Busted Axle Road Chapter 33
| Busted Axle Road | |
|---|---|
| Chapter 33 of 44 | |
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| Time frame | November, 1987 |
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Location
- Spearfish Lake Cafe in Spearfish Lake
- Spearfish Lake Fire Department meeting hall
Characters
Summary
Mike and Mark have breakfast at the Spearfish Lake Cafe. George is just leaving as they arrive and spots that they've been mushing.
Mark warns Mike that they've got to keep the dogs indoors for two weeks while the hunting season is on, otherwise there's a chance they will get shot & killed, like the horse that Mark & Jackie had.
Mike tells Mark about the story he and George Webb have got about the plan by Don to build a pond for the city sewer system at Mike's front yard which will badly affect Mike & Mark's property values. Mike owns a third of the land required, so he can delay it through the courts, but realises that he can't stop it that way.
John arrives at the Spearfish Lake Cafe the day before the deer hunting season opens. The town is full of hunters who arrived from out of state. Heather is there and is getting very upset by it all. John tries to reason with her, pointing out that the deer would starve if not culled. Heather is unwilling to accept this. Heather is also unhappy with the Defenders of Gaea and is sending out resumes to other organisations. John reminds her that she is in Spearfish Lake for the snake, not the deer, and gives up.
Don is wondering how Mike had found out about the retention pond when Ryan calls the Council meeting to order. The article about it in the Record-Herald had caused him to get a lot of unhappy phone calls. Ryan dispenses with the usual order of business, and calls Don to explain what he's been doing. As Don talks, Mike is making notes for the next edition of the paper.
When questions were allowed Mark asks why they don't build a larger plant and maintain the required minimum flow by pumping in clean water from the lake. Jack admits that it might be cheaper, but they just hadn't considered it. Hjalmer and Ray point out that the council shouldn't approve the retention pond if there is a possible cheaper alternative.
Helen wants to know if legal action could be taken, but again Don hasn't considered it.
Mike asks what authority the council gave to Don to spend so much money on the pond scheme. The result is that Don resigns as city manager, with the city clerk to stand in for him until a replacement is hired.
Jack is given $5,000 to investigate other technical options and the city attorney is directed to look at legal action. Heather protests about this idea and gets herself expelled from the meeting.
