CitySSMA group of three City Councillors will make another attempt to prioritize supplementary budget items.  Ward 1 councillor Paul Christian will be part of that group, along with fellow councillors Ross Romano and Matt Shoemaker.  Christian expressed his frustration that a matrix or rating system he supports would not be considered. That’s the idea the new trio will work towards with help from city staff.  Instead, the three councillors that made up the city’s Finance Committee said last night they couldn’t do it as a broad number of requests, leaving the question of how to create a generic guideline for everything.  A criteria was preferred by the committee, in the form of a number of questions to determine who gets funding from the city budget.

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City Council also discussed the issue of a telecommunication tower policy on Monday.  City Planning Director Don McConnell reminded everyone that Industry Canada is the one who decides where to construct the towers.  The city, however, can determine whether that location is acceptable and influence what locations should be preferred.  It was even suggested that towers that looks like trees — similar to ones built in Muskoka — should be erected in the Sault instead of regular cell towers, but that is a rather expensive option.  New Ward 2 Councillor Sandra Hollingsworth suggested that safety be considered if any towers are built near schools and that towers similar to one in Muskoka be constructed to blend in with ‘naturally gifted’ Sault Ste. Marie.  Councillor Steve Butland concurred with Hollingsworth that cell towers are needed because of dropped calls in certain areas.  One of the highlights of the discussion was the subject of the towers and whether or not they are a health risk.  Butland mentioned research that suggested that they were a health risk in four countries:  Brazil, India, Austria and Germany.  He added that 17 hundred communication towers were shut down over health concerns.  Butland feels Health Canada should do a study on whether or not the health risk should be ‘debunked’ — an issue that could determine where or if any future cell towers should be built.

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A presentation was made related to an environmental assessment involving the city’s landfill site.  City consulting engineer Rick Talvitie talked about the assessment, now in its final stage.  He suggested that the landfill site on Fifth Line expand to the north and west.  The reasons for this range from cost efficiency to the site’s ‘geometry’ being ideal for waste and storm water management.  But a question was raised over the cost of the expansion that would offer 35 additional years to the current site.  Talvitie did not announce any final numbers, but he did mention an approximate total of between 40 and 50 million dollars — a cost that would phase in over that 35 year time period. The environmental assessment is in its final phase that consists of an impact assessment, management of several disciplines, from noise and dust to woodland edge and wildlife.  Work will continue to minimize any odour with a spray system.  It was also announced that there would be ongoing monitoring of water quality and traffic as it relates to dust and noise. One of the benefits is that would only site for the city to look after instead of two.  Part of that expansion will include the construction of a ‘collector’ at the west end of the expansion.  It would help divert leachate that would otherwise seep into the groundwater.  The submission of a draft would happen in the early spring with the M-O-E receiving a final submission by early summer.