A Saanich councillor openly criticized officials in charge of the regional wastewater treatment project.
Coun. Judy Brownoff directed her comments at members of the project board overseeing the core area wastewater treatment project. They include project director David Clancy and deputy project director Elizabeth Scott.
BrownoffB次元官网网址檚 critique came after the board had announced that it would change the alignment of a pipeline carrying residual biosolids from the future wastewater treatment plant at McLoughlin Point in Esquimalt to Hartland Landfill in Saanich to save up to 50 trees along the east side of Grange Road.
Residents had opposed the initial alignment because it would have led to the loss of those trees. This possibility prompted an outburst of lobbying by area residents, which culminated in the submission of a 380-name petition by former MLA and Saanich councillor David Cubberley leading a delegation of residents.
During this period, residents also charged the project board with failure to consult residents, and Brownoff seemed to go a step further by suggesting that the project board acted against whatever input it had received.
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Brownoff said she had told concerned Grange Road residents attending an open house in late November to contact the project board, only to hear from residents a week later that the work was going ahead.
B次元官网网址淚 must say I was shocked when residents got a hold of me the very next week that the project board had gone out, ribboned trees [and] spray-painted sidewalks, and that there really hadnB次元官网网址檛 been any follow up on the [feedback] cards,B次元官网网址� she said.
Brownoff said she herself was a B次元官网网址渓ittle bit upsetB次元官网网址� because staff had specifically asked her to tell residents to fill out the feedback cards on the implied promise that the project board would listen to them.
B次元官网网址淪o you can understand the angst that happened in the community, because they just didnB次元官网网址檛 think that even afer filling in [feedback] cards letting the project board know their concerns, they would be listened to,B次元官网网址� she said.
This prompted Brownoff to ask the delegation how the project board would handle future public engagement forums.
B次元官网网址淚 want some assurance that if you are going to use [feedback] cards, that the residents do get some follow-up from you, and you donB次元官网网址檛 automatically go out and start working,B次元官网网址� she said.
Scott said the project board does listen to feedback.
B次元官网网址淚n this case, the timing was unfortunate,B次元官网网址� she said. Pre-construction started soon after the feedback had arrived and the board B次元官网网址渆ntirelyB次元官网网址� understands the concerns of residents, she said. B次元官网网址淲e will make efforts to make sure that sort of timing doesnB次元官网网址檛 happen again.B次元官网网址�
Scott also confirmed the new pipeline alignment would save all of the trees on Grange Road, adding she does not anticipate similar situations along other sections of the pipeline in promising to work with the public.
Mayor Fred Haynes praised the boardB次元官网网址檚 response in also thanking council and area residents including Cubberley for their respective efforts.
Looking at the larger picture, the public heard the $765-million project remains on budget and schedule. Under the terms of the project, it must be ready to meet provincial and federal treatment guidelines by Dec. 31, 2020.
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