Lorena appeals sewer stink to the Ontario Municipal Board

Property owners on Queen Street West are going to the Ontario Municipal Board to fight City Council's decision last night forcing them to contribute to the cost of replacing sewers related to the new truck route. The appeal was announced after the meeting by Lorena Tridico, whose family is affected by the decision.

Tridico also repeated her threat to launch a class-action lawsuit against the City over the matter.

"We are confident the concerns of the property owners will be heard and respected [by the Ontario Municipal Board]," said Tridico in a release faxed to media after last night's meeting.

"In addition we will be working closely with the affected property owners along this truck route, including Second Line property owners, ensuring that their concerns will be adequately represented," she said.

Tridico believes the City should pay the entire cost of the truck route from general taxes because the new transportation corridor will benefit the whole city.

"This project has received millions of dollars of funding from both the provincial and federal governments, making it unique," she said.

At a meeting of City Council late last month, representatives of the neighbourhood asked for more time to make their case.

Their request for more time was granted, but the reprieve was short-lived as Council's discussion turned last night to issues of precedent-setting and future maintenance on the 90-year-old sanitary sewers under Queen Street West from Hudson to George Streets.

In response to questions from Ward 6 Councillor Jason Collins and Ward 3 Councillor Bryan Hayes, City Solicitor Lorie Bottos said that the City has charged property owners for the cost of sewer replacements in every other case, despite much opposition from those owners.

Bottos also said that other municipalities have differing policies for local improvement assessments.

"There really is no consistent standard in place in the province," Bottos told Council.

Bottos said that some other municipalities collect 100 percent of the cost to upgrade roads and sewers from adjoining property owners, while others use general tax revenue for all road and sewer upgrades.

"First off, let me just say that I am not a fan of local improvement assessments," said Ward 4 Councillor Debbie Amarosso. "But having said that, I have to add, how do we stop?"

Amarosso reminded Council of other residents in the Sault who have made similar bids to Council in the past and said she was sure some of them want their money back if Council didn't treat the Queen Street property owners the same as others were treated in the past.

Ward 6 Councillor Frank Manzo said that residents of this area have paid enough for a truck route they didn't want.

Manzo said he couldn't ask them to also pay for sewers that wouldn't have been replaced if not for the truck route.

He predicted the Ontario Municipal Board would rule against the City in this case.

"And if it goes to a class-action lawsuit," said Manzo, "you guys are going to be paying through the nose forever."

Manzo asserted that the sewers were still fine and wouldn't have needed replacement for some time.

City Director of Engineering Design & Buildings Maurice Koukaritis said that it's been City policy to replace old or damaged sewers when road repairs are done so that they don't have to come back in a few years to do it.

"The replacement of the sewers is not driven by the truck route," said Koukaritis. "It's driven by age and future maintenance costs."