To the Editor,
Re: Municipalities agree on water-sharing deal, May 30.
I don’t know about my fellow citizens, but I haven’t heard city hall working extensively to discuss the supply of water to Lantzville with the people of Nanaimo.
The implications of this deal are many and serious.
Principal among them is the simple basic question of the conditions under which any municipality should be providing services outside its own jurisdiction.
In doing so are we operating as a charity? Or maybe we are in a business venture which will make enough money to pay down the tens of millions which Nanaimo taxpayers continue to put out on our water supply?
Or are we fishing for an amalgamation, given that water is probably the most important service which a municipality provides?
It’s concerning to learn this deal is, at least for the time being, limited to service to Upper Lantzville where a huge development recently went bankrupt for lack of water.
Council owes its citizens a much broader discussion of this issue.
Ron Bolin
Nanaimo