By Mark Squibb
Bay Bulls council has voted against a proposal to build a privacy fence for a resident along the Long Pond walking trail.
Deputy Mayor Jason O’Brien, during last week’s meeting, moved that the Town refuse the change order, which would see a privacy fence constructed on a residential property as part of the upgrades to the Long Pond walking trail at a cost of $21,500 plus HST, and likened the approval of the motion to using Town funds to benefit a single resident.
Councillor Ethan Williams, disagreed.
“I understand the concerns that have been brought forward by my colleagues, but I do feel that it is in the best interest of the Town and the stakeholders to approve the change order,” argued Williams.
Williams proved to be the lone supporter for the proposal as council ultimately rejected the change order.
The current work on the trail is part of phase 2 of the project
Phase 1 of the project, valued at $475,444 (less HST), was cost shared by the federal, provincial, and municipal governments under a Municipal Capital Works program, with each level of government paying a third of the cost. Phase 2 is valued at $144,229, and of that cost, the Town is only on the hook for 10 per cent — $14,422. The rest of the cost, minus costs above those previously approved, are covered by provincial COVID stimulus funding.
