Crowsnest Pass Ratepayers Letter to the Editor

Here is the letter from this weeks letter to the editor also check out the ratepayers Facebook page for other information on the organization.

http://www.facebook.com/notes/crowsnest-pass-ratepayers-association/other-side-of-the-story/538457979539095

Other side of the story

The Ratepayers do not have access to the taxpayer funded municipal communications system. It becomes very expensive to advertise on radio, in the papers, mail inserts.

It leaves the ratepayers association seeking other alternatives to getting out our concerns, comments and questions.

In response to the Mayor’s latest newsletter. It is good to see that our restructured administrative staff is working well as a team with our staff.

Maybe the talk of morale at the municipality being at an all time low is not accurate.

The Mayor addresses the issue of differences of opinion in a healthy organization is he referring to Councillor Saje recent statements? Were those the only times that process was not followed? Is Councillor Saje the only one that has concerns?

The hotel development, the selling price of the property was $1.1 million.

The municipality actually only receives $300,000 in cash with $100,000 of that used to put in a playground at the site. The developer was given an allowance of $800,000 to remove the building by August 30. There was a request for proposals, last year were there bids for less than $800,000?

Medican is a company that has had serious financial problems, they are now

in the process of coming out of CCAA court protection.

More news in the Mayor’s newsletter at the open house with Riversdale Mining, there spokesman clearly stated that every thing going perfect the mine would be starting up in 2017, the Mayor now suspects the mine will be in place sooner than anticipated.

The Mayor is also excited about the branding project, that cost the taxpayers $47,000 don’t we all feel “naturally rewarded”. The Mayor’s task force report in May of 2011 clearly recommended the use of the “Mountain

Freedom” brand, that would have cost us nothing. That same report also stated a top priority would be the hiring of an Economic Development Officer

by Sept 2011, the job is finally now being advertised, will it be in place prior to the election?

Ranchlands is going to meet with our council, it would be great news for the taxpayers of the Crowsnest Pass to know when we will be reducing our high tax rates, franchise fees and other various charges with the additional income that Ranchlands will provide. The Mayor should provide us with examples of other municipalities where this process has taken place, we can only find examples where communities anticipating tremendous population growth were allowed to annex their neighbors.

Finally, the Mayor basks in the glory of the Emergency Services Open House, it was great that it brought back memories of a cardboard helmet from his early childhood. What about the memories of the individuals that put 20-40 years of there lives into those organizations.

This will be the first letter to the editor from the Ratepayers Association, we have many more issues to raise, we ask all residents to take the time to think about these prior to October 21. (This letter was written without the assistance of any Public Relations firm)

Everything is wonderful, we just have not realized it yet

Well the Mayor's newsletter was just released and it sounds like somebody is "telling a story" is it just me or has the tone of the newsletters changed since December.

 I had heard rumblings from some of the municipal staff that there was some morale and labour relations issues plus only somebody that been trapped in the jungle for the last year would have missed Councilor Saje's letter. Obviously in the last few week's those issues must have been addressed, according to the latest newsletter the appearance is given that all the team are pulling together. Check out the newsletter @ http://www.crowsnestpass.com/

Just a short quote "Our restructured administrative staff is working has a team with our inside (office) and outside (public works). Differences of opinion abound but this is normal in a healthy organization and when something needs to be accomplished all come together".

The Mayor goes on to talk about a future economic opportunity  in the same newsletter. At the end of May, he is of to Vancouver to meet some individuals (experts, consultants) who have a great deal of expertise in creating destination resorts.
Lets hope these experts, consultants what ever you care to call them don't cost us anywhere near what it cost us to put in place our peace officer program.

Remember when everybody was shocked that we the residents of the Crowsnest Pass were paying $1,000 a day plus $2,400 a month for accommodation and mileage to an expert.  Check out the following address at the web site that just keeps on giving and giving I admire the job this person has done gathering information.

http://transparencycnp.shawwebspace.ca/blog/post/ts_peace_officer_proposal/

Next we have the annexation issue hopefully with a little bit of "common sense and good will by all those involved" (Ranchlands) the linear taxation will be flowing in by Budget year 2014 just in time to pay for all these positions that we have created because soon or later we are going to have a workforce with all positions filled for a full year. Making the numbers work by dragging your feet for two months to fill every position is only a short term answer to balancing the books. It's like buying furniture at the Brick on the "Do not pay for three year plan"

One of these days running four operators short in public works will catch up to us, when your snow removal plan becomes having a mild winter every year with much "less than anticipated precipitation" it will catch up to us.