Editor:
Re: Water takeover in three months, July 1.
I was very pleased to hear that White Rock council is starting the process for expropriation of the water utility from Epcor.
However, I was appalled and puzzled when I read the article in the July 1 Peace Arch News describing the response to Coun. Helen Father’s motion to have staff move forward on the additional site’s acquisition – that is the piece the developers want.
The White Rock Coalition council members, plus the mayor, voted against it.
Why? Epcor has not sold the land yet to Elegant developers – it is conditional on the developers getting rezoning and an amendment of the official community plan.
Council has the power to block this rezoning.
I understand that Epcor will receive $12 million if this deal goes through. They only paid $9 million for the whole utility in 2005.
If the city is expropriating the utility, why not all the land?
And, why would a councillor who is only doing her job of representing the public be criticized for not suggesting this in previous closed meetings? How are the residents to know what is happening when critical information is discussed in closed meetings?
Coun. Lynne Sinclair says it is too late in the day. Why?
What happened that Fathers’ motion is rejected – was there a deal made with Epcor and Elegant that the public does not know about? We owe them nothing.
Please do the right thing, council, and vote in the best interests of the taxpayers of White Rock.
I don’t recall the coalition, at election time, loudly proclaiming that they were for density and highrises. For your information, there is another development proposal on the corner of Thrift and Oxford for a 12-storey highrise.
Patricia Kealy, White Rock