I was appalled to learn that Highland Companies representative Michael Daniher has accessed and is using personal opinions and information gathered by the recent YMCA Survey. Could this be a veiled attempt to silence local residents who oppose the Highland Companies proposed 2400-acre, 200-footdeep limestone mine?

At the Oct. 16 Melancthon Council meeting, Mr. Daniher not only publicly announced and named a Melancthon resident who had given a negative opinion to the YMCA Director, Steven Boone, but he had the audacity to announce that the resident had made the call from her place of business, as if she had done something wrong. Employees are allowed personal calls on their break time and Canadian citizens have the right to voice their opinions under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

Our Council should never permit a non-resident to enter the sanctity of our council chambers and attempt to make Melancthon ratepayers feel afraid to voice their opinions in case they lose their jobs.

This is the third time that ratepayers have witnessed Mr. Daniher creating this atmosphere of fear at Melancthon Council with no reprimand from our Mayor or councillors. In fact, when the Mayor was asked where the money to build the YMCA would come from, she handed the question over to Mr. Daniher to answer, despite protests from the ratepayer that the question was asked of council, not the Highland Companies.

Why is a numbered company funded by a American hedge fund answering questions asked of our elected Canadian officials? This is wrong!

I have friends and neighbours who have written letters to people in power, people who might come to the rescue of Dufferin's precious agricultural land and vital headwaters, but they sign their letters "anonymous" because they are afraid of the power of the Highland Companies.

Melancthon ratepayers all need to get out to council meetings and demand to know : "Who is running our Township?! "
Marni Walsh
Melancthon