Crowsnest Pass, Here we grow again!

Just one week prior to the municipality sitting down with CUPE to begin the bargaining process for the last collective agreement that expired at the end of 2011. The municipality continues to throw money around like there is no end to what the taxpayers are willing to pay.
Yesterday our new Public Works/Planning/Engineering director began his duties with the municipality, in addition to that our new Building Inspector began his employment as well.
The strategic plan is working, I just did not realize that we were going to stimulate the local ecconomy by turning the municipality into the latgest non minning employer in the valley.

Wages for these two positions? minimum $200,000 a year. Plus clerical support, plus pickups, offices, computers, cell phones, training, certifications, etc etc. It's going to be embarrassing for somebody to tell the employees union next week that they have no money.

Our building inspections were being performed by a company from Lethbridge that was coming to the Pass once a week occasionaly twice when really busy. Maybe council is anticipating a construction boom in the next couple of years!
Looking at the numbers new development for 2008 was $8,129,570 for 2009 $9,560,945 for 2010 $9,438,361 and for 2011 $6,230,000 a whooping drop of 35%.