Thursday, February 21, 2013

Will the politicians listen?

Will the politicians listen? About the Hillcrest Fire Hall or any other issue.

I would like to say if enough people speak up? Yes
But I am really starting to lose faith in that but never the less people need to speak up in the sense that you can send a message now that you are not happy and you will not be happy in October either.

How can you do that,  call the politicians they took the position they should expect the public to talk to them. They spend every Tuesday night talking about how all these people are telling them to "keep up the good work", "your on the right track", "can't wait for you to walk on water two days before the election". Well maybe once in a while they will receive a comment that's not so positive.

Talk to them about the Hillcrest Fire Hall and keep in mind a few things the $49,000 they will save a year does not just come from closing the hall, it also comes from a significant reduction in the number of Firemen this community will have and the lessor cost of providing gear for them.

What can $49,000 a year get us the taxpayers? A new brand, 2 more pick up driving around town, five months wages for a Director, the COP speed trap sitting at the high school three nights a week for the rest of the year, six months wages for a deputy Fire Chief, the opportunity to send council members to conventions, one quarter of the new entry signage to the community.    

Let these people know how you feel call them at the numbers below, vote on the poll available on the Promoter site at the address below.


http://www.crowsnestpasspromoter.com/2013/02/20/fire-plan-calls-for-closure-of-hillcrest-hall



Bruce Decoux 562 7743
Larry Mitchell 562 8537
Jerry Londsbury 562 2405
Seigbert Gail 564 4465
Brian Gallant 562 7963
Emile Saindon 753 2403
Andrew Saje 563 8584

Remember these guys still have to vote on March 5.

50 comments:

Anonymous said...

61% of respondents on the Promoter site said they approve of closing Hillcrest. I do not understand the problem, Hillcrest is like they said within the 8Km boundary. That is pretty good in my mind. The article also said there were quite a few less calls in Hillcrest and Bellevue as there are less people. Say all you want but kind of seems like a no brainer to me. If you were on council, Dean, would you have kept all the firehalls for such a small community? Please let us know.

Anonymous said...

I think the money savings is wrong.In the Promoter it says" Headrick also presented operating and capital budgets for the Fire and Rescue departments and projected a savings of $49,800 over the next 10 years with the decommissioning of the Hillcrest station."
So if I am reading this right they save about 5,000?year by closing the firehall.
Anon 11:18 Is closing the Hillcrest firehall worth saving 5,000/year.Response times will be probably around 5 minutes longer if they have to come fromBellevue. A lot of damage will be done in this time.Not quite a no brainer for me.

Anonymous said...

61% of how big of a sample? How many people signed a petition this council is ignoring? Which consultant is giving advice on this?

Anonymous said...

From the 2001 Fire Master plan:

In a sampling of 223 homes about 8% of our overall homes 90% of the respondents had no complaints about the Fire Departments.

Anonymous said...

It is not really about closing the Hillcrest fire hall. If they closed the Fire Hall and we end-up spending less money on the Fire Department than before the closure, then this can be explained. However, closing the fire hall and spending more money per year to run the entire fire department, then this is no such a “no brainer,” as some people think. So far, only a bureaucratic nincompoop can argue that efficiencies and savings were brought into place through all this disastrous restructuring.

Anonymous said...

So let me be clear we hired a Fire Chief at $105,000 a year, and a deputy Fire Chief at $85,000 a year. Plus pick up trucks, computers, cell phones, uniforms, desks, etc, etc. To save $48,000 a year?????? wow that makes sense.

October 21 is all that matters now.

Anonymous said...

So if the municipality is going to use the 8km rule. I look at the map on Page 60 of the Fire Master Plan which shows the 8Km perimeter around each Fire Hall.
Surprisingly you can cover Blairmore with the Coleman and Bellevue Halls. So why keep Blairmore? maybe that will be in 2014 when our Fire/Rescue become even more efficient.

Anonymous said...

Well, I imagine they would keep Blairmore as there are probably more calls here than other places; because, more houses, more businesses, etc.

The poll from the Promoter is on the site today. It is a poll whether you think the Hillcrest FD should be closed. As mentioned, today, 61% said yes.

Anonymous said...

I was going to rub salt in your wounds. But it looks like there's plenty to go around.
Everything is primed and ready to go for October.
Four more years

Misty Schitz

Anonymous said...

You are correct, Misty. It all boils down to the October vote. Then we will see if your Silent Majority is really there. If it is, then you will have more change. If it isn't there, then there will be quite a shakeup. At least we will have enough vehicles to last a while, minus the "drivers".

Anonymous said...

for people who are interested; on CNP Web site.
RESCUE SERVICE OPEN HOUSE

When: Friday, February 22, 2013 3:00-7:00 pm
Location: Crowsnest Pass Fire/Rescue Station 24
Located in Blairmore accross from the police station

-Tour the fire hall
-See the fire truck close up
-Find out about becoming a member
-Community barbecue proudly supported by Teck

Meet the emergency services team members from: Crowsnest Pass RCMP, Community Peace Officers, Crowsnest Pass Fire Services and Ambulance Service.

Anonymous said...

Misty you are right October will fix everything.
Check out Page 60 of that Masterplan.

Who's next?

Anonymous said...

Misty, we have missed you! How was the spa?

Anonymous said...

Emile Saindon

hm: 403-753-2403
wk: 403-628-3849

Note: He has always said we are welcome to call or drop in to see him at work, so I have included the work number as well.

Anonymous said...

Misty seems like a hired consultant paid “big bucks” to monitor the blogs. He is very dependable and it would be good to know when his contract is up; we need someone to run the Rum Runners Weekend. Apparently someone was heard in one of the CORNERS there is little interest in the job

Anonymous said...

3;34

-Tour the fire hall
-See the fire truck close up
-Find out about becoming a member
-Community barbecue proudly supported by Teck

In other words lets us rub your face in this cr*p using a well intentioned donation.

Sorry but, I will not be there the see Misty's face.

Is this a sponsored recruting drive?

And care should be exercised in, as to how the word "proudly" is used. I don't think that Teck is interested in getting involved in petty politics. It was a donation that was well intentioned in the spirit of 'family'.

Anonymous said...

From the "Fire Master Plan 2012 Overview" linked on CNP home page:

Fire & Rescue Operating Budget

2007 409,901 p. 49
2008 505,359
2009 349,586
2010 386,600
2011 339,717
2012 556,424 p. 53 ("actual expenditure" 431,104, "surplus" 125,320)
2013 520,993 p. 75

I wonder why they put these numbers on widely separated pages?

As for the "redundant capital expenditures" (p. 80), how does this restructuring eliminate the need for "Aerial Projection $450,000 2012/2013" ? Was that planned for Hillcrest?

Anonymous said...

How much of admin wages are charged back to this area? You can play all kinds of games when you are assigning costs


M

Anonymous said...

Anon 3:34

It's a good thing negative people like yourself won't be there , maybe the pass can have a function where no one negative shows up. So thanks for not attending :)

Anonymous said...

The same genius who called police on our own volunteers is working on the plan to make our community more efficient, 21st century like. Little red pick-ups for all directors.

Anonymous said...

Anon 10:11 wrote:

"It's a good thing negative people like yourself won't be there , maybe the pass can have a function where no one negative shows up..."

We do, they are called "Wine and cheese Galas for invited friends of the Magnificent Seven at taxpayers expense".

Anonymous said...

How about a little cheese with your whine.

Anonymous said...

11:18 How is that poll in the promoter going now. What will you say next year when they close Blairmore?
Remember all of Blairmore falls in that 8km coverage between Bellevue and Coleman.

Anonymous said...

Is there going to be any Cheese at the Fire Hall? If so, I will bring my own whine, no need to charge taxpayers for such things.

Anonymous said...

it is really to bad the reasons for shutting the Hillcrest Fire Hall down. We certainly have forgot the big fire. Do you really think 30 fire fighters will be able to do the same job.

Anonymous said...

Dean

Andrew Saje 563 8584

Anonymous said...

Close Blairmore, don't think so.
But getting beyond feelings, I don't think it is just about money, but also about shape of the buildings, etc. Many factors. I still think Bellevue is more than qualified to service Hillcrest across the highway. You get into trouble so many ways when everything is so spread out. Each little place wants their own empire.

Anonymous said...

Do you really think they are going to listen to the public now. Quit wasting your time folks and focus on October.
February is almost over.

Anonymous said...

Citizens don't want their own empires - just quality services in their own neighborhoods. We may be the Crowsnest Pass but we will always be 5 big neighborhoods. If you don't like the people in your neighborhood then go watch more episodes of Mr. Rogers or go visit another neighborhood and make friends there.

Anonymous said...

any consideration given if the river bottom railway crossing was blocked what about exposure to hillcrest then?

Its a long way to hillcrest from the east access

just saying

Anonymous said...

Well, so far the have done great disservice to the community. We have less volunteer firefighters and less firefighting capacity. We basically live in a forest. We have less hands to fight a fire with, We have traded Hands for Chiefs. No reasonable person can accept this as a good bargain.

Anonymous said...

The only Empire Building Project currently underway is the one in our municipal office. And please don't blame the administrators, blame the folks who put them there. This especially applies to the new (empire red) pickup trucks.

Anonymous said...

Do this mean Larry will be driving around with a sign that says "Save Our Fire Hall"???

Anonymous said...

Guess I will point out the obvious....what happens if you are on the south side of Blairmore and have a fire....I guess they still have to wait as they cannot jump over trains last I heard.

Anonymous said...

Trains are not an issue. CPR gets more than adequate notice to clear or stop and they do. Been there, done that. (I do live on the 'wrong side of the tracks' in Blairmore)

Anonymous said...

time to stop complaining and start campaigning

Anonymous said...

No matter how you argue it or how it is dressed up - it is obvious to every reasonable person in the CNP: the Fire Department restructuring has been a disaster for the community because of the way it was handled. There is plenty of blame to go around, but the buck stops at the municipal council table. There appears that at least more than one of the had too much zeal for the project. And ask yourself: What kind of person would call police on their own volunteers?

Anonymous said...

What happens if there is a fire in Hillcrest and Bellevue at the same time?
I know we are spending way more money for less protection.Why could they have not worked with what we had? Maybe a fire chief and some more training for the volunteer fireman would have gotten us better coverage and big savings and we still would have had our volunteers.
This folks was very simply a pissing contest, and I know who I am pissing on in October.

Anonymous said...

02:09 You missed the point if you think it’s obvious.

Anonymous said...

Yikes! This is so much BS. The vote in October is the key to it all. Feelings mean nothing, the VOTE means everything. In the meantime, suck it up and wait to get even with the self serving egotistical bast---ds. There is no use to whine as they say, get out and vote and get even. If you don't do that, well kiss your butts goodbye.

Anonymous said...

Crowsnest = drama, drama, drama from some people.
I am going to be a little worried come voting day. It is obvious at least some people will get voted back in; I am really concerned about the council being a unit. There has been so much continual critisizing that it makes you wonder how some people could ever work with each other. No one will ever convince me that every move council makes is wrong; I am starting to believe it is only self-serving.

Anonymous said...

It appears some of the councillors, or even the chair, are becoming a little delusional. The council is not supposed to act like a unit, this is not what the council is there for. The council is there to listen to different opinions, sometimes differing opinions, and then make a majority rule based on reason, not education. Look at Nenshi and the council in Calgary this week: http://www.calgaryherald.com/news/calgary/Mayor+Nenshi+blasts+homebuilders+group/8006549/story.html
The Mayor makes a decision, and the council is there to supervise the Mayor, this is how things are supposed to work. The last council, with four councillors, has accomplished more meaningful change than our current council which is fixing everything, even things which should have been left alone.
The problem is our councillors are not presented proper arguments and counterarguments to make good decisions. They are served self-serving pabulum which passes as “hard administrative work” (pulling hair, or whatever other nonsense they call what they do behind the closed doors.) It also appears all this “hard work” is vetted by one of their own, before it makes to the council as a whole. If this was not the case, 2510 people would not have signed the petition. In addition, we don’t see a councillor or two, asking the important question: why 2510 voters signed a petition that was certified as valid, if we are doing so well? The explanation that they are doing what has to be done, and the community will appreciate all the “hard work” later, just doesn’t cut it. It displays not only arrogance, but also a good dose of naiveté. We elected them with a lot of enthusiasm and a lot of hope, but we all make mistakes. WE have to be more careful and elect a less self-righteous and a more reasonable group come October.

Anonymous said...

How many signed the petition (sigh). I think I have it memorized, thanks.

Anonymous said...

No, I guess I did not mean a unit exactly, but they do have to get along to get common things accomplished. I think being able to get along and be adults is of utmost importance.

Anonymous said...

Well put 3:35 They didn't become 'delusional', they are neophites and new to governing. It is just too bad that they blindly follow someone's agenda that does not recognise the pulse of the community and so believe that this is governence.



How will our history record this period of Despotism?

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Anonymous said...

OK - when we first moved here and were became aware of the fact that the Crowsnest Pass had four fire departments - our first thought was "Really?" OK - we are not originally "from here" ... but- all politics aside - objectively, 1979 was a while ago.

Anonymous said...

I just read some of the above,(from the websites provided by (9:56). I find it interesting to note that response times are calculated using many various factors, and not just the driving times. I was led to believe that an 8 km limit was sufficient, but taking in all the other factors, I now do not believe that to be true. Do I feel that we now have sufficient fire suppression capabilities in this municipality? No. I think that we are in serious danger here. I certainly hope that I am proved wrong. (The alternative is too horrible to contemplate.)

Anonymous said...

03:44:00 - there was a way to consolidate the fire departments without blowing up the entire structure, and creating a smaller "more professional" fire department which costs substantially more than the old inefficient multiple fire departments. If you think that the consolidation of the fire departments was done is a measured and professional manner, than you have not been in the same place as the rest of the community. This thing was bungled from get go. This is what you get when you engage “outside help” whose main priority is to get the job done quickly, collect their payment, and be long gone before any serious questions are raised.

Anonymous said...

"Will the politicians listen?" I have talked to and listened to and read councilors blogs.I for one am done. I will not call these guys up and have them tell me they will do as they please. 2500 people signed a petition and they ignored it.There is nothing that would change these guys minds.8 months from now I will vote against all 7.