Word as it there is a new group in town called "The Citizens to Save the Crowsnest Pass" after two weeks of advertising and a flyer being stuck in all our mail boxes, they had a meeting Wednesday night. I am told that somewhere around 80 people showed up, part of their platform was "the vote on council being 4-3 (92% of the time)?" their words not mine. They seem to feel that democracy as been derailed (by people voting for what they believe in). In my last term on council there was a number of 4-3 votes nobody seem to have an issue with that. (Wonder why?)
Anyway it appears that this group is running around with a petition trying to seek municipal affairs to come in and do a review of our council. Which is more than welcome, in fact the majority of council as requested a full corporate review of our entire municipality. So when this group comes forth with thousands of signatures it will only emphasize that council should indeed proceed with this process.
Back to the issue one of my fellow councilors gave me some interesting numbers this morning, after reviewing the council minutes since the beginning of the present term. And understanding that our minutes do not show an actual score on motions made by council. They show either Unanimous, Carried (could be 6-1, 5-2, 4-3 etc) or defeated.
From November 20th 2007 to Nov 18 2008 we had 26 meetings, during those meeting there was a total of 584 motions made at our council.
Of those 474 were passed unanimously (81.2%) 86 were carried (14.7%) and 24 were defeated (4.1%).
By the way the suggestion that the votes had been 4-3, 92% of the time would require that 537 of those motions would have been carried.
11 comments:
If I am not mistaken municipal affairs has been involved with council problems in the past. I think it is a really good idea to have them review things again!!!!
I think you are right, I didn't pay a whole lot of attention to politics back then. It would be good if somebody with the knowledge could share with us the issues at that time and what the end results were.
By the way Crowsnest Views welcome to the world of blogging. Have not noticed any comments from yourself previously.
Come on Dean, don't let the facts get in the way of making one's voices heard! Didn't we learn that during the Crowsnest Centre debacle?
Methinks certain people aren't willing to let certain issues die, and don't be surprised if the Crowsnest Centre pops up on future agendas of these meetings in the future . . . . . . .
I can shed some light on that.
How Municipal Affairs handled the last citizen coalition (Ratepayers) against their council here in the 'Pass, was to pay $50,000 to a conservative 'friend of the government' corporate consulting firm, to come down here on a regular basis to try and make a case, against a 'dysfuntional councillor' who supported and fought on the Ratepayers behalf, in order to get him off council, and to shut down a citizens uprising against this current 'conservative' mayor.
Bryan,
With respect to your comment about 'facts':
"Get the facts, or the facts will get you. And when you get them, get them right, or they will get you wrong."
That's one of the things I like about Dean, he always gets his facts right. :-)
I think the members of council on the 4 side of the vote should be commended for having a mind of THEIR own. Without them we would be in a worse mess.
As far as the Crowsnest Center goes...why is it still dragging on and on. The people have spoken...loud and clear. Sounds like some people are trying to go against the results of the ballot.
Oh, "Crowsnest views", you will be simply amazed at whats in the works for that old hospital. When I stumbled on whats really going to happen, I damn-near busted out laughing. Lets just say that building is not going to be going anywhere for a long time if the funding being applied for from the Feds comes through.
This is becoming a joke...bring on Municipal affairs...they can review the plebiscite! What a waste of taxpayers dollars if the results are ignored!!!!!
Well, I guess you could say that there would be a lot fewer problems if say..., the different groups that are at odds on the subject were collaborating on instead of running off in their own directions.
I'm not saying that any of these so-called experts don't have your and my better interests in mind as they go along their merry ways. However, what gets me fired up is how much more of "MY" money they all seem to be getting away with wasting!
You can build your hotel, park highway tractor units on it, put a strip-mall or even turn it into a Hospital dorm. Just quit screwing around and stop blowing "MY" hard earned cash. Not every one around here gets a municipal pay-check and a break on their taxes, In my 57 years of living here, I have yet to get a break on mine!
Oh, you know.
This wouldn't be similar to the International School that was going to be placed in the centre back in the mid 90"s.
When I hear about all these programs the centre is going after I wonder if we are the only community pursuing them.
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