Dear Editor:
RE: Consultation key, Feb. 4.
Once again the Mayor of Erin continues to extol the virtues of the proposed wastewater treatment plant. I don’t think anyone would disagree that the town needs to takes steps for a sustainable future. He continues to emphasize the amount of studies and consultations that were conducted.
He states that he encourages residents to ask the important questions. One of the crucial questions he continues not to address is the funding and/or financing that would be required, yet he forges ahead saying that the town is taking a measured approach.
I would ask again, what commitment does the town have with regards to developers, both building homes and agreeing to development charges to fund this project? Has the town actually done a full accounting to substantiate that these charges will in fact pay for the initial construction of this facility?
Has the town received any commitment to any funding from provincial or federal governments?
How can rural residents be assured that any finance costs, construction costs or other related costs will not be passed on to rural residents through increased property taxes or other levies? The mayor has always maintained that only “end users” will pay for this. We have already paid for long running environmental studies and consultants, and these costs were borne by both urban and rural residents.
This town certainly does not have a good track record for transparency and I, as a rural resident, take exception to the approach the town is undertaking. I have a perfectly maintained and operating septic system and can have my septic system pumped and maintained from already reliable providers.
The urban residents should be equally concerned about potential cost overruns and the town taking on substantial debt to fund this project.
What measures is the town taking to manage this project properly and having a guaranteed maximum price for the construction?
These are reasonable and critical questions that this mayor and the town need to answer as they are accountable to all the taxpayers of this municipality.
Steve Charbonneau,
Erin