After examining the proposed new 21-year sewer operating agreement with the City of Edmonton-owned Epcor, I kept asking myself where is the benefit to Sooke taxpayers?
In 2006 Sooke council was presented the annual operation and maintenance cost for the entire sewer system for the first year of operation and every year thereafter for 10 years. The 10-year projection of all costs and services provided by Epcor included a three per cent inflation factor built into the sewer operating costs for every year. In year six (2011) total Epcor fees should have been $488,326 and in 2012 should be $502,376.
In the new 21-year scheme, Sooke taxpayers will pay an annual fee of $924,752 for 2011 (pro-rated for remainder of year) and $924,752 for 2012. After that the next three years of annual fees will be redetermined using $924,752 as a base, and it can only go up. This is to be done every three years for the remainder of the 21-year contract.
Where is the benefit to Sooke taxpayers when payments to Epcor are proposed to be almost double the amount that taxpayers were told when the sewer first opened? Taxpayers are being asked to accept a 21-year contract with no certainty, or any idea of what the cost will be when it’s over. Would any of us do that in regard to our own household or business matters?
It looks like Edmonton’s taxpayers are the only people to benefit by this scheme. There are too many questions with this proposed agreement for Sooke’s mayor and council to consider locking us into a 21-year agreement.
Rick Kasper
Sooke
