G+P meeting Sept 9, 2014

Number of issues dealt with Tuesday night.

1. Draft Bylaw 897 Animal Control-Council and administration provided their input, will be coming to council for first reading on Sept 16 if passed at that point will come back for subsequent reading on Oct 7,  I believe the bylaw is a great improvement from the previous bylaw, the bylaw will be open for public comment and input. 
2. Dr Todd Shipman, Alberta Geological Survey made a presentation on the Turtle Mountain Early Warning Systems. Historically; council of the day in 2008 placed a restricted development area at the foot of the Turtle Mountain, based on the scientific information and legal opinion at the time. With the benefit of six more years of monitoring since then Dr Shipman informed us that the mountain is moving between 1mm and 2.3mm a year with anything less than 16mm being considered low risk. The government will be releasing a further report on the whole mountain by the spring. 
3. Corporal McKenna, Crowsnest Pass RCMP presented a statistical report on crime rates in the Crowsnest Pass, he expressed to council that by RCMP standards we are a very safe, low crime community. 
4. Municipal branding/logo, council received a report last night showing the costs for the whole branding/logo process. Remember not that long ago when I tossed around the numbers of $3-400,000, how some people labelled those numbers as ridiculous. For your information.

Brand Development $48,983

Website Development $20,370

Entrance Signs $193,520.21

Banners $23,732.83

Stationery, Business Cards $6,333.08

Flags $4,366.49

Parade Float $5,925.64

Merchandise $15,259.09

Decals for Trucks $1,577.84

Decals on glass st the municipal office $820.20

Total $320,888.38

Still left to complete landscaping at the entrance signs $? part of 2015 budget.

Council will be looking for public input in the coming months, on where we go from here on the brand/logo, certainly no desire from council to spend any where close to the amount of money spent previously.  

5. Other issues discussed Municipal Health and Safety Policy, Municipal Hiring Policy both of which council made a number of comments on. They will be revised and brought back to council shortly. In addition we discussed Thunder In the Valley/Rum Runner Days which should be coming up soon to allow interested groups and individuals to get involved. The flooding issues and poor condition of the Union Cemetery in Bellevue. Plus council raised a number of issues with the snow removal policy. 

Next Council Meeting September 16.

Note: I have been asked about a couple of legal issues which have not been finalized yet. There will be information coming as soon as they are complete.  

     

A community divided, the real fix is eleven months away.

My fellow blogger Mr Prince is calling for a town hall meeting, the people that signed the petition are waiting for municipal affairs.

I think this municipality at this point in its short history is deeply divided, unfortunately it is not going to be repaired in the next eleven months. Any one of us can wish for a different out come but realistically it is not coming in the short term. The petition and municipal affairs will run its cause and hopefully something will come of that, if not then people need to be preparing for October 21^st 2013 that will be the communities next real opportunity for “change”.

Why do I feel it’s too late for real change with this council, the issues that have been put in front of the taxpayers over the last two years have been too numerous and two divisive.

Can a town hall meeting fix these issues? I don’t think so, most of the people I speak to could care less about a town hall meeting they have seen them become a platform for our leader to pump his chest, berate anybody that disagrees with him. I was so shocked when I watched a highly educated seventy year old man walk across a room to the sound of a few boos, waving his arms and telling the people to bring it on. (Leadership?)

I sat down last Friday and listened to a veteran administrator tell a reporter the way it is. (Yes it was as bad has it sounds). Communications has not been this council’s downfall in all honesty they have probably done a better job of communicating than any previous council, the problem is not so much communications it is what they have said and done. 

This Council believes in building a Bureaucracy by the time they have restructured they will have gone through more administrators in eighteen months than any other council in our history and have more upper management in place then we have ever seen before. Mean while we have a demoralized workforce that is scared and bullied to the point where a large percentage of them are in fear of their jobs.

This community has no commercial tax base, if we only did what we could pay for three quarters of what happens in this community would not happen. The key for this community is volunteers I came to learn this lesson over the last ten years, are there any volunteers left? Sure there are but not many, with what happened with Thunder in the Valley/Rum Runner Days and the Firemen situation who’s going to step forward. Want more proof of that look at municipal boards despite three months of advertising nine boards are short of members. Why do you think council backpedaled on getting rid of the Swimming Pool Authority two weeks ago? They desperately need to reverse the perception in the public forum as to how volunteers are being treated. What we did not  need is a member of council slamming the public because they didn’t support their way of doing things on the Rum Runner days weekend maybe just maybe the silent majority did not want it to change.  

The public has spoken about how they feel, despite the fact that 2500 people signed a petition in less than three weeks (more than double what is legally required). This council and its members can only focus on the “silent majority still supports us”, “or people were bullied and intimidated into signing”. Tell those people to contact municipal affairs I am sure the powers to be would love an excuse not to deal with this petition. Does it not say that the public has a problem with where you are going?

Look at our tax situation we hear great fanfare about a three year budget that only had annual increases of 2.5%, I didn’t hear anybody from council or administration tell us that Franchise Fees were going to increase more than 300% in three years.

Will the books balance at the end of the year? Of course they will I could spend hours writing about how numbers are shuffled. For example  take a look at Manager of Corporate Services, that position was only filled for three months this year. The other nine months of monies set aside for that position will be used to make the numbers work. My concern is the million dollars a year of administration moving forward how do we pay for that in future years when all the positions are filled year round?

Financial credibility is there any out there, after waiting for three and a half months look at the numbers that were presented for Rum Runner Days, remember the talk about $150-$200,000 not even close.   

Community Peace Officers all those that think these positions are going to pay for themselves raise your hand now. That’s a fallacy that will be proven over time, I can remember the consultant telling council at a G+P meeting that there were 290+ locations in violation of the unsightly premises bylaw how many of them have been cleaned up? Is there a date that they will be cleaned up by? So what happens with the bylaw officers once they are cleaned up?

Promises even though they were followed with a “you can take this with a grain of salt”

CLC gone before first snowfall, sharing Ranchlands tax base, Quebec manufacturer, deal with the hotel developer done in two weeks, two more, thirty days, heavy industry with up to 700 jobs. Politically you can sell hope all you want but sooner than later it has to be realized or you lose creditability.    

I think we have reached the point where the majority (be they loud or silent) do not pay a whole lot of attention anymore to what this council has to say or do. Most people are counting down the time until Oct 21,2013. Will a town hall meeting change that?   

Numbers, Figure this mess out and win a big prize.

After numerous requests to compare the various numbers that have been presented on the Rum Runner Days I will attempt to provide that information. It’s very hard to do because to have a true comparison you need to use the same categories in each case but that was not done so it becomes difficult. All the numbers in black were the ones presented to the Rum Runner Days committee on Feb 22, the numbers in green were the one’s provided by Councillor Saindon on March 13, finally the numbers in red are the one’s provided to the public at the Nov 6 council meeting.

Total revenue of $93,750 made up of the following:

Cash on Hand $0    $16,000

Municipal contribution $50,000  $50,000 $40,000

Carnival rides $2,500 $2,500

Business Licenses $2,250 $3,000

Vendor Permits $4,500 $6,000

Camping $16,500 $10,000

Thunder in the Valley $3,000 $2,000

Lions Club $2,000 $2,000

Parking Shuttle $13,000 $9,500

Municipal Soft Costs $25,000

Friday Night Wine and Arts $1,500

Saturday Night Concert $15,000

Saturday Night Food and Beverage $2,500

Merchandise Sales $15,000

Show and Shine Revenue $2,500

Sponsorships $19,247

Revenues from Venues and Merchandise Sales $16,944

Cost Recoveries $9,260

With costs of the following which added up to $168,880:

Municipal staff costs $32,280 $19,200 $9,010

Municipal equipment $10,000 $0

Municipal office $11,200 $6,600

Advertising $3,000 $3,000

Website design/modifications $3,500 $3,500

Promotion $2,000 $2,000

Washroom rentals $16,500 $12,500

Waste pickup and disposal $4,000 $4,000

Security Fencing $500 $1,500

Tent and Accessories rental $1,500 $2,500

Lethbridge Search and Rescue $7,500 $0

RCMP Policing $35,000 $20,000

Regional Peace Officers/Sheriffs $25,000 $15,000

Bus Rentals $9,600 $1,920

Donation to Boys and Girls Club $2,000 $1,500

Donation to Coleman Society $1,800 $1,500

Donation to Kanaskis Rodeo $2,000 $1,500

Donation to Quad Squad $1,500 $1,500

Wine and Art night $1,500

Saturday Night concert $8,500

Gazebo Park Entertainment $3,000

Kids Show $3,500

Stage Rental $13,500

Show and Shine Merchandise $4,000

Merchandise Purchase Costs $20,000

Advertising and promotions (Including T-shirts) $25,642

Bank Charges $76

Entertainment, Parade and Show and Shine $33,316

Licenses, permits and Insurance $390

Printing, Copying, Paper, Postage $3,420

Transportation $640

Port a potties, Handwash Stations and Dumpsters $5,561

Security (Includes RCMP) $18,017

Signage $2,394

Confused? I am typing this and pride myself on being good with numbers but this boggles my mind.

Let’s try to decipher things a little bit maybe the confusion and hysteria that came with these numbers were created for a reason.

Revenue Feb 22, $93,750  March 13, $160,500  November 6, $85,452

Costs Feb 22, $168,880 March 13, $151,720 November 6, $89,456

Loss Feb 22, $75,130 March 13, $8,780 (profit) November 6, $4,004 (loss)

Now let us compare a few of the categories that make up the numbers above:

Municipal staff costs went from $32,280 to $19,200 to $9,010

Municipal equipment from $10,000 to zero to zero

Washroom rentals, waste pickup and dumpsters $20,500 to $16,500 to $5,561

Policing/Peace Officers $60,000 to $35,000 to $18,017

 Just in the four area’s above you have numbers going from $122,780 to $70,700 to $32,588.

Anybody get the feeling that the numbers were inflated for a reason? Imagine if they were going to buy a piece of equipment and the first quote they received was for $1,227,800 then the second quote was for $707,000 then the actual price was $325,880. You would look at the salesmen like they were idiots.

More stuff we don't need in the Crowsnest Pass

Well it sounds like the problems are compounding.

I found the following post this morning concerning legal and more potential legal problems for the municipality.
Plus a further hang over from the highly successful weekend known has Rum Runner Days. Check it out for your selves.

http://www.sasha-yourvoiceoncouncil.com/blog/2012/09/14/Here-a-Lawsuit-There-a-Lawsuit-Everywhere-a-Lawsuit.aspx

Blunder in the Valley 2012

Hate to steal somebody else's post title but this one is so fitting.
Check it out for yourselves my fellow blogger laid it out very well.
When I read some of the comments from our local politicians I think of the Roman Emperor Nero who fiddled while Rome burned.

http://blog.johnprince.ca/

For the guy that called me this morning and said that I was full of s**t for saying that the Rum Runner Committee promoted that there would be 20,000 + at Rum Runner Days. Check the above out, click on the picture to enlarge and read under the vendor information. I will be very surprised if none of the vendors demand their money back after being given that information.

Opportunity to voice your opinion on Rum Runner Days

For those that wish to voice your opinion about the Rum Runner Weekend here is your chance the Promoter as a poll available at the following address.

http://www.crowsnestpasspromoter.com

What was your impression of Rum Runner Days

Looking for feedback, enjoy it? hate it? let me know, was it worth the money spent? what were the best events?

New perspective on the spending of our tax dollars in the Crowsnest Pass (Humour)

Now that Rum Runner Days on up on us and everybody is in a festive mood I thought I would share with you how one of my readers see the financial situation in our great community. 

I think this was very well done and if people can't laugh once in a while there is something wrong. (Thanks go out to Gord)

Just another reminder there is a rate payers meeting tonight at the Bellevue Legion 7pm only costs $5 to join if you are concerned about the issues that everybody seems to be talking about. Here is your chance to join a group that will lobby council on your behalf regarding these issues.   

Don't blame the volunteers Cherish them.

Over the last few years we have all read numerous articles or heard comments about the decline in the number of people willing to step forward and volunteer their time for community events and organizations.
The reasons why are numerous and could be debated all day long.
One thing I don't like is some of the comments made about volunteers with the Rum Runner Days weekend event coming up.
Which ever side of the debate you sit on regarding the cancellation of the Thunder in the Valley don't blame the volunteers, blame the politicians, blame the administrators. Those are all people that stand for office and know that pissing people off comes with the territory, the administrators get paid big dollars to handle the crap that comes with their job.
But volunteers they don't get to make the decisions, they don't get paid to handle the crap. Maybe if we all cherished our volunteers a little more we would have more people willing to help this community.

So save your anger, your displeasure for the decision makers not the volunteers.

Rum Runner Days Parking Permit

For all of those that have been asking, you should have received a Parking permit with your utility bill. If you did not or you don't receive a utility bill. I am told that you can pick up a permit at the municipal office. 

This is what they look like below, you will not be allowed into Blairmore after 9am on Saturday without one.

Municipality of Crowsnest Pass-Thunder in the Valley (More Confusion)

Here is the Press Release from March 7 regarding Thunder in the Valley pay special attention to the first sentence.


March 7, 2012


Municipality of Crowsnest Pass

PRESS RELEASE

"After extensive deliberation with respect to public safety and finances, the Council of
the Municipality of Crowsnest Pass has resolved to defer the Thunder in the Valley
component of Rum Runner Days festival. The suspension will be in effect for this
current year and remain in place until such time that an appropriate emergency operational plan, traffic plan as well as the requirements and changes identified by the Rum Runners Event Committee are accomplished"

So like most people I got my town bill yesterday after reading the fascinating write up on Riparian Area Health, I proceed to the Rum Runner Days pamphlet where under Vendor Information I see the following "It is anticipated over 20,000 people will attend the celebrations".

Well that statement blew my socks over, maybe it's a typo maybe it should have read 2,000 or maybe the committee is just being overly optimistic. But let's say they are right then what does the press release from March 7, really mean? What happened to all the previous concerns wasn't the issue all these people coming to the Crowsnest Pass, and all the related issues that come with a crowd of that size. Is the RCMP now guaranteeing the safety, if a crowd of that size comes won't the costs be the same will we need less toilets? less traffic control? less policing? just because there are no fireworks. Is the appropriate emergency operational plan, and the traffic plan now in place? if they are, then couldn't Thunder in the Valley have just gone ahead?

I think we have been had, in a few short months we went from we can't do this event because there are too many safety and financial concerns attached to a crowd of 20-30,000 people, to we can now do this event which will attract more than 20,000 people????  

Rum Runner Days 2012 Making it pay

Rum Runner Days 2012

On Monday I requested that Councilor Saindon send me a copy of the budget for the Rum Runner Days, which he kindly did yesterday. So I will describe in very simple terms what I found. (Please lets keep in mind that at this point these numbers are projections they may well work out, they could also be out in left field, time will tell)

The weekend is projected to make a “profit” of $8,780 how is this number achieved.

With revenues of $160,500 and costs of $151,720.

Where does the revenue come from?

$16,000 cash on hand

$25,000 municipal soft costs

$50,000 Municipal contribution

$2,500 Carnival rides

$3,000 Business Licenses

$6,000 Vendor permits

$10,000 Camping

$1,500 Friday Night wine and arts

$2,000 Lions Club

$15,000 Saturday night concert

$2,500 Saturday night food and beverage

$15,000 Merchandise Sales

$2,500 Show and Shine revenue

$9,500 Parking and Shuttle Revenue

Total revenue $160,500

Where is the money spent?

$19,200 Municipal Staff costs

$6,600 Municipal Office

$3,000 Advertising

$3,500 Website design/modifications

$2,000 Promotion

$1,500 Wine and art night

$8,500 Saturday night concert

$3,000 Gazebo Park Entertainment

$3,500 Kids Show

$13,500 Stage Rental

$4,000 Show and Shine merchandise

$20,000 Merchandise Purchase Costs

$12,500 Washroom rentals

$4,000 Waste pickup and disposal

$1,500 Security Fencing

$2,500 Tent and Accessories

$20,000 Rcmp Policing

$15,000 Regional Peace Officers/Sheriff

$1,920 Bus Rentals

$1,500 Donation to Boys and Girls club

$1,500 Donation to Coleman Society

$1,500 Donation to Kanaskis Rodeo Assoc

$1,500 Donation to Quad Squad

Total Expenses $151,720

I am sure a lot of people besides myself will be waiting to see how this weekend turns out.

Rum Runner Days weekend.

Well here is your chance to make your comments about the weekend, good bad or indifferent. Weather it be the parade, show and shine, carnival, Thunder in the Valley, etc.

What did you think, is the weekend worth the $100,000 of taxpayers money that goes in to it?

Should the weekend continue in its present form, should the municipality be taking over the entire weekend as suggested by our local leaders or just leaving it alone.

Looking forward to any and all comments, now's your chance to speak.

 

Economic Task Force-Rum Runner Days/Thunder in the Valley

What I believe is going to be one of the most controversial recommendations in the Task Force Report is #10 regarding the whole Rum Runner/Thunder in the Valley weekend.
Below we have the Task Force recommendation and there suggestions about how to achieve it.
Some of council is already chomping at the bit to get to this issue, a few meetings back, Councilor Gail asked the CAO if they have received all the financial information from the Fire Dept yet, the previous CAO stated they were still waiting. Early in the year Mayor Decoux wanted administration to find out who owns Thunder in the Valley.
This last meeting Mayor Decoux notified a number of local residents that this year will be the last year that this weekend will be ran the way it’s always been, that next year there will be significant change. Councilor Gail this week also asked if it would not be better for the municipality to take back over the camping along the train tracks to realize that revenue for municipal coffers.

Then to top it all off Mayor Decoux stated that the real cost of this weekend for the municipality will be well in excess of $100,000.

Here is the recommendation and suggestions from the task force on how to enhance the weekend I have put a Note with my comments after each point

“10. Review and re-develop Rum Runner Days/Thunder in the Valley with a focus on increasing potential for economic benefit to the community and local businesses:”

• Establish a community committee to run Rum Runner Days/Thunder in the Valley with the support of the Tourism Coordinator. Note: This would clearly tie the two events together the arguments have always been made by the affected groups that they are two separate events.

• Develop a financial model that is transparent regarding sources and uses of funds and results in profit to the Municipality, local businesses and the event. Note: If the two events are being tied together will all parties share all financial information as requested by Councilor Gail.

• Consider payment for parking and bussing into a central location as a revenue generator and resolution for egress problems in the past. Note: Wow what a logistic nightmare, 50 people on a bus even if you forced half the crowd lets say 15000 to get on a bus that 300 bus loads where would you find them, park them and control who gets on which bus.

• Consider expanding the event to Thursday night, Friday, Saturday and Sunday afternoon. Note: great idea in theory lots of work will you find somebody willing to take on this load. There was a public request last year for help to take over the work load that Marion Vanoni as handled for year not a lot of people stepped forward.

• Add entertainment by inviting big name acts for Thursday night, Friday night Saturday night before the fireworks, and Sunday afternoon. Many of these entertainers may already be at the South Country Fair, which is the same weekend, and may be able to perform in a sponsored tent located a reasonable distance from residential areas with bussing back and forth from the designated parking. Note: who will put all the money up front to sponsor these events especially the first year, if you want big name acts you will pay big money guaranteed money. Even retro groups like Nazareth, April Wine command $12-15,000 up front money. Do we want to risk taxpayers money on the success of these types of ventures.

• Attract sponsorships including approaching Cowboys in Calgary to sponsor and manage the tent, as well as Bacardi Rum for donations of liquor, consistent with the Rum Runner theme. Identify other sponsors in addition to these examples. Note: I was involved with a beer garden once on this weekend if you are going to maintain this weekend as a family event I would like to stay away from this kind of event. In addition, easy to confirm with the RCMP the number of arrests without Beer Gardens as been way down.

• Enhance promotion through an integrated campaign building on web site, billboards, radio and social media. Note: Does this event need any more promotion I think anybody within a 300 km radius knows about the event. Also advertising is very expensive who will front those dollars in the first year.

This is going to be a very tough issue to deal with groups that have had control of different aspects are not going to relinquish them freely. There are certain parts of this weekend that are actually owned by groups, will we see a budget item this year to purchase naming rights to Thunder in the Valley. Some people want to grow the event some people want it to go away. Irregardless of what any of us think Mayor and Council seem determined to change this weekend.

G + P Meeting June 28, 2011

Adoption of Agenda:

Mayor Decoux added # 9 under Topics for Discussion, Strategic Planning.
Councilor Saindon added a personnel issue In Camera.
CAO requested that Item #6 and #8 under Topics for discussion go In Camera, and that Item #7 be deferred to July 12th.
Motion to accept agenda with additions passed unanimously

Delegations:

1. Scott Warris, Treasurer-Crowsnest Pass Boy’s and Girl club. Provided and update on upcoming activities, fund raising and fiscal situation. Informed council that they are selling raffle tickets around town. That they will be doing a duck race at the centre access on July 16, running the concession at the Sinister seven event, and that the Blairmore Lions are giving them the proceeds from their up coming golf tournament. He also stated that they have raised one third of the $40,000 they anticipated but are very hope full they will reach their goals with the previously mentioned fundraisers.

2. June Vastenhout-Neighbourhood Concerns with random camping during the Rum Runner days weekend near Lyons creek. After an explanation of the issue by the residents, Mayor Decoux felt they should be addressing their concerns to the CAO and the bylaw officer.

Note: At this point Mayor Decoux informed the residents that there is not a lot of time to deal with the over all issues caused by the success of the Rum Runner Days/Thunder in the Valley weekend and the masses of people it brings for that event. However, he assured the residents that this is the last year that it will be ran in the fashion it as previously been run.

Topics for Discussion:
1. Property Tax Installment Bylaw-Language cleanup regarding the bylaw allowing residents to pay there taxes in installments.

2. Rum Runner Days/Thunder in the Valley, Administration provided an update on all the services being in place for that weekend. Mayor Decoux made the point that this weekend is costing the municipality well in excess of a $100,000. Councilor Gail also raise a concern about groups using the camping opposite the ISS as a fund raiser felt that money should be coming back to the community, allowing it to recoup its costs.

3. Orpheum Theatre Bylaw-Update on allowing this building to get an historical designation.

4. Alta Link follow up-Council had requested Alta Link’s environmental report on the proposed line upgrades in the Pass, mostly irrelevant at this point due to the line not moving above Blairmore.

5. Advertising Policy-Basically allows each department to advertise anywhere they see fit as long as the dollars are approved in its budget. Strange policy it specifies that one particular form of media will receive advertising in more than one local vendor but then instructs administration to go get the best deal they can.(?)

6. Agenda Format Changes moved to In Camera

7. Review of the Procedural Bylaws and the G+P committee deferred to July 12

8. Community Standards Bylaw enforcement moved to In Camera

9. Strategic Planning-Mayor Decoux made it clear to council that there is a lot of work to be done this summer, many meetings long hard days of preparing council’s strategic plan with a first draft ready for Sept 1. He requested that a couple of members of council get together and co-ordinate everybody’s schedule by next council meeting, Councilor Saje with the assistance of Councilor Saindon agreed to do this.

Note: Two things that took place during the meeting really surprised me, after the Cuff report recommended that we combine our committee of the whole and several other committees’ into the G+P meeting format. The previous council was clearly told by our administrator at that time that we could not pass motions at those meeting, but we could vote on weather to forward recommendations to council. This went on for at least the last year and a half of the previous council, after the election new council and new CAO carried on the same practice. Last night while dealing with Topics for Discussion the Interim CAO informed council that this practice was wrong that council can not conduct any votes at the G+P meeting, really surprising that the last two CAO’s did not know that.

The second issue that absolutely shocked me was just prior to going In Camera; the Mayor decided that he needed to share a few words with administration, with the public and media still sitting there. He started with nobody on council has legislative experience on procedures of council; he also went on about how administration needed to provide council with clear, precise complete information. That anything less than that would not be tolerated, that if council was put in the position of making decisions without all the information being 100% available and accurate that he and Council would be making recommendations to the CAO regarding those administrators.

Do I have a problem with what was said above, or even the tone that it was said in? No. Management in every organization when justified needs a good kick in the ass, the problem with what happened above is it should have been done behind closed doors. No employee should be given shit by their Boss in front of the public let alone the media.

In Camera: Motion to go In Camera passed unanimously.

Torch is passed to the "Dream Team"

Mayor’s Final Task Force Report June 20 2011.


Well last night I attended the presentation of the Mayor’s Final Task Report, the task force and council was all there with by my estimation 150-200 local residents.

The Mayor gleefully informed us at the beginning that his council was now known as the “Dream Team”. I love dreams the only down side is when you are just really getting to enjoy one, you wake up and realize it was just a dream and now you have to deal with reality.

The Mayor put a lot of emphasis on the Task Forces member’s great wealth of expertise (no argument) and their many connections to the Crowsnest Pass. I think some how trying to distant the initial public reaction to the fact that there was no “locals” named to the team, but any way the report is here now and needs to be addressed.

Did I hear anything really new? No. I have always taken the position that there are many good ideas here in the Crowsnest Pass, the issue then, now and in to the future. Is embracing the ideas, implementing them and eventually the most important part of the equation paying for them.

Therefore, what did I hear from the report:

1. One unified community,

2. One Crowsnest Pass Fire and Rescue Department with one chief and multiple substations, one library system with multiple branches.

3. Hiring an Economic Development Officer

4. Clarity on the timing and route for the Highway 3 realignment

5. Establish a Community Economic Development Advisory Committee

6. “Crowsnest: Mountain Freedom” branding and put in place gateway signage

7. Establish a grant and funding process to support specific economic development projects

8. Full time Tourism Coordinator Position

9. Implementation of a Tourism levy as part of the hotel rate structure as well as a 1 cent/litre gas tax to fund tourism/community marketing.

10. Review and re-develop Rum Runner Days/Thunder in the Valley, establish a community committee to run this weekend, and develop a financial model that is transparent regarding sources and uses of funds and results in profits to the Municipality, local businesses and the event.

11. Seek investment or partner to add chair lift to the Pass Powderkeg Ski hill.

12. Work with historical partners to expand the Crowsnest Museum

13. Demolish and remediate the former Crowsnest Centre site and issue an RFP to developers for proposals to redevelop the site.

14. Investigate opportunities to re-appropriate the Bridgegate River Run property.

15. Work on a Centre for excellence in Field Studies

16. Develop strategy to attract new development.

17. Develop and maintain relationships with major employers.

18. Build community pride to increase support for local business

19. Explore feasibility of a regional Truck stop/Bulk Fuel/Tire Sales along Highway 3

20. Enhanced services and activities for retirees and seniors

21. Enhance amenities for families, community recreation centre

I have not listed all the recommendations, a lot of them are similar these are the ones that jumped out at me. The tricky part as I stated previously is going to be the implementation and paying for these great ideas. To that end the Mayor informed us that Council will be coming back to the public in early fall with a strategic plan.

How do we the public measure the success of this report? A couple of ways, 29 recommendations, 15 of them have a timeline of this year attached to them. Budget 2012 will be here before you know it.


Note: Just received a call mentioning to me that at this time we all need to keep in mind that these are the recommendations of the Task Force, Council does not have to accept them all, or any for that matter. Right now this is one of those famous political trial balloons so for my readers if you wish to influence where this report or any of its suggestions go. You need to speak to your members of council.

Randy thanks for the call, your right. 

Rum Runner Days weekend

First of all I got hammered last year because I referred to the costs for "Thunder in the Valley".


I clarified that it should have been the costs for the Rum Runner weekend, with Thunder in the Valley being just one of the events held that weekend. This is often a very contentious issue, but there is no question this is probably the largest single weekend for revenue for most Crowsnest Pass Businesses, certainly in the tourism industry. Anyway after a number of requests this is what the previous council budgeted for the 2010 “Rum runner days weekend”.

If you wish to check the numbers for 2011 you will have to contact either one of the present members of council or the municipal office.

Donation for Fireworks $4500
Traffic Control $6200
Policing $10000
Garbage + Toilets $11500
Activties + Entertainers $18000

Total $50200

This number does not allow for any municipal wages that go into preparation for the weekend. Which in my humble opinion would probably add another $20-30,000 to the weekend.

Why am I raising this now? two reasons, one I have been requested to by a number of my readers and two if you read Fridays Promoter there was an article about this weekend and the discussion that took place at last council meeting. Councilor Saje clearly indicated in his comments that in future years the weekend should be ran more has a business, and Councilor Gail requested of administration has to when the revenue numbers for the weekend would be made available by the fire department.

Any way due to my readers and the two fore mentioned councilors raising this issue the debate is open again regarding the “Rum Runner Weekend”.

Note: I have already refused one comment due to the fact that it made a derogatory comment regarding a fire department, keep your comments to the debate if you wish to have them published.

Council Meeting of June 7, 2011

Council Meeting of June 7, 2011


Mayor Decoux prior to the meeting commencing said some kind words about former Mayor Irwin’s years of service to the municipality and requested everybody present to take a moments silence.

Public Hearing: None

Agenda: Mayor Decoux added Emergent Land Issue in Camera. He also changed Item #5 under Bylaws to come after delegations. He deleted the following items correspondence #2 letter from Hon. Luke Ouellette regarding Federal Gas Tax Fund. He also deleted under other business, Drum Creek Flooding, Draft Budget Policy, and Municipal Office. He added Gifts for members of the task force under other business. Motion to accept the Agenda as amended was passed unanimously

Adoption of previous minutes:

1. Minutes of the Council Meeting of May 17, 2011, with minor corrections. Motion to accept was passed unanimously
2. Minutes of the Special Council Meeting of May 11, 2011, with minor corrections. Motion to accept was passed unanimously

Delegations:

1. Mark Murphy Emergency Management Field Officer for Southern Alberta reviewed the Emergency Management planning process with council and administration.

2. Larry Simpson, Director Strategic Philanthropy and Conservation for the Nature Conservancy gave an over view of what they do and stated that they own 1600 acres in the Pass and have conservation easements on 400 more acres.

Bylaws: 826 Land Use Bylaw third reading (Green Mountain Company in West Coleman)
Mayor Decoux gave the public the option to present anything new on this issue, no response either for or against.
Comments from council: Councilor Saindon needs to be convinced that the developer will address the public’s concerns.
Councilor Gallant felt that those issues would be covered off in the development agreement.
Councilor Gail had concerns about old mines workings, underground creeks, and the highway and really could not see this area being used for development. Motion for third reading passed 5-2 (Saindon/Saje opposed)

Administrative and Agency Reports: None

Business arising from the Minutes: None

Correspondence:
1. Municipality of Crowsnest Pass Library Board-Pat Korble-Closure of the Bellevue Library. Mayor Decoux asked for comments or questions none provided.

Committee Reports:
1. Minutes of May 24, 2011 G+P committee meeting, no discussion. Motion to accept passed unanimously.
2. Minutes of May 10, 2011 G+P committee meeting, no discussion. Motion to accept passed unanimously

Bylaws:
1. Bylaw 805,2011- Road Closure Frank Industrial Park (2nd & 3rd reading) No discussion. Motion passed 2nd reading 6-1 (Saje) 3rd reading passed 6-1 (Saje)
2. Bylaw 816, 2011 – Walking Trail Bylaw given (2nd & 3rd Reading). No discussion 2nd reading passed Unanimously, 3rd reading passed unanimously
3. Bylaw 821, 2011 – Property Tax Penalties Bylaw given (1st Reading) No discussion 1st reading passed unanimously
4. Bylaw 825, 2011 – Agricultural Services Board Bylaw given (2nd & 3rd Reading). No discussion 2nd reading passed unanimously 3rd reading passed unanimously.
5. Bylaw 826, 2011 – Land Use Bylaw Amendment given (3rd Reading) - (Green Mtn. Company) Dealt with previously after delegations.
6. Bylaw 828, 2011 – Traffic Bylaw Amendment given (1st Reading) No discussion passed 1st reading unanimously.
7. Bylaw 829, 1011 – Noise Bylaw Amendment given (1st Reading) No discussion passed 1st reading unanimously.
8. Bylaw 830, 2011 – Long Grass Bylaw Amendment given (1st Reading) No discussion passed 1st reading unanimously.
9. Bylaw 831, 2011 – Community Standards Bylaw Amendment given (1st Reading) No discussion passed 1st reading unanimously.
10. Bylaw 832, 2011 – Land Use Bylaw Amendment – Sign Standards given (1st Reading) – now has a Public Hearing No discussion passed 1st reading unanimously.
11. Bylaw 833, 2011 – Land Use Bylaw Amendment - Rezoning - given (1st Reading Tartal in Frank) – now has a Public Hearing No discussion passed 1st reading unanimously.

Notices of Motion: None

Other Business:
1. Rescind Endorsement Policy: Councilor Mitchell as been opposed to this policy from its concept, the intent of the policy was to have any council member inform council and seek its approval before appearing in any promotional material for business, developers etc. Motion to rescind passed 5-2 (Saindon/Gallant opposed)

2. Code of conduct for Council and Council committees: Motion to send this to the Policy committee passed 6-1 (Saindon opposed)

3. Council summer schedule: Motion to cancel July 26 G+P, August 2 Council and August 9 G+P, with an additional council to be added August 30. Motion passed 6-1 (Gallant opposed)

4. Draft reserve policy: Motion to accept passed unanimously.

5. Purchase gifts for task force: Mayor Decoux explained that the task force gave their time for free for five meeting since February, felt it reasonable to present the committee members with gifts up to a value of $2250. Motion passed unanimously

6. Draft Budget Policy: Motion to defer to the June 21st meeting passed unanimously.

7. Request for enhanced policing for Rum Runner Days: The municipality to pay $10,000 for 178 of policing, question of administration is this sufficient CAO stated that the RCMP felt not. Councilor Saje felt that moving forward this whole weekend needs to be dealt with more as a business plan, to get away from the huge costs the municipality incurs. Councilor Gail asked if administration had received a revenue report from the fire department yet for the weekend, administration stated they were still working on this. Motion to incur the $10,000 cost passed unanimously.

8. Independent Trucking Enterprise Parking Request: Request to park the coal haul trucks at the old Crowsnest Centre parking lot. Numerous concerns raised by council motion to defer to the next meeting passed 6-1 (Saindon opposed)

9. Municipal Auction Fund Disbursement: Administration recommended that the proceeds from the auction held on the weekend ($2700 approximately) be donated to the Town of Slave Lake. Councilor Mitchell strongly disagreed felt the money should be placed into reserves. Motion passed 5-2 (Saindon/Mitchell opposed)

10. Notice of Motion Transportation: Motion to have a needs assessment conducted and bring back to council on September 6th passed unanimously.

Council Member reports: Comments about various groups sending condolences regarding former Mayor Irwin.

Public Input: None

Motion to go In Camera: Passed Unanimously

****Additional information from last nights meeting****

The package from last nights meeting was just posted on the municipal web site. As noted previously Mayor Decoux deleted several issues from the agenda one of which was the Municipal Office.
Now reading the package I was expecting administration to come back with a reconfiguration as directed by Council a number of weeks ago.
Instead it again raises the issue of moving to the MDM which I have expressed my opinion on previouly. One of my concerns was the cost, especially when council has made it clear that they will improve inefficiencies by reducing the number of staff over time which would make the space issue in the office a non issue.
In the package it shows that $15,000 will be used to facilitate that move, with that money to come from savings by the delayed hiring of staff. 
That raises a number of concerns with me first of all how necessary were those positions here we are almost half way through the year and they are still not filled.
Second of all its an old fiscal management trick to make one look good down the road by building additional costs in the budget and then showing savings at the end of the year.
Third it becomes a slush fund for ideas like these that should have been dealt with in the budget process and given a yes or no at that time, or did we not know that the proposed positions would require a place to be?
Fourth does this mean that administration does not believe Councils position that the work force will be reduced in time by the means that council has previously discussed.
Fifth these delays in hiring should provide the opportunity to save a few dollars that could be used to lessen the burden on the taxpayer next year.

Rum Runner Days weekend

As I previously reported council, specifically Mayor Decoux raised several issues in regard to Rum Runner Days, and the Thunder in the Valley event, further to those comments Joni raises the isuue in the Promoter Editorial today.

http://www.crowsnestpasspromoter.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2930355

In addition the Promoter provides an opportunity for the community to vote, for their opinion as to whether the weekend is benefical to the community or not, whichever side you stand on this issue here is your chance to at least vote on it.

http://www.crowsnestpasspromoter.com/

Thunder in the Valley Clarification

Taken a bunch of heat in the last few days about my post May 6 2010 "Thunder in the Valley"

So today I am going to clarify things so a few narrow minded people do not take the opportunity to make political hay out of my comments.

Yes I made a mistake on the title it should have been Rum Runner Days & Thunder in the Valley. I did not intend to focus all of the attention on just Thunder in the Valley.

Second the reason for the post, often I receive requests on where "your" tax dollars are spent, when I am asked I attempt to supply that information, I was asked in person via email and phone what the taxpayers spent on this weekend, I posted that information.
For example I was asked last week how much we spent on snow clearing this year versus last, why would I not supply that information?
Do I has a councilor have the right to say I'm not going to tell you?

Third I have been accused of attacking groups that put this event on, not true read the post who do I attack in my post? Look at the words " Great weekend that draws lots of people in to the Valley" which of those words are negative?
"and is a boon for most of our businesses" which of those words are negative? quite the contrary I think they speak very positively about the whole weekend.

Now do I have concerns about this weekend? of course when you have 30,000 people here if one percent of them are idiots that's 300 people, (could do a lot of damage in a small town). yes I see that side of it, I work that weekend as a jail guard at the local RCMP establishment and I see what those people have to contend with.

As far as the comments to my post, I post almost all of the comments that I receive go back and read some of the Crowsnest Centre stuff on this Blog some of the comments I received they were not all favourable to myself. The only comments I have refused to post since I started this blog were a couple of which I believed to be libel, and a couple of comments that made fun of a local persons medical condition.

Anyway back to the point of this "clarification" the original post was presented as an answer to questions I was asked by taxpayers. And under no circumstances was it an attack on any individual or group(s), and if somebody took it that way I apologise.

The idiots put aside this weekend brings a lot of good, business, and publicity to this town.