I just happen to be one of the landowners and a city taxpayer who Larry Pimm refers to in the article ‘Unethical’ bill, Advocate, Oct. 5. Why should I as a landowner have to pay thousands of dollars to abandon wells and pipelines so the whole population of Red Deer can benefit at my expense?
The city needs these removed to accommodate the building of Northland Drive as well as new sewer and water lines and development land the city owns that will benefit all of Red Deer taxpayers.
Many of these landowners have no wells or pipelines on their lands but fall within the setback requirements from the pipelines. Somehow that’s the city’s justification for charging us money to front the costs of early abandonment for NAL under the disguise that somehow were all going to reap huge profits for our lands when we sell them.
I’d like Pimm to put that in writing. Many of the landowners would be lucky to see any returns from development for 25 years or more. So who’s subsidizing who, Mr. Pimm?
This is just one more example of this present city council rubber-stamping of everything that administration brings before it — no questions asked.
Larry, do us all a favour when you retire from city council and take that rubber stamp with you!
Robert Northey
Red Deer