By David F. Rooney
City Council has given clear direction to the Public Works Department to simultaneously proceed with both the Clearview Heights Sanitary Sewer Extension and the East Track Street Sewer Replacement projects.
Councillor Antoinette Halberstadt was the only member of Council to vote against proceeding with both projects at this time.
“I am going to be voting against this because I don’t believe this was what was agreed to (originally),” she said.
Halberstadt argued that when the City originally applied last spring for the $838,518 in federal and provincial funding that will pay for most of the work no one was talking about repairing the sewer on East Track Street.
However, Councillor Steve Bender said that he recalls at least one e-mail last year from Engineering and Public Works Director Brian Mallett discussing both projects — not just the Clearview Heights Extension project.
For his part, Councillor Tony Scarcella said the money should be allocated to both projects.
“This is good faith,” he said.
In the end, Halberstadt was the only Councillor to vote against a motion to direct staff to spend the money on both projects.
The total for both projects is estimated at $1,18 million. the Clearview Heights Extension will cost $984,700, of which $656,466 will come from the federal-provincial grant. Property owners in Clearview Heights will pick up the rest — a hefty $328,233. The Track Sewer Replacement Project will cost $203,300, of which $135,533 will come from the grant. The remaining $67,766 will be picked up by sewer rate payers.
