Saturday, October 16, 2010

Crowsnest Pass Voters

The message is getting out there, people are voting apparently the number that turned out for the advance poll was more than double what we had in 2007.

Some clear choices here, you get vote for experience, there are six incumbents running.
You know what positions they took over the last three years if you want to maintain some of those directions then you should seriously consider some of the incumbents.

New Candidates, take a hard look at them please keep in mind that there words today are only promises the voter does not have the benefit of these candidates performance to determine if they are promises that will be followed through.
Interesting the other day I read the candidates promises from 2004, and then compared them to there actual performance. It would be equally interesting to do the same in three years.

The approach that I am hearing more and more of over the last week is that there will be a blend of possibly fifty percent incumbents and fifty percent new candidates.
If that's the will of the voters it makes a lot of sense a mixture of experience with new blood, new ideas.

Just please take a hard look at all of the candidates, and try to see them all for what they really are and make sure that they represent the direction you want to see the community go in.

No point in voting for somebody that saying they are going to look at building new facilities when he really means I'm going to re open the centre.

18 comments:

Ralph Tiegen said...

Dean, I know this is not about this topic but I am sending this comment to all the candidates using blogs. Thanks

This message is to all the candidates running for office in the in Crowsnest Pass 2010 election using blogs in your election campaign.

I have left four comments on Brain Gallants blog under his blog Rumors Galore. While he responded to the first one by private e-mail, I have advised him I want my comments and his responses posted on his blog for all see. Here is a copy of the back and forth e-mails with first at the bottom and the last e-mail at the top.

From: Ralph Tiegen [mailto:tiegen@shaw.ca]
Sent: Friday, October 15, 2010 8:34 AM
To: 'Brian Gallant'
Subject: RE: [Brian Gallant for Councillor] Please moderate: "Rumors Galore! "

Mr. Gallant,

Just hoping you will be able to respond soon as the election will soon be over, once you have responded I have two additional I would like you comment on.

Regards,

Ralph Tiegen
Rocky Mountain Properties

________________________________________
From: Brian Gallant [mailto:brian.gallant@shaw.ca]
Sent: Thursday, October 14, 2010 1:21 PM
To: Ralph Tiegen
Subject: Re: [Brian Gallant for Councillor] Please moderate: "Rumors Galore! "

And I will when I have time later today.

Best Regards,

Brian Gallant


Sent from my iPhone

On Oct 14, 2010, at 11:42 AM, Ralph Tiegen wrote:
Mr. Gallant,

Thank you for your e-mail response but since you are running for public office I think it is appropriate to respond in public and raise the issues in public.

Regards,

Ralph Tiegen



It is now 3:00 PM one day before the election and still no response. I have put the comments I sent to Mr. Gallant on my web site at http://www.rockymountainproperties.ca/message

I have a question for each of the candidates who are using blogs in your campaigns.
While I know the owner of a blog has the full rights to post what they feel is appropriate, do you think it is ethical for someone running for public office to block comments that do not suit them?

I will look for your comments on your blogs.

Ralph Tiegen
Rocky Mountain Properties

Crowsnest Pass Home said...

Several comments:

First of all, I certainly attempt to answer every question that is sent my way.

Once you take a political office I do not think you have a choice.
Any one can see from the comments I have posted on my blog I certainly allow ones that are sometimes not so kind to me. In addition I do attempt to answer every question.
We often hear at election time the word "transparency" tossed around.

I am very concerned about development because after the experience of going through six municipal budgets I appreciate very much the need to increase our tax base.

The development you are referring to in the late 90's was schickendanz (spelling?) they ended up doing $50 million of development in Fernie which would have given us an additional $500,000 a year in tax revenue.

Two things I learnt very quickly after sitting on council for a very short time.
The phrase "I am not opposed to development, but....."

And the initials NIMBY, for those that don't know, "Not In My back yard".

I hope I answered your concerns.

Brian said...

Hello Dean,

I am really surprised you would allow your friend, Mr. Tiegen, to post this misinformation about me on your blog. I’ve tried to be professional about this entire affair and always work through the appropriate channels along with the people in my community. In turn, Mr. Tiegen has taken up a smear campaign against me and tried to place quite horrible attack ads in both local papers, which were refused on legal and moral grounds. That is why I have not responded to his daily barrage of emails – I refuse to play this little charade in which he is trying to discredit me. He is trying to take a private dispute between his company and the people in my neighborhood (not just me) and turn it into an election issue. And, yes, what he accuses me of is baseless or simply not true although he would have people believe otherwise.

Politicians, once elected, do have an obligation to listen to their constituents but not when it turns into harassment. I will gladly talk to anyone who has concerns but not when it turns to outright slander.

I am shocked and extremely disappointed to be accused of these improprieties. I would never think to demean another candidate in such a way.


Regards,

Brian Gallant

Anonymous said...

To Ralph Tiegen, I am pretty sure you are attaking MR Gallant and that is why there is no public response.You believe your company can do as it pleases without having to answer to anyone. But now that Bryan and others have put your company to task , you do not like it.Examples are leaving an old work shed in a residential area for years, despite being asked repeatetly to move it.And now you want to sell TRAILERS in a new subdivsion, when they belong in a trailer park.So I am guessing you are attacking Bryan to try and have him not be elected.Truth?

Anonymous said...

Doesn't seem like an election issue to me, couple of neighbors battling it out.

Anonymous said...

Thank you Mr. Ralph Tiegen!!! We need more people like you in our community! Those who are willing to stand up and tell the people about the sheep in wolf's clothing! Thank you for making sure this got out before the final election.

Anonymous said...

Hey Dean,
Do you or any of your readers know who the "new blood" are that were holding secret meetings?

Anonymous said...

I refuse to post on any of the candidates sites that do not provide confidentiality, for the simple reason that an individual or business is trashed and boycotted in this town for voicing their opinion.

Ralph Tiegen said...

Good Morning Dean,
Thank you for answeing my question and making it clear you think a candidate should answer to issues put before them. I want to make sure your readers know they can go on our web site by copy and paste this link into their browser:
http://www.rockymountainproperties.ca/message
The issues I want to raise are there.

Ralph

Anonymous said...

hey Ralph you have proven your self in this community on the nice work you do to such as the border building the home be hind the highwood in blairmore the montevista home park and so much more please keep investing in our town we can't afford to lose tax base here

Anonymous said...

speaking of election issues..

http://www.lethbridgeherald.com/2010101637255/front-page-news/dream-interrupted-101610.html

Crowsnest Pass Home said...

Yes I read that to, I was the first to admit that council made a mistake.
Hench forth the policy on security for developments.
Little surprised with our Mayor's comments he told us that site was cleaned up in the early 80's, and was a perfect location for residential development, in fact he pounded the table one night because he was so upset at Alta Environment for telling him that the place was cleaned up.
We had received environmental reports that indicated there were contaniments on this property has there are on every old mine site in the Pass, but we were told that they were well within allowable standards.

Crowsnest Pass Home said...

Look how I was attacked by the local media for not supporting this guys "development" at the glass shop in Blairmore.
Three members of council supported there venture.

Enough is enough

Anonymous said...

Good for you for standing up against the corruption that has seemingly been taking place here for some time now. Good job Dean, I commend you for that. When will people realize that the town was taken in by smooth talking "salesmen" and their friends in the media, ETC, who seem brazen enough to stick around and try it again, except with government grant money this time..unbelievable.

Anonymous said...

I went on Mr. Tiegen's web site to find out what issues are. If I were Brain Gallant running for council, I would not want to answer why I was opposing the home being proposed. On Brain Gallants blog RUMORS GALORE he says he WILL ADDRESS THINGS HEAD ON. It looks like a lot of dodging to me.

Ralph Tiegen said...

Dean, when I sent my comment to you this morning Brain Gallants comment was not posted. I do not intend to use you blog to comment on his post but there is a point I want to make. Brain Gallant makes reference to me as "your friend" leaving an certain impression for the readers. While during the past six years we have had dealings over Town business, to refer to us as friends is misleading. I have never been to your house (I am not ever sure where you live)do not know your wife, have never been to a social dinner or event together, you know, all the things friends do. Don't take this personally, I am not saying we could not become friends.

What I will say is the dealings I have had with you are professional and respectful, even the things we disagree on such as off site levies. I think as time goes on you will see where you are wrong on this issue.

Crowsnest Pass Home said...

I did take offence to that statement, but I understand what the author is attempting to portray even though I disagree with it.
Not wanting to be in a position of censoring a comment because I disagree with it I posted it any way.
No disrespect for anybody but I learnt along time ago not to mix business and pleasure.
Do you think some of the decisions made in the past would have been made if certain people weren't going to the "Bunker", or bringing grand development plans to Robbie Burns night get togethers.

I did it once and realised very quickly not the place I or any other politican should be.

Anonymous said...

I for one will be voting for both Dean and Brian. Both are ideal candidates for this community for different reasons. This town is going to pot and we need new blood, new views, and there is nothing wrong with a LITTLE debate, as long as it isn't like the Sygutek debates of past. As someone that attended those Council meetings, that was an embarrassing display of democracy.
There will never be two people who agree on all issues all the time. And debate is healthy. Its democracy. It's our right. And I, for one, am proud to have it.