With regard the letter ‘Insurance should pay for monument’ (Gazette, Feb. 1), I feel compelled to let your readers know what I have been able to learn, for better or worse as far as your tax rate is concerned.
The subject of this enquiry, the RCAF pedestal mounted plane that was attached atop a pedestal adjacent to Taché Street, here in St. Albert, was originally owned by a private entity. At some point, (no one on council was able to tell me exactly when), ownership of the plane was transferred to the City of St. Albert.
Although insurance coverage for City owned assets is required, in this case, it was not. I was not given any specific reason why, only the likelihood of two possibilities: ownership of this asset was either not assigned to any City department by risk and insurance staff, or the condition of the plane was deemed to make it worthless and not worth insuring.
However, as noted above, this asset was not insured.
After the collision damage was noted, the plane was removed from the pedestal in April 2014, and the pedestal removed.
The plane and pedestal could not be placed back at its original location due to the extension of St. Anne Street, the roadway with the needless traffic circle by City Hall and the realization that the original location of this asset would be required for other things, according to St. Albert’s Downtown Area Redevelopment Plan (DARP).
At some point, the Asset Management Branch determined that this asset, which may have not been worth the cost of insuring originally, was now determined to be a piece of public art and/or fine art.
This designation now allowed council to not have too many qualms about concluding that this asset, which was probably worthless when deeded over to the City, now easily worth the projected $335,000 cost to refurbish and erect it at another location.
And before you ask, I have to add that no, it doesn’t appear that anyone was or will be held accountable.
No one, that is, but you and me.
Randy Kish, St. Albert
