Overdue reports finally complete for utilities
Local politicians got their first look Thursday at assessment reports they ordered ahead of the possible public acquisition of two private utility systems south of Penticton.
The third-party engineering studies on the Vintage Views sewer system and Lakeshore Waterworks water system were discussed by the RDOS board at a closed-door session, confirmed Jim Zaffino, the local government’s chief administrative officer, in a statement Friday.
“RDOS staff are reviewing the reports to determine what may need to be redacted due to privacy and legal considerations,” said Zaffino.
“The RDOS board of directors will continue discussions on the matter at a future meeting.”
The reports were initially due for public release in November 2023, ahead of a planned public consultation process in mid-2024, and potential acquisition in late 2024.
The two systems service the neighbourhoods of Heritage Hills, Vintage Views and Lakeshore Highlands, which lie above the east side of Skaha Lake.
The sewer utility has approximately 120 connections and the water utility has approximately 325.
While the water system has struggled over the years, it’s the sewer system that’s of greatest concern.
It’s been flagged by the B.C. government as a high risk for failure and is the subject of various repair orders and a pollution prevention order, which since August 2021 has prevented the RDOS from issuing building permits for new homes that would connect to the system.
In December 2022, the RDOS board directed staff to begin due diligence on possible acquisition of the systems, after the owner, Johnny Aantjes, formerly offered to sell them.
The board also committed $150,000 to hire consultants to inspect the systems and come up with cost estimates to get the infrastructure up to snuff and into public hands.
Residents in the area are also still awaiting their first look at the reports, according to Doug Lychak, president of the Heritage Hills Homeowners Association.
“People are very concerned up here about moving forward to a positive solution and with the state of the utilities,” said Lychak in an interview Friday.
“I think the mood here is the community wants to step up and get them into the public domain.”
Lychak added, though, there is an undercurrent of concern in the community about the “substantial amounts of money” that will be required to update the systems and potentially difficult negotiations on an acquisition price.
A new front has spawned in the feud between Summerland neighbours Brad Besler and Thor Clausen.
Around 10 years ago, Clausen launched a mushroom-growing business from his property on Garnet Valley Road, which is located next door to Besler’s mom. The business grew and about five years later, Besler became frustrated that permits were not obtained before construction was completed on some of the mushroom-growing facilities, and he did not appreciate the new odours coming from the farm.
The conflict flared up between May and June 2019 -- after several confrontations, both parties installed surveillance systems to monitor the other’s property.
The fight made its way to criminal court after Besler and his brother were charged with harassment and mischief in July 2019. In 2021, the brothers were convicted of the charges, but were acquitted after successfully appealing.
The matter is now before civil court, as Besler filed a lawsuit against Clausen earlier this week. Several friends and family members on both sides of the conflict are named in the documents, but Besler and Clausen are at the main players.
The lawsuit claims that over the course of the feud, both sides accused the other of harassment, making threats and intimidation.
Besler, who’s again representing himself, candidly described some heated exchanges that allegedly occurred.
Associates of Clausen described the Besler brothers as irrational, hostile and unpredictable. “Everyone on our side of this … are scared of what the Beslers will do next,” according to a letter submitted to the RCMP in 2019.
After a no-trespassing sign was installed on the Besler’s property, one of the defendants commented on the Summerland Rant and Rave Facebook page that Besler is a “dumbass and whiny little bitch” who “clearly (has) some sort of mental disorder,” according to the lawsuit.
While Clausen was relaying his concerns to police in June 2019, he told an RCMP officer that he slept with a firearm the night prior and was willing to go to jail in defence of his property and employees. Those comments were disclosed through the criminal case, Besler’s lawsuit alleges.
“If Darren or Brad Besler step foot on my property I will beat them up and they will not leave alive,” Clausen allegedly said to Const. Stephanie Bond.
“Everybody is scared of what Brad and Darren will do next,” according to a statement made to the RCMP by an employee. “It is clear that they are extremely unpredictable. They also have a reputation in town for being violent. Every day I come in to work thinking there is a chance I will end up in a fight with the brothers, and I would probably end up seriously injured.”
A different employee described the brothers to police as having “apparent mental instability and drug-induced irrational behaviour” who created an “unpredictable and extremely volatile” situation.
The defendants co-signed a letter in June 2019 asking several authorities to evaluate the mental health records of the Besler brothers and their mom, “and then advise us on the risk they pose to employees, our business and us.”
Everyone -- and their dog -- got dragged into this lawsuit.
“Brad breeds Presa (Canario dogs) and these type of dogs are known to be vicious,” a pregnant employee of Clausen’s told the RCMP. “There is a study that shows 80% of men who have abusive tendencies also abuse their dogs. Kodi is the dog they are using to intimidate us.”
The pregnant employee later told police she was on stress leave from work and she didn’t feel safe with the Besler brothers “constantly” at the fence line.
“I am afraid when (my husband) is alone on the farm. I am 18 weeks pregnant and stressed daily because of them.”
When she crossed paths with Besler one Saturday at the Penticton Farmer’s Market, she committed harassment by filming