So far, everyone but the person proposing the deal has told them not to do it.

Appearing at Monday's regular meeting of council, city hall critic Robin Beaumont said the deal smacks of favoritism.

Beaumont raised the spectre of Animal Farm, George Orwell's allegorical criticism of communism, in which "all animals were equal, but some more equal than others."

Council gave first reading to the bylaw to authorize the sale at a hastily called noon meeting June 27. The deal, conditional on final approval by council, was signed the same day.

If it goes through, it will be the third agreement the city has made with the dairy since 1989. Tuaro failed to live up to the previous two.

Beaumont recalled reassurances council gave when it made the last deal with Tuaro two years ago.

"When taxpayers enquired what council's response would be if the dairy came sniffing at the trough again, they were advised that this could not happen -- this was a one-time deal," said the former mayoral candidate.

"If the seven members of city council really feel strongly enough that Tuaro Dairy is a going concern, why do you not invest your money in it?" Beaumont asked.

Houseboater Ted Mahler also spoke against allowing Tuaro to repeatedly fail to live up to its agreements with the city.

"That (lease agreement) was intended to limit the ability of administration to do things," he said. "It was not intended to give them the power to do whatever they want."

Mahler said city hall does not, under municipal law, have the right to release Tuaro from its contractual obligations contained in its lease.

But the lease terms aren't Tuaro's only obligations. Last year, Mayor Dave Lovell and senior administrator Doug Lagore gave written permission for the dairy to enter into a $145,000 mortgage with the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce.

Under the mortgage, which runs to 2006, Tuaro is required to make monthly payments of $1,208.33.