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Water meter project goes ahead

Motion ensures that the city will proceed with the water meter project.

The water meter project will go ahead despite calls for a moratorium from two successful candidates of last fall’s election campaign.

At Grand Forks City Council regular meeting on Feb. 10, Coun. Michael Wirischagin proposed a motion for council to reaffirm the city’s position to proceed with the water meters project. Council voted 5-2 in favour with only Coun. Julia Butler and Mayor Frank Konrad opposed.

“In the last two months council hasn’t done much in setting direction in moving forward, I don’t think,” Wirischagin said to council, “in as much as we’ve had individuals come forward with positive feedback regarding water meters and negative feedback regarding water meters. The fact is the city has already installed about 75 per cent of the water meters.”

Wirischagin stated before reading his motion that the city has gone this far with the water meters and needs to finish.

“The motion was to reaffirm the city’s position on what the previous council set…to proceed with the project,” explained Wirischagin after the meeting. “It’s just to reaffirm our position that it’s the direction that the majority of council thinks is necessary. At this point it would be more costly to go back than to finish off the project.”

Wirischagin said he felt it seemed like council was “spinning their tires” in the last two months and not going anywhere.

“We’ve had feedback from both sides. It’s just to show the community that this is the direction (we want to go),” he said.