The Town of High River and land owner John Monteith sat down at an official Public Inquiry Tuesday, February 6, to present their cases to the Province.

At issue is the expropriation of some of Monteith's land along 12th Avenue that will be used for the Southwest berm.

High River Mayor Craig Snodgrass says it's an automatic two part process in any expropriation, and has nothing to do with Monteith filing an objection to the expropriation.

"One is deeming the project 'fair and reasonable'. The other part is the money side of it, the level of compensation. So regardless of whether the objection came forward or not, I think this inquiry has to be done, either way, just to give both parties their voice."

According to the expropriation bylaw the Town signed in December, they'll pay Monteith $3.6 million for the land for the berm, and hope to have the process complete by the end of 2018, with construction to start some time in early 2019.

Snodgrass says the recommendations that will be contained in the Inquiry Officers report will be "non-binding" on the Town.

 

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