BY CHUCK KUEPFER, Staff Reporter

Manure left by horses pulling carriages was discussed at length at Woolwich Township, Aug. 28, after concerns were raised by a resident who had approached councillor Bonnie Bryant about the issue.

The township does not have a bylaw in place in regards to horse droppings, but it has looked into the issue in the past.

While the issue has been raised from time to time, including a comment on the township’s FaceBook site recently, director of council and information services. Christine Broughton said no formal complaints have been made.

Broughton noted Wellesley Township did an “extensive review” of the horse dropping issue in recent years, but council opted to do nothing.

CAO David Brenneman suggested there were not any negative health impacts from the manure.

“And we haven’t been negatively impacted by tourism,” he said. “It’s just part of the character.”

Councillor Julie-Anne Herties agreed.

“We are still classified as a rural community,” she said. “We are going to have droppings. I don’t think we should be doing anything.”

Councillor Mark Bauman, who was a member of the previous council when the issue was last raised in the township, reiterated comments he made then, saying he would scoop up any horse manure left in front of his house and use it in the flower bed.

And if legislation imposed that horse and buggy drivers use plastic bags to keep droppings off roadways, he would only support such pollution control if bags were likewise required on the tail pipes of cars.

“We’re a rural community,” said Bauman. “Let’s keep it that way.”