Tuesday Feb 15, Mayor Decoux announced the composition of his task force. He stated that they will report back by the last week of May, 2011. That they will meet a minimum of once a month either in person or by conference call.
First impression is a very impressive list, there obviously will be great expectations attached to this group and what they come back with.
Economic Task Force
Chairman Dr Frank Oliva: Former Dean at the University of Calgary
Task Force Members:
Doug Thornton: Former Councilor and Chair of the Economic Development Committee for the Town of Pincher Creek.
Lynnette Jessop: Serves on numerous boards and committees in the Crowsnest Pass
John E Squarek: President, CEO and director of several companies, currently a Director of the Alberta Clean Air Strategic Alliance
Ryan Gill: CEO/Partner of Suitcase Interactive a National Digital Marketing Agency.
Bruce Graham: President and CEO of Calgary Economic Development, currently spearheading the development and programming for the Global Business Centre for Southern Alberta.
Robert Tarleck: Former Mayor of Lethhbridge.
Janet Hyde: Consultant with Abiocon Stratergies Inc, worked previously in the Crowsnest Pass to develop an action plan for tourism.
Shane Stewart: Currently a developer in the Crowsnest Pass.
14 comments:
WOW, I did not expect this.I thought we were going to get the usual local suspects.This offers some hope!
Best of luck to this group.
You know that kind of comment really pisses me off. I am not questioning the skill levels of any of these people. I just find it very hard to believe that we had very few skilled people locally that applied.
Well, did not mean to piss you off.But we have had more commitees and adhoc groups and such that never got the job done.We have either moved backwards or stagnated at the best over the last 20 years or so.I am not saying the locals didnt try hard, and I do appreciate their efforts, but the proof is in the pudding.
I am hoping some fresh eyes and minds can get something going.It is time for the CNP to quit bickering over every little thing and get behind some the ideas that should be coming in the near future.So please do not be pissed off, be positive and look to make the CNP the best it can be.
To anonymous 12:22 I agree to a point was very surprised with the list.
Also agree with anonymous 1:39 there should be more local "knowledgeable" people on this list.
Again agree with anonymous 2:50 the job never got done, maybe more locals mixed in with the outside expertise would have made a difference.
I to want positive things for this community. My expectations are now high (very high). Sure hope this is not just another study, that nothing is done with.
This John E Squarek was he the fellow that use to own the 52 acre site (river run)?
This "Task Force" is a "council committee” as defined in the:
[PDF] MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT ACT
1(1)(f) “council committee” means a committee, board or other body established by a council under this Act;
...
Public presence at meetings
197(1) Councils and council committees must conduct their meetings in public unless subsection (2) or (2.1) applies.
(2) Councils and council committees may close all or part of their meetings to the public if a matter to be discussed is within one of the exceptions to disclosure in Division 2 of Part 1 of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act.
(2.1) A municipal planning commission, subdivision authority, development authority or subdivision and development appeal board established under Part 17 may deliberate and make its decisions in meetings closed to the public.
Ar they planning to hold public meetings? Ditto for the Policy Committee.
I will be intrigued to see where this report leads us. The lineup of talent is very impressive no question. This could be very good, or it could just be a methodology for politicians to reach their end goals. Let me explain, this new council most clearly established its focus on the issue of change. We have a community that in my short experience here talks constantly about change, but fears it and certainly trouble embracing it. I draw your attention to the community standards issue, what I believe to be one of the primary reasons there was such a wholesale change in the council composition.
So I give this new council, especially Mayor Decoux credit, they have recognized in line with anybody that has moved here in the last ten years, that change his needed.
They have two options they can proceed as the previous council did and try to ram change down the throats of the inhabitants by my prior example.
Or they can strike up a committee, a very imposing committee that studies the economy that pinpoints all of the issues that should have been dealt with years ago. The report comes out somewhere down the road with tremendous fanfare, but makes some tough recommendations to save this community. How can such a qualified, dignified, experienced group be wrong? Council then uses this report to justify their agenda for the next three years. This can be good or bad, good if it’s truly about fixing the issues here, whatever they maybe no white elephants protected.
Then it could be bad for the following reason, in the three short years that I have lived in the Crowsnest Pass, I have observed two very contentious issues, the Crowsnest Centre and the river run development. If this report comes out and recommends that the community needs a Convention Centre type facility, with the ideal location being along Highway 3 (which personally I agree with). But in the interim until the private sector steps up to the plate the taxpayer should be involved, I would be very upset if this report becomes the catalyst for not fixing our ills but for meeting political agendas.
The river run project, will the first item be used as a draw to fix the second one maybe prospective developers can be enticed into picking up the river run property by being sold the Crowsnest Centre property under a very attractive arrangement?
Hopefully this document will provide a blueprint for the future of this community, lets hope its formulated to solve problems, not match agendas. Caution it will be used to justify everything that happens here for a number of years to come.
Interesting points on the last two comments.
How public will this process be?
I also believe that this report will be the blueprint for maybe the next twenty years.
I just hope its positive.
Just one thing please do not re open the centre.
If there is even a mention of opening the centre then it will be nothing more than a waste of time.It would also show that it has nothing to do with what is in the best interest of the CNP, showing some people just can not let go.The Centre was in pretty rough shape before, just imagine what it is like now after a cold winter with no heat.
Hope somebody as a plan.
I look forward very much to not just seeing a plan, but how they intend to implement the plan. Which usually means dollars.
RE: Anom. 3:54. I did some asking around and I think John E Squarek was the former owner of the River Run property. When I was asking around it looks like this property has quite a history. Before Squarek got it, it was sold in an under handed deal by the town to a relative of the mayor (not Irwin at the time). Some locals pushed the town on the shady deal and forced the property to be sold back to the town. Does anyone know anything about this or it just gossip?
Personally I think you will see a very well written report come out from this group. With the type of group put together, expectations will be high.
I am not so concerned about what they identify as the needs of the community.
I expect it will be the usual stuff. Increasing the communties tax base, promoting tourism, trying to attract secondary industry, more development to attract the weekenders, that hopefully will eventually retire here one day.
My concern is how they will go about implementing the ideas.
Just an example we spoke a few years back about putting a chairlift on the ski hill to expand it to a year round facility. Many ski hills have gone into the mountain bike bussiness during the non winter months. The problem, its a multi million dollar proposition to put in a chairlift.
Right now there are a lot of people that feel the community puts too many tax dollars into the hill.
On the other hand supporters of the hill will argue that if you spend the money you will make money by increasing the customer base.
Implementation of any report will be the key, there have been many reports done.
Will the taxpayers, be interested in paying to implement any recommendations made by this report?
I also agree with the comment made here about this report being a blueprint for the future of this community.
Do I think politics will play a roll in this process, of course.
Do you think when the province or the feds do a study the recommended outcomes do not align with there agenda.
So yes I also look forward to the end of May.
The River Run property cannot be up for consideration by the Task Force. The investors own a large chunk of the 52 acres. Thankfully there is now a legal and forensic investigation ongoing. All concerned with this travesty including sitting politicians at the time are on the list of names to be investigated. River Run remains a huge elephant in the room in CNP. How they ever did the damage without being stopped is still beyond reasonable belief.
Well as a duped investor, thanks to Bridgecreek and others, let me tell you that noone will take that land for development until i say it is ok and some $$$ comes my way. The municipality, especially the past mayor and a councillor, has done nothing to date to help the people who have lost the most out of this smoke and mirror show. They are not going to swoop in and just take it over for nothing.
Thanks for mentioning that Chloe.
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