Editor:
Re: Seeking Feedback (Sept. 28 issue of The Gazette)
Mr. Everett Baker is to be commended for putting his name forward on the ballot for city council.
However, in his letter to the editor of Sept. 28, he mentioned he would like to see an economic development plan.
In the spring of 2009, an Economic Development Task Force was formed but Mr. Baker chose not to participate.
If he had, he would have witnessed the many hours of committee work done by interested citizens to complete an economic development plan.
As for borrowing money for the infrastructure, I agree it is never a good time to borrow money. The past city councils also used the same excuse.
If the work on the infrastructure had been done 10 years ago, when we knew it was needed, the cost would have been much lower.
The longer we wait, the more expensive it becomes. There again, if Mr. Baker had attended the presentation at the Grand Forks Secondary School last winter, when a consultant showed us the real condition of our infrastructure, he might have a different attitude.
We do not have enough water to fight a major fire in the west end of the city, which includes the hospital and a few multiplex buildings.
Should we wait until the sewer lines collapse completely and basements fill with sewage? This could cost the city a lot of money in damages and we would still have to fix the problem. I am sure if we have local companies qualified to do the work, they will be invited to bid on the job.
I think if Mr. Baker were really interested in the city, he would have attended these meetings to get himself better informed.
Paul Pinard, Grand Forks