Paradise councillors maintain divide over changing W&S list
By Mark Squibb
Despite a lengthy rehashing of its decision to shake up its water and sewer priority list, Paradise council looks like it will proceed with the changes.
The town has been allocated $5.3 million in provincial multi-year capital works funding, but needs $7.45 million to complete the next five streets on the longstanding priority list – Dakota Place, Topsail Pond Road, Harcourt Road, Gosse’s Road, and Milton Road.
Council instead plans to use the money to tackle some of the streets, but not in their order on the list, and tack on upgrades to Picco Drive.
Upgrades to Picco Drive would cost around $3.6 million. Should council apply the funding to Picco Drive, there would only be enough money left over for water and sewer on Dakota Place. Installing water and sewer on Topsail Pond Road, the next street on the priority list, would cost some $3.6 million.
Council first debated changing the list during its September 15 committee of the whole meeting following a recommendation from councillor Erin Furlong, who disagreed with staff’s
recommendation to leave the list as is as “there is no technical reason to support a decision to change it.”
All of council, with the exception of Mayor Patrick Martin and Deputy Mayor Kimberley Street, supported Furlong’s idea.
At last week’s committee of the whole meeting, the topic got thrashed out again.
“After speaking with residents in areas that are on the water and sewer priority list, and after reviewing all that the information that I have, I would still like to stick with my initial statement and prioritise the projects in a way that maximises the number of projects completed and the number of residents that benefit from the funding,” said Furlong. “I’ve heard from many residents in the Topsail Pond Road area this week and I’d like to thank them for giving me a call. I had some who are all for getting water and sewer and I’ve heard from one person who currently has to go to a family member’s house to get water because the water that she has is not able to be consumed because the iron is too high in it. I’ve also heard from other residents who are very much against getting water and sewer.”
Councillor Jennifer Hiscock said residents advised her to avoid “politics or emotional attachments” to the old list.
“I can honestly say that I don’t have any emotional attachment to the water and sewer list itself, my attachment is to the money that is tied to the list, the multi-year capital works funding, and how we can best use that money,” said Hiscock. “I’ve also spoken to several residents of Topsail Pond area and I believe more information needs to be gathered before we make a decision on what should happen next. For example, a gentleman contacted me and explained that he had recently built a brand-new home and spent $25,000 on an artisian well and he has no interest in water and sewer. Another gentleman said he doesn’t want any subdividing of property so he has no interest either.”
Hiscock said the existing list worked for many years, but as council nears the bottom of it, they need to consider the bigger picture.
Councillor Sheldon Antle cautioned council is not looking at abandoning projects altogether.
“We’re talking about what fits within this funding,” said Antle. “I’m on board with councillor Furlong in terms of her approach and the projects she identified.”
Antle said he also recognized upgrades to Picco Drive as a high priority.
Councillor Tommy Maher said he has a lot of sympathy for the lady who called all councillors to say she has been waiting for town water on Topsail Pond Road for years.
“She has to carry water in buckets. That’s not suitable for todays standards, and I’m hoping that we can get her water and sewer in the near future, and I think it will happen,” said Maher, who nevertheless supports shuffling the list.
Maher said Picco Drive remains his top priority.
Mayor Martin noted the unserviced part of Topsail Pond Road has 24 homes, far more than any of the other streets on the list. He said completing it would be the Town’s best bang for the buck.
“That lady said to me, ‘I didn’t realize at 73 years old that I had to lobby to get water and sewer,’” said Martin. “She was quite disappointed… She said, ‘I’ve been watching the list every year, and watching it go down to the point where I knew I was going to get my water and sewer.’”
Councillor Glen Carew recalled growing up on Christopher Street and relying on a surface well and septic tank.
“I remember the lobby the residents of that street undertook,” said Carew. “I remember people picketing in front of the town hall to make their voices heard.”
Carew said council is in a dilemma, as is simply does not have enough funding to complete every street on the list.
Deputy Mayor Kimberley Street remained unswayed.
“Everyone on this list deserves water and sewer, and deserves a fair approach, and I believe the list has been a fair approach,” said Street. “We have never looked at tackling streets that have the lowest estimated cost. That would cause a lot of mayhem and a lot of problems… I really do have concerns here.”
Street said she has spoken to people on Topsail Pond Road who have been waiting for water and sewer upwards of 30 years who have been counting on the Town to follow through.
CAO Lisa Niblock pointed out there are other funding streams available for water and sewer projects that council can look at, noting it would be discussing federal government funding for water and sewer on Neary Road later.
In the end, council agreed to move the matter forward to a future public meeting for a final vote.