14 The South Marysburgh Mirror August 2nd the ministry had received no applica(cid:415)on. That said, MOE representa(cid:415)ves did say that turbine bases could be constructed while the amendment is being considered (much like the brush clearing wpd undertook earlier this year). That raises a dilemma for the private landowners on whose proper(cid:415)es the turbines are to be built: If excava(cid:415)on and construc(cid:415)on begins in September and October, what happens to the approximately 75' diameter x 10' deep holes or founda(cid:415)ons if the amendment to the REA is denied late in the fall? There is con(cid:415)nuing (and con(cid:415)nuous) discussion about this ma(cid:425)er and I'll have an update next month or perhaps sooner on my Facebook page. Picton Town Hall At a mee(cid:415)ng organized by Councillor Lenny Epstein on July 22, a passionate group of residents expressed their concerns about the possible sale of the Town Hall. Recognizing that the building has heritage a(cid:425)ributes and is a designated property; acts as a facility used by not-for-profit community groups; and may have poten(cid:415)al for other uses, council voted in favour of deferring discussion about this ma(cid:425)er un(cid:415)l a special Commi(cid:425)ee of the Whole mee(cid:415)ng on September 19th. Like the White Pines discussion which occurs on the same night, the deferral will allow concerned groups and individuals to develop plans that will guide council as to what to do with the building. It is important for residents to understand that the ra(cid:415)onale to sell the building is to reduce municipal debt, some of which was incurred as a result of the construc(cid:415)on of the new fire hall in the industrial park. If the Picton Town Hall is retained, there may be no such reduc(cid:415)on. I seconded Councillor Epstein's mo(cid:415)on for the deferral, and hope the public responds with well thought out, concrete plans that will allow council to vote in favour of the community. For my part, I support Lenny's ini(cid:415)a(cid:415)ve and believe members of the public - whether individuals, groups or organiza(cid:415)ons - should have access to an affordable building at which to congregate. the building's con(cid:415)nuing use by Have an enjoyable August! Municipal Council Update By Steve Ferguson, Councillor for South Marysburgh There is a reduced council and commi(cid:425)ee of the whole mee(cid:415)ng schedule during July and August and rather than providing a recita(cid:415)on of the agenda items, I'll bring forward some issues that may be of interest or concern. The Ontario Municipal Board hearing This case, ini(cid:415)ated by Pierre Klein of Cherry Valley, was heard on July 19th to 21st at Shire Hall. Mr. Klein was arguing against the nine ward plan that Council accepted in January 2016 a(cid:332)er a long and some(cid:415)mes conten(cid:415)ous series of consulta(cid:415)ons with the public, arguing that it did not offer fair representa(cid:415)on to all residents of PEC. I am not going to offer an opinion of the tes(cid:415)mony or the witnesses that tes(cid:415)fied on Mr. Klein's or the County's behalf. The Board Chair is in full possession of all the facts and witness statements and will likely make a decision before the end of the year. The Board's decision on this ma(cid:425)er is not open to appeal. If the Board favours Mr. Klein's posi(cid:415)on it will affect the elec(cid:415)on in 2018; if it supports council's decision, the 2018 elec(cid:415)on will proceed on the basis of the nine-ward plan whereby the ward of Bloomfield is absorbed into Hallowell and council is reduced in size by one council seat in Sophiasburgh and the elimina(cid:415)on of the Bloomfield seat. If the Board doesn't render a decision un(cid:415)l a(cid:332)er January 1st, 2018, it may affect the 2022 municipal elec(cid:415)on. The White Pines Wind Turbine Project I successfully proposed a mo(cid:415)on to defer discussion to September 19th of a revised road use agreement between the County and wpd that was presented by staff only four days before last week's council mee(cid:415)ng. The short amount of (cid:415)me did not allow appropriate considera(cid:415)on for input from residents most affected by the proposed nine-turbine project, they being the people and families in Milford and those living nearby. Notwithstanding the deferral and the considera(cid:415)on of local residents, on July 31st wpd served no(cid:415)ce on the municipality that it intends to commence work on the project beginning on Sunday, September 10th. The le(cid:425)er to the County is printed elsewhere in this issue, and complies with an OEB deadline of August 1, 2017 for no(cid:415)fica(cid:415)on to it of the start of construc(cid:415)on. What is missing from this latest ac(cid:415)on by wpd is the absence of confirma(cid:415)on by any level of government or a government agency that wpd has approval to construct the project at all given its reduced size compared to what their REA and FIT agreements s(cid:415)pulate. The Approvals Branch of the Ministry of the Environment (MOE) confirmed that wpd must apply for an amendment to their REA before construc(cid:415)on of turbines can begin; the (cid:415)meline for approval or denial of an amended REA is approximately four months and as of