If members of the public are becoming increasingly concerned with the  
apparent inability of this council to make a cohesive decision without a constant barrage of infighting, they are not alone.

It is disconcerting and frustrating to track the history of what has  
been proposed in terms of managing runoff into the Muskoka River  
through the proposed River Mill park. Originally, septors were being  
considered as a good way of mitigating runoff. Then we heard council  
was considering using wet ponds as a better way of controlling runoff  
into the river from highlands leading to the River Mill park area. We 
were told such ponds were a better option because by putting septors  
in the ground, soil which has been deemed as contaminated would be  
disturbed and end up in the river. But, the idea of ponds, especially  
wet ones, was not met with a warm welcome considering the green space  
they would take up in an already-small park. To address the concerns  
it was suggested that perhaps a combination of a pond and septor  
could be used. Then, another proposal followed, which called for a  
septor and an additional buffer in the form of two swales. Now we  
learn that because council did not have its full complement of  
councillors around the table at its last meeting, some members, who  
happen to form the majority at that particular council meeting, took  
the opportunity to discard one of the swales.

We have also learned that the issue is expected to be rehashed when  
the environment committee brings a motion forward likely insisting  
that the second swale be reinstated in the management of runoff. At  
this rate, they may even call for a pond system to be used again.

Those of us trying to keep track of this council’s acrobatics are  
left scratching our heads and wondering where the consultant is in  
all of this. The issue is simple. While some might argue that one  
huge pond instead of the park would be the best solution for  
controlling runoff, the fact that the community wants a park there  
makes that option impossible. So, the consultant’s job is to come up  
with the best way to address the social and environmental factors of  
those lands – which now include the former MB Auto Body property – by  
finding the best way to mitigate runoff, while at the same time  
preserving as much green space as possible. Those are the parameters  
this council ought to have set out at the beginning of this wasteful  
enterprise and left the decision up to the experts. Isn’t that the  
reason they hired a consultant with our money in the first place?

Council is on the second year of its mandate and ought to have  
figured out how to work co-operatively by now. That is what those who  
weren’t acclaimed were elected to do. It is time to discard the  
partisan politics and get on with the work of serving the community.  
Until this council proves it can do more than ride on capricious  
impulse, the idea of giving itself a pay raise is an insult.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                              T.d.V.