By now all of the Elector Response Forms for the Alternate Approval Process for Bylaw 494, Wastewater Franchise Agreement Approval Bylaw should be on the desk at the municipal hall.
A team of concerned local residents went door-to-door to get signatures and by last count there were more than 1,630 from their efforts alone. Then there are the forms people dropped off at the municipal hall and those from the unions. The citizens have spoken and loudly. They do not like the terms of the proposed 21-year deal with EPCOR and the district and they were not taking anyone’s word that it was a good deal for all.
Now what happens? First, there will have to be another short-term extension granted to EPCOR and then it will be a decision made by council on how to proceed from here. There could be a referendum on the November ballot but this is not necessarily a given. They may opt to enter into a series of five-year agreements, which they say would end up being more expensive. Another option is to go in-house, which would certainly be more expensive, at least in the short term.
This wastewater franchise agreement is just a symptom of the dissatisfaction some of the public has for the inner workings of the municipality and council. They feel they have not been given the straight goods and this is how they reciprocate. They do not think they have had an open and transparent council and staff. Things will change at the November election and it will be interesting to see which old and new faces emerge to vie for a seat on council. The sewer franchise deal will still be an issue to deal with by whoever is sitting at the district council table.
