A Disturbing Awareness

I've been reading, with alarming regularity, about the deterioration of City of Winnipeg services.

The most curious to be sure concerns the offloading of contracting city services to the average citizen. It seems a homeowner had a rather unfortunate sewer incident. Reportedly his sewer line and the city main trunk parted ways, roughly in the middle of the street in front of his house.

Even the most cynical will not believe what happened next. You see, even though the failure was on city property, and was no doubt the city's responsibility, the city did not view it that way.

Here is what happened. Keep in mind, this is city property.

• Homeowner obtains independent proof the failure is city responsibility.
• Homeowner convinces city bureaucrat that the failure is city responsibility while forced through hoops by bureaucrat.
• Note, zero sense of urgency on city behalf. Homeowner without use of water and toilets in own home for several DAYS.
  
• Homeowner obtains quotes from MULTIPLE City of Winnipeg approved sewer contractors to repair failure under the street.
• Homeowner selects contractor and PAYS for work to be done.
• After two weeks and seriously out of pocket, sewer is repaired.

Now you're probably thinking I'm making this up. Nope. Wish I were.

We hear all the time how the feds dump responsibilities on the provinces. And the provinces on municipalities.

Now it appears municipalities are downloading city services on rate-paying citizens. I can't imagine how city officials can possibly justify this. It seems incredulous.

Even under the most fortuitous circumstances citizens acting as purchasing agents, project managers and/or general contractors is a disaster waiting to happen.

The city is expected to hire people with the experience and the education to handle such things. They know what to look for. The tricks of the trade if you will. They should be capable of acting quickly, correctly identify the problem. Choose a qualified contractor. Pay for the services. FIX THE PROBLEM.

Remember City of Winnipeg bureaucrats, you get what you pay for.

Get your act together.