Greg Amos/Staff Writer
Despite being thwarted by residents opposed to borrowing plans, Gibsons council is manouevering to put cross connection controls, water metering, and other public works to three separate referenda during the Nov. 15 municipal election.
The Town's 12-item loan bylaw, which would've meant borrowing $1.37 million towards $2.4 million worth of projects like water infrastructure, traffic calming measures, and aquifer mapping, was effectively killed thanks to a failed alternative approval process (AAP). The "reverse referendum" drew 523 written oppositions by the Sept. 8 deadline, easily exceeding the 10 per cent threshold (350 oppositions) needed to halt the bylaw.
"We are pleased the matter will now go to the people in a referendum," wrote Heather Knight, the Roberts Creek-based director of the Ratepayers of Gibsons, in an email to Coast Reporter. "All we wanted was the 'brakes to be put on the issue'. If water metering is truly the only workable solution, we would support it."
Knight noted the Ratepayers are reconsidering their stance on water leak detection -they had argued there are cheaper ways to detect system water leaks than to install water meters, but have since withdrawn their letter to Coast Reporter that outlined these views.
Mayor Barry Janyk said council remains committed to getting cross connection controls - which will allow the Town's water system to continue operating chlorine-free -and water meters installed on all homes, businesses, and institutions in the Town.
"This is the best way for us to maintain some control on the amount of water people use, and to fix the leaks in our system -it's really simple, and it will not be 'agony', as some people say," he commented, in reference to an earlier remark from Knight.
At a special council meeting on Tuseday afternoon, council came up with four new resolutions to fund some of the projects, and drop off the radar.Three projects -cross connection controls and water meters, improvement's to the water outfall on Bal's Lane, and a standby generator for the Town's well number one - will be packaged into a new 20-year-loan bylaw that could become one referendum item on election day. Between now and mid-November, council will need to pass the first three readings of the bylaw and gain Ministry of Community Services approval to put it to a referendum.The motion was made by Coun. Chris Koopmans and supported by all of council except Janyk -an eyebrow-raising move, since council will need to unanimously pre-approve conducting all three readings at the next council meeting (Sept. 16) in order to fast-track the process to have a referendum prepared in time for the election. But Janyk said though he's concerned about the process of breaking up the AAP list, he won't railroad the referendum possibilities.
"All the projects that were on [the AAP] list were worthy of the public's confidence," he said. "I don't think we have anything to be sorry for or ashamed of in putting that list forward to the public in the form of a referendum.
"The way Coun. Koopmans was leading the charge was a little stronger than I would have liked to see my vote against is a message to council I don't think much of the process."
Koopmans also moved motions to have loan bylaws passed for $276,000 worth of Gibsons Way sidewalk work and a $245,000 aquifer mapping project. Both of the loan bylaws could also be decided by referendum on election day. If passed by voters, the loan bylaws would stay in effect for up to five years before a loan is taken out, during which time the Town will attempt to secure a $138,000 grant towards the sidewalk, and a $196,000 grant towards aquifer mapping.
It's likely the AAP was defeated mainly due to public opposition to proposed water projects, though since the AAP forms allowed no sections for comment, Town staff are unable to confirm the rationale for public opposition to the borrowing.
Janyk also opposed Koopman's successful resolution to have staff set up a public meeting to discuss water issues in the Town, while council passed a motion to send traffic calming plans, work on Steinbrunner Park, and Sunnycrest Road improvements back to the corporate services committee for further discussion. Those projects add up to $239,000 of the now-defunct $1.37 million proposed loan.
The push to entrench water conservation by establishing a starting rate of $370 per cubic metre of water consumed relates to the Town's unprecedented water use over the summer. In July, a record daily consumption of nearly 160,000 cubic metres was established, smashing the 140,000 cubic metre benchmark set last August.
