ELMIRA'S METHANE ISSUES HAVE NOT BEEN FORGOTTEN

I received some good news late last week regarding the Bolender Park Landfill here in Elmira. I had submitted 40 well thought out questions to Council, staff, and the Ministry of Environment in mid November 2017. It took far too long for me to even receive so much as an acknowledgement that Council had received the questions however with a gentle nudge they finally did. A couple of the questions regarding the role and input of Brian Shantz in regards to the Gas Collection System were answered by Sandy as well as her advising me that "many" of the questions I had asked had already been answered and given to the owner of #86 Auto Recyling (former Paleshi's Garage ). If that was the case it seemed to me that they should have had a pretty easy time then answering the remaining questions and getting them all back to me. Apparently not as I'm still waiting.

Regardless on Friday I was advised that a Report would be going to Council on February 26 dealing with my Bolender Park Landfill questions. Later I was advised that the following Tuesday March 6/18 was a more likely date. I was further promised that I would receive the report a week in advance in order to study it and prepare a Delegation to Council on March 6/18. There were also some suggestions made regarding some ongoing work being done around the landfill. As I was aware that the Township and the current property owner were at loggerheads I had figured that work on his property was unlikely until an agreement had been reached. While in my opinion response and further work have been moving at barely glacial speed, nevertheless any progress is something.

I am still hoping that there will be honest answers finally given whether by staff, their consultants or even the Ministry of Environment that put this whole issue of explosive methane levels in a better light. To date everything I have read has given the appearance of a very badly run operation that has not been handled with the diligence and professionalism it deserves. Perhaps the upcoming answers to my questions will put the actions taken over the last thirty-four years in a better light. We will see.