Calling it "a $7-million conflict," the former mayor of Amaranth has challenged the right of Orangeville's county councillors to take part in negotiations for the sale of the former CP Rail line right-of-way north from Orangeville.

Bob Currie, appearing at the question-period portion of the county council meeting last Thursday, said his opinion was based on Orangeville's sale of its southern portion of the line to the group that has purchased about 5,000 acres of potato acreage in Melancthon.

He said the Orangeville conflict arises from a condition in that sales agreement whereby the Town must assist the group in its efforts to purchase the Dufferin-owned northern portion.

(Outside the meeting, Mr. Currie said his information is that the group is negotiating for the line all the way to Owen Sound. However, Grey County Clerk Sharon Vokes told this newspaper her county is not in negotiation with anyone for the sale of its portion of the line. Also apart from the meeting, Orangeville CAO Rick Schwarzer said there is a holdback in the Town's sale of the line pending a purchase of the Dufferin portion.)

Mr. Currie said that if a public meeting were held to discuss the sale, 95 per cent of residents would be opposed.

"I have no idea why the county hasn't had a public meeting to find what the public thinks of it. Is this county in favour of selling a rail line? With the money, you're going to build your ivory tower (the proposed administration centre)," he said.

Warden Gordon Montgomery said the council is awaiting an appraisal — expected in about a month — before deciding what to do, to which Mr. Currie suggested an appraisal must be based on the sales record of similar properties.

"How many railroads have been sold in Ontario in the past 20 years?" he posed.

One other person from the packed gallery spoke against the sale during the question period.

Karren Wallace, who had addressed Melancthon council earlier and had spoken on the issue of transparency at a hastily called citizen meeting at Honeywood before that, said the sale process was not public because the county is dealing with only one buyer.

She ventured an opinion that the county should be required to declare the rail bed surplus and offer it publicly. "We're asking the county to call a public meeting and find out what the public wants to do with (the right-ofway)."