Response from City Solicitor Lorie Bottos

The following is the full text of a letter sent to Joe Fratesi, the City's chief administrative officer, by City Solicitor Lorie Bottos:

****************************************************************** 2003 03 07

Joe Fratesi Chief Administrative Officer

Dear Joe:

Re: Servicing of Industrial Lands - Anonymous Note to Residents of Base Line Area

In your memo dated March 4th you asked for our comments on the notice that is being circulated to people who live in the Leigh's Bay Road, Carpin Beach, etc. area.

By coincidence earlier this week I had a telephone conversation with Councillor Manzo in which he made reference to the City selling Algoma Steel's land for it.

This is a similar allegation to the one made in the anonymous note.

I pointed out to Frank that the City is doing nothing of the kind.

The Heritage Fund money is allowing the City to acquire property from Algoma and service it and then put industrial land on the market.

City Council has made a decision that the City needs serviced industrial land available for industry.

I explained to Frank that that is the mandate that staff is following.

Councillor Manzo also alleged that, perhaps secretly, the City had waived $3,000,000.00 in taxes for Algoma in 1999.

On checking this out I got back to Frank and explained to him that the Assessment Review Board made some rulings in 1999 that had the effect of lowering Algoma's assessment and thereby its taxes.

There was nothing that was done inappropriately.

With respect to the suggestion in the anonymous note that wells were damaged when G P Flakeboard was put in place, I know Councillor Manzo had alleged that his well has been affected and continues to be affected by the G. P. Flakeboard installation.

I have never seen any proof that the wells were in any way affected by the G P. Flakeboard Plant.

The suggestion in the anonymous note that TSH ignored the submissions from local residents is nonsense.

Those concerns were addressed in the TSH report.

TSH did not ignore anyone.

Those are my only comments. If you have any questions please give me a call.

Yours truly,

Lorie A. Bottos, City Solicitor

c.c. Mel Brechin, Commissioner of Engineering and Planning; Bruce Strapp, President & CEO of Economic Development Corporation; Don McConnell, Planning Director