After a lengthy back-and-forth conversation about how they wanted to move forward, Chatham-Kent council has decided to go ahead with hiring a third-party mediator to help create a tree-cutting and woodlot preservation bylaw.
At their online meeting last night, council decided in favour of putting out a request-for-proposal to hire a consultant to assist in preparing a framework recommendation to manage woodlots in Chatham-Kent, as well as making sure there’s stakeholder engagement and more input from the public.
Prior to the successful motion, a motion to not go ahead with the hiring of a consultant failed by a tie nine-nine vote.
Wallaceburg councillor Aaron Hall felt strongly that hiring a consultant would be redundant in helping the municipality create a framework for private woodlot preservation.
“Frankly, hiring a third-party mediator to take over is a message from this council to the community that we are choosing to remain indifferent (and) that we are not willing to make a tough decision and that we are choosing not fulfill our responsibility to the public,” Hall said, adding that hiring a consultant would push the issue to the next term of council.
South Kent Councillor Trevor Thompson voted in favour of getting a facilitator in place.
“Investment seeks out stability and that’s what our farm businesses are seeking. Long term stability and sustainability, across the board.” Thompson said. “We really have an opportunity to shift conversation here, to put the past behind us, and to tackle issues like this. They want to be a part of the creation of that framework that provides stability and sustainability.”
Due to the request-for-proposal being put out for a consultant, a pair of upcoming planned public meetings to gather feedback to be held in April and May were postponed until a consultant could be hired.
