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Mayor proposes to seek elector assent for co-treatment

Alsgard plans to bring forward a motion at the October 6 council meeting
Laura Walz

City of Powell River Mayor Stewart Alsgard is planning to bring forward a motion at the October 6 council meeting to seek elector assent for co-treatment.

“It’s time for the public to have an opportunity to express their view,” he said. Alsgard is proposing a question be placed on the ballot for the November 19 civic election.

City council has approved a phased consolidation option for treating its sewage. It combines co-treatment, a proposal to treat the city’s sewage at Catalyst Paper Corporation’s Powell River mill, with a stand-alone consolidated plant to be built in the future.

George Orchiston, a Powell River resident, raised the issue of elector approval in July. He cited sections of the Community Charter, which he believes require the city to obtain elector assent for a co-treatment agreement. Subsequently, council directed staff to obtain an opinion from the city’s lawyer, Donald Lidstone, who advised that elector assent was not required.

Council voted at the September 15 meeting to remove a series of conditions attached to a motion to proceed with phased consolidation, pending a successful grant application for $7.2 million, or 100 per cent of the cost, from the UBCM (Union of BC Municipalities) Innovations fund. Alsgard suggested at the meeting that perhaps a public question could be added to the November ballot. However, that would be a non-binding vote, not the same as obtaining elector assent as defined in the Community Charter.

Alsgard said he spent time reviewing the issue and relevant sections in the charter in light of the letter from Lidstone. “I treated that as advice,” he said. He added that he also wanted to consider input that had been received from other people.

“Democratically, what you want is to get it in front of the people so that we can once again hear the voice of the people,” Alsgard said. “I want to restore that voice.”

A question on the ballot in November gives everyone who decides to vote an opportunity to make their decision when they go to the polls, Alsgard added. “This mayor wants to provide that opportunity,” he said.

The city is also ensuring that people have an opportunity to be informed, Alsgard said. “On the city’s website, you will find the latest science reports and a lot of other information,” he said.

The city is still waiting to learn if its grant application to the UBCM has been successful. Alsgard pointed out that a provincial official informed Stan Westby, the city’s chief administrative officer, that there will be no approvals and announcements until later in the fall.

Alsgard said he is bringing forward the following motion at the October 6 council meeting:

“Whereas on April 8, 2010, the agreement in principle (AIP) between the City of Powell River and Catalyst Paper was approved by council resolution and; whereas the AIP sets out the commitment that the city and Catalyst Paper will enter into a service agreement under which Catalyst would treat the city’s liquid wastewater in the effluent treatment system at the Powell River paper mill (including the burning of biosolids removed in the treatment process, subject to any required permit amendments) and; whereas the concept of a service agreement between the city and Catalyst Paper would have a term beyond five years under which the city incurs a liability and; whereas the city intends to decommission and dispose of the sewage treatment works at the Townsite and Westview plants; therefore be it resolved that city council shall, pursuant to the Community Charter and/or any other legal requirements, seek the assent of the electors to the following question: Are you in favour of the concept of a partnering agreement, under which Catalyst Paper would treat the city’s wastewater in the mill’s effluent treatment plant?”

Once Alsgard brings forward the motion, it will need to be seconded, then debated before a vote is taken. If there is no seconder, the motion will die. “I will at least have put forward what I feel is an appropriate thing to do at this time,” Alsgard said. “I have made sure that council knows what I’m doing ahead of time, so that they’re not blindsided at a council meeting.”