Editor:
I am writing this letter in response to the letter to the editor published in the August 17 issue of the Omineca Express.
I would first like to point out that the comments I made, in the article originally printed Aug. 10, 2011 were that of a resident of the Northside and not that of a village councillor.
As far as the information I am looking for maybe I should have asked but over the years I have found most businesses do not open their books just because someone asks to see them, so Mr. Manwaring is correct I did not ask to see how he was justifying the increased water rates.
As far as the number of rate increases they are as follows;
March 1999 – 12.5 per cent.
June 1999 – 5.5 per cent.
March 2000 – 5.5 per cent.
June 2001 – 10.5 per cent.
Sept. 2002 – 9.5 per cent.
Dec. 2003 – 13.7 per cent.
June 2006 – 7.6 per cent.
June 2007 – 7.1 per cent.
June 2008 – 6.6 per cent.
June 2009 – 3.1 per cent.
June 2011 – 3.0 per cent.
July 2011 - 23.5 per cent.
So if the latest increase is approved there in fact would have been 12 increases that I can account for since I have lived on the Northside.
If you consider the increases from 2006 to 2009 as one increase (which I don’t), there was still nine increases since the spring of 1999.
As far as grants go I am not sure on all the rules however Mr. Manwaring is correct the village did get a grant to aid with the cost of their new well, but I believe that there are grants out there that individuals, businesses, clubs and organizations can apply for if they are willing to do the research.
Steve Little
Resident of the
Vanderview subdivision