36.5

Posted by Magda
I took 36 and a half pages of notes on last night's presentations to council by companies trying to sell their composting technologies to the city.
My hands hurt. Both of them. And my brain, too.
I don't envy councillors for having to keep all the details straight. Here's hoping the companies' powerpoint presentations are posted online soon.

Comments

[Dan Moziar]

Magda:
The process was a complete waste of time. The ten minutes was much too short, and by the time the Company intro was done and the key players identified, there was little time to cover the particular approach of each company. so what you got was the view from 30000 feet on a very foggy day.
The mayor's excuse that no questions would be asked because each presenter should ask the same question was ridiculous. Specific questions to expand on each solution are required for the decision makers to understand the proposal. each company should also be able to provide operating and capital cost information so that this compared to other proposals and to the current costs of disposal.
Did you note that each compost operation shown was located in an industrial or rural setting far from residential areas? Unlike Guelph where the composting site was located next to a residential area violating Ministry guidelines for the location of such facilities. Why was this allowed, and why did the Ministry ignore the complaints of local residents for 8 years?
Will the regulations be ignored once again in the mad rush to implement Phase two of the Farbridge Follies?
Did you note that one presenter had galvaned iron in their proposal? This was what led to the corrosion and failure of the current plant and the warnings of the local firm that provided the galvanized metal were completely ignored in the mad rush to implement phase one of the Farbridge Follies.
The residents in this area have had ten years of hell, their quality of life was destroyed, their well water was contaminated and their property values were hurt. Re-opening of a compost plant on the current will cost the City dearly.

[Magda]

Thanks for your post. I'm actually writing a feature for Saturday about the technologies. Let me know -- Dan and others reading this -- of things you're left wondering about regarding the proposals specifically, or the plan to rebuild in general.

[Leanne Piper]

This public meeting was simply an INTRODUCTION to the various technologies being considered. 10 minutes for 10 companies = 100 minutes. The meeting lasted 2 hours. Questions, costing, in-depth analyis, comparisons, pros, cons, investigations, interviews, site visits, reference checks - this all comes later. The recommendation of the preferred option will solely come directly from staff - it will come from the Organics Technology Steering Committee, comprised of citizens and experts in the field. The decision is not being made tomorrow or next week.

Patience is a virtue.

Leanne Piper

[Edward Pickersgill]

Leanne, patience is only a virtue in certain circumstances. It certainly is not a virtue when it composts down into passivity. An active, engaged citizenry requires a balance of patience and impatience, especially when it comes to the opaque windows in centres of power: Patience leavened with impatience and the wisdom to know the difference for each moment.