EMERALD PARK – The Emerald Park Fire Hall was filled with concerned residents last night, some left with perhaps more questions than answers about a proposed compost facility in the RM of Edenwold.
The town hall meeting hosted by the RM didn’t leave room for a question and answer period, rather giving five minutes apiece to anyone with a desire to speak, followed by a response from EverGen - the applicant interested in building the compost facility.
RM of Edenwold Deputy Reeve Stan Capnerhurst chaired the meeting, and attendees learned that the RM is still processing the application. Administration staff on hand also explained that analysis of submitted reports, studies and plans from the applicant is still ongoing, and they “cannot provide recommendation on this discretionary application at this time.”
But the real purpose of the evening was to allow the public to have a voice - and that call was answered loudly. RM Council received 38 written submissions, including a petition with 574 signatures.
After accepting the voluminous material, it was time for verbal submissions to be heard - initiated by the applicant.
“I personally feel really passionate and believe in what we do at EverGen,” said president, co-founder and COO Mischa Zajtmann. “We are here to support communities like Regina and the surrounding communities in the RM as well as towns like Pilot Butte.”
He pointed to a track record of operational excellence and creating opportunities that benefit both their bottom line and the host communities.
“We're committed to stand by every single project that we put our name behind, ensuring that we adhere to the highest standards of operational and environmental compliance and excellence,” Zajtmann said.
EverGen anticipates spending $10 million on the local project, promising five to 10 new jobs at start up. Zajtmann also noted the benefits to the agricultural sector through delivery of nutrient-rich compost and soil enhancements.
Zajtmann realized he wouldn’t be the most popular person in the room last night, but confidently shared a positive vision through some crystal ball gazing.
“I know that this is a contentious submission here today,” he said. “I want to come back here in six months, 12 months time and speak constructively with everyone with all the benefits that this project has realized for this community here; for everyone here.”
While Zajtmann wanted to extend an olive branch, residents gathered were simply not buying it.
“I just built a brand new house in Pilot Butte,” said Shayne Klatt. “I spent over half a million dollars building that house, and I wouldn’t have built in Pilot Butte if I’d knew that there was a garbage dump to the northwest of our town.”
Klatt pointed to the various gravel pits throughout the RM as a possible location, but was also skeptical over EverGen’s current Net Zero facility near Abbotsford, advising those in attendance to search it on Google Maps.
“It will show you their Gore tarp system,” Klatt explained. “It will show it ripped on Google Maps. It will show compost out the sides of those tarps. Maybe that was just a one-off, maybe Abbotsford had some wind that day. We have wind all the time. I don’t trust ‘em, I don’t think you should.”
Other concerned citizens noted that while in favour of the concept of composting, the proposed location just doesn’t make sense.
“This is a compost facility for the City of Regina. Regina's compost should be on their property - not on the back door step of the town of Pilot Butte,” said Jean Lowenberger, who also had concerns over the increased traffic on Highway 46.
The proposed compost project also highlighted a rift in inter-municipal relations, as members of Pilot Butte Town Council took to the podium.
Mayor of Pilot Butte Peggy Chorney was blunt about the Town’s position, noting the “most profound concern and tremendous disappointment in the RM of Edenwold.” She stressed how both municipalities have worked together in the past “to support the health and well-being of our residents,” the collaboration to deliver fire and first-responder services, and how the two entities have been “quite rightly joined at the hip.”
“In the event that the RM of Edenwold No. 158 approves this application, the Town of Pilot Butte Council is confident that the long standing relationship and collaboration will go beyond strained and that of a severed relationship,” Chorney said. “The decision to approve this application of the proposed location will result in irreparable damage.”
Pilot Butte’s deputy mayor Zac Forster echoed Chorney’s sentiments, raising many of the concerns shared by residents.
One point Forster noted was the concern of prevailing northwest winds blowing toxic fumes directly into Pilot Butte - 1.6 km away from the site. If the location is approved, he asked how the RM will mitigate this and requested that they take responsibility for the possible toxic fumes.
Zajtmann was given 10 minutes on the clock to respond to concerns, reassuring those present that EverGen truly cares.
“What I can assure everyone here is we as the applicant, we as EverGen, we hear all these concerns,” he said. “We take these types of Q&A, this type of feedback very, very seriously.”
Zajtmann promised the company would commit to “all monitoring and upgrades that are necessary,” abiding by all environmental protections.
“We have a proper team with real resources who are committed to environmental and operational compliance,” he said. “Ultimately, the main beneficiaries are us as a company, but the surrounding communities as well.”
“We're going to inject the capital that this facility needs in order to ensure that it's fully compliant, that there's no risk to water contamination, that there's no odour issues.”
Capnerhurst noted that RM council would not make their decision at the public meeting, allowing RM council time to consider verbal and written submissions. He also noted that administration is waiting for additional engineered plans, responses from provincial agencies, and provincial approvals.
When asked if the eventual vote by Council will be public, Capnerhurst confirmed anyone can attend.
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