Stephen’s efforts for better effluent were appreciated
by Allan G Dacombe to the Sooke News Mirror October 15 2003

Editor:

At last Monday night's council meeting Coun. John Stephen made a valiant attempt, supported by two other councillors, to ensure our community would have the ultimate sewage treatment installed.

Sadly, council voted four to three for Sooke installing a secondary treatment plant, a move that can only be a stop gap solution and will inevitably require upgrading in the future. The approved installation does meet and exceed, in some degree, the requirements of the approving authority.

Coun. Stephen made an excellent, albeit short, explanation of an alternative for a better and cleaner effluent result at no additional cost to the lesser, and majority approved solution.

Other concerns were expressed by the public on related matters but the four councillors left over from the first Sooke council would not budget. If the referendum properly describes all alternatives only then can our citizens be truly informed.