Continued secrecy appears to be the name of the game.

The City of Peterborough is poised to fork over $2 million to Trent's DNA Cluster project. But last night Trent refused to disclose the business plan to City councillors during the Planning Committee meeting (Feb 14), adding to the speculation that the project still does not have a business plan.

“I see no reason why we can’t have that,” one councillor said. Another councillor said he’s "not against the DNA concept, but council has to ask the questions that need answering in order to see how this project will be viable".

The City is touted as a "partner" by the DNA Cluster promoters. Would you want to be a partner in a venture where you are not allowed to see the business plan? Should our City do so with our tax dollars?

The city is hoping to hurry a canal power project deal with Trent University by linking it with DNA cluster talks.

Before the city hands over $2 million to help Trent’s cluster project, the two must sign a memorandum of understanding. At a planning committee meeting last night, council approved the nine key parts of the deal and allowed the mayor and clerk to sign the deal on behalf of the city to speed matters.

Council also added that final approval be given on the condition there’s a resolution to the power generation issue. In short, the city wants to put the long-standing generation talks between Trent and the city-owned Peterborough Utilities Services on the fast-track with the DNA cluster project.

Mayor Sylvia Sutherland said the power project has to be resolved.

“This project is critical for the future of this community,” she said.

Coun. Paul Rexe said power generation proposals at Locks 22 and 23 on the Trent-Severn Waterway have been going back and forth for too long. He wanted the memorandum of understanding to be the tool that pushes the two sides to find a deal.

Planning director Malcolm Hunt noted afterwards the memorandum doesn’t force Trent into a deal, but urges it to find a resolution as soon as possible. The two sides are inching closer and are now down to “the nuances of what exactly is to be gained by each side,” Hunt said.

The council wanted to make it abundantly clear to Trent there’s a link between the $2 million and the city’s ability to fund all its other capital plans, Hunt said.

The university wants to get the memorandum signed so the city’s money can be released, which will in turn releases federal funds for the cluster before a December deadline.

Coun. Bob Hall worried the DNA project could be jeopardized if a deal can’t be found on the power generation issue.

But Trent’s vice-president of administration, Don O’Leary, didn’t take issue with the linkage. However, he told the council the power deal must make financial sense for the university.

The memorandum would see Trent swap land in exchange for the $2-million commitment to the DNA cluster project. That includes land for: a new arterial ring road, sport fields, affordable housing beside the Tim Hortons on Water Street, the Armour Road realignment and a new Nassau Mills bridge.

While the councillors agreed the wish list could solve many problems for the city, there was a concern. Councillors Len Vass and Shirley Eggleton said they want to see a DNA cluster business plan before the city gives its final approval.
(See: Business... Page A3)

Eggleton said the city should see the plans for the first phase which the city is supporting financially, though Rexe argued the DNA cluster corporation is private and shouldn’t be compromised.

“I see no reason why we can’t have that,” she said.

Ideally, Eggleton said after the meeting, she wants to also see Trent’s long-term business plans.

Vass stressed he’s not against the DNA concept, but council has to ask the questions that need answering in order to see how this project will be viable.

O’Leary said the business plan couldn’t be released as it contained sensitive financial information and details regarding negotiations. Instead, he offered to give council an economic impact study which had previously been released. When asked by Eggleton if council could review the plans in caucus, an uncomfortable O’Leary said the board wouldn’t likely allow it.