there who would say doubling the budget for mowing, if it could eliminate spraying, would say hands down it’s worth it. I think we owe it to the public to have the conversation about whether or not this is, environmentally speaking, good stewardship,” she said.
The options for mowing and spraying will come up during 2021 budget talks.