Image

May 4, 2015

You won’t have to pay to use the compost site in Petrolia – at least not this year.

Town council agreed to drop a plan to charge a $30 per year “membership” or a one-time $5 fee giving residents access to the site. The idea came from the Director of Operations, Mike Thompson, who was charged with finding ways to save money and generate revenue.

Thompson came up with several ideas including a plan to pay a user fee for the compost site. It would have brought in about $40,000. He also suggested reducing the hours at the site to only two days a week instead of three.

But town staff at the composting area was fielding all kinds of complaints and Thompson felt it wasn’t worth the aggravation.

“Our workers took most of the flack when it came to this,” says CAO Manny Baron adding Thompson “doesn’t want them to bear the brunt of the complaints.”

The town workers were not the only ones getting an earful. Councillor Joel Field says he had more people talk to him about a compost user fee than the budget. “It’s a small thing but it was a service they expect,” he says.

Council also agreed to reinstate a three-day of the week service instead of the two suggested.

The idea of a user-fee for composting isn’t dead yet. Councillor Ross O’Hara who was initially skeptical about the move, suggested council revisit the idea next year.

In the meantime, the town will educate people about what should go to the compost site to help eliminate some of the staff time taken up sorting the items brought to the site.

 

 

 

Share This

Image
Front Page

Forest Kiwanis hope a mandarin, apple and cucumber can raise some cash for Kineto

February 7, 2025

Heather Wright/The Independent “Why would somebody give 6.2 million for a banana on the wall?” That’s what Forest’s Jose Van Haastert thought after seeing what a crypto billionaire paid for a piece of conceptual art with a banana on the wall. Her family talked about the massive price tag for the art over Christmas. But the idea got Van Haastert,

Read More

Image
News

New scholarship program at Great Lakes created in honour of late Sarnia judge

February 7, 2025

Students in St. Clair Township and Sarnia will be able to apply for a new scholarship program, named in honour of an Ontario Court Justice from Sarnia. The Sarnia Community Foundation says the family of the late Anne McFadyen has set up an annual scholarship program, similar to LCCVI’s Nicol Scholarships. It will honour five graduating students from Great Lakes

Read More

Front Page

Driver taken to hospital after Inwood accident

February 7, 2025

An Alvinston woman had to be taken to hospital after an accident near Inwood Monday. Lambton OPP have yet to release any details about the crash Monday morning which occurred during foggy conditions. Witnesses say two vehicles, a van and large pickup truck, collided at the corner of Inwood and Shiloh Line Monday morning. The van was T-boned. Brooke-Alvinston Fire

Read More

Image
Sports

LCCVI on top of girls high school hockey standings

February 7, 2025

LCCVI moved into a first place tie with Chatham-Kent Secondary School in girls’ high school hockey this week with a 2-1 win over the Golden Hawks in Chatham. The Lancers are 2-0-2 in the south division this season. The regular season wraps up late next week. Playoff dates have yet to be announced.

Read More