Commission may spend $30-50k to study garbage - Mar. 08, 2013
Brian Mumford
Bayside
The organization controlling the local waste management company is considering whether to devote $30,000 to $50,000 to study their largest revenue generator.
The expenditure to study the South West Solid Waste Commission was recommended by the executive committee of the Southwest New Brunswick Service Commission, which is made up of Danny Dow and Carla Brown from the Local Service Districts (LSDs), and mayors Frank Carroll (McAdam) and John Quartermain (St. Stephen).
At the Feb. 28 service commission board meeting Chairperson Dow said that the “significant expenditure” would be a good use of money because such a study would require “highly skilled, outside expertise.”
Vern Faulkner of the LSD of Dennis Weston said that such a study of the only money-generating waste disposal facility in the province was “superfluous.”
Dow responded that this was because of the garbage received from Washington County.
Executive Director Frank Tenhave said those tipping fees, along with the tipping fees from York County garbage, which now has its own service commission, is in effect “subsidizing us.” Quartermain said that the new service commission is essentially in the position where they have bought a new business, and by not studying it closely in the first year, “you’re just kicking the can down the road.”
Darrell Weare, chair of the Bayside LSD, said he supported the study because of the importance of the service, but also cautioned that many levels of government have seen studies “that say what you want them to say.”
He said if the commission did approve a study its parameters should be clearly defined so they can get maximum value out of their money.
Agreeing with that statement, Carroll recommended the proposal be sent to both the finance committee and the audit committee. He said they should examine where the money for the study could come from, as it’s not included in the budget approved by Bruce Fitch, the Minister of Environment and Local Government before the Commission officially came into existence. He also said the parameters of the audit should be outlined.
The motion to hire a company for the study was tabled until the next meeting.
According to the Service Commission’s budget, the projected revenue this year from South West Solid Waste is more than $3.7 million, or 90.9 per cent of the commission’s projected revenues.
brianmumford@stcroixcourier.ca
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