Well its no longer just a rumour the municipality did hire a new deputy Fire Chief. The story is in today's newspaper.
For a minimum of one year and possibly two.
There goes another $100,000 a year.
Note: Check the following posts out from a while back so many people have said to me "I didn't see this coming"
http://crowsnestpasshome.blogspot.ca/2011/09/fire-departmentsrescue-meet-with.html
http://crowsnestpasshome.blogspot.ca/2011/10/fire-departments-created-much-debate-in.html
57 comments:
Bureucracy breeds bureaucracy. Serves us right for putting a bureaucrat in the top seat and without any supervision.
'There goes another $100,000 a year'
...and possibly the purchase of another another shiny, new, red pickup truck. Can't Headrick handle a small, and decimated little town, fire brigade by himself? We are no where near the size of the city where he came from. What exactly has this bunch of Muppets spent our money on?
Ah again, Deep Throat is proven to be a reliable source. :-)
JP
Now we have a Director of a department making $120,000 a year who would be qualified to be a fire chief. Then we have a Manager of the same department making $110,000 a year who is qualified to be a Fire Chief. Now we hire a deputy Fire Chief probably making $90,000 a year. Wow and double wow that's $320,000 a year, plus brand new pickups to run a department that used to cost less than $300,000 a year to run. Were we really having that much trouble fighting fires?
Then of top of all that we have to pay all the firemen plus operate the department.
Is it just me or is there something wrong with this picture?
Nobody important just a puzzled taxpayer
6:13 Think you have the picture.. Just hang on and wait for the 'Creative Accounting' due to follow.
And of these three experts, who is qualified to be a fire inspector?
Now, the new fire plan will be announced by the province and blamed on the province. They are building a department from the ground up, according to the paper. Is there anyone anyone left who thinks that this is the best way to do it?
Crowsnest Pass welcome to the 21st century. Soon you will have one of the most efficient Fire/Rescue departments in Western Canada.
Misty Schitz
Misty I will be polite you obviously need help.
Did anybody read the letter to the editor in the newspaper from guy that ran public works for the last four months. He had some very good things to say about the municipal workforce.
What caught my attention was the lack of one good word for administration or council. Did anybody else catch that?
Mark
Misty, Hey welcome back. I am still waiting for that list of positives.
As for "Soon you will have one of the most efficient Fire/Rescue departments in Western Canada".
First off this is far from the truth. With 2 fire stations closing response times will actually be worse in about half of all situations.Secondly, the cost of this new efficient program has at least tripled.Third,council has upset the whole community including a very strong volunteer group because they have no idea how to work with anyone.lastly,I just do not see how we are better off today than we were 3 years ago.Is this going to put us on the map?Are companies going to be setting up shop here because of these changes?I hope it all happens, but I am not a believer.
Any fool can make something more efficient by spending more money. Making something more efficient in order to save money is much harder. This is the root of our problem.
Dean
I am part of Mr Decoux's silent majority. I support what he is doing with the Fire Department's, Thunder in the Valley. Misty is right it really is time for the Crowsnest Pass to come into the 21st century.
The old boys clubs will all eventually get shut down. The new blood will take this town to places it has never seen before.
Bring on the NEW Crowsnest Pass full of life and vigour.
Anon 2:27 How?
When?
2:27
If you and Misty are the 'majority' why do you hide behind aliases and anonymous? Me thinks, you and your kind really are a silent 'minority' in both msm and in the social media world, which also confirms in my mind that your true numbers are next to insignificant. Nobodies trying to be somebodies desperately propping up a council in the final stages of their death throes. Please spare us your incoherent ramblings. Nobody here is buying.
Give it up Dean these guys are doing stuff that no Council previously had the brains or back bone to do.
On a political note do not waste your time running for office next year most of these guys will be back.
Companies will come to the Crowsnest Pass when they need to come to the Crowsnest Pass. This council has nothing to do with such things. On a political note, they may have a backbone, but nothing else.
Anon3:02 You made me laugh.Basicly 90% of voters sign a petition and you think "most of these guys will be back".If they run for reelection they will not get voted in. This is the worst council ever.I would vote for 7 monkeys before I would vote for any of these guys.
Anon 2:27 Do you not mean "silent minority".
Ahhh Misty, but will this new Fire Department be both efficient AND effective. Further, will it be COST EFFECTIVE?
What we had was both efficient and cost effective. You guys threw cost away, and I doubt if the new outfit will be effective.
You are again blowing smoke.
Jose
The so called "silent majority" our council keeps referring to could nearly fill the entire Greyhound Bus as it leaves Blairmore at 1am.
3:21, 'I would vote for 7 monkeys before I would vote for any of these guys.'
I agree. As soon as Darwin, the Ikea monkey, deals with his legal issues I will bounce this idea off him. He can't do any worse and he would work for peanuts.
Ah Misty and anon 2.27 you know beyond any doubt that you are not in the minority you are non existant so you make yourself feel better with your inane comments. The fun in this community will start after this councel is gone and the the adminastration Henchmen are picked of one at a time. and this place makes that mistake just a sad memory
Ya. I can see it now. Darwin for mayor! Savings of tens of thousands in the way of branding. 'Crowsnest Pass...Canada's fastest evolving community'. Town hall meetings would actually be intesting and some might actually attend. Council meetings would no longer just seem like a circus.
I think you are onto something there.
5:17 I was thinking in the phone booth at the Coleman post office.
On a serious note did you read some of council and admin talking about having to cut services due to council backing down on the franchise fees.
Maybe they should be looking at less admin.
Shocking news coming the hiring is not finished in the Fire Department yet. Word is there will be another paid position in that department soon. Do not know the details yet but it is coming.
Seriously, if I could picture three guys, who combined, make more than the entire fire budget of past years, being any more efficient at fire supression and economics than we have had. If they can, then I will degress.
I do feel that that irreversable damage has been done.
All this could have been avoided if previous councils had made these necessary changes back when the pass became one community. Quit the whining pleassssse
Misty Schitz
Dont you get the feeling the silent majority of council supporters are fishing for something here. If they truly believed in this council and administration why would they feel the need to "Inquire" how the rest of us feel.
Misty, change for change's sake does not bring you into 21 Century. If the fire department is now more efficient and costs two or three times more, what are we to think?
Misty, if you are talking about "necessary changes" to only the Fire Dept, perhaps your statement has some merit. But if you are also including the recent changes to the Administration, then we have a job for you picking up after Ikea the monkey when he gets elected Mayor, shovel and brown vehicle included. You should get a good salary what with the present pay structure.
Jose
Who is this Misty Shitz. Obviously it must be one of the council member's wives, but whose?? Misty, why will you not use your REAL name??? Using an alias just discredits you and anything you have to say. You do realize that, don't you?? It actually even makes you a laughing stock. And what a name to pick!! I mean who really gives a Shitz what you have to say!! You could have done so much better than that.
'All this could have been avoided if previous councils had made these necessary changes back when the pass became one community. Quit the whining pleassssse
Misty Schitz'
Where were you with your chystal ball in '79 when we needed your wisdom? Those where difficult times with repercussion that still affect us to this day.
Why are you folks so sensitive. The Pass must and will change. You can only hang on to heritage for so long. 2013 will bring the Pass a new hotel, new employers, a cleaner more vibrant community. With many new people coming who thank goodness will bring a new mind set.
Misty Schitz
Misty, you are a mischievous. There will be a hotel on each end, and one in the middle, just for show.
"Misty Schitz" A most apt last name for someone who spouts the crap you do!
You are obviously not;
a) a taxpayer or you would understand the difficulty that these exorbitant salaries will place the community in.
b) someone with any family or friends here or you would appreciate the ties that exist here.
c) someone with any business experience who would understand credit & debt ratios, realizing that spending money without having a revenue base results in bankruptcy.
HOWEVER, you obviously are;
a) someone who has a deep dislike for residents in the Pass.
b) someone with strong ties most likely to the mayor, everything you spout is a shill for him & the council.
c) possibly but not likely, an idiot kid who is getting a kick out of provoking the adults.
Remember, this is a time of war, a battle for the way of life we want, not what some dictator wants for us. Remember also, what happens to enemy sympathizers when the enemy is tossed out on their collective ears!
This is a small community with strong ties & deep emotions, the hate & dislike stirred up by this will last longer than what was stirred up by amalgamation.
All this town needs, like Misty Shitz, is an enema!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enema
Communities that are larger both in size and population have volunteer fire departments. Some of them even cover more area...guess what "IT WORKS" There are not that many fire calls....If the mayor and council want to do something productive contatct CPR and get them to cut down the number of cars on the trains so Emergency vehicles can respond to calls!!!!!!!!!!! Anyone south of the tracks is in BIGGER trouble if they need an ambulance or fire truck and they have to wait for a train to get to a call.
To the people in the phone booth: Everyone will agree we need change, but we also need a little display of competence - this is what has been lacking for the past two years.
Misty said, "With many new people coming who thank goodness will bring a new mind set.
".
Well, I lived in the Pass for a few years and moved away just over a year ago. Recently my spouse said that they would love to move back to the Pass if the opportunity presented. I was quite adament in my opposition. And I liked living there. However, with things the way they are, I wouldn't move back.
Anyone that does their homework before moving there, will change their minds about it.
How many fires/rescues do the Pass firemen go to?
It sounds like an awful lot if they need that many 'fire chiefs'.
Alberta has over 430 fire departments. Of these, approximately 95% depend entirely
on volunteer firefighters.
Alberta has more than 10,000 volunteer firefighters – this is approximately 3 times the
number of Alberta's total career firefighters
COPIED FROM THE WESTLOCK FIRE DEPT WEB SITE
Do you people not realize that for the Pass to move forward. We have to stand out from other communities. A great opportunity to achieve that is to take a leadership role in the Protective Services area. We will have possess a Professional Fire/Rescue and Community Policing Force second to know amongst small communities in rural Alberta.
That will allow the Crowsnest Pass to rise to the top, people will be talking about this town with the intention of it being a destination.
Misty Schitz
Change of subject - I see the Peace officers wrote tickets to the tune of 13,442 in the month of November.All traffic violations.They did some bylaw work but I do not see any major clean up going on.
2 things come to mind.I think that they would have to write tickets to the tune of about 17,000/month to break even and probably even more.So I think we are losing money and not getting any major clean up done.Secondly, I think it will only get harder to continue to generate these revenues. The locals already know where the speed traps are and it is only a matter of time before almost everyone else knows too.
Misty Schitz
Yup....we really need to spend a fortune to have a fire chief and deputy for the number of fire and rescue calls we have. There was a call this week where all stations were dispatched to an outside fire at the east Blairmore access. Turned out to be a homeless person cooking over a fire... Needed a paid chief to co-ordinate that one!
Also, need the high paid help to co-ordinate traffic control. Makes our municpality look stupid...Misty!!!!!!
Misty is but a mouthpiece for the Mayor and Council, who are ramping up the rhetoric prior to the Investigator arrivimg. This is a deliberate attempt to put those who oppose His Highness into a bad light. Someone is advising Him since he isn't THAT smart.
All of this goes back to the present Mayor not getting his way when the Blairmore Fire Department wouldn't give in on Thunder In the Valley. This is a personal vendetta by this Mayor who is using his office to control Council and Administration to fulfill his Mission.
It appears that the die has been cast, with no apparent letup from the Boyz. Guess we!ll see if Shi-ty Mist's vision of the Crowsnest comes to Pass. Her new Branding appears to be "BuildI it And They Will Come". Purely delusional if she and the Boyz think that the Fire Department is the nexus for our success.
But I do have a question for her and the Boyz -- Do you really think that the longtimers, short-timers and those being shafted will just stand by while you suck us down a Big Black Hole to attain your visions of grandeur?
Jose
Mitsy, you are out of touch with reality.People and businesses do NOT move to communities because they have a professional fire /rescue department and community policing.
They may however look at how much property taxes are(oops, those are going up).And user fees(oops going up). What kind of services(oops going down) you have such as a rec centre, ski hill, shopping,libraries etc.
I know people who have moved from cities due to high crime or too much noise or traffic, but I have never heard anyone ask if there is a professional fire dept.
As for the new hotel, new business and community clean up in your earlier post, I hope they all happen.Just remember the previous council was working on all of that without killing the communities spirit or without 5 % annual increases to the budget and without reducing services.
The industry that wants to come, or needs to come, will be here sooner or later. It does not matter who sits in our municipal office. On the other hand, Misty, what would really make us stand out is a Fire Department Marching Band. Any word how this is going?
Marching Band for the Fire Department would really put us on the map. We would become a tourist attraction for sure. Just like changing of the guard at the Buckinham Palace. What do you think Misty?
Out of control for a small Muni. They are missing a Dalalmation Fire Dog here. I am personally willing to pay for the dog food but I will draw the line at the forthcoming requisitions for doggy pedicures.
To the comment regarding "76 trombones" I accidently deleted your comment last night if you re send it.
I will be happy to post it.
Sorry about that
Dean
The old Fire Department put us on the map with Fire Works. The type of Fire Works we used to have here are only affordable in Big Cities. The New Fire Department will have a Marching Band that we can send all around the world to promote our community. This could work.
A marching band? Will they have a big drum that goes BOOM? Nice!
Selling postcards and little stuffed firemen wearing kilts will be a boon to all our merchants. I can smell the economic recovery that is on the way. We can attract a major manufacturer to produce this kitch with the still intact infrastructure of an old hospital to opperate from. Yes, I think this would really work.
I can just see it now: Out on the former Devon grounds, our current Mayors NEW improved "Thunder in the Valley". Here comes the NEW CNP Firemen's Marching Band now. Trying desperately to hold their own and hold their instruments, in the strong gale force winds.
Seventy six trombones led the big parade,
With a hundred & ten cornets close at hand.
They were followed by rows and rows,
Of the finest virtuosos,
The cream of every famous band.
Seventy six trombones caught the morning sun,
With a hundred & ten cornets right behind.
There were over a thousand reeds,
Srpinging up like weeds,
There were horns of every shape & size.
There were copper bottom timpani in horse platoons,
Thundering, thundering, all along the way.
Double bell euphoniums and big bassoons,
Each bassoon having its big fat say. (Especially our Mayor)
There were fifty mounted canons in the battery,
Thundering, thundering, louder than before.
Clarinets of every size,
And trumpets who'd improvise
A full octave higher than the score!
Seventy six trombones hit the counterpoint,
While a hundred and ten cornets blazed away.
To the rhythm of Harch! Harch! Harch!
All the kids began to march,
And they're marching still right today.
11:02, You missed the showing of The Music Man in Imax at the ISS grounds. That should pack them in 50,000 strong, making the business books look really strong and keeping the security expenditures/liabilities minimalized.
I imagine a parade with a firetruck.
We could hold a 50/50 going towards trombrone grease. We don't need a petting zoo; someone may get hurt. This could really work.
I know for sure if anyone on COUNCIL would be certain that they are doing a good job.First they present the facts the way they belive to be the TRUTH,seconly let the PUBLIC the VOTERS THE taxes PAYERS question those facts.Then that the job of the POLITICIANS to present a paper from record keeping that is mandatory for the COUNCIL.Are they to smart to do just that. If this is the case we MUST get them out as soon as possible.
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