London councillors have put off deciding whether to expand sewer service to Arva after voting Monday night to seek additional information from city staff.
The issue drew heated debate Monday night from councillors who insist any move to offer city sewage treatment to Arva, a Middlesex Centre village just north of London, will only draw more homeowners out of the city.
Those homeowners, and their tax bills, are the heart of the city's tax base - and increasing the number of taxpayers, not reducing them, is key to freezing taxes as has been promised, Coun. Joni Baechler said.
Baechler suggested approving the proposal - Middlesex Centre politicians are asking London to give them the service - would mean council shirked its "fiduciary responsibility" to Londoners.
It appears a major benefit, according to supporters on council, would be acting as a good neighbour for Middlesex Centre.
The city originally offered sewer service to part of Arva about a decade ago.
The Municipality of Middlesex Centre, which includes Arva, now wants that expanded to offer full sewer and facilitate growth of the village's population from 550 today to about 1,547 over the next 20 years.
Council voted 8-6 to have staff further study the issue, for about two months, and return with information on: Middlesex Centre's growth plans; the benefits to London; opportunities for partnership with Middlesex Centre; and placing caps on how much Arva sewage will be accepted - thus limiting its growth.
Supporting the deferral were: Matt Brown, Paul Hubert, Dale Henderson, Paul Van Meerbergen, Denise Brown, Bud Polhill, Joe Swan and Stephen Orser.
Opposed to it were Baechler, Nancy Branscombe, Harold Usher, Judy Bryant, Sandy White and Bill Armstrong.
Mayor Joe Fontana, who lives in Arva, declared a conflict and sat out the debate.
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