Mayor Annette Clews has apologized to east side residents on behalf of town council for the breakdown in communications on its policy for citizens to pay its share for the new multi-million dollar water and waste waster service.
Last month, the town announced that citizens who own 44 lots on the east side would have until the end of business day on Nov. 15 to make a $7,000 deposit to connect to the service. Residents were informed that if the $7,000 was not paid the cost would immediately jump to $15,000.
Several residents were angry and upset at receiving less than a month's notice to find $7,000. At council's regular council meeting on Nov. 5 about a dozen showed up to vent their anger and frustration.
“There is not too much trust going on. It is sort of us against them,” said east side resident Arnie Gess at the council meeting. “The lots are difficult to sell with the water and waste water issue going on. A lot of people can't come up with the money and they will be penalized.”
Gess also told council it was to blame for the lack of communication to east side residents.
Following his passionate submission, Clews then issued her apology.
“East side residents did feel they were not kept well informed about what the procedure was on the policy happening on the east side. And for that we are truly sorry that they do not feel they have been well communicated to,” said Clews, adding a public communications committee formed two years ago to relay information to east side residents about the new service and its costs was disbanded 18 months ago after the policy was approved by council.
“Now that the project is actually getting done and construction has begun that is where the breakdown, and I am assuming, has failed - the fact that people didn't quite understand the policy. We really didn't understand that there was an issue with communication.”
Coun. Pat Toone later attempted to have the Nov. 14 connection fee deadline extended for east side residents. However, her effort was defeated by the rest of council when it was pointed out it was not an agenda item and it required unanimous consent by council to put it on during the meeting.
“I'm sort of disappointed that we didn't discuss it but there are certain rules,” said Toone, adding it is now too late to try again as the next council meeting is after Nov. 14. “A lot of residents are seniors and don't have the assets. I don't think we were giving people enough time to make arrangements.”
Earlier in the meeting, Dean Pickering, the town's chief administrative officer, presented a report to council on the cost breakdown of the project. His report was in response to several questions and demands from east side residents who wanted more detailed information, along with assurances they would not be hit with future connection fee increases.
Pickering said when the east side servicing project is completed the total cost will be almost $9 million with the town assuming about $2.7 million, and provincial grants making up the rest. The town hopes to recoup some of its costs by charging connection fees to residents and businesses.
The east side water and waste water project is the most expensive capital project in the town's history, said Pickering, who added there would not be any future grant money coming from the province to pay for the project.
Pickering is continuing to meet with east side residents almost every day to give them updates on the ongoing construction project. He has also contacted local financial institutions to help cash-strapped residents who are having problems raising $7,000 to connect to the new service lines.
“I realize communication was an issue and that's why I endeavoured to go over and try to deal with the issue, like going there and talking to people,” said Pickering. “We know that in order to get things going in this community we have to communicate better. We have to be more forthcoming. Council wants to be very transparent. It is our job as administration to provide all the information and get it out to the community, and to help them with whatever projects they want to do.”
Meanwhile, east side residents said they were resigned to the fact they will have to pay the $7,000 connection this week. While they expressed satisfaction with Pickering's presentation and his attempts to help cash-strapped residents, they were lukewarm over Clews' apology.
“Apology is fine but moving forward I hope they have learned their lesson and communicate with their people not just on our project but dealing with everything in the town. They just had the big protest about selling off the playgrounds and stuff too. It is the same thing. They have to talk to people,” said Gess.
“He (Pickering) is their messenger basically. Quite frankly one of them should have been with Dean that night, either a councillor or the mayor and talked with the people. They are representatives, right?”
