Committee refuses to hear residents with water problems
November 16, 2005

The city's planning committee yesterday took the unusual step of refusing to hear a citizen delegation. It was from a rural family seeking access to city water. Extending pipes beyond the urban boundary is against city policy, but has been allowed occasionally in the past, and those 'one-offs' generated a debate about equal treatment.

The Fratric family want to hook up to the municipal water pipe that runs along Fifty Road about 200 metres from their home. In their written request to speak to council, they note that other homes in the area already receive city water. All of them are also outside the urban boundary.

Stoney Creek councillor Maria Pearson noted their request "conflicts with the city policy" and she moved it be "referred to the public health department with direction that staff meet on site with the Fratrics to discuss the use and operations of cisterns and other appropriate measures."

But questions from Bob Bratina revealed that the rules have been bent before - about once or twice a year according to a staff member - including a decision in 2004 to supply water to the Voortman-owned Oakrun bakery in Carluke.

That information inspired Dave Mitchell - who had initially seconded Pearson's motion - to hope that the request of the Fratrics could be accommodated. "If we're going to continue with one-offs, then I would most definitely support the one-off to support my constituent as it has happened in other parts around the city."

He noted a situation on Twenty Road where four homes had been granted access to city water, but staff warned that the committee could only extend the pipe if they went through an official plan amendment. As a result, the committee voted to approve Pearson's motion.

Last year's Oakrun bakery pipe extension travelled more than two kilometres beyond the urban boundary. The required official plan amendments were approved by council in late September 2004. The Voortman family has been accused of making over-contributions to the 2003 election campaign of Mayor Larry Di Ianni.

The mayor reported $750 donations from each of John Voortman, Ellie Voortman, the Oakrun Farm Bakery Ltd and J Voortman and Associates. The four cheques were all written on the same day, with three bearing the same signature.

J Voortman and Associates is now one of 18 companies facing charges in a legal action brought by Joanna Chapman, the businesswoman who won a court order forcing a compliance audit of the mayor's campaign finances. The mayor has refunded $750 to J Voortman and Associates.

A copy of the Fratric's water pipe request is available at
http://www.myhamilton.ca/NR/rdonlyres/85E8AA43-780C-4B87
-8C98-E42CE61A1B54/0/Nov15Item41TheFratricfamily.pdf.

Last year's CATCH story on the Oakrun bakery water pipe can be viewed at http://hamiltoncatch.org/articles/art_0409/
art_040922waterpipe.htm.