NDACT continues battle over trees

Former Melancthon mayor Garry Matthews joined in the fray last Thursday as North Dufferin Agricultural and Community Task Force (NDACT) pursued its fight against tree cutting on 6,000 acres owned by The Highland Companies.

In a Dufferin County Council meeting that led to the resignation of Shelburne Mayor Ed Crewson as chairman of council's Museum Committee, members of NDACT implied that county forestry management had been less than forthcoming in provision of information about permits and minor adjustments, and Mr. Matthews said, "If county council had dealt properly we wouldn't be here."

During the question period, NDACT spokesman Carl Cosack asked whether council would acknowledge that Highland had committed nine infractions of the forest conservation bylaw, to which Warden Gordon Montgomery responded that the bylaw had been in for 15 years, and that county staff had found only one infraction by Highland, "one area over one hectare," he said.

"So I hear you say NDACT failed to prove it (more than one infraction)?" said Mr. Cosack.

Responded the warden: "What I'm saying is staff has gone out there and found only one violation." He added that the bylaw is to be amended for greater clarification.

Mr. Matthews asked if the county would make sure Highland planted trees to replace those cut under the alleged infraction, and said there was no point having a bylaw if it were not enforced.

Prior to resigning as chairman, Mr. Crewson suggested that the NDACT issues are greater than just one of treecutting. It's about a bigger issue," he said to a brief chorus of "no, no" from a few NDACT members in the almost-packed gallery.

"I've had e-mails in the past week saying I should resign," said Mr. Crewson. "At this time, I resign."

Amaranth Mayor Don MacIver asked whether the resignation was from chairmanship of the committee, or something else. Mr. Crewson responded that it was from chairmanship of the committee, "for now."

NDACT had been asking that the county assess maximum penalties against Highland for each proven infraction — which would mean, by NDACT's accusations, possibly hundreds of thousands of dollars.

At that point, Mr. Crewson declared a conflict of interest in discussions of anything that would affect Highland financially, evidently based on his insurance business.

Mr. MacIver pursued the topic of penalties after Mr. Crewson had vacated the room. "I would like to see a recommendation come forward," he said.

But Mono Mayor Lorie Haddock thought better. "Before we talk of penalties and jail sentences we should be sure there has been a violation." She said Highland had not acknowledged that it had violated the bylaw.

As the museum and forestry business came to a close, Mulmur Deputy Mayor Sue Snider reminded the council that the chairman of both the museum committee and the Community Development one that was about to be discussed had resigned.

"We have a committee but no chairman," she said.

In what could have been a comedy, had it not been serious business, Ms. Snider moved that East Luther Grand Valley Mayor John Oosterhof should be made chairman of the museum committee with Mr. Crewson remaining as chairman of the CDC.

The motion passed in the absence of Mr. Crewson, and without the consent of Mr. Oosterhof.

Mr. Crewson returned to attend the CDC meeting, and was brought up to date.

He agreed to continue as CDC chair, and asked if Mr. Oosterhof was willing to sit as chair of the museum one. After a pause, Mr. Oosterhof said, "yeah, I'll do it."

Then, with a flourish, Mr. Crewson held high the museum file, and said, "so to you, John, I pass the torch."