Moratorium needed

Dear sir:
I attended the Thursday, June 28 town council meeting as an observer on the latest plan for a new Canada customs facility. Town council approval of this plan was the agenda.
It came as a shock to hear from a Canada Customs rep. that planning for the facility had been going on since 1990 but after 10 years of planning, council is asked at “five minutes before midnight” to approve a new plan, as per the graphic published in the Fort Frances Times last Wednesday (July 7).
In more than 50 years as a professional forester (of which planning has been an important component) in both the public and private sectors, as well as serving in an advisory capacity with three levels of government, a university, and industry association councils, I have but one statement to make based on what I heard.
The Customs facility planning is the most inept I’ve encountered.
Despite the mayor’s concern over a delay (after a 10-year period of secret planning?) and one councillor’s suggestion to approve the plan and move on, the majority did not do so.
Had the plan been approved, then the public consultation as previously proposed by council would have been meaningless. Elected councillors approved – they’ve spoken for you!
One might say “the cart’s before the horse.”
If there are problems anticipated with the existing facility, then the latest proposal will (unless someone explains otherwise) create a colossal mess of traffic flow.
Included is access to the Ontario Tourism Information Centre by incoming visitors from the U.S. They would have to cross, as a minimum, two lanes of traffic on Church Street, assuming they were in the appropriate lane.
It also is unclear which route tractor-trailers follow to reach the commercial inspection site.
Will they be crossing exiting auto traffic from the Custom facility?
Once again, I suggest a moratorium on the project pending a look at all alternatives, including public input.
In the meantime, it may be an opportunity for Rainy River and Baudette to encourage use of Minnesota Highway 72 for north and southbound traffic.
They could escape toll charges at the International Falls/Fort Frances industrial bridge and alleviate traffic problems here as well.
Yours Truly,
Bruno Seppala