Council here may revisit a decision to pay for potential future repairs to a private drain crossing a township road.
On March 28 Mapleton council agreed to rectify any future damage to a tile crossing Sideroad 17 until 2032 after being presented with documents supporting a resident’s claim the road was used to transport turbine components during construction of the Conestogo Wind Energy Centre (CWEC) in 2012. At the April 11 meeting, councillor Michael Martin provided notice of his intention to introduce a motion to reconsider the decision.
Resident Dunc Lamond initially came to council about the issue on March 8, 2016, asking who is responsible for future repairs to a tile drain that crosses Sideroad 17 near his farm.
He told council the transportation route outlined in the agreement between the township and NextEra Energy Canada indicates trucks would use a series of back roads off Highway 6.
Yet he said he and other area residents saw blades and turbine components transported straight to the site along Sideroad 17 from Wellington Road 109. He said he believes the heavy loads caused the road to settle and disrupted the tile outlet.
The township investigated Lamond’s concerns, including contacting NextEra officials, who stated the company never used Sideroad 17, and declined to take further action.
On March 28 Lamond presented council with a copy of a Transportation Management Plan for the CWEC project that he received from a NextEra official on March 2.
The plan shows Sideroad 17 as delivery route for turbine components and a NextEra official also mentioned the road as part of the delivery route in a telephone conversation with Lamond.
Although CAO Brad McRoberts noted a drain crossing a township road would not be allowed under current policies without a legal agreement, council approved a resolution agreeing to pay for any repairs to the drain until 2032, the estimated life of the tile.
