Cypress County council rejects giving financial assistance to Jasper Homes

By Justin Seward
Cypress County council had a  one last decision on their hands as to whether or not to financially assist Jasper Homes with the Dunmore Storm Water Management facility at June 20 regular meeting.
It was on May 2 that WSP Canada on behalf of Jasper Homes came forward to council to ask for financial assistance for the facility near their 13 lot hamlet residential subdivision and the residential area to the south.
However, council postponed the decision at the time and requested more information from WSP Canada and Jasper Homes.
WSP Canada came back with an anticipated cost  $317,150 for the project.
Jasper Homes is wanting the county to contribute $298,000 while the company would pay the remaining $19,150 for the stormwater management facility.
Coun. Richard Oster said he had  doubts before where the water was going to flow and cause people grief but now commends WPS Canada after reviewing the project again and seen what they have done is impressed with the process.
“I feel that we do have a bunch of water draining in there and we’re responsible for a part of this cost,” said Oster.
“I realize we’re giving up the land which is not going to be used for anything because it’s too narrow, (we) couldn’t develop on it anyway. We weren’t prepared to buy that property to sell it for commercial development.”
Coun. Dan Hamilton stuck with his original thought process of not wanting to donate to developers.
“Other developments, they have the room and take care of it,” said Hamilton.
“It’s not like this is  a surprise. They knew it when they were getting into it. For us to give the land up  for the dry pond, I don’t have a problem with that. But putting any money into doing anything else have an issue with it.”
Council’s options included paying the $298,000 (94 per cent), $183, 200 (58 per cent) or $79, 250 (25 per cent) of the stormwater facility. The other option was to receive for information and not make a financial contribution.
Council voted 8-1 in favour of receiving for information and not making any financial contribution to Jasper Homes, but agreed to let the company use county land north of the subdivision to build a stormwater containment facility at no cost to the developer. The estimated cost is $200,000.