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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1979-12-20, Page 11S th need main - but who will pay? BY JEFF SEDDON The town of Goderih and the Public Utilities Commission are at a stand-off, The PUC needs a 16 inch watermain along the Suncoast Drive extension which is now raw land. The town would, like the main to go in before the roadway is constructed in 1980 but the utility is not prepared to construct the pipe. If the town insists the main be installed before the road is built the PUC claims the bill for the main will be the towns: If the town waits until the proposed water storage tower the PUC needs is constructed the utility will have to install the 16 inch main to loop the new tower into the town's water system, at the utility's expense. What both are now trying to resolve is when the main will be installed and how much each will pay for its construction. The standard approach the utility takes to install water service in un- developed land is to have the developer pick up the tab. Normally if a developer needs a water main to service a .sub- division the utility will install the main and send the bill to the developer. What is unique about the Suncoast extension is that the developer is the town. Coupled with that is the fact that the utility will have to install a main along the road to tie its new tower into the water system. The town works and engineering committee met recently wit -il—ie utility commission to try to work out an agreement fair to both. Ken Hunter, commissioner of works, outlined the town's suggestion. Hunter explained that since \the town is getting some of its land serviced it should pick up the tab for a watermain. He said the town could get by with an eight inch main, not the ' 16 inch the utility needs. He suggested that costs be worked out for installing an eight inch pipe and those would be borne by the town. He said the costs for materials -f-a- F6 --inch main would then be determined and those would be paid by the utility. Basically the town would pay the price • of eight inch pipe plus labor to install it while the utility would pay the difference between the cost of eight inch pipe and 16 inch pipe. The utility wasn't sure it should be paying anything. PUC chairman Herb Murphy said the feeling he got from the town's suggestion was that the utility would be "sub- sidizing" the town by paying for the main. Murphy said the town needs a 16 inch main and should pay for a 16 inch main the same as a developer would have to pay if such a service was needed. Deputy -reeve Bob Allen pointed out to the commission it couldn't "overservice" just because the town was interested in having the main installed in preparation for road 'y construction. Allen pointed out the utility needed a 16 inch main not *the town. He said the town only needed an eight ,inch main and should be charged for an -- eight. Let's, for arguement's sake, say, the PUC had to put in a 36 inch main to service an industry. You mean the guy at the end of the line has to pay for he due-su't need it. I find that hard to swallow," said Allen. PUC manager Al Lawson explained that the utility's responsibility is to .provide water. He said if a ,developer or industry needs huge amounts and needs a larger pipe he pays for what he needs. He said the utility is not con- cerned what he needs it for only that he gets it. He added that the 16 inch main would not only meet the town's needs it would also provide enough water for op- timum fire flow con- - ditions-. on--ditions: die -said by fraying that amount of water available for fire protection industry would enjoy attractive in- surance savings that would more than pay the extra costs for the pipe. But Lawson added that fire protection is an obligation for the town. He said the utility is responsible for getting water to the area to allow fire protection, the town is responsible for that fire protection. Commissioner Leonard Sheardown suggested the actual figures for the project be arrived • at before any decisions are attempted. He said both parties could use the 16 inch main and it would be easier to arrive at an amicable solution if the figuresiwere known. Hunter said the town had already installed 300 feet of 16 inch 'main to provide water for Graham Electric's new building which is located on the north end of the propsed street. He said the town was prepared to install a one inch main to service Graham but was told by its engineer a 16 inch main was needed to allow the pipe to be connected to the proposed water storage tower. Hunter said the 300 feet of pipe that was installed cost about $20,000. He said it was difficult to determine "what the remaining 1,400 feet would cost. C-o-tn-m i s si v-rrer J"i m Peters said he could, see where both parties could share costs for the project., "Get the dollar figure as to fides much we would have to pay and how long we have to pay it and I'd be _willing to take a long, hard look at it," said Peters. A, final decision should be reached early in 1980 to allow the town to open the extension of Suncoast next summer. GODERICH SIGNAL -STAR, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 20, 1979—PAGE 11 Gerry Hilgendorff of 314 Walnut Street has decorated the front of his home for Christmas with the Peanuts characters including Snoopy, Wood- stoc'k, Linus, Lucy and Charlie Brown. He made the characters himself. (Photo by Joanne Buchanan) Need time to study Board wants clarification BY SHIRLEY J.KELLER Board members at Alexandra Marine and General Hospital got their first look this week at the written report. completed by Woods, Gordon management consultants. But they weren't ready to accept .it at Monday's meeting. The motion was to delay acceptance until representatives from Woods, Gordon attend a meeting to explain details and answer questions, and until all . board Members have a time enough to really read and digest the report. Some board members felt that because it was given to them so close to the Christmas holidays, there wasn't time to give the report the attention it deserved. Board chairman Gordon Crabb said thereport was "ex- tremely well detailed". He said it showed that administrative staff was holding the line on costs. "The savings are not tremendously great," 'pointed out Crabb, adding that this points to the fact AM&G is an "excellent hospital with excellent' staff who are determined themselves to keep costs in line". Administrator Elmer Taylor said there were "no surprises" in the 'report. Bruce Potter, a board member, said since the authors were not present there was no point in him asking his questions. While he intended no reflection on the .board chairman, Potter said Crabb just wouldn't have the answers to has queries. He pressed Mr the Woods,Gordon people to be present before the report is accepted. Bob Dempsey agreed. He said he would like some justification for some of the figures in the report. Dempsey said he un- derstood the re.pnrt was not being forwarded to the Ontario Ministry of Health. "But if it happens to get to the Ministry, I want it right. It could reflect on the budget for years to come," said Dempsey. Dr. Michael Conlon reminded the board of the need to remember that _ the report affects current plans at AM&G. He felt it should be accepted without delay. He called it a guideline, and not a "bible". HURON -BRUCE FEDIERAL LIBERAL NOMINATING fairCONVENTION WILL BE HELD AT Blyth and District Community Centre, Blyth, Ontario THURSDAY,JANUARY3rd 1980 AT 8:15 P.M. for the purpose of selecting a candidate to represent the Liberal party in the Federal riding of Huron -Bruce in the next Federal election. GUEST SPEAKER Hon. Eugene Whelan Former Minister of Agriculture MEMBERSHIPS Theconstitutionprovides that only paid up members of the I-lnron Bruce Liberal Association shall be entitled to vote. Such memberships must be obtained not less than 72 hours prior to the commencement of the convention. Renewals of previous membership however, may be obtained up t'o the time of the commencement of the convention. Memberships will cost $2.00 each and may be obtained from the Liberal Association Chairman in the various municipalities within the riding or from - JACK HORAN , SECRETARY %. RR. NO. 4 WALTON, ONT. 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