A number of years ago we recall a rookie councilor coming back from a transition board meeting to Guelph-Eramosa council, pleased as punch to have the phrase equality written into the mandate for solid waste services. Although we cringed at the time, we did not dare argue with such a motherhood statement as equality.
Several years later, the seeds of seeking equality have come full circle and that quest for equal service everywhere in Wellington County has been responsible for many hung-up courses of action in the garbage file. That perhaps explains the phenomena in Minto, where rural collection service is embraced far less than in Guelph-Eramosa. Jim Connell, a former county councillor, knew the results before the pilot project started – Minto residents would not use it.
But as has been the case since the tumultuous shift in seats at county council in recent years, little shrift was given to voices of experience.
Since the summer of 2003, there have been two municipal elections, resulting in many different faces around the county council table.
The residents in Wellington have chosen the personalities they wish to represent their interests. For whatever reason, there has been a virtual stalemate in moving ahead on the waste management file, so one could easily conclude residents are happy with the present circumstance of bickering and arguments. We don’t believe that – and suspect Warden John Green’s unapologetic prose at the last county council meeting sums up the frustration of residents.
On a positive note, the county’s assumption of landfills has in fact been a good thing for residents. The degree of professionalism at sites has improved and the traditional concept of dumps as wretched muck holes filled with refuse has changed for the better. The mission to improve sites is well in hand, leaving the remaining problem of service delivery to contend with.
We believe the notion of equality has had its day and we can think of no better option than leaving that choice with the lower tier municipalities.
There is enough diversity in culture from south to north to recognize expectations of citizens to be quite different.
It’s high time to move ahead and put the question to local councils. What kind of service do you want?
Then, get out of this malaise and charge each municipality accordingly.
