Keats quits over water hauling debate
'I don't want to sit on a council that's condoning undercutting local businesses,' says former village councillor
April Hudson
Northern News Services
Thursday, July 30, 2015
LIIDLII KUE/FORT SIMPSON
Leah Keats has resigned her position on council following a heated debate at a committee meeting about water hauling services.
The committee convened the evening of July 27 to discuss whether the village should give PR Contracting the go-ahead to haul bulk water to out-of-town customers.
PR Contracting already has a contract to deliver water in town. Despite that, other local businesses have access to the bulk water plant if they have accounts and the proper hook-ups for their vehicles.
Keats and Mayor Sean Whelly locked horns on whether to require out-of-town customers to access bulk water solely through a local contractor or to maintain the status quo, whereby anyone from out of town with the appropriate hookups can obtain bulk water directly from the water treatment plant, thus eliminating a delivery fee.
"I believe anybody who comes to town to do work should use the services and companies that are registered in town," Keats said.
"There are some things my values and principles do not allow me to support. This was an issue I could not support and I didn't want to be part of a council that made the decision they were headed toward making."
The committee reconvened at noon on July 28, accompanied by Pat Rowe from PR Contracting, to further discuss the issue. Keats was not present.
That second committee meeting elicited further heated debate. The issue is now set to come before council the evening of Aug. 4.
"We can't just think about what's good for one business; we have to think about what's good for the community," Whelly said during the committee meeting.
"The question is more philosophical: do we privatize our water, or give public access?"
The issue snowballed out of a decision at the July 20 regular council meeting to only allow trucks with the proper hookups to fill up at the water treatment plant, and to dismantle a meter on the village water hydrant so it can no longer be used.
That decision was made after PR Contracting expressed concern about Rohl Construction being able to fill up at the hydrant without appropriate hookups. Deputy mayor Stella Nadia also raised concern about the hydrant being left leaking throughout the summer, which has wasted water.
At that time, Whelly said the village has always had a policy of selling bulk water to anyone who pulls up to the water plant, while Keats argued there is a difference between providing water to people with the correct equipment and "jury-rigging a system" to accommodate them.
During the July 28 committee meeting, Whelly said he was open to Keats returning to her seat.
However, Keats confirmed her resignation the evening of July 28.
"There are some people doing some very good work on council, but sometimes it's not always a good fit; this was just the last straw," she said.
"I don't think I could live with being part of (this) decision ... and I don't want to sit on a council that's condoning undercutting local businesses."
Keats said she will be using her freed-up time to concentrate on her business, Janor Guest House, and perhaps play a little golf. A return to politics, however, is likely not in the cards.
"The almost three years I was (on council) was an incredible learning experience," she said.
"If I would have gone into it 10 years ago, I would have had a lot more energy and I wouldn't have been so (stretched) with my time ... I think my political career has petered out."
