Solid waste services committee chairman Bob Wilson admitted on Jan. 18 that Erin residents might be disgruntled for some time at the closure of the Hillsburgh transfer station.
He admitted, too, that a staff plan to communicate with Erin residents about a change to curbside pick-up and having to take large items to transfer stations such as Belwood is “not a simple thing.”
Wilson’s report to county council also noted the committee opposes a reuse or recycling centre as proposed by councillor Lou Maieron.He noted the county is willing to have discussions to see if it can work with charitable groups on that issue.
Warden Joanne Ross-Zuj said in an interview prior to the meeting county council would never consider going into competition with a charitable group, and East Wellington Community Services is already running a reuse centre.
The committee motion included the committee working with interested community groups to develop a reuse centre, that the county not proceed with its own recycling centre at this time, that rural and urban residents continue to be referred to existing waste facilities for the handling of bulky items and other waste needs, and staff monitor the need for the development of a recycle centre option and report back to the committee in September in time to be considered in the budget process.
The communication package that was approved includes notices, postings at the current Hillsburgh transfer station, Newspaper advertising and on the internet.
As for the campaign that Maieron had started to email him their protests, Wilson said he has to date received 23 such messages, and he is not impressed.
“I expect some will be upset for some time to come,” he said of Erin residents.
But, he added, “We had to close it. We’ve got to … keep it from being a problem. We finally got up the nerve to say ‘We’ve got to … fix the problem.’ ”
Wilson then went through a history of the Hillsburgh site and the county’s efforts to provide the area with services. He said in 2003 there were plans for a brand new Erin area transfer station in Ospringe. He had not been returned to council that year, and those plans were “scuttled and not been heard from since.”
He added, “Now people have to drive to Belwood,” and said Erin residents in rural areas will get blue box and garbage pick-up.
Wilson said he talked to a Guelph-Eramosa Township resident who receives rural pick-up and said that person is “tickled pink.”
Then, he said of Erin residents, “I don’t think they’re much different from the people of Guelph Eramosa – and they’ll learn to love it, too.”
He concluded, “We’ve got to keep the juice [contaminants] from running away from us” at the Hillsburgh site.
Maieron protested. He said, “I agree the [Hillsburgh] site has to close.”
But he added the county is “leaving 24,000 people no transfer station services” and, “That’s not fair.”
Maieron said 65% of Erin’s workers are commuters to outside of the county, and they “all want a convenient place to be green. We have to provide the service.”
Wilson started to reply, then decided against that, and said he would give Maieron’s comments what they deserve, and he would not respond at all.
Wilson passed to a reporter a sheet that was cited as being handed out at the Hillsburgh transfer station by Maieron the previous week.
It stated 12,500 people use that transfer station. It provided residents of emails of a number of county councillors, including Wilson, the warden and solid waste service committee members.
The statement at the top of it read: “Because no one has complained, Wellington County is closing the Hillsburgh Transfer station May 1st, 2010 and redirecting users to Belwood.”
Maieron referred to a survey he started called the Erin Solid Waste Services Survey that he said identified the best option is rural collection with a recycle centre for bulky and yard waste, connected to a hazardous waste and re-use and restore depot.
He urged residents to email or call the councillors on the list and provide him and Erin councillor Ken Chapman with those comments.
County Councillor Chris White said Guelph-Eramosa residents have good access, with a places to take trash in Belwood, Guelph and Fergus.
Councillor Brad Whitcombe said, “I’ve only thrown out one couch in my lifetime. It [travelling to Belwood] sounds like a big problem but … It seems we’re making a lot of it.”
Wilson said, “Thanks. That is the truth.” He added to Maieron he would have been impressed if he had received 200 emails.
Maieron responded, “You will.”
Council then approved the committee’s recommendations.
