Danny Williams 'totally without merit' in Galway roundabout tiff, says Andy Wells

When it comes to getting city money to pay for a roundabout in the Galway development of St. John's, Andy Wells says Danny Williams is dreaming.

Wells, a former mayor, said the request "is totally contrary" to the City of St. John's policy for development and infrastructure.

Godown to the east end and try to buy an acre of land for less than $400,000.- Andy Wells

"This is another attempt [to get] money from the taxpayers. I went through it with respect to the bloody hockey $700,000 we gave the IceCaps. Now he wants a million for a roundabout," said Wells.

Williams has said his development in the west end is being treated unfairly by council, but Wells said that just isn't true.

According to Wells, Williams purchased the land for $300 an acre compared to the roughly $4,500 charged by the province for a Crown grant of undeveloped land, givingGalwaya tremendous cost advantage.

"Godown to the east end and try to buy an acre of land for less than $400,000 good luck," Wells toldCBC'sOn The Go. "Sohis case is totally without merit."

A CBC Investigates story in November 2015 reported that Williams acquired 1,377 acres of landfrom the Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Corporation in 1998 for $425,000roughly $308 per acre and bought another 110 acres for $64,030 or $580 per acre.

• Danny Williams's blind trust acquired 550 acres of land from NLHC during term as premier

"Danny purchased every single acre at Galway for full and fair market value," a spokesperson for Williams wrote CBC on Tuesday.

"For context, he has personally spent approximately $400,000 on every acre 300 acres to date simple math well over $100 million just to prepare and develop the land to ready it for sale."

Wells saidthe rules outlining development of Galwaystated that anything developed above the 190 contour area would have no cost implications for the city, and would not access taxpayer money.

Poor demographics projected

When asked if planning road infrastructure before the development was finished could be a way to get out ahead of future traffic snarls, Wells said that argument doesn't hold merit.

Wells, who said he still can't rule out whether he will run for council again in September, said he suspects the St. John's metro area is "maxed out" in terms of the population.

"Our demographics are very, very poorso there may be existing problems, which must be addressed, but that comes through your transportation plan," said Wells.

"If you've got a problem, you solve it, but to suggest that we're gonna have the kind of growth in this region that people are talking about, I'm afraid it's fantasy land."

• Williams doubles down on east versus west bias, accuses deputy mayor of conflict of interest
• Round 1: Danny Williams, City of St. John's in dispute over roundabout near Galway

Wells also praised Deputy Mayor Ron Ellsworth's decision to release the documents publicly, even though Mayor Dennis O'Keefe took issue with Williams's letter being tabled.

"Finally, finally somebody down at city hall is following the freedom of information bylaw and making sure that these kinds of requests go public, are placed in the public chamber," said Wells.

"Now O'Keefe and Breen and the rest of them can't cook up a deal behind closed doors and announce it secretly on Friday afternoon. If they're gonna spend a million bucks they're gonna have to do it in the public chamber of the city."