In this week’s Echo Essentials Podcast, co-hosts Scott Clark and Dave Dale sat down with Brian Baldwin, a retired North Bay resident, to discuss his opposition to the city’s plan to build a sanitary sewer pumping station at the corner of Premier Road and Lakeshore Drive, directly in front of his property. Baldwin recently presented his concerns to city council, highlighting transparency issues and questioning the suitability of the chosen site.

“It was just flabbergasting when I learned they were planning to put the station right in front of my house,” Baldwin said during the interview. “The last I’d heard, the car wash site was the preferred location, but the city said they couldn’t finalize that deal, and the plans were shifted without my knowledge.”

The facility, designed to manage sanitary sewer flow, will include a 12-foot-diameter well and a significant surface footprint for electrical equipment. Baldwin explained how the project would disrupt the aesthetic of the area, stating, “The footprint of this thing is enormous—about 30 feet long with tall panels and a generator. Even with landscaping, it’s hard to imagine it won’t be an eyesore.”

Baldwin expressed frustration over the lack of communication from the city. While some notices were mailed, he claims not all relevant documents reached him. “I didn’t receive the final report outlining the location change,” he said. “By the time I found out, decisions had already been made. I felt left out of the process.”