Feature Article July 8, 2004
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Dumping on the dump committeeContinuing flak over dumping bylaw in North Frontenac
by Jeff Green
Virginia Shnupp of Land O Lakes Lodge on Crotch Lake has put a lot of time and effort into chronicling the problems she has found with the North Frontenac bag tag system.
Two weeks ago she made a detailed presentation to Council on the matter, and she has been planning to be in attendance on Wednesday, July 7, when the NF Waste Management Committee meet to discuss the controversial bag tag system.
Among the issues that upset Virginia Schnupp is the amount of extra time and cost this system has caused tourist operators, and the fact that the system was put in place quickly, without consulting businesses and residents. She also noted that other townships have lower bulk dumping rates for businesses than does North Frontenac.
She also pointed out that Bon Echo Park has decided to truck their waste out of the township. This is important, according to Schnupp, because the township had argued that the bag tag system had to be rushed into the implementation stage before Bon Echo opened in May in order for the township to be able to legally charge the park the real costs of handling the waste that is generated by the park.
Bruce Bateman, who has been the park superintendent at Bon Echo since 1998, said that the park has been paying tipping fees to the township for as long as hes been at the park.
In 1998 we pay $4,000, and it went up to $6,000 later on and then up to $8,000. Thats what we paid last year.
Earlier this spring, township staff came to the park and measured our garbage truck. They determined that it would cost us $180 for each load of garbage we put in township landfill. We estimate we will have about 100 to 110 loads each summer, so we were looking at $18,000 or more for 2004.
Bon Echo has signed an agreement with the township to pay $180 for each truckload it dumps in township landfills, but the park has also entered into a contract with Newburgh Waste disposal, a private waste disposal company, to take most of its waste.
We will be paying $60 for each truckload, so even factoring in the cost of fuel and staff time trucking the waste down there, we will still be saving some money, Bateman said. He added that the park will only be dumping in North Frontenac on rare occasions, such as when it is too late in the day to send a truck down to Newburgh.
With Bon Echo pulling out, Virginia Schnupp argued before Council that the township is now free to rescind the bylaw. She made four requests to council in all:
She would like to see the bylaw reviewed and put on hold until next year; a reduction in the bulk rate for businesses; a reduction in the cost of a bag tag; and that recyclables be sorted by the township to reduce health hazards to residents, businesses and their employees.
At the very least, I think they must change the bulk rate costs for businesses. They are charging $35 for a flat load on a pick up truck and that is way out of line. It is six times what it costs in some other townships. They need to bring in something that doesnt penalize us for things that we cannot control, such as what our guests do about their garbage. I feel that we are being penalized for being in business, Schnupp said in an interview with the News earlier this week.
At the council meeting Mayor Maguire told Virginia Schnupp that all her issues, and those brought to council in previous meetings by other parties, were being forwarded to the Waste Management Committee. The committee has not met recently, in spite of all the controversy surrounded the bag tag system, because committee chair Councillor Dick Hook has been ill.
Under the circumstances, Councillor Bud Clayton has been appointed interim chair of the committee and Councillor Will Cybulski has been appointed to the committee.
Virginia Schnupp said she was hoping that some real change will come about as the result of the committee meeting.
North Frontenac Council will be meeting tonight, July 8, 7:00 pm at the Ompah Hall.
