At least $200,000 in funding – and possibly close to double that amount – will be lost if the actions of new Puslinch councillors match their words last week.
All but one councillor stated outright they are opposed to any taxpayers’ money at all going towards the study for the big lake project, a plan first introduced by former mayor Brad Whitcombe to transform several gravel pits along Concession 2 into one large lake measuring 700 acres.
That would mean a $200,000 grant from the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM), which was approved last month, would be lost.
“I don’t think it’s a forgone conclusion that we’ll be accepting this,” councillor Susan Fielding said at council’s first meeting on Dec. 1.
Fielding, the only returning member of the previous council, stated she has been opposed to using taxpayer money from the start and she wondered if there have been any conversations with representatives of the local gravel pits. Mayor Dennis Lever said he had not had any conversations with those individuals.
Councillor Ken Roth said he is “certainly not in favour” of using any taxpayer money for the big lake study. Councillor Jerry Schmidt agreed, but said council needs to consider all the relevant information before making a decision.
Lever was also opposed to spending taxpayer money on the plan and said he would like a “firm commitment” from the gravel companies that they will cover the entire cost.
Councillor Wayne Stokley appeared to be the only councillor who thought accepting the grant was even a possibility. He told council he was worried most about timing.
“I’m concerned not necessarily about the grant itself, but about the timeline,” Stokley said, noting the agreement with the FCM has to be signed by Dec. 16, and reports would be due in January and March.
He agreed the township should talk to the gravel companies, noting council is “not privy” to all the information required to make a decision.
“This project may not even happen in our lifetimes,” Stokley said, stressing such an important decision should not be rushed. He suggested the township ask the FCM if the Dec. 16 deadline can be extended.
Lever said township staff can contact FCM officials and he would try to contact the gravel companies to get their input.
Council is expected to make a decision at its Dec. 15 meeting. If council turns down the FCM grant, it will likely do the same for a $193,000 grant under Ontario’s Rural Economic Development (RED) program, for which an announcement is still expected.
