Our mayor’s hesitating and incomplete response to the Bowker Street flood was most disappointing.
The flood was an unfortunate accident caused by municipal employees in working with the aging water pipe infrastructure. One would have hoped that, upon being notified of the unfortunate incident, our mayor would have rolled up his trouser legs, donned rubber boots and hastened to the scene.
Once there he would have spoken one-on-one with the residents of the dozen or so affected houses offering them both his sympathy as well as reassurances that since the municipality was totally responsible for causing the flood then the municipality would take full responsibility for the needed clean up that it caused.
Surely it is absolutely unfair to expect these innocent homeowners and tenants to make claims on their own home insurance, pay required deductibles, lose no claim bonuses and see their future premiums bumped up as a result of costly claims.
When such accidents occur is precisely the time we expect our elected politicians to step up to the plate and give prompt, decisive and caring leadership.
To date, mayor Jensen has failed the unfortunate Bowker Street residents on all counts.
John Fryer
Oak Bay
Editor’s note: While we are not privy to the mayor’s message to residents on the day of the flood, we would like to note that mayor Jensen did attend the scene as soon as he was notified.