Why Brian Tutton went to council

Pinewood Park Drive can't continue to flourish and be developed without sewers, a businessman in the area told North Bay council Monday night.

Brian Tutton said the city has done only half the job, installing a water main in 1996 and committing to make the other half a priority.

"I believe it has made the capital budget list only once since that time," Tutton said.

"And as a commercial area we've been overlooked for development by many of the majors because we have no sewer."

Conversion costly

Tutton said three motels/hotels, including the Clarion Inn -Pinewood Park, and a large truckstop/restaurant are all paying private sewage disposal costs "greatly hampering their competitiveness in the marketplace."

Several other business owners, Tutton said, would like to expand but can't afford to relocate septic systems on top of their building costs.

"A major recreational dealer recently closed down because costs were too high, one of which was a recent $30,000 septic system replacement," Tutton said.

Some owners have converted their businesses to different usages, Tutton said, "hopefully with lower sewage requirements."

"But it's also becoming more of an issue as the environmental people make it more difficult to operate these private systems," Tutton said.

Infrastructure money could be coming

A new sewer would cost around $1.5 million, and Tutton said he'd like the issue to be on the table when the next council begins putting the 2004 budget together.

As well, Tutton said, Prime Minister Jean Chretien, during his recent visit to North Bay, hinted federal money could be made available for infrastructure projects.

"One of the issues is that any municipality which has water but no sewers, or vice-versa, should be granted one or the other," Tutton said.

"That's a development issue with money available for that."

Assessment not reflective

Businesses on Pinewood Park Drive, Tutton said, would be willing to share installation costs for a sewer, as was the case of a 10-year levy when the water main was put in.

He added that property taxes for businesses on the road don't reflect the lack of infrastructure.

"We pay full commercial assessment but the assessment does very little in terms of adjusting for the lack of a sewer."

Tutton said he's "disappointed" the area has been overlooked for so long.

Fair to revisit issue

North Bay Deputy Mayor Lynne Bennett was chairwoman of the engineering and public works committee in 1996.

"We did the project and we did the water and there were engineering problems that stopped us from being able to do it, and it was quite costly," Bennett said.

"I can't honestly recall subsequent budgets and what they had said about this."

Bennett believes, though, that it's "fair" to revisit the matter "and see what it is we can do, and see what it will cost and if it can be incorporated into our infrastructure."