Rejection provides lessons
News that the Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM) has turned down the city’s application for a $7-million Innovations Fund grant for its co-treatment proposal brings to a close another chapter in the sewage treatment saga [“Application unsuccessful,” December 21].
Failing to get a major infrastructure grant is a tragic financial loss to Powell River and is the result of City of Powell River council’s ill-considered determination to forge ahead with the co-treatment plan with Catalyst Paper Corporation’s Powell River division.
Imagine, instead, that council had drawn on recent technological advances to upgrade the Westview wastewater treatment plant. Such a plan would have had a good chance of meeting the environmental criteria of the Innovations Fund: it would have brought substantial environmental benefits and had a very small carbon footprint.
UBCM’s technical committee, that evaluates applications, clearly thought Powell River’s co-treatment proposal had little merit. If the committee had thought otherwise it might at least have given Powell River partial funding, as it often does for viable projects.
The co-treatment scheme involved substantial risk and sparked considerable public opposition. The city’s own advisory committee rejected it by 10-1; the city’s formal consultations revealed almost unanimous opposition from those participating and some 1,200 people signed a petition opposing it.
In its dogged pursuit of co-treatment, the previous city council wasted a great deal of staff time, citizen input, and taxpayers’ money on consultants’ fees. It created an atmosphere of distrust and suspicion to boot when the results of public consultations were simply ignored.
UBCM’s rejection of Powell River’s application should give a message to the new city council that it needs to adopt a different approach to solving the city’s sewage treatment problems.
Murray Dobbin
Willow Avenue
Replacement ferry inadequate
I would like to tell the people of Powell River that the Queen Of Chilliwack is woefully inadequate for the Comox to Powell River run [“Company says ship’s performance adequate,” December 21]. I found this out on Saturday, December 10, 2011 when I boarded the ferry at 11:30 am.
I went up to the cafeteria for lunch via the elevator because I was carrying a few bags with me for an overnight trip. After having lunch, it was time to depart the cafeteria. I went on the elevator once more and when I got down to the main deck, I found myself trapped on the landing because there was no way to move due to my exit being blocked by a semi-trailer. A tanker with a tanker trailer was parked bumper-to-front-bumper with another semi-trailer. There was nowhere to walk at all.
At this point I was shouting for a crew member to help me. After calling for help 10 minutes not one crew member responded. So I was left on my own and I had to make a decision.
I squeezed into a space about six inches wide between the bulkhead of the Chilliwack and the tanker. I had to place my body flat-faced on the bulkhead and walk forward between the semi-trailer unit. During this time my bags were being caught on the pipes that were sticking out. After 40 feet, I finally got to a clear area so I could walk normally.
At the loading ramp area, I found a crew member who referred me to the chief operating engineer of the deck. Once I found him, he refused to take seriously my safety complaint and would not make an incident report. I felt abused by the ferry workers.
The Chilliwack is a dangerous ferry to travel on when all entrances are blocked as they were on that day. What if there was an emergency and all the passengers were trapped?
Ken White
Harvie Avenue
Why?
Why on God’s green earth are we getting a library [“Council maintains support for library process,” December 21]? I do not understand. Other ideas have been put forth and totally rejected. I believe both condos and a resort were voted down. I guess if you stamp your feet enough and bully your way through you will get what you want. Gee whiz, I need a new house. How about it? Maybe some of us taxpayers don’t count. What’s the point of voting? Obviously it gets one nowhere.
Lorie Stieben
Tahsis Street
Citizens threatened
First, I would like to extend my congratulations to the newly elected City of Powell River mayor and council, and express my appreciation to all who represent and work on our behalf.
At the recent candidates’ meetings (municipal elections) the citizens of Powell River were threatened, yes threatened with having to “tighten our belts,” “make tough decisions” and “think outside the box,” all in an effort to control the tax burden [“Candidates field questions,” November 16, 2011].
With the ever increasing head winds of fiscal uncertainty, and as city administrators are busily preparing 2012 budget wish lists, you have my full support: carry out your threats. Please tighten our belts, make tough decisions and ensure Powell River is in a position to meet the fiscal head winds ahead. Make the right choices.
Paul McMahon
Invermere Court
