I have just been informed that Russell Farmer will be in the Pass conducting interviews in 2-3 weeks everybody that wishes to speak up this will be your chance.
To contact them and set up an appointment here is the information:
Chris Hutchison, Russell Farmer Associates – 780-966-7259
E-mail – inspection@rfconsulting.ca
26 comments:
There are apparently different stories as to what happened with the original plan to consolidate Crowsnest Pass Fire Halls.
As many people remember, the municipality hired a fire consultant who has worked with the fire halls on a new fire plan. Then, so the story goes, the plan was stopped by two people in administration, before ever coming to council. This does not appear likely.
Those of us who have been following our municipal politics for the past two years, find it hard to believe, given the strong personality and credentials of our Mayor, (this is a compliment), that anyone in the administrations would take upon themselves to ditch a report without clearing it with someone beforehand. There are two reasons for this.
One, a good sum of municipal taxpayers’ money was spent on that initial proposal.
Two, it appears the top person in administration was “too new” to the job to take an initiative of this sort, all on his own. As we remember, the new CAO for the Crowsnest Pass was not only new to the job here, but he was also new to the job as a Chief Operating Officer anywhere. Nothing wrong with this, a person has to start somewhere, but would he take upon himself such a big assignment? This does not appear likely. The Finance Person would certainly not have had an authority to stop the report without clearing it first with someone higher.
Subsequently, when the fire consultant tried to speak at council, he was stopped by the Mayor on the grounds this could be not discussed openly because it was previously discussed In Camera.
What was discussed in camera? Was a vote taken, out of camera as required, to ditch the report? Or, as what APPEARS MOST LIKELY – was the proposed plan ditched by the TWO PERSON AGENDA COMMITTEE, before it ever being presented in a proper manner to our council? No doubt some parts were discussed in camera, but who ordered the report ditched? Was there a recorded vote?
A safe guess is the first fire consultant most likely signed some sort of “non-disclosure” agreement when hired. Given the threats made against local newspapers, between high powered lawyers and linguistic consultants (comic relief) - it would not be out of place to imagine that the first fire consultant was threatened with some type of legal repercussions, if he tried to clear the air about as to what happened to his initial report, and who really ditched the proposal.
Would a “non-disclosure” agreement be in force if an officer appointed by the Minister of Municipal Affairs asked the consultant to speak with him or her? No doubt, the people at the Municipal Affairs have lawyers who can answer this type of question.
The moral of this story is: if you want to live by protocol, procedure and policy - don’t bend the protocol, procedure and policy when it gets in a way of desired results.
LEGAL DISCLAIMRER: The events and situations described herein should not be attributed to any person who is dead or was ever alive. This latest fictional episode of As the Pass Turns was brought to you for your private viewing pleasure. Please return to your monitors for the next episode, there is never a shortage of good material. And now a word from our sponsors........
Anon 7:22 Thank you for reminding me of this. Was that Kevin Robbins?Did he not get sued by the municapality?I agree with you that it looks like council probably were not given the options necassary to make an informed decision.But even so, shame on the councilors for just following blindly.
So much has happened over the last 2.5 years a guy sort of forgets some of this stuff.What ever happened to the case between the municapality and the construction company over improper bidding on sewer lines projects?
Maybe someone should post a timeline of major events that this council has had there hands in.Misty can post all of the good things.
Ken Brands was the Fire chief who tried to speak to council and the public but was shut down by the Mayor due to their previous discussions were In Camera.
From what I understand he had a Fire Plan that was supported by the Fire Chiefs but was shut down by Council/Admin.
The "fire chiefs" do not make the decisions in CNP last I heard. Truth be known, I was amazed at how much power they thought they had. Maybe it was indeed time for a roll over.
Anon 9:10 You are right that the fire chiefs do not make the decisions in the CNP.But I think it would have been a 1000 times better to work with them then go the way this council has gone.Because of this this council is now the most disliked council in the history of the CNP.And to top it all off, we are probably worse off today in fire protection then we were before the change. And it is definetly costing us a whole lot more money.This was simply an ego trip by the mare and 6 dummies who have had the wool pulled over their eyes.If it was indeed time for a roll over, then maybe you can explain how we are better off?
Anon 9:10
"Truth be known."
Truth,....yes,.....truth,......that is what we would like to know. We don't believe we are getting it. Plain and simple.....truth,......not stories, are what we require.
9:10
Couple of things we know for sure.
At the end of the day the Council with the advice of Administration makes the decisions we know that.
Things change and always will the Fire Departments were not perfect and needed improvement. Just like many other areas in our community.
But do you bull dozer your house because you have a bathroom that needs renovating?
Fire Departments have been here a long time and so have the volunteers that manned them. Don't you think it would have been responsible, fair, decent, respectful. To sit down with those people, to work together to come up with changes that were mutually acceptable. From what I am told Ken Brands had a new plan that everybody was on board with, whats wrong with that approach.
Big part of this councils problems go back to the way they have failed to get the community on board with their changes. Look at the Mayors Task force who locally sat on that board? Very minimal involvement. There has been an impression from day one that these people have come in to show us "hicks and rednecks" how to run this community. To do it right.
Well the tough part for the magnificent seven is that they are going to have to face us "hicks and rednecks" in just a few short months.
So I hope they keep confusing ego and arrogance for confidence. It will bite them in the ass soon.
B.C
Just think about the Councillor that brought out a hand full of change to declare that paying extra Franchise fees was just a quarter a day.
That's the kind of arrogance the average person on the street is struggling with.
Plus putting us where we are today.
Actually, I think previous councils screwed up royally also - i.e., getting Vancouver house evaluations - i.e., dismissing Walmart. Each council has their fair issues it seems.
Anon 12:55
Right now, we are dealing with this council, are you trying to distract from the issues?
No one dismissed Walmart. This is an urban legend in the Crowsnest Pass. You are right; we can find issues with every council. But now we have a problem at hand, 2500 voters’ sign a petition voicing their frustration with the current council and all we get seems like “bring it on” from our representatives. Then they bulldoze our fire department and tell us, “trust us, this was the best way to go about it.” It also seems the case for destroying the fire department was built largely after the event in order to justify what has already been done. To most people here it does not appear like our council got to listen to the firemen side of the story. This is a small community; the destruction of the fire department is having negative effect on volunteerism right across the board.
No distraction - just remember that no council has been any better than any other really, including this one.
The question has been asked many times previously. Name something positive this council has done?
Here is your chance Misty come on back.
4:06 Sorry but you are wrong. This council will go down in history as the very worst. I could make a list of things that are very bad for this community that council is responsable for.I can not find any positives.
Yes, we can find something wrong with every council, including this one.
And here is the root of the problem. This council thinks they are inventing the wheel and every other council before them simply did not grasp what had to be done; therefore it was left up to them to do “all the necessary changes which should have been done long time ago.”
They see themselves as doing all the “heavy lifting” which should have been done years ago. Sure, many things could have been improved, but to think that everything needed to be disturbed is pure and naive nonsense. This kind of thinking is what got us to the point we find ourselves at today.
Having a municipal inspection is not a badge of honor for anyone, especially us voters - because we voted these people in.
Sometimes, some people just focus on what they think is bad, and everything else is ignored (tunnel vision).
For those that did not attend the Pre election open houses that the present Mayor had as a candidate -- which is most of the voters based on that attendance-- THE MAYOR MADE IT CLEAR THAT HIS PRIORITY WAS TO CONSOLIDATE THE FIRE DEPARTMENTS. Why are we so surprised when he did what he said he'd do?
We reap what we sow. But will the task of undoing the damage be as challenging as it has been to watch this downward spiral? Plus will the voters have the guts to turf these destructors out? I won't hold my breath.
I am so looking forward to October, when we can blow them all away, just like leaves in the wind.
Once again, pass the popcorn. Oct can't come soon enough.
Yes, not like the present mayor hid what he was planning. I really don't understand it either. He did what he said, plain and simple. Yes, I also won't hold my breath. Sometimes people get into the booths and really change. Plus we have been bombarded every day with negative information. After a while, it is just like, oh well, another ranting day for some people.
The Mayor also said before the last election he would only be a one term Mayor
So the Mayor said he was a one term mayor. So what.... Politicians say lots of things, as do normal people, and can change their minds. What a silly comment.
It is true the Mayor said he will consolidate the fire department, this is not disputed. Everyone pretty much agreed that the different fire departments were best brought under a unified leadership. This is not the point here.
It not the consolidation of the fire department that is the problem, but rather, the problem is with how they went about achieving this goal.
After the Thunder in the Valley fiasco, it is safe to assume that the dynamics between our fire department and the Mayor changed dramatically. It appears at least, and it is very unfortunate, that personality issues became more important than an orderly and cost effective consolidation of our fire department.
It looks like a lot of effort was expended on painting the Blairmore Fire Department as an institution beyond repair. A good guess is the police were called to the fireworks storage to add credence to this type of argument; - charges would have been welcomed by those who called the police.
When the police did not charge anyone with offences, it is also safe to assume efforts were redoubled to further undermine the leadership of the Blairmore Fire department with the authorities in Edmonton.
It is also still safe to assume that the efforts to publically discredit the former leadership of the Blairmore hall are not over. It is only hoped that those currently in charge do not expend too much municipal resources on what now appears like personal vendetta. This is at least how things appear.
I guess I am getting old as I do not remember Pre election open houses that the present mare had.Not that it matters because if he said he would consolidate the fire departments, it still would be ok. The problem is HOW he consolidated the department.Had he informed us that he was going to do this by screwing over the now old volunteer fireman and bring in full time paid fireman the results would have been much different.So today in most peoples minds we have a worse fire protection system at a way greater cost.Nobody wanted that.
The mare will only be a 1 term mayor, whether he runs or not.It is just silly to think otherwise.
Yes, silly comment. Don't you know that all politicians lie. Except, they call it changing their minds, not lying.
I just googled these guys and found they are from St. Albert, by Edmonton. Here we go again, suppose we will be paying for travel, accommodation, bla bla bla. Yikes.
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