Sooke steps ahead with sewer bylaws
Mayor pleased with cost reduction
by Robin Wark for the Sooke News Mirror October 22, 2003

Sooke mayor Janet Evans was quite pleased when the District of Sooke's single family equivalent rate was released last week.

The rate of $495 is $155 less than the estimate of $650, which has been batted around for the project for more than a year now. Sooke administrator Tom Day said at Monday's committee of the whole meeting the figure is a result of a great deal of time spent crunching number by staff, EPCOR representatives and consultants. The district was able to lower the number from the previous estimate primarily because of an increase in single family equivalents being served. This was accomplished partly through an expanded service area proposed by Sooke's preferred partner EPCOR Water Services Inc., who would design, build and operate the project if it proceeds. Ten private property owners also agreed to pay 100 per cent of the necessary costs for their parcels located outside of the proposed service area to be part of the system.

The amount paid annually covers both capital and operating. Day said Monday night the capital cost of the collection and treatment system will be $22,771,500.

It is determined by two costs: a parcel tax and a sewage generation charge. The parcel tax is the flat $495, which a single family home owner would pay. Property with "multiple uses" will be charged the parcel tax plus a sewage generation charge based on a table of multiples. For example a single family dwelling with one suite would pay based on a multiple of 1.7, so it would be $841.50. The charge for a high school is 6.0 per 100 students at the primary and elementary level.

During a half hour public question and comment period Monday night no members of the packed room's audience said that the $495 was too much.

As well as the annual costs people in the specified area will have to pay the cost to connect and those who require pumps would have to pay for the electricity needed to operate them, for their maintenance and the replacement costs.

Question wording recommended

Siting as a committee of the whole the Sooke mayor and councillors recommended, by a 5-2 vote, that council authorize the wording of the question for Dec. 13's slated referendum on the sewer project.

As proposed the question voters from the specified area would be reading on their ballots would be: "Are you in favour of the council of the District of Sooke adopting Bylaw No. 147, Sooke Core Sewer Specified Area Bylaw, 2003 authorizing the District of Sooke to construct and operate a community sewer system for the benefit of the specified area designated in the bylaw?"

Coun. John Stephen and Coun. George OBriain voted against the motion to recommend authorization. Stephen feels more information needs to be presented in the question. According to Stephen a Union Bay referendum for a similar project had just one question but three parts. The referendum Stephen was referring to included asking if they were in favour of the system, of borrowing the money and of the amount that needed to be paid back per year.

Evans suggested councillors bring their concerns about the question to Day's attention.

Public speaks

The council chambers were full Monday with every available chair being used and a handful of people standing near the doors. On which side of the sewer system the 17 people speaking stood was split almost right down the middle. Eight speakers appeared to be in strongly in favour of the sewer system, while seven were against. One person spoke but did not indicate whether they were in favour or not.

More land sought

At Monday's meeting the committee recommended council authorize allocating money from the 2004 budget from the general fund surplus to purchase an additional hectare of land at the sewer treatment plant site. The idea of purchasing another hectare next to the hectare the district already plans on buying is to allow for future expansion of the plant.

The surplus is anticipated to be about $3 million at the end of this year. Day wrote in his report because of the land acquisition negotiations the amount of money cannot be disclosed at this time.

Buying in questioned

The District of Sooke council allowed property owners outside of the proposed specified area to buy into the area by paying for 100 per cent of the necessary costs to increase the capacity of the sewage collection and treatment systems. Ten property owners took advantage of this and in total paid $2.5 million. These costs per owner ranged from $27,387 to $1.154 million.

During Monday's public question and comment period Gail Hall questioned if under the Local Government act Sooke had authority to do this. Stephen brought up the issue once again during the meeting.