Summerland owes $500K

byGiant FM News - Castanet Dec 1, 2011 / 11:23 am

A lawsuit involving the town of Summerland has finally been resolved but taxpayers are on the hook for more than $500,000.  The town wanted to rebuild a decades-old dam to improve the municipal water supply.  But the Thirsk Dam was in worse condition than originally thought so the project was delayed for nearly a year.  Mayor Janice Perrino is relieved the court case dating back to 2007 is finally over.  Jim Dent Construction, the contractor, blamed the oversight on an engineering company the municipality hired.  It sued the town, saying the delay cost the company time and money.  Jim Dent is settling for almost $800,000, about half of which will be paid for by the municipality. The district says the structural problems were difficult to foresee.  Legal fees included, Summerland must pay $530,000 but the town says the money will come from a reserve fund.  The remainder will come from a Kelowna engineering company involved in the project.