SWM What's New - December 8, 2021

Posted date
News Update

DISCUSSION ON DECEMBER 8, 2021

For further details on items discussed, please view the agenda

Two meetings were held on the 8th of December with a special meeting held in the afternoon to present the 2022 operating budget.  The evening session began with a presentation by Lower Thames Valley Conservation Authority concerning changes to legislation affecting conservation authorities that have affected municipal levies.  Southwest Middlesex is anticipating a 1.84% budget increase.

Council received the following staff reports:

  • The results of the branding exercise RFP were presented to council with a recommendation to proceed to engage Mad Hatter Technology Inc. in the total amount of $28,505. which falls under the budgeted amount of $30,000.  Mad Hatter will be starting to engage with the community starting soon and carrying into 2022.  
  • Approval was given for the CAO-Clerk to complete the paperwork to transfer property in Middlemiss as earlier decided by council.
  • The report on Monitoring Results for Southwest Middlesex Trillium Landfill Site was presented by Golder Associates Ltd. engineer Fabiano Gondim.  We do recommend that you take a few minutes to view that portion of the council meeting on YouTube to understand the MECP order, the work that Golder Associates were required to undertake on our behalf, the testing results and to review the recommended actions to council.  Council will be presented with a staff report in January of 2022 to make a decision on the direction to be taken.  Options in the report to council include:
    • 1 - Acquisition of properties or groundwater rights for the properties adjacent the west and east boundaries is the recommended option for consideration by the Municipality. 
      • Common approach applied for natural attenuation landfill facilities.
      • It has the greatest certainty in achieving environmental compliance immediately after execution of agreement with property owners.
      • Cost to purchase land or groundwater rights: presently unknown.
      • Cost to conduct desktop modelling and an investigation (i.e., drilling, sampling and testing) of groundwater quality to support the decision on the extent of the property or groundwater easement acquisition: $100,000.
      • Minimal annual costs for a property or groundwater easement purchase.
      • This option will require some administrative effort.
      • Negligible impact to monitoring costs if the compliance wells get transferred to the new boundaries.
      • Risks: the property owners may not be willing to sell their properties or groundwater rights.
      • This option does not preclude the requirement to complete the interim closure activities (mothballing, $1,000,000) by October 31, 2024.

    • 2 - Alternatively, the following remedial actions are recommended:

      •  Relocation of the composting and wood waste piles to another on site location that would not cause impact to monitoring wells; AND

      • Minor site drainage improvements to promote positive surface water drainage away from the monitoring wells; AND

      • Construction of an underground physical barrier to leachate migration on both east and west boundaries; AND EITHER

      • Implementation of Interim Closure Activities, if the Municipality intends to resume landfilling operations; OR

      • Implementation of final closure activities, if the Municipality does not intend to resume landfilling operations.

    • TOTAL COST: ​​​​​​​

      • ​​​​​​​$1.9 million for remedial actions and interim closure (if the Municipality intends to resume landfilling operations); OR​​​

      • $2.4 million for remedial actions and final closure (if the Municipality does not intend to resume landfilling operations
  • A report was presented on the roof and HVAC replacement for the municipal office.  The tender as approved was over budget by $65,000 and it was agreed by council that the shortfall  will come from our provincial COVID-19 funds.
  • Several drainage petitions were approved as follows:
    • Section 4 - Grover Drain
    • Section 4 - Lethbridge Drain
    • Section 78 - McTaggart Drain
    • Section 78 - Mills Drain - Branch B
    • Section 78 - Camplin Drain Branch A

General Business of Council:

  • November 24, 2021 Budget and Regular Meeting Minutes
  • December 1, 2021 Regular Meeting Minutes
  • SWM Vouchers
  • Switzer Drain 2020 Tribunal decision

Adopted By-laws to:

  • Appoint Ward 2 Councillor
  • Confirm the proceedings of council - December 8, 2021 (both meetings)