Joe McWilliams
Lakeside Leader
The M.D. of Lesser Slave River began hauling off flood mud from Marten Beach last week. This followed a pledge by the municipality to help affected property owners if they were able to get the stuff to the front of their lots.
It’s a big job, and probably will take some time to finish.
“This will be the first crack at it,” says the message posted on the MD of LSR Facebook page. “For those who miss out, there will be other opportunities.”
That will be comforting news to some property owners, who have up to a foot-and-a-half of muck in their yards and hadn’t managed to plow it to the roadside by the time the M.D. started its removal project. Last week’s rain certainly didn’t help anything.
The lobbying campaign for provincial assistance continues. The Marten Beach Cottagers’ Society (actually a sub-committee of that body) were urging members to send letters to the MLA and other government people, urging action on disaster recovery and flood mitigation.
The muck in the yards is one thing – flood damage in homes is another and there was quite a lot of it this time around.
There’s been quite a bit of neighbours helping neighbours in the community.
Flooded basements and crawl spaces have to be emptied and mucked out. Many hands make light work and also build community spirit.
But the future is cloudy.
The M.D. council is doing its own bit on the lobbying front. Reeve Murray Kerik told The Leader last week he had talked to Mr. Rehn, the MLA, who told him that disaster relief was in the jurisdiction of the Minister of Municipal Affairs and that he would contact him. Kerik said on Tuesday he was still waiting for a return call.
“I think this government thinks if they can wait long enough it will just go away,” he said.
Members of the sub-committee attended the M.D. council meeting on Aug. 14. Valerie Tradewell and Norm Seatter urged council to set up a meeting (or try to) with the Minister of Environment and Parks.
Reeve Kerik was supportive.
“It’s time to face the fact they (the provincial government) have to start helping us,” he said.
“We’re really happy to hear you say that,” said Seatter.
