First of all I got hammered last year because I referred to the costs for "Thunder in the Valley".
I clarified that it should have been the costs for the Rum Runner weekend, with Thunder in the Valley being just one of the events held that weekend. This is often a very contentious issue, but there is no question this is probably the largest single weekend for revenue for most Crowsnest Pass Businesses, certainly in the tourism industry. Anyway after a number of requests this is what the previous council budgeted for the 2010 “Rum runner days weekend”.
If you wish to check the numbers for 2011 you will have to contact either one of the present members of council or the municipal office.
Donation for Fireworks $4500
Traffic Control $6200
Policing $10000
Garbage + Toilets $11500
Activties + Entertainers $18000
Total $50200
This number does not allow for any municipal wages that go into preparation for the weekend. Which in my humble opinion would probably add another $20-30,000 to the weekend.
Why am I raising this now? two reasons, one I have been requested to by a number of my readers and two if you read Fridays Promoter there was an article about this weekend and the discussion that took place at last council meeting. Councilor Saje clearly indicated in his comments that in future years the weekend should be ran more has a business, and Councilor Gail requested of administration has to when the revenue numbers for the weekend would be made available by the fire department.
Any way due to my readers and the two fore mentioned councilors raising this issue the debate is open again regarding the “Rum Runner Weekend”.
Note: I have already refused one comment due to the fact that it made a derogatory comment regarding a fire department, keep your comments to the debate if you wish to have them published.
15 comments:
Thunder in the Valley is by far the biggest draw to this community ever.It is a once a year event that is the envy of every little town.It is a once a year opportunity to showcase the CNP.Probably the best 50 thousand ever spent in promoting this area.
Council can NOT force the fireman to open their books.Leave them alone before they decide to NOT do it anymore.They volunteer countless hours into this project building the boxes and planning and fundraising,putting the show on etc...
I know there are people in Blairmore who live close to the grounds that say the weekend is pure crap for them.I am sorry for these people but for 1 weekend for the better of the whole community I ask that you bare it.
I ask where could you spend 50 000$ and draw in 20 -30,000 people?If all 30,000 people spent an average of 34.00, that would bring in over 1 MILLION into local businesses hands, that along with the opportunity to showcase the CNP is the bargain of a lifetime.
Opening up a can of worms.Are you sure you want to go there? Until council gets the balls and takes a stand this issue is extremely volatile.
Tom
Not my can of worms now. The Councilors raised it last week.
The Promoter reported on it and so am I.
10:26 No question what this brings into the town.
question for Tom
Why does this have to be a can of worms?
Why does this have to be an extremely volatile situation?
these statements imply something is not being managed properly???
Tom, if council gets the balls and takes a stand, Thunder in the valley is over.Thunder in the valley is the firemans.It is not the municapalities.If council wants thunder in the valley to stay they should back off on any demands towards the fireman.The fireman at any time can stop the show.And if they stop the show it is not possible for the municapality to put it on.
This is not a matter of working hand in hand.The fireman have made it clear they do not wish to work with the municapality but will continue to put on a show for now.
Seems like a no brainer to me.
If they want tax payer dollars, open their books. If this is a private busines and none of our busines, then I assume they paying a good dollar to rent the municapal space they are useing and have their own insurance and business licence, just like any other private business in town would have to do.
To this I say to ourcouncil-open our books. Show us what they pay for rent and how many tax dollars they get and who decided all of this.
Council mind your own business does it really matter to you how much money is made that weekend?
Dean,
Does/did Thunder in the Valley have their own insurance or are the tax payers on the hook if something goes wrong?
If council is so worried about finances perhaps they should consider selling day passes to vehicles entering Blairmore on Saturday. There are enough RCMP around to enforce it. Even 5.00 a car would more than pay for extra staff costs to have someone at each entrance and bring in some much needed revenue. I live here and would gladly pay.
Well everybody wants to play tough guy threats to not do the fireworks anymore. We should all fall to our knees thanking them for bringing all this bussiness to town.
Let me make 2 points here, come live where I do four blocks away.
#2 the last council may have caved to these threats but this one will not. Keep up the good work Councillor Gail you keep pushing for those numbers call their bluff.
ISS neighbour
The question is do you want Rum Runner Days if you do leave the
Firemen alone because they will stop doing Thunder in the Valley and that will be the end of Rum Runners Day.
Council gives a small amount to Thunder in the Valley. So council should stop this BS about seeing they books. What next does council want to see the the books of every organization that is in this Municipality, ex Lions Club, Mason,Golf Course. Come on people wake up this is the biggest weekend we have to
promote the CNP.
David Cole (Choppy)
Dave
You should know after being on council and all that ANY group receiving municipal funding no matter how small or large the amount is required to supply 3 years worth of financial statements along with a lengthy application form to receive that funding. So the answer is yes they will want to see the Lions books etc if that group wants funding or is this another case where the rules apply to some but not others.
First of all to the Blairmore Fire Department I think the vast majority of you do a good thing for this community with Thunder in the Valley so Thanks.
This keeps coming up year after year, council after council now by Councillor Gail, the way I see it the problem is the following.
No question this is a big weekend for marketing the community. Bringing in cash for the bussiness sector etc.
There is also no doubt that the taxpayers put a lot of money into the weekend.
I agree with Dave Cole if the Thunder in the Valley goes away so basically will Rum Runner Days.
But in addition to that so will all the costs. How many RCMP, toilets, cleanup costs will you need for Rum Runner Days?
This is no doubt a very contentious issue, but a lot of the negative perception is created by the success of the event itself. When the public hears 50/50jackpots of $40,000, t-shirts sold out every year, companies making large donations.
It creates a perception that on one hand you have the taxpayer bearing a lot of costs while the group that puts on the event makes nothing but money.
The best way to clear up perception is tranparency, give the public through council a statement on what the weekend makes show them put an end to this nonsense.
I suspect there is nowhere near the money being made that some of the public perceives. I suspect that you will find the firemen put in a lot of work for very little return. I suspect that people will back off on this issue if they knew the truth.
So do it show them the truth.
Kevin P
very well put Kevin P. my thoughts exactly. thanks for sharing that-------Peter Rosner
What I like best about the weekend
-broken beer & liquor bottles
-used syringes found near our backyard
-a young couple using our treehouse for some "private
time"
-watching a roadie calculating people's weights before letting them on the ferris wheel
-watching a roadie running a kiddie ride at the midway get handcuffed and hauled away in a paddywagon
-it's the only weekend I make sure every door and window is locked tight
-calling the RCMP to have them remove campers from behind our house
-the thing I liked the best was the RCMP helicopter hovering over Blairmore lighting up the town
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