Council has officially suspended an allocation of 14 units of sewage capacity to Wellingdale Construction after hearing from the township’s engineers and a representative of the local developer on Sept. 23.
A motion to remove a holding provision from 14 lots on Faith Drive in Drayton had to be deferred at the Aug. 26 meeting after an engineers’ report from R.J. Burnside and Associates stated that while the plant’s rating indicated capacity was available, the township actually had an operational deficit of 61 units.
By delaying the allocation “until sufficient capacity becomes available,” as a resolution passed on Sept. 23 states, “we’re not taking it away, just suspending it,” stressed CAO Patty Sinnamon at the meeting.
“As soon as we know we have legitimate capacity we could go back and deal with this,” said Mayor Bruce Whale.
Gord Feniak, of R.J. Burnside, told council the treatment capacity for which the local plant is rated is “the upset limit of what we are allowed to allocate out.”
However, he noted, an “estimated operational capacity,” has been established through monitoring flows for the past year or so. If on any given day the plant exceeds the rated limit, Mapleton would be in violation of provincial regulations, so “you have to set a limit,” said Feniak.
“Knowing you can’t go over, we’re finding about 90 per cent of the actual rated capacity is what you can actually use,” he explained.
At the Sept. 9 meeting, council approved moving ahead with initiatives aimed at alleviating wastewater capacity limitations, including directing staff to issue a request for proposals (RFP) for the completion of a Class Environmental Assessment for long-term wastewater management.
Whale also pointed out that council received a report from public works director Brad McRoberts during a closed session held before the Sept. 23 meeting on how to proceed “and it’s addressing a lot of things.”
Councillor Neil Driscoll said, “I think our engineers and our operators need to communicate more often. I’m not wishing to put the blame on either party, but I think that’s been lacking in the past.”
Whale stated, “Hopefully we can get this resolved, although it’s going to take longer than I think we might hope for, but I think we’re on the right track.”
John Mohle of Wellingdale Construction was not satisfied with progress on the issue and said refusing to lift the hold on the capacity units, after agreeing to transfer them from the Murray Group to Wellingdale, “constitutes bad faith and conduct by the township.
“The fact is, you folks are to give me those units. You gave them to the Murray Group. Where are they?” asked Mohle. “Your operational concerns are not my concern.”
Mohle added, “people make plans based on those units” and he suggested that council move into closed session to discuss the matter further.
“We’re not going into closed,” replied Whale, who asked Mohle, “Was there a commitment that the hold would be lifted? If you have that in writing…”
“So that’s the kind of municipality that we we’ve become? That everything has to be in writing?” Mohle responded.
Councillor Andy Knetsch stated, “Council in good faith made a decision to grant those 14 units … the fact of the matter is we cannot give something that is not there.”
Knetsch suggested if council “rammed this through” a relationship built up with the Ministry of Environment while working through the township’s capacity issues “is going to go for naught.”
“Why do I have to suck it up? That’s what it boils down to,” Mohle responded.
He also suggested council “better look very, very carefully” at the township’s handling of sewage capacity issues.
“We hear what you’re saying. We made a decision on the wrong information and we’re sorry and know we’ve got to deal with it,” said Driscoll.
Bill Van Zwol of Wellington Construction noted his company has spent a lot of money in the community “counting on that allotment that is there” and suggested relying on a single engineering opinion is a bad idea.
“If it was my business I would have two or three options on the table as to what to do because the municipality has quite a bit of money on the table,” said Van Zwol.
“Do you know this is the correct opinion? I bet none of you can, because you’re not experts.”
Mohle asked, “Suppose Wellingdale comes up with a completely different engineering opinion? Would you accept that at face value?”
“We would certainly review it,” replied Whale.
“We don’t want to jeopardize or run the risk of the ministry ignoring us the way they have the last three or four years, saying we haven’t got our act together so we’re not going to deal with it. I’m not any happier than you are about this in terms of the setback,” Whale told Mohle.
The mayor said the township is hoping to have a proposal regarding increasing capacity ready to go to the ministry by February.
Mohle asked council to respond in writing to a letter he sent the township on behalf of Wellingdale Construction.
The letter indicates Wellingdale “fully expects the township to lift holding provision on 14 lots,” by the end of September.
“Obviously it is Wellingdale’s intention and desire to work with the township in the event there may be legitimate sewer capacity limits; however it is not prepared to wait out an indefinite problem with no apparent solution in these particular circumstances,” the letter states.
