Without proper background information to support a resolution, Puslinch councillors are reluctant to take a stance on the Melancthon quarry issue.
Earlier this year, council received a letter from resident Betty Anderson asking Puslinch council to take a stand on the proposed Melancthon mega-quarry.
She believed council should add its voice to other councils, including Wellington County council, that have expressed concern with the project.
Anderson noted the David Suzuki Foundation is opposed to the quarry and the issue has attracted attention nationwide.
“The pit will be at the headwaters of the Grand River and Nottawasaga Rivers among others, and the implications for those of us downstream, and in fact the entire watershed, are worrisome.”
Anderson said the provincial government needs to hear now from its rural constituents “as it appears they are rolling over us again in favour of corporate America and urban Ontario.”
She maintained “Puslinch has had its share of gravel pits and can speak to this with authority.”
Council’s decision on first receipt of the letter in June was to direct staff to get an opinion from Stan Denhoed of Harden Environmental to get some background.
The email from Puslinch clerk Brenda Law to Denhoed noted that while council was generally supportive, members felt it would be more effective and credible to supply a list of reasons supporting its opposition.
Denhoed’s response was that he had not studied the Melancthon quarry proposal in great detail.
Therefore, he wrote “I do not feel comfortable with forwarding an official position without … careful consideration of the facts.”
But Denhoed had at least one opinion to offer.
“If it is true that it is proposed to de-water the excavation forever and grow potatoes at the base of the 60 metre deep quarry, I would suggest that this is an unrealistic scenario. The township of Puslinch rejected the concept of pumping water out of Heritage Lake in perpetuity and I would think that other municipalities/conservation authorities would feel the same way.”
Mayor Dennis Lever explained that the letter was sent to Denhoed for technical reasons to support opposing the quarry.
Having read Denhoed’s comments, Lever asked how council wanted to proceed.
He said council could pass a resolution generally opposing the Melancthon quarry.
Lever believed without technical information to back it up, the resolution would carry very little weight.
Councillor Susan Fielding agreed.
“If we don’t have some solid information – just saying we don’t want something isn’t going to mean much.”
While Fielding agreed that the issue is serious, she believed the people in Melancthon and other groups are involved in this.
As a result, Fielding suggested this remain an issue Puslinch stay out of – for now.
Councillor Jerry Schmidt agreed.
“Based on Stan’s comments, I would not be prepared to ask council to spend any significant amount of money we do not have, on something that might happen.”
Councillor Wayne Stokley said, “I would like to support them … but I agree. If you don’t have the information backing up the resolution, it becomes meaningless.”
Lever added he likes the words of Fielding, who indicated the township hold on making a stand “for now.”
“If something changes down the road, perhaps we can revisit it,” Lever said.
