IN COMMON WITH the townships of Melancthon, Mulmur and Amaranth, the Town of Mono - unlike the towns of Orangeville and Shelburne - has a dump (alias landfill site).

Like Mulmur's, but unlike Melancthon's and Amaranth's, the Mono dump is on moraine land and thus subject to leaching. As a result, the landfill site itself requires a huge "buffer" zone, to guard against the likelihood that the leachate will start polluting nearby wells.

This week, Mono Council got a report from R. J. Burnside & Associates offering several options to protect against the risk of wells being contaminated as the dump approaches its capacity. (Having been in use since 1971, it's now roughly two-thirds of the way.)

The report has strongly recommended the purchase of an abutting 28 hectares (about 66 acres) that has also been the home of Jane Laurie for the last 15 years.

When contacted Tuesday, Ms. Laurie wouldn't comment on council's decision, but others in attendance at Council were vocal in their opposition.

Burnside says the property is needed to establish a "contaminant attenuation zone," which would serve as a buffer between the landfill and adjoining properties. It would ensure that liquid or gaseous contaminants are contained on town-owned land.

While the process of expropriation is officially under way, Mono Clerk Keith McNenly insists that it is "the intention of the town and the intention of the expropriation process" to negotiate a fair and equitable settlement.

The two sides are apparently far apart. Burnside's report says the town estimates the cost of acquiring the property to be approximately $425,000 but Ms. Laurie has signed back the town offer at $1.5 million.

Should negotiations remain at an impasse after the expropriation is completed, Ms. Laurie can appeal the decision to the Ontario Municipal Board.

As we see it, a far preferable alternative would see Mono "biting the bullet" and joining with the other towns in seeing that the County can proceed immediately with a gasification plant capable of replacing all the local landfill sites.