Townsite Ratepayers Society is looking for answers to a series of questions pertaining to the planned wastewater treatment plant for Townsite.
Stephen Miller, president of the Townsite Ratepayers Society, appeared before City of Powell River’s committee of the whole on September 29. He told councillors he had attended some council meetings for three years and he complains and asks questions, but at the same time, he thinks he represents good trouble, because he asks good questions that are good for ratepayers and for the community.
He said he was appearing before the committee to talk about the liquid waste treatment plant and why it’s important.
“I know the consequences for living near the liquid waste plant, and most of you do not, but quite a few people live within a few hundred yards of that liquid waste plant and they have concerns,” said Miller. “They have concerns about traffic – where the trucks are going to be going, where the ingress and egress is for that site, what the hours are going to be for those trucks.
“They are concerned about smells and whether the neighbourhood is going to smell from the release of gases and things like that. They have concern about noise and about how much noise will be coming out of that plant and we’ll be just a couple of hundred yards away. They have concerns about lights, and also aesthetics.”
Miller said at the previous committee of the whole meeting on September 15, he had publicly said the city had turned down two requests from the Townsite Ratepayers Society for meetings to get answers to questions dealing with the consolidated liquid waste plant. He said he was told by the chair that if the society wanted answers, all it had to do was send questions to council and they would respond.
Miller then presented a series of 11 questions the society feels is critical to understanding how the city is going forward, and how the city is going to impact the community in the expenditure of $80 million on a liquid waste treatment plant.
Councillor Jim Palm, chair of the committee of the whole, said he appreciated Miller bringing the questions forward to council at the committee level so councillors can hear them point blank.
“I want to express my gratitude because you are not the first to come along and question us every step of the way on liquid waste,” said Palm. “Over the time I’ve been here, numerous people have come forward and proposed questions. We have worked away at this from the time I’ve been here until now, answering people’s questions, which are all relevant, and which, if I lived in the neighbourhood, I’d want to ask myself.
“I can assure you, from my perspective, when I went in to visit director of infrastructure Tor Birtig the week after our last meeting, when you brought forward your concerns, that I saw three sets of questions on his desk that he was dealing with. In the midst of all he is dealing with on this front, it’s quite overwhelming to see him working away on those questions at this time when we have tenders going out and the government is perusing what we are planning. I just wanted to lay that out to you to make you realize where we are at in the process and the amount of work that is being done at this time.”
Palm said if there is a little delay getting to Miller’s questions, he hopes Miller understands where the city is in the process.
Miller said he understands city staff is undertaking a huge project. He suggested that the city consider a series of town hall question and answer periods, where the city takes questions.
“If you do that once every two weeks for an hour, I think that would give a lot of answers to these people who have questions.”
Councillor Rob Southcott said he also appreciated questions. He said when he read through Miller’s questions, discussions and answers to these questions have come up in public consultations, and in previous meetings.
“The question in my mind is how do we keep that information alive and present?” asked Southcott. “I’m sure you’re not the only one who is interested in this and I don’t think the Townsite Ratepayers Society is the only group of people who are interested. It’s a huge challenge. We really try to keep communications going.”
Miller said he suggested that once the city answers his questions, to put it up on the city’s website.
Southcott said there were questions and answers on the website, and that Miller’s suggestion was a good idea.
Councillor George Doubt made a motion to refer the questions to staff to reply to them in a report to council.
“The answers will be there for everyone to see,” said Doubt.
The committee carried Doubt’s motion.
