Puslinch officials seemed to agree the township’s first “community forum” was a relative success.
Moderator Amanda Levy, a former township resident, opened the public meeting on May 18 by urging residents to stick to “future-focused and solutions-focused” questions and feedback.
“What do you want Puslinch to be like for the rest of your life?” Levy asked in directing the crowd of about 40. She stressed no decisions would be made that evening – township officials just wanted to gather ideas and input.
There was a wide range of questions posed by residents over the hour-long session.
Hard to hear
Resident Bev Wozniak, a regular attendee at council meetings, wondered if microphones could be provided during those meetings for delegation members, councillors and clerk Brenda Law.
“Sitting there, I cannot hear them … and it’s very frustrating,” Wozniak said.
Councillor Susan Fielding said it’s a complaint township officials often hear from residents, some of whom wonder if it really is a “public” meeting if they can’t hear the proceedings.
Fielding said there is money in the 2011 budget to install a sound system, and Law said she hopes the system is in place by the fall.
Road issues
Terry Tucker noted the condition of Concession 11 worsens each year, and this spring there a three large “bog holes” in the road.
“What’s the township going to do to fix the road?” he asked. “It’s just a mess.”
Mayor Dennis Lever said the municipality is currently conducting a survey of township roads to come up with a five-year plan and determine which are the most pressing issues.
He noted the goal of new Public Works Manager Don Creed is to grade all gravel roads, to which Tucker replied, “You can’t grade mud.”
Lever said he expects the road survey to be completed by year’s end, at which time it will become part of the budget process and can be viewed by members of the public.
Another resident said he is concerned about all the illegal roadside dumping that occurs in the township. “It’s an expensive problem,” he noted, because the township is often left to pick up items like tires and old appliances.
Lever said he knows dumping is an issue in the township and he is open to any ideas on how to address the problem. One lady suggested the Road Watch program is a good idea that could be expanded upon to deal with issues like dumping.
Recreation
Bruce Joy, president of the Puslinch Minor Soccer Club, asked what the municipality is doing to implement recreational programs at various facilities.
Councillor Wayne Stokley said township officials want to hire a recreation director within a year or two, which should help with program development. He noted Puslinch is the only municipality in the county without a recreation department.
Joy then asked when residents will be able to use the new Optimist Recreation Centre in Aberfoyle. Lever replied he hopes to resolve “technical issues” with the contractor “in a couple of months” – at which time the township would assume ownership of the building.
Big Lake
Wozniak, who was likely the most vocal resident at the meeting, then asked when a public meeting will be held to determine if residents have any interest in the Big Lake plan to transform several gravel pits into a large lake measuring 700 acres (twice the size of Puslinch Lake).
Stokley replied that even if council decides to proceed with the plan, “I don’t think it will happen in our lifetime.” Yet he agreed there needs to be more public input than in the past on the issue, and he suggested a public meeting be held in September.
Lever agreed a meeting was a good idea but he said discussions to date have consisted mainly of “a lot of conjecture.” He added the township will host a meeting once it gets more concrete information, including an answer from the aggregate producers involved on how much gravel is under township property in the area.
Another resident asked if it was possible to hold a township-wide vote on the Big Lake issue, similar to a referendum. Fielding replied the township needs more information before getting to the stage where that could even be considered.
Wildlife
One concerned resident at the meeting wondered what could be done to deal with the problem of coyotes, asking if the township would consider a bounty on the animals.
Lever said the current council has not discussed the issue and Fielding said she is unsure what council could do, suggesting the matter falls under provincial jurisdiction.
Law opined that Puslinch Township may not be the best place for a bounty, considering the urban nature of certain areas of the township, but she said that would have to be decided by council.
Future meetings
Levy said the idea of regular community forums is supported by council and residents, though future meetings will likely be 90 minutes in length, not just 60.
A resident suggested it would be nice to get updates at the beginning of each meeting on what was discussed at the previous meeting.
The next community forums are scheduled for Sept. 8, Nov. 10 and Jan. 12 in the Archie MacRobbie Room at the Puslinch community centre.
