Calling all Volunteers In the Crowsnest Pass

Interesting Notice in the Pass Herald today from the Municipality.

I quote the following:

“Numerous Boards and Committees did not have sufficient applicants and therefore the Municipality is requesting those individuals that were not able to meet previous application deadlines or were unaware of the opportunity to be a part of these Boards and Committees to consider participating”.

They are advertising vacancies on the following boards:

Crowsnest Pass Senior Housing

Family and Community Support Services

Municipal Library Board

Municipal Heritage Board

Subdivision and Development Appeal Board

Culture and Heritage Committee

Sport and Recreation Committee

Economic Development and Tourism Advisory Board

Keep in mind that most of these positions have been advertised for at least the last three months.

Petition Numbers telling a story

Well as of 11 am this morning the petition is standing at 2440.
Despite all the euphoria of the Holiday Inn coming to town this still indicates that the taxpayers obviously have concerns, that's now a clear majority of all the eligible voters in the Crowsnest Pass, 51.8 to be exact.
Let's not lose sight of two other factors, one being that this is only the 19th day and two that the municipality launched a massive and expensive advertising campaign last week, which from the people I have spoken to back fired on them.

Good News in the Crowsnest Pass???

My fellow blogger is reporting that we have an Holiday Inn on the way.

http://blog.johnprince.ca/2012/10/word-on-street.html

I sure hope his source is right.

Between the millions of dollars that will be received for the municipality from the sale of the property, a very quick source of tax base. The employment that this will create and the large number of people that this will drag in of the highway. These are all good things for a community that needs some good news.

I always knew that this was the most likely location to attract new business to our community, assuming that this news is correct the battle over that property and all the BS that went with it, will have been worth while.

Also let's not forget the people that went through the same fight back in the late 90's former Councillors Prince and Montgomery hard to believe that it took so long for common sense to prevail.

Municipal Spending-Ratepayers Petition-Ignoring the Numbers

Well a whole smorgasbord of comments I am hearing this week in the Crowsnest Pass on my blog, around town regarding the ongoing issues in our community. First of all how many people were impressed with the Municipal advertising, I was flabbergasted,  the costs between both papers and the radio I suspect they were in the range of $8-10,000 of our taxpayers money spent on this blitz of information. I was surprised the initial reaction I have gotten from the people that I have spoken to was one of either, did not read it and do not care what it said, or couldn’t understand it.  

What amazed me more than the fact that we had $10,000 of spare money available was the response time of the municipality?

The ratepayer’s flyer hit the paper on Tuesday; I believe the papers go to press by the weekend. So in three days that package was put together approved by Council, (my impression was that it came from council and administration so I’m sure all of that team had their input and at least a majority supported this document).

That timing is incredible when you look at the context of other requests for information personally I requested information on the amount of dollars spent on Consultants it took me three months to get that information. The ratepayers requested a lot of the information that was released this week back on August 2, did not receive it until October 9. The one the public is waiting for the Rum Runner Days financial report, the event took place on the weekend of July 19, now everybody understands that it takes a few weeks for the bills to roll in and sort everything out. So I do not think anybody would have been bothered having to wait until the end of August. But folks it’s now not being released until Nov 6, and what’s made it look even worse is, its been on the Council agenda three times and three times its been deferred. Everybody understands the sensitivity of this issue so why would you do that?

The Petition last night it was announced at the Ratepayers meeting that they have close to 2100 signatures on the petition, with 30 plus people out in the community still signing names. It is not unrealistic to think that the final number could be in the range of 2500. Now keep in mind tonight Oct 25 will be two weeks since the petition started, we have a population of 5565 (2011 census) of which 855 are under the age of 18. So that means out of a potential 4710 voters 45% have signed a petition in “two weeks”, municipal, provincial even federal, elections are lucky if they get that kind of turnout after a two-month election campaign, with polling stations in place.

The message here should be not “that people are getting led down the garden path with mis-information” that argument could be made about every candidate that has run in every election campaign in the history of politics. The message that should be coming out of this process unless you have totally lost touch with the public is that something is seriously wrong here, unless of course the leadership here just chooses to totally ignore the numbers.

Yes, we all understand that the public voted for change in 2010, and change does need to and will happen. Look at what as transpired over the last little while, not just the petition, volunteers do we have any left, in yesterday’s paper there was at least eight boards listed that are short of members despite being advertised for months. The issue with the Firemen is there one person out there that felt that was handled well. The swimming pool society, the Bellevue Library.  Obviously, the public is not buying into what has been happening in our community.

    

Staff Positions

Rate Payers Interpretation:

“At the date of the last election there were 19 employees in the Municipal Office (Administrators and Staff) Today that number is 25. “

Municipal Fact:

- Wages for Hourly positions are driven by the negotiations of the Union Collective Agreement while Management wages are set based on surveys assembled and distributed to municipalities by AAMDC (Alberta Association of Municipal Districts and Counties) and AUMA (Alberta Urban Municipalities Association).

- In 2011 a new Corporate structure was established that added one new position to administration. Currently the Municipality’s administrative structure includes a CAO, three Directors and three Managers overseeing the areas of Finance and Corporate Services, Planning, Engineering and Operations and Protective and Community Services. Currently two of the three manager positions are vacant while recruiting for suitable applicants takes place.

Positions:

# of Positions on October 2010                                                                             # of Positions on October 2012

Administrative Positions

6                                                                                                                                                  7

Municipal Inside (office) Union Positions

10                                                                                                                                               13

Total Positions in Municipal Office

16                                                                                                                                               20

Municipal Outside Union Positions

33                                                                                                                                              37

Total Municipal Administration, Inside (office) and Outside Union Positions

49                                                                                                                                              57

Below are the positions in the office on Oct 2010, some of these positions have since that date been moved to other locations.   (Building Inspector, Agricultural Field man, Bylaw) There is also one vacancy in the office I suspect that has not been included in the 2012 figure.

Administration

CAO-1

Director of Finance-1

Director of Public Works-1

Director of Community Services-1

Director of HR-1

Hourly and Contract Employees

Finance-3

Rec and FCSS-2

Taxation-1

Utilities-1

Inter Departmental-1

Reception-1

HR-1

Development Officer-1

Bylaw-1

Safety-0.5

Public Works-1

Building Inspector-0

(Inspections + safety codes done by Park Enterprises)

Agricultural Fieldman -0.5

Assessor-1 Working on a contract basis  

That was a total of 19 municipal employees comprised of 5 Administrators, 14 Hourly staff and Park Enterprises and the Assessor working on a contract basis

Franchise Fees-The Facts it's not even a tax!

Copied from the Municipal web site:

"Are franchise fees a tax? No. Franchise fees are simply the cost utility and cable providers incur for being allowed to place their facilities in the public's right-of-way. Franchise fees are considered a cost of doing business. Franchise fees are an important component of a diversified revenue stream for municipalities."

Let's debate the definition of a tax? A cost of doing business which has several councillors stated during the debate on this issue gets passed on to the taxpayers. Tax? 


On the next page it goes on to say:


Municipal Fact:

"Since 2008 the Municipality has increased the Franchise Fees received from ATCO and Fortis from $271,037 to $569,749 to generate revenues and reduce the impact on mill rate increases and as well to establish reserve funds".

To generate revenues and reduce the impact on mill rate increases. So it is a tax? What would taxes have gone up this year and next without the Franchise Fee? approximately an additional 3% in 2012 and 5% in 2013. 
2008 shows $250,000 for Franchise Fees I can't see the $271,037 anywhere on the table?

Municipal Fact: (Heading shorten by blogger for room purposes)

 

Summary of Revenues	Tax Levy		Utility Levies		Franchise Fees	Total Revenue		Annual $ Increase		Annual % increase
Budget - 2014	$6,951,421		$2,508,231		$906,694	$10,366,346		$181,409		1.78%
Budget - 2013	$6,855,376		$2,422,867		$906,694	$10.184.937		$442,584		4.34%
2012	$6,820,152		$2,352,452		$569,749	$ 9,742,353		$516,675		5.30%
2011	$6,555,990		$2,295,400		$374,288	$ 9,225,678		$335,197		3.77%
2010	$6,432,821		$2,162,109		$295,551	$ 8,890,481		$260,138		3.01%
2009	$6,360,015		$1,974,031		$296,297	$ 8,630,343		$167,667		1.98%
2008	$6,277,689		$1,934,987		$250,000	$ 8,462,676		$878,296		11.58%

Communications and Numbers

The municipality as put out a new information titled Public Information Communication in response to the flyer in this weeks papers from the ratepayers: Which is available at the following address.

http://www.town.crowsnestpass.ab.ca/


In response to some of the numbers being thrown around I would provide the following:

 General Municipal Taxes

Rate Payers Interpretation:

TAXES have increased “$387, 331 per year.”

Municipal Fact:

Municipal Tax Levies: Year	Tax Levy (NET of *ASFF, CNP Senior Housing Requisitions)	Increase from prior year	% increase from prior year
Budget - 2014	$6,951,421	$ 96,045	1.4%
Budget - 2013	$6,855,376	$ 35,224	0.52%
2012	$6,820,152	$264,162	4.0%
2011	$6,555,990	$123,169	1.91%
2010	$6,432,821	$ 72,806	1.14%
2009	$6,360,015	$ 82,326	1.31%
2008	$6,277,689	$802,535	14.65%

Note: In 2010 we paid $6,432,821 in 2012 we will pay $6,820,152 a difference of $387,331, we are now paying in 2012 $387,331 more per year (2012) than we did in 2010.

Utility Bills

   

Utility Rate Summary 2007-2014:
Water		Waste Water		Solid Waste		Recycling		Total		Annual $ increase		Annual % increase
Budget 2014	$1,055,060		$714,777		$640,818		$97,576		$2,508,231		$85,365		3.50%
Budget 2013	$1,008,135		$676,338		$640,818		$97,576		$2,422,867		$70,415		2.90%
Budget 2012	$963,757		$650,301		$640,818		$97,576		$2,352,452		$57,052		2.90%
2011	$937,684		$637,299		$622,841		$97,576		$2,295,400		$133,291		6.16%
2010	$853,273		$590,585		$621,071		$97,180		$2,162,109		$188,078		9.50%
2009	$744,163		$567,529		$565,140		$97,199		$1,974,031		$39,044		2.01%
2008	$742,073		$537,322		$560,209		$95,383		$1,934,987		$75,761		4.0 7%

Note: By the municipalities numbers the cost of utilities will jump $190,343 in 2012 versus 2010.
The utility number presented here for 2012 is also $33,000 lower than a previous number provided  by the municipality.

Municipal Fact: - Since 2008 the Municipality has increased the Franchise Fees received from ATCO and Fortis from $271,037 to $569,749 to generate revenues and reduce the impact on mill rate increases and as well to establish reserve funds. This is not a fact nowhere on their chart do I see the number $271,037 under Franchise Fees.

Note: The Franchise Fees were $250,000 in 2008 and went to $569,749 in 2012 with a proposed increase to $906,694 in 2013.

Taxes, Utilities and Franchise Fees:

Rate Payers Interpretation:

“Taxes, Utilities and Franchise Fees come to a total of $900,029 per year more. That will transfer $1,400,000 more a year from the Taxpayers pockets to the Municipality versus 2010”.

Municipal Fact:

 

Summary of Revenues Generated from Tax Levy, Utilities and Franchise Fees: Year	Tax Levy (NET of *ASFF, CNP Senior Housing Requisitions)		Utility Levies		Franchise Fees	Total Revenue		Annual $ Increase		Annual % increase
Budget - 2014	$6,951,421		$2,508,231		$906,694	$10,366,346		$181,409		1.78%
Budget - 2013	$6,855,376		$2,422,867		$906,694	$10.184.937		$442,584		4.34%
2012	$6,820,152		$2,352,452		$569,749	$ 9,742,353		$516,675		5.30%
2011	$6,555,990		$2,295,400		$374,288	$ 9,225,678		$335,197		3.77%
2010	$6,432,821		$2,162,109		$295,551	$ 8,890,481		$260,138		3.01%
2009	$6,360,015		$1,974,031		$296,297	$ 8,630,343		$167,667		1.98%
2008	$6,277,689		$1,934,987		$250,000	$ 8,462,676		$878,296		11.58%

Note:2010 Total Revenue $8,890,481 2013 Total Revenue $10,184,937 a difference of  $1,294,456 that will go from the taxpayers pockets to the municipality. (This number does not include the $33,000 in addition  utility costs shown previously)

Municipal Staffing

Rate Payers Interpretation:

“At the date of the last election there were 19 employees in the Municipal Office (Administrators and Staff) Today that number is 25. “

Municipal Fact:

- Wages for Hourly positions are driven by the negotiations of the Union Collective Agreement while Management wages are set based on surveys assembled and distributed to municipalities by AAMDC (Alberta Association of Municipal Districts and Counties) and AUMA (Alberta Urban Municipalities Association).

- In 2011 a new Corporate structure was established that added one new position to administration. Currently the Municipality’s administrative structure includes a CAO, three Directors and three Managers overseeing the areas of Finance and Corporate Services, Planning, Engineering and Operations and Protective and Community Services. Currently two of the three manager positions are vacant while recruiting for suitable applicants takes place.

Positions:	# of Positions on October 2010	# of Positions on October 2012
Administrative Positions	6	7
Municipal Inside (office) Union Positions	10	13
Total Positions in Municipal Office	16	20
Municipal Outside Union Positions	33	37
Total Municipal Administration, Inside (office) and Outside Union Positions	49	57
Non Union Positions:
Library	4	3
Pool Seasonal (May-August)	17 (May-August)	16 (May –August)
Ski Hill (November-April)	42 (39 November-April) (3 Full Time)	42 (39 November-April)

Note: The ratepayers argued that there was a difference of 6 employees between 2010 and 2012 the municipality now shows an actual staff difference of 8. I wonder in the municipal numbers if they are including positions that have been moved from the office to other locations now placed in the outside (Building Inspector, Commumity Peace Officer/Bylaw). In addition there is a position in the office that as been vacant for at least two months is that being factored in.

Note:Ratepayers Flyer comes out on Tuesday/Wednesday by Friday Municipality realises all kinds of numbers, a lot of this information was requested by the ratepayers back in early August they were not provided until October 9th. 

What's even more amazing is seeing all of these numbers put together virtually over night yet the numbers for one short weekend event in July can not be put together in three months.