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8082
Copeland Road
RR 2
Ashton, Ontario, K0A 1B0
February
20, 2004
Mr. J.
Jerald Bellomo
City
Solicitor
City of
Ottawa
110 Laurier Avenue West
Dear Mr.
Bellomo:
Re: Your letter of February
12, 2004
Your threatening letter of
February 12 is not the “professional solution” that is needed
in this case, to serve the public interest.
I wrote three letters, (the
first two of which were rather more submissive), in futile
efforts to obtain basic costing information regarding the
pipeline. Now, it appears your professional solution to
maintaining the city’s stance of withholding essential public
information is to direct staff and politicians to further
stonewall any future inquiries.
The closer concerned citizens
like myself get to the truth the more, it would appear, such
information undermines any remaining flimsy excuses for the
forcemain option. In light of the inept responses from Mr.
Ryan Matthews, P.Eng., on pipeline cost details, it seems your
pillar argument for putting residents’ health at risk, (i.e.:
that of a contrived minor operational cost-saving,
miscalculated 90 years into the future), no longer has
credibility.
Since you appear to
misconstrue the meaning of what I was trying to convey, as
indicated by your threats, I have rephrased the subject
paragraph to clarify that the words are intended to apply only
to those persons who might be guilty of the said offences.
Other parties would have nothing to be concerned or bothered
about. As always, the best defense in any situation is to be
on the side of truth. Hopefully, with these word changes, you
will be better able to understand the intended meaning of my
letter---which has been re-circulated. And hopefully, as well,
those persons who “referred” their concerns to your office
will now understand the message.
I wish to further clarify that
the proposed subject forcemain would not be routed in the
direction of my home, therefore, I do not have any personal
fears about future ruptures affecting my family’s health.
However, I do feel it is “fair comment” for me as a ratepayer
to express concerns to the municipality of the day, that
pipeline ruptures, (and you and I both know that there will
be more forcemain ruptures), will cause loss of property
value and possibly loss of life when they begin to occur
within Richmond’s shallow aquifer.
Such occurrences would most
certainly lead to the heretofore-referenced litigation by
families of the affected parties, in search of any wrongdoers
behind such avoidable catastrophic events. (It happened at
Walkerton, why would Ottawa’s case be any different?) No
amount of intimidation or threats from, you, Sir, will deter
my attempts to avert such mindless tragedy, if it can so
easily be prevented, and for such cost savings (i.e.: for 20%
of the forcemain option’s cost), in this period of budgetary
strain.
In light of the newest
evidence from the city, and other sources, showing that the
selection of the forcemain option, by Council, was made on the
basis of false data, I think you should take
inspiration from Prime Minister Martin, and, “get to the
bottom of this”.
Rather than your perhaps becoming part
of the problem by simply issuing threats to concerned
individuals, I would urge you to genuinely serve the public
interest on this issue by promptly addressing the elements
within City Hall that are threatening public health and safety
and causing profligate waste of our limited tax dollars.
Yours
very truly,
Richard
Bendall
CC: Amended February 4th Letter to Ryan Matthews
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