"Water Woes" the Most Used Title?

This blog should've kept track how many times people's Letters to the Editor used that title.
Lots and lots of times, indicating what's on people's minds.

On Friday, March 9th, on page A9, here's one from John Hegler:



"We already have one of the highest water rates in North America, if not the highest yet, on top of that, another three per cent will be added, when inflation is only 1.9 per cent.  Rational:(sic) pile up reserves.

"...they not only threaten you,

 they are trying to blackmail you as well

 that you have 30 days to phone in to comply

 or pay a $265 fine plus

 another $35 per quarter

 on top of your water bill."

Would it not be nice if all the people struggling out there to make ends meet, could do the same.

Greater Vernon Water and the District of Coldstream send you a letter wanting to install a wireless transmitter on your water meter.  In this letter, in my opinion, they not only threaten you, they are trying to blackmail you as well that you have 30 days to phone in to comply or pay a $265 fine plus another $35 per quarter on top of your water bill.

I applied to Coldstream Council to be put on the agenda regarding this matter.  At this meeting, there was a person representing Greater Vernon Water, their spin doctor, who said it would cost $200 per house for the transmitter.

"The third batch goes out

 with the threats being added again.

 The mayor agreed it was a threatening letter."

Taking the population of Greater Vernon with an example of three people per house, would translate into over four million dollars.  She also announced that the first batch of letters sent out, they have received too many complaints over the threats in the letters.  The second batch of letters that were sent out, the threats were eliminated, they didn't like the compliance rate of the second batch of letters, so guess what?  The third batch goes out with the threats being added again.  The mayor agreed it was a threatening letter.  What a joke!

Now we lost a water meter reading job, and Vernon already has one of the highest unemployment rates.

In my opinion, they sit in their office with a cup of coffee in their hands, pat themselves on the back and give themselves a raise as they read your water meter on low frequency radio waves.  This is just the beginning of more raises to be added to your water bill.

Multi, multi millions of dollars have been spent on this Duteau Creek money pit, and millions more to come.

In a democracy, you are supposed to have freedom from fear, but in Greater Vernon, in my opinion, we live in a dictatorship.

Is this the new "norm", moving forward?  If they want something bad(sic) enough, in my opinion, they would do so at all costs.

Again, in my opinion, these people are so far out of touch with reality, they could not run a pop corn stand."

John Hegler

"Many people miss Mr. Common Sense (Brian Harvey), the former manager of the now defunct Vernon Irrigation District," Kia would've reminisced, adding "it's as though robots are running things nowadays!"

Robots?
Or at least people who can't put themselves in users' shoes...or won't.