Now imagine that you leave the party and go to your room, which happens to be directly next to the room where the party was being held.

And now imagine how you’d feel if you were awakened in the morning by someone working for the party host, who hands you an enormously large tab for damages and cleanup, based chiefly on the fact you are in the room closest to where the party happened.

You tally things up in your head and accept the fact you should pay your fair share of that tab but can’t wrap your head around the fact you are being asked to pay for the whole thing.

If you can imagine all those things, then you might be able to understand how Point Development’s and Copper Point’s Ron Mason is feeling right about now, as he stares at a roughly $5 million tab for paying for roundabouts on Highway 93/95.

Mason and the Copper Point folks have been at the same party as many dozens of other developers, entrepreneurs, speculators and those taking advantage of the spin-offs of development and he’s cool with the thought of having to foot the bill for the Cooper Road roundabout, as it will service his development directly.

However, they are also being asked to cover the costs (with some recouping and assistance likely from the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure - MOTI) of the Invermere crossroads roundabout.

While speaking to a Columbia Valley Chamber of Commerce luncheon crowd last week, Mason noted he sees the situation as a bit “crazy” and we agree completely. He also wonders why the MOTI isn’t considering late comer agreements to allow Copper Point to be able to recoup some of the funds they’re being asked to provide so everyone in the valley can deal with an easier intersection experience.

Again, we completely agree and we’d appreciate it if MOTI would forward a reason or reasons for this.

Think about it. What if Glacier Resorts Ltd. actually shifts the glacier they’ve been riding upon and, miraculously, find backers to fund a Crown land development scheme based around glaciers that will be a few measly ice cubes by the time they conclude their overly ambitious and strive toward a 6,400 bed build out?

Along with having to cover the entire cost of the road leading to Jumbo, these developers and backers had better be made to cover other infrastructure costs, such as impacts to the crossroads intersection and to Invermere’s roadway patterns. If they build to projected specs, they’ll be six times the size of The Ridge at Copper Point.

Then there is the currently dormant Grizzly Ridge project that could double the size of Invermere. No late comer agreement proposed for them, either. Or for any of the other large scale projects proposed for Invermere — or for Fairmont Hot Springs area projects — which will all impact the crossroads as much and more than Copper Point.

We don’t disagree with the concept of making developers pay for infrastructure impacts to our communities, or highways. That’s wise management. You want to make a fortune off our beauty — pay up or get lost. And many developers have accepted that demand, especially in Invermere where development cost charges have been in place for more than decade. We also realize that the regional MOTI office must deal with the cards dealt to them by the more senior levels of that ministry and from the provincial cabinet.

That said, it is unconscionable to contemplate how one single developer must be left holding a tab while many others can walk away from the party Scott-free.

Especially this particular developer, which has been, by far, the most philanthropic in this community for more than five years now. See our front page story this week for additional proof to an already lengthy list of generous tidings they have provided for valley groups and individuals. We need these kind of developers. And let’s not forget what’ happening with Windermere, Water and Sewer Utility — a necessary offshoot of The Ridge at Copper Point — which is providing water and sewer service to the east side of Lake Windermere at a far cheaper cost to taxpayers than if the Regional District of East Kootenay and province had to deal with the needed services.

Life is not fair and the business world is mostly certainly not known for being fair but we don’t believe Copper Point should be left standing in the doorway of their room holding a tab that so many others have helped compile.