Creating a picture by twisting the truth.

Today I was reading an editorial in the Elk Valley Newspaper.

The following statements were written about Sparwood and Elkford.

"Sparwood has a vibrant seniors community and retirement home, a low residential tax base, fantastic
walking trails linking the Heights to central Sparwood, new businesses breaking ground, an indoor
recreation facility with a rock climbing wall, courts for volleyball and squash, an indoor pool, youth programs
and a community centre. The community will also soon have a state-of-the-art water park.
Elkford is also on the move. Like Sparwood, Elkford has a fantastic recreation complex with an indoor
pool. There will soon be a $6 million community facility that can host events and visitors from all over
the province. According to Mayor McKerracher, plans are also in the works to build a state-of-the-art
Fire Training Centre. The biggest benefit to living in Elkford is that their tax base is also incredibly low."

I know Sparwood and Elkford well, these statements so far are very accurate.
Then the article goes on to state the following:

"All these amenities which both Sparwood and Elkford possess are the result of diligent and thoughtful Councils, both past and present"

That's all it takes is diligent and thoughtful Councils to have all of the above. Silly me I though all of these things might have had something to do with a little thing called the "Elk Valley Property Tax Sharing Agreement" that's the agreement that specifies how the taxes that are levied on the mines each year are spilt amongst the communities.
Each year Elkford receives $3 million, Sparwood $2.8 million and Fernie $2.6 million.
Keeping in mind that to have all of those amenities listed above in 2009  the Districe of Sparwood  collected $10,689,638 in taxes. In the same year the Crowsnest Pass collected $6,359,661 in taxes a difference of $4,329,977 with 70% of that difference being made up by the mines and most of the other 30% coming from businesses servicing the mines.

Lets face it, some people think we have a diligent and thoughtful council presently, the realities of the Crowsnest Pass having nothing to do with "diligent and thoughtful" it's all to do with cold hard cash. The community can't even keep the Bellevue Library open, let alone build an Indoor facility to match our neighbours. Then again maybe the residents of the Pass are willing to pay an extra $4 million a year in taxes to have everything our neighbours have got, because the Elk Valley is not going to share with us.


Note: Link to Elk Valley Tax Sharing Agreement   http://www.elkford.ca/modules/news/newsitem.php?ItemId=7

Tale of two polls place your vote

Which ever side you stand on this issue, here is your chance to vote.
Interesting two papers two polls, both ask about a shuttle service to neighbourhood facilities.
One is different in that it specifically asks if you would pay the other does not, I am curious to see how much of a variation there is between the two.

The Herald.

http://www.passherald.ca/


The Promoter.

http://www.crowsnestpasspromoter.com/

Public Transportation and Indoor Swimming Pool

The following Notices of Motions were presented at the last two Council Meeting the first regarding Public Transportation and the second regarding an Indoor Swimming Pool recreation program.

I am providing them as a benefit for my readers I will comment more over the next few days.
The one obvious question that I assume will jump out at everybody is how are these programs going to be paid for, Councilor Saje does offer some options how realistic they are I don't know.

Staying on that issue Council set a budget that I suspect will "not" mean 0% tax increases this year, which did not place any money into reserves, and in fact put the municipality further in debt to buy new equipment (Almost $600,000).
But did do its share to help the economic recovery by creating additional employment.

Notice of Motion for Councillor Andrew Saje
February 15, 2011

The Need for Alternative Public Transportation

WHEREAS it is important to realize that the Crowsnest Pass is a unique linear mountain community spanning a corridor distance of over 30 kms.

AND WHEREAS it is important to realize that alternative modes of transportation for its citizens is vital to the community’s sustainability.

AND WHEREAS it is realized that greener (Mother Nature friendly)public modes of transportation are welcome by the citizens of the Crowsnest Pass.

AND WHEREAS the Crowsnest Pass has a diverse community requiring a broader mode of public transportation.

AND WHEREAS the Crowsnest Pass has a gap for low income individuals and families, youth,and seniors,who do not fit the criteria for the Town Rounder and were not able to get around the municipality easily due to its long geographical constraints.

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED

1. Direct Administration to create a plan to implement an alternative public transportation system. The specific scope, timeframe and potential resources required for this study be identified and reported to Council no later than one Governance and Priorities Committee or Council meeting before the 2011 Spring Town Hall meeting and further.

2. Request that Administration investigate all transportation revenue avenues besides fare box recovery including but not limited to advertising, grants,and corporate contributions.



NOTICE OF MOTION
FOR COUNCILLOR ANDREW SAJE

DATE: March 1, 2011

SUBJECT: 2011 – 2012 Fall – Winter – Spring Indoor Pool and Recreation Program

WHEREAS it is important that Council realized from the 2010 Fall election that indoor pool and facility programs of a Recreation Centre are important for the quality of life for the citizens of the Crowsnest Pass.

AND WHEREAS it is important to realize that Council is aware that with the current trend of a declining population that the construction and maintenance of a local Recreational Facility cannot be considered until the stabilization of sustainability is achieved.

AND WHEREAS it is realized that an interim solution can be attained by partnering with our neighboring communities and establishing a shuttle service program to their indoor Recreation Facility.

AND WHEREAS such a shuttle service program would help neighboring Recreational Facilities with maintenance and program costs and would enhance neighboring community spirit and relations.

AND WHEREAS it is important for the major employers of the Crowsnest Pass residence that their employees and their families enjoy alternative fall to spring indoor programs.

AND WHEREAS it is realized by Council that such a shuttle service program would provide valuable statistical information for the demand of Indoor Recreation Programs and would impact the implementation of the future Recreation Center in the Crowsnest Pass.

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED

1. Direct Administration to contact our neighboring communities and propose the creation of a collaborative fall to spring indoor pool and recreation program using a shuttle service from the Crowsnest Pass to their facility and further

2. Request that Administration contact all major employers and all potential contributing organizations to receive financial commitments covering the costs of buses,labour, maintenance,and program fees for such a service and further

3. The specific scope, timeframe and potential resources required for this program be identified and provided to Council no later than May 25, 2011.

Crowsnest Pass Moving Forward

Well its been a week now since the election, only 1090 days to the next one (but who's counting).

Many lessons to be learnt the first obviously the agony of defeat, but that's OK that's part of what life is all about.

Another lesson is the kindness in the comments made by many good people over the last week those I appreciate.

Next lesson I have learnt is how two faced a "few" people are, they know who they are the one's that say one thing to my face and another behind my back.

After the dismay of losing I have spent the last three or four days asking people where I went wrong, (any constructive comments I would appreciate).
I found real strange the fellow at Tim Hortons that told me that I should have lied to the Quad Squad, I said what do you mean? he said well you told them you would not look at the OHV bylaw but I know of at least three candidates that said they would, but have no intention of doing anything about it. I hope those are not the type of people we elected to our council.

I always prided myself on the ability to understand numbers, and recognize very much the financial situation of the municipality, its massive dependency on the residential tax base.

In a way its almost a relief to know that others are going to have the burden of dealing with that for the next three years, I will watch very curiously to see how well these folks do with that.
Keeping in mind that we raised taxes 3% this year and left the new council with an anticipated surplus of $450,000 for the 2010 financial year.

The commitments that were made during the election, I am very excited to see how the new council follows through with these:

• The 90 day Task force made up of prominent citizens with some outside expertise.
• The make up of that committee, and more importantly the recommendations they bring forth and the implementation of such recommendations.
• The marketing of the community, the rejuvenated economic growth that will be brought forth.
• Bringing in of new Business and how that will be achieved (Tax Incentives, etc).
• The ongoing commitment to reduce inefficiencies at the municipality, whether it be the issue of duplication of services and facilities, or anywhere else that tax dollars are not spent effectively.
• The drive to keep tax increases at or around 0% or even reducing them, budget will be in there laps in November and hopefully keeping with last councils precedent of having it completed prior to year end we will have a clear picture of this council's financial direction in 2010.
• The issue of affordable housing, where will the homes go, how many will be built, the types of affordable housing, what financial commitment will the municipality make.
• The Recreation Facility/Indoor Pool, this issue created a lot of conversation and excitement during the election, where will it go, when will it be built, what will it cost the taxpayers.

Now I recognize that all of these commitments will not be achieved over night, but I wish the new council well there are some fairly lofty expectations out there. But when they achieve the things listed above that will be a good sign that this community is doing well.

At the end of the day that is what is most important that the community is successful.

My position on concerns raised at the Crowsnest Pass Forum

Question: Building of a Recreation Centre including a Indoor Swimming Pool.

I have addressed this issue previously here but I will reinforce my position again.
This is something this community needs in the worse way, the issue of course which we all recognize is how do we pay for it and would the taxpayers be prepared to make a twenty five year commitment.
My position would be that council would direct administration to come up with a business plan, design, costs etc, and sources of revenue, ie. Federal/Provincial grants, Corporate opportunities, and fundraising. Then determine what it would cost the Municipality for the capital costs (that's why I use the 25 year number) and ongoing operations. Calculate exactly what its going to cost the individual tax payer in additional taxation.
Provide all this information to the taxpayer and let them decide if they wish to proceed in a plebiscite.

Question: Should we do more to enforce the Bear Smart Bylaw.

Of course we live in an area where this issue can not be ignored, we also have to find ways especially in the country residential areas to encourage people to work with this. Lots of them already do but for the ones that don't we have to find ways to help. Enforcement yes but education first.

Question: Road Conditions, Pot holes etc

Over the last few years we have spent $20 million on infrastructure under the ground, we are now reaching the point where the major jobs have been done, we need to focus now on the roads themselves, I recognize that we have a problem I drive these streets every day of the week.
But we also need to take a look at the way we do our road maintenance program, right now we basically take the dollars that we allow for repairing roads and chase the areas that have the worse problems or where the people scream the loudest. That only works short term we need to come up with a long term plan that is maintained year after year.
For example the District of Sparwood does 10% of its roads every year.


Please keep in mind I was sitting at the far end of the forum so if I do not have your question exactly right, please let me know.

Crowsnest Pass Indoor swimming Pool update

Sorry it's taken so long to analyze my last poll, the issue of an indoor swimming pool.

At the web site listed here http://www.calendarofnakedmen.com/ is a more current update of a community building what sounds like a state of the art facility including an Indoor swimming pool. Do not be fooled by the address it a web site that's attempting to raise funds for this facility in Grande Cache, and provides a lot of good information.
Bottom line their facility will cost $20 million which is made up of $3 million each from the federal and provincial government, $8.3 million from the Town of Grande Cache, and $5.7 million from corporate and individual fundraising.
If we did the same in the Crowsnest Pass $8.3 million over twenty years at 4.5% interest works out to a payment of $627,883 per year divided by which is equivalent to a 10% tax increase roughly $200 per house hold.
That's just to pay for the building, whats interesting from my poll is that of the 62 responses 18 or 29% said they would not support paying additional taxes for a swimming pool, another 23 or 37% said they would only pay up to an additional $100.
That makes it very difficult to come up with $200 per year per household. Then keep in mind that half our taxpayers are seniors.
Then lets look at the operational side, previously I stated it cost Pincher Creek $350,000 to subsidize their pool, that was the 2008 number the number for 2009 which is now available on the Town of Pincher Creeks web site was about $600,000 that's another $200 per year per household.
Then the next big question the $5.7 million that they are fundraising, does anybody believe that would be possible here?
Myself personally I was one of the people that would pay almost any cost to have an indoor pool but only 9% of my responses said the same.
Any ideas on how we could achieve this lofty goal?

Crowsnest Pass Indoor swimming Pool

Last Friday June 4th I attended a presentation put on by our Grade six students, (who did a great job) they were spilt up in to small groups 3-4 kids and each group tackled a different subject. One of the groups was looking at an Indoor Swimming pool.
Great idea and I agree it would be an great addition to our community, and probably would attract some young families here.

I tried to find information on what it would cost to provide a decent facility, the best way to do this is to find a community that's going through it now.
Below is a link to the "Kicking Horse Lifestyle Centre" proposed for the Town of Golden BC, Mountain Community like ourselves, population 4000 immediate rural area takes it to 7200, their proposed facility is an Aquatic Centre with a surf park, six lane swimming pool, Theatre/multi purpose meeting rooms, Health and Wellness centre, and a Food and Beverage area.
The cost of there facility is $11,857,000 they have assumed that it is going to pay to operate itself in the first year (Based on 101,000 users per year) and make a small profit by the fifth year of operation. They have also assumed that they will not receive any grants for the facility.

Payments on $12,000,000 over twenty five years at 4% interest would cost $760,085 per year.

Using a couple of different assumptions we will provide some costs to do the same in the Pass.

We in the Crowsnest Pass will collect $6.6 million in residential taxes this year, $760,085 would represent an 11.5 % tax increase our taxes average roughly $2000 per year so that would cost the average taxpayer $230 per year.

Assume that half that cost is covered by grants and we only have to finance $6,000,000 then the cost per tax payer would be $115 per year.

Now the operational side, their projections count on the facility receiving 101,000 users per year or 277 people every day of the year. Is that realistic?

Last year the Town of Pincher subsidized their pool by approximately $350,000 the taxpayers subsidize our present pool to the tune of $150,000 per year so the additional cost would be $200,000 per year or the equivalent of another 3% increase per year or $60 on the average tax bill.

Now recognizing that we are only comparing to the proposal below because it gives us a baseline to work with, we could do something bigger, smaller whatever the taxpayers would like to see.
The question becomes would our taxpayers be prepared to pay the additional costs, keep in mind that half our taxpayers are 55 or older and either on fixed incomes or soon to be.
I look forward to comments.

Approximate costs per taxpayers

Facility fully financed ($12,000,000) $230 per year plus $60 per year to operate equals $290 per year.
Facility half financed ($6,000,000) $115 per year plus $60 per year to operate equals $175 per year.

http://goldenbritishcolumbia.com/pdf/Feasibility%20Study%20for%20Kicking%20Horse%20Lifestyle%20Centre.pdf