Looking back on 2010, I will be the first to admit the election did not go quite the way I expected it to. Certainly in my mind the taxpayers in the Crowsnest Pass made some mistakes, time will prove me right or wrong.
I served the community for the last six years standing up for what I believe to be right, could I have done some things differently that would have hurt less politically? You bet.
Over the last six years I had the pleasure to work with many different types of people, on council some of the people I worked with were very good people that cared very much about this community, people that had the “balls” to stand up for change, those people I have much respect for. It would have been easy to just line up behind the Mayor and carry on doing business the way it has always been done in the past.
The municipal staff, I know at times some of the public sees them as a group of pampered, Monday to Friday employees that put in a minimal effort and collect a good pay cheque.
While I’m sure just like any employer there is a few of those, over the last six years I learnt that the vast majority of your municipal staff put in a honest effort day after day and really care about this municipality and their jobs.
The media, looking back over the last six years I will let the reader decide if I was treated fairly.
The positions council took in 2010, we could have done what previous councils have done, “nothing” in an election year but instead we choose to do our job to the end.
In 2010 I was proud that council achieved the following:
We passed a budget with a 3.2% tax increase, with a goal of rebuilding the municipal reserves, a $450,000 surplus was slated to go back into those reserves.
When the year end financials come in I anticipate that 2010 will be the third year in a row that thanks to sound financial management the municipality will show a surplus, compared to the previous six years it was a strong change in direction.
We froze hiring, government does not need to get larger through the recession of the last few years, the private sector became leaner and more efficient to survive, government
needs to learn the same lessons.
We froze overtime with the exception of emergency situations, if the truth was known that saved a lot of dollars. If government employees are working overtime for reasons
other than an emergency, then the administration should be looking at more efficient ways to do things.
We finally resolved the issue of running two half empty community centers, the community now has a center that is full. What’s really interesting, is I have not met a tenant yet at the MDM that does not prefer being there.
The River Run issue, many mistakes were made, one good thing that came out of it was a policy was put in place that development like this will never happen again unless adequate security is in place.
Over the last six years Council was mislead on this issue, at times by foolish dreams and exaggerated promises, at times by people that were strong advocates of this group, and at times by people that should have known better.
Community Standards was in my mind a huge issue, as far as moving this community forward. The days of having “twenty three” old junkers in your drive way and the God given right to live like a slob while everybody around you is trying to make their residence presentable needs to come to an end. This was a first step in that direction.
Administration, council chose to make changes, were they all dealt with perfectly. I recognize a better job could have been done. But what every politician knows at times processes are manipulated to get the outcome certain people desire.
I’m not going to debate the merits of those changes that were made here, but they are done and now history, anybody that would like to debate those changes should take the time to read the Cuff report, it was fairly clear about some of the issues the municipality had to move forward on.
Over all I believe that council achieved a lot in 2010.
Looking forward to 2011, for me personally I’m not going away the Crowsnest Pass as been my home for 27 years and will be for the rest of my life.
I hope to stay involved I have put my name forward for a couple of committee’s (SDA, and the York Creek Seniors) hopefully I will be given fair consideration by council.
If I’m not successful I will attempt to get involved with other areas that need help in the community.
Looking at politics for the next year, what direction will the new council take with the following issues will indeed be very interesting:
2011 Budget-Will spending increase?
Tax Increases-We all hope it stays low!
Water Meters-Conservation yes, cash cow No
Hiring Freeze-Bigger government is it really necessary?
Overtime-Sure a water line freezes, or we get 30cm of snow on a weekend when else?
Duplication of services-Wait until they get into the politics of this issue!
River Run-I remember a member of the previous council telling us “It’s not a big deal just take a cat and push the piles back into the holes”, It will not be any where near that simple.
Crowsnest Centre-This issue will be talked about a long time after I’m gone, if they decide to fire it back up, where does the dollars and tenants come from for this money pit. If they try to sell it, various expectations are going to be way beyond reality that building is a huge liability for any prospective buyer.
Community Standards-will the new council carry on with what was started, will they back off and soften the bylaw?
Affordable Housing-Everybody agrees the need is here, the golden question how do you
achieve it, the last developer that expressed an interest was also building a 5000 seat arena at the lakes.
New Recreation Centre- great idea, where do you put it? How do you pay for it? How do
you carry the future burden.
Infrastructure-this issue will never end, the problem the administration and the politicians
know that there are lots in the ground to be done. However the public wants to see the visible infrastructure see above.
Anyway here’s looking forward to a great year in 2011 for the Crowsnest Pass.
8 comments:
Happy New Years Dean
I am one of those people that think you guys did a great job.
When you get time I would love to find out how much tax money was poured into maintaining both the center and the MDM over the last twenty years.
All the best in 2011
Jay
Happy New year, Dean.I voted for you and will vote for you in the future if you decide to run again.Sometimes , you do not know what you have until it is gone.I think the voters are starting to sense this.With issues such as advertising ( yet to talk to one person who is happy with any change ), water meters and budget concerns.I liked the direction the CNP was going when you were on council, and I am willing to wait a little longer before passing judgement on this council, however I do have concerns.
I still have not heard much about the Mayors Task force, who is on it and what there task is.Does anybody know anything??
Best of luck in the New Year!
Although we have not agreed on every issue i felt you worked hard during your two terms on council. You cannot please everyone. If you had chosen to be a fence sitter or voted down issues knowing full well they would be passed by the rest of council you may have survived for another term. Thats taking the easy way and not being yourself. I expect you will be back representing this community and probably next term. Good luck in the New Year
Thanks for that Peter.
Your right we have not agree on every issue. But I have "always" respected you and your opinion.
Any way we will see what the future brings and wishing you and your family a good year in 2011.
Dean Ward
Dean,
Why do you call the 60,000,000 dollar ponzi scheme that is River Run, etc, a "mistake"? ..and that good things came out of it? Talk to a victim who has lost their future and ask if good things came out of this. People were not "mislead". People had a crime perpetrated against them. Why do people fail to see this?
CNP council, call in the RCMP already!! Look at the eyesore, uncovered toxic land. How much tax payer's money will it take to clean it all up? Once the bill comes in, maybe then you'll finally see a backlash. My God.
On the river run issue if you read my words, I stated there were "many mistakes made".
When I said one good thing that came out of it was that a policy was put in place to make sure that a development would never be done without security being in place.
That is a good thing.
Never mistake my words has making light of what happened with the river run investors.
Look back at what happened in this community, the way people jumped on the bandwagon.
There were politicians in this community that played a far greater role in this than I.
I remember being slammed because I would not vote for ridiculous exemptions to parking and height restrictions for these developments.
Dean, my frustrations were not directed at you.And on reading back at my post, I can see why you may have thought that. For that I aplogize.
I know you were against many of the things these thugs proposed, including rezoning the "discovery center". I suppose that my frustrations are based on the inaction of the authorities and the powers that be to do anything about these guys. Earle Jones is in jail. Bernie Madoff is in jail. The BBoys are living the good life.Sickening.
If you could only see first hand what this kind of tragedy can do to a happy couple moving into a bright retirement. Not so bright now, and not so happy.
If people think that people shouldn't have been dumb enough to be fooled and that they deserved it, well look at all the bandwagon jumpers that you mentioned earlier. They were fooled too (or apparantly). Criminals are always one step ahead of the game. They have the advantage.
The ex-mayor's friends....ya, sickening.
Dean, why are the good people of the CNP assuming that they should pay for the clean up of the carnage left by the BBoys? Why isn't the new council on this travesty? A cover-up? Gee do you think? I am not a resident of CNP but I am a victim of the Bradley /Becker et.al road show. An aside, the good people of the CNP should have put you back on council. Rally the troops Dean, get this abomination out in the open now that you do not have to answer to either the 'good mayor' or the Herald. Take care.
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