Over the last two weeks I have been adding the following to
the bottom of all my posts, “Note: Keep in mind one very important
number $4325”. I have received a lot of calls, emails and questions
asking me why $4325.
It is a very important number,
it is directly related to one of the most important choices the taxpayers are
going to have to make this fall. The choice between candidates who support a
large bureaucracy at the municipal office more suited to administrating a
community a lot larger than ours. Or candidates that support running a
community that recognizes our wealthy neighbors are not going to give us money
to maintain this large bureaucracy.
Why talk about this now? Several
reasons two days from now taxes are due what better time than now to recognize
a very important financial issue. Then the election is only “16” weeks away. It
is time for potential candidates to talk about where they stand on this and
other important issues.
Back to the $4325 that is
what our Municipal Administration is costing us every single working day
(Mon-Fri). Some people will not want to believe that number but do the math. Consider
the following numbers arrived at with the best information I could access. (If present
council and or administration feels I am off on any one of these I would gladly
change my numbers)
Director of Finance $110,000
Director of Planning,
Engineering and Public Works $120,000
Director of Protective
Services and Facilities $110,000
Fire Chief $95,000
Economic Development Officer
$100,000
Deputy Fire Chief $85,000
Public Works Supt $85,000
Total of $865,000
Additional 30% to cover costs
of benefits, WCB, EI, CPP, Health Insurance, Pensions etc.
Raises the total to $1,124,500
divided by 260 days is $4,325 a day.
Keep in mind this in no way reflects
the cost to the taxpayers of pickups, computers, cell phones, office supplies
etc.
Can we afford this and where
do potential candidates stand on this issue.
Think about this when you
slip your cheque into the municipal mail box this weekend.
25 comments:
Crowsnest Promoter -"Strength in adversity"
Your silence is deafening.
I can think of a group of 7 people that will be facing "adversity" Oct 21. The other group of 8 people might last a month or two longer depending on the terms of their contracts.
Thank goodness for elections.
Dean, You have provided facts. Now I want to know if you are elected what changes will you try and make regarding this matter? Who stays, who goes?
Clean house get rid of every last one. The I was just being a good soldier line died about thirty wars back
I don't know what to say except that is a lot of money. My $1800 covers less than 4 hours.
I know I have my broom ready.
Oct 21 can not come fast enough. I hope the administrators do not all have very expensive severance packages.
This issue could be very difficult for the next council to deal with. Maybe a forensic audit of the office would be helpful.
Why do we have so many administrators?, this is Bruce's complete team. We are short staff in every area our morale is so low. Most of the public does not know we had to bring in 12 workers from Pincher Creek just to maintain the essential services last week.
God help us if these guys get back in this fall.
I thought these guys were in a Union. What kind of Union would allow workers from another community to come in and do their job?
Heresay heresay. The truth is probably in between.
9:44 what do you mean by hearsay?
Bringing in other community workers is a sign of bad management beit not acting until there is a crisis as per the Mayor, and wiping out the volunteer base because of the infamous reorganization. Tthe outside workload is behind, judging from the barricades around unfinished sewer, water, road, etc projects, and there is a problem. At the same time the Admin team is fully staffed and huddling around having meetings, meetings and more meetings. Time for a flip around in the number of Admin/support staff in the Hallowed Halls and outside crews. Add to this the low morale and the backed up workload gets even worse. Can't blame the storm/flood for all of this, right Mayor?.
The office is so top heave it may fall on itself.
Huh, all communities work together in time of crisis. If not, there is something wrong with YOUR community.
We are spending way to much money on positions we can sustain. How many people are we short in public works but every administration position is full?
Anon 1:20
The crisis resulted from poor planning and poor leadership. And yes, there is something definitely wrong with THIS community. Something that can only begin to be patched up, come Oct 21st.
This community couldn't send anyone any help, except for overpriced administrators who would bring along their consultants. We are short of the essential service workers as a result of misplaced priorities. Yes we are a screwed up community, which is why no one would ask for our help --- except for Ranchlamd perhaps......ya right!
There is nothing wrong in the Crowsnest Pass that can't be fixed with some common sense. Unfortunately and fortunately - it has to wait until October - not very long in the grand scheme of things. There may be some other unfortunate community down south in need of a retired administrator to reorganize them into 21st century.
Word on the street is that Bruce has anointed his clone (Gallant) to run for Mayor. Bruce understands that he does not have a chance
Apple does not fall far from the tree.
I'm not surprised that the municipality is top heavy. The mayor is a policy guy. (Which is why I didn't vote for him....plus being new here at the time, the decoux name meant nothing to me)
Policy cannot be made by the people at the lower end of the work pyramid. Policy is made by administrators. So thusly, he has a lot of administrators.
My understanding is that he was in education all of his working life. Policy is very important.
Gallant is every bit as delusional and narcissistic as the Mayor. And he has a lot of nerve asking this community to volunteer for his own private venture when he had a hand at kicking so many of our community volunteers to the curb! Guess that's why he was the only one against absolving the pool board recently. Wondered why the sudden turn around but it all makes sense now. I certainly won't be fooled if I see the name 'Gallant' anywhere on the ballot. And thanks for the continual reminder of his last campaign's broken promises (blatant BS, actually) at the beginning of your blog, Dean!
I agree, next to the Mayor, Gallant is the one I find most annoying. Sweep, sweep.
Sanctymonious?
The figures on the website look even worse to me:
http://www.crowsnestpass.com/component/docman/doc_download/1922-2013-capital-budget
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