Six-Hour Meeting Leads to Disappointment

Lavington residents are bitterly disappointed that the planned Pellet Plant will proceed.

A marathon meeting at District of Coldstream on Monday, August 18th, 2014 saw Councillors Kiss, Enns and Dirk opposed to the plant.  But positive votes from Mayor Garlick and Councillors Besso, McClean and Cochrane approved the zoning change, which is the first step necessary to construct the facility.

As reported in the Morning Star today, residents were passionate and emotional, citing safety concerns from plant emissions for their children attending Lavington school, approximately 150metres from the plant.  More than 500 people had signed a petition against constructing the plant at that location.

The Morning Star's front-page story included these comments from residents:

"Too bad for us," said one mom, as she left consoling another.

"I first started out in favour of this plant," admits Brad Broten, a Brewer Road resident whose kids attend Lavington Elementary.  "I no longer am.  We're talking about increasing the risk to a population that is already at risk."

"How much economic growth is worth putting our community and children at risk?" asked Jay Shaw, a Locke Drive resident who was also initially in favour of the plant.

As to economic growth, it was recently reported in another issue that the plant's "tax revenue" to Coldstream is about $5,000 a year for 10 years.

Several residents from West Coldstream have, in unison, stated "Sheesh, I pay more than that in taxes for my place!(s), and I'm (we're) only residential."

"Seems that a form of New York State's 10 tax-free years for business relocation program has crossed the border," suggests Kia.


Coldstream Mayor Garlick still mourns the annual tax loss of the defunct Consumers Glass Plant.