Well I have not posted in the last month, but of course that does not mean things have not been happening. Below is a list of issues that people have requested an update on over the last few weeks.
Council is working hard on a number of issues:
Budget was finalized back in December now all we have to do is set the mill rate which is coming to council on April 6th. Just to refresh every body's memory we had given direction to administration to bring back a budget with a maximum of a 3% tax increase.
We are anticipating a surplus the amount of which will be determined at the meeting of April 6th, in my opinion we need to start rebuilding our reserves which six years ago were sitting at almost $4 million, at the end of this fiscal year will be sitting at a little over $600,000 as I have argued a number of times that is to low.
The dollars were used to do a lot of infrastructure work over the last five years, but now is the time that we must start building those reserves back up.
In March we also began the process of reviewing our Community Standards Bylaw, council members provided their input on what they would like to see and a draft of a much stronger bylaw as been sent to our lawyers to make sure it conforms with provincial legislation.
On the meeting of April 6th there will also be a motion debated by council to demolish the Maple View Hall in Bellevue if we are going to be serious about cleaning up our community then the Municipality and its politicians needs to lead the way.
Crowsnest Centre we are being told by administration that the Municipality and LCC are close to having an agreement to relocate to the MDM, I am holding my breath with anticipation. After being told by so many people that the Consortium would never relocate. I am going to have to go back through my pile of newspaper clipping and look at all those headlines about the "death of education in the Crowsnest Pass"
Election its coming October 18th the opportunity to bring forth your name will be provided for anybody that wishes to participate in the democratic process. Rumours of all kinds of candidates names are flying around of course, some will be proved to be true some will not.
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Friday, February 26, 2010
The Role of the Media
Should the media be reporting the news? trying to make the news, or even trying to manipulate the news towards their own personal goals and objectives, if the later is true is it really fair? does it not give those who control the media an unfair advantage over the rest of us?
Check out the following comments in an excellent letter to the editor in this weeks paper.
http://www.crowsnestpasspromoter.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2464746
Check out the following comments in an excellent letter to the editor in this weeks paper.
http://www.crowsnestpasspromoter.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2464746
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Lets keep it classy.
Despite the fact that some people around here like to turn politics into something very personnel. I have previously stated I will not lower myself to that level. Yesterday I received a comment that referred to other peoples disabilities, and said some very nasty things.
If you are going to send me those kind of comments you are wasting your energy and time.
If you are going to send me those kind of comments you are wasting your energy and time.
Friday, February 19, 2010
The end of times, Crowsnest Pass style
I almost hate to draw attention to the silliness that has broken out in the Crowsnest Pass. All of the community knows about the Crowsnest Centre, and yes its an issue that as spilt the community some what. Personally I do not have a problem with anybody having a different opinion than me on this issue. (Its called democracy)
Yes we have attempted to have a debate based on silly things like facts, figures, and that kind of nonsense.
Then we have had other people who have the golden opportunity to debate this issue (by use of the local media) based on non factual arguments, fear, stupidity and ????? (I am stuck for the right word use your imagination).
In the last five years I have heard arguments such as the place will make money, its a sound business. Look at our business plan its make sense (the moment you point out errors, "its only a draft"), we don't compete with the local hospitality business, yet under that same business plan its states competition then lists local hospitality businesses. We heard Dec 16, 2008 we don't need municipal dollars the place will pay for itself. By June of 2009 we are debating paying the Nexen bill because our Mayor states that it was sent to the wrong address for months ???.
Then comes the fear approach:
The cadets will be thrown out on the street, the food bank will be thrown out on the street, its the death of education in the Crowsnest Pass. Where will people stay during an emergency?
The cadets are in the Elks Hall, the food bank is now down town Blairmore, and we are in discussions with the education consortium regarding relocation. Where do people stay in other communities during an emergency? Inconvenice yes, but problems that had solutions.
Then comes the stupidity, it was only three weeks ago the local paper had an update on politics in the Crowsnest Pass, followed by "my mother always said if you have nothing good to say about somebody don't" and then the rest of the editorial was blank.
Last week we get an attempt to compare the closing of the centre to Great Britain's darkest hours during WW II, and they went as far as quoting Winston Churchill.
Then this week we get the icing on the cake an obituary for the centre, maybe I'm wrong maybe this really does make sense and I'm the crazy one.
Anyway we are now only months away from the election, and I'm sure somewhere out there in the back rooms of our local businesses, over coffee at the Tim Hortons. The ultimate dream team of seven is being built for the coming election, they will come forth and correct all the mistakes of by gone years.
The centre will be refurbished and reopened and become truly our "Banff Centre"
The old Bellevue arena will be rebuilt and re opened and prime time hours at our arenas will become from 6pm to 6:45pm so that five years from now we can claim that our arenas are being used 97% of the time. (prime time hours of course)
Then the $300,000 to upgrade the Maple View hall will be found, and the old Hillcrest hall will be rebuilt and reopened. Everybody will live happily ever after, and George Cuffs statement about the municipality having too much duplication of services and facilities will be exposed for the huge lie it is.
Maybe this dream team can campaign under the slogan, of lower taxes, no reduction of services, and money in reserves every year.
Some pessimists say it can not be done, but two thousand years ago they said the same thing about parting the Red Sea.
Any way thanks for taking a moment to read my comments and please if you can spare a few more seconds vote on the poll on the left hand side.
Yes we have attempted to have a debate based on silly things like facts, figures, and that kind of nonsense.
Then we have had other people who have the golden opportunity to debate this issue (by use of the local media) based on non factual arguments, fear, stupidity and ????? (I am stuck for the right word use your imagination).
In the last five years I have heard arguments such as the place will make money, its a sound business. Look at our business plan its make sense (the moment you point out errors, "its only a draft"), we don't compete with the local hospitality business, yet under that same business plan its states competition then lists local hospitality businesses. We heard Dec 16, 2008 we don't need municipal dollars the place will pay for itself. By June of 2009 we are debating paying the Nexen bill because our Mayor states that it was sent to the wrong address for months ???.
Then comes the fear approach:
The cadets will be thrown out on the street, the food bank will be thrown out on the street, its the death of education in the Crowsnest Pass. Where will people stay during an emergency?
The cadets are in the Elks Hall, the food bank is now down town Blairmore, and we are in discussions with the education consortium regarding relocation. Where do people stay in other communities during an emergency? Inconvenice yes, but problems that had solutions.
Then comes the stupidity, it was only three weeks ago the local paper had an update on politics in the Crowsnest Pass, followed by "my mother always said if you have nothing good to say about somebody don't" and then the rest of the editorial was blank.
Last week we get an attempt to compare the closing of the centre to Great Britain's darkest hours during WW II, and they went as far as quoting Winston Churchill.
Then this week we get the icing on the cake an obituary for the centre, maybe I'm wrong maybe this really does make sense and I'm the crazy one.
Anyway we are now only months away from the election, and I'm sure somewhere out there in the back rooms of our local businesses, over coffee at the Tim Hortons. The ultimate dream team of seven is being built for the coming election, they will come forth and correct all the mistakes of by gone years.
The centre will be refurbished and reopened and become truly our "Banff Centre"
The old Bellevue arena will be rebuilt and re opened and prime time hours at our arenas will become from 6pm to 6:45pm so that five years from now we can claim that our arenas are being used 97% of the time. (prime time hours of course)
Then the $300,000 to upgrade the Maple View hall will be found, and the old Hillcrest hall will be rebuilt and reopened. Everybody will live happily ever after, and George Cuffs statement about the municipality having too much duplication of services and facilities will be exposed for the huge lie it is.
Maybe this dream team can campaign under the slogan, of lower taxes, no reduction of services, and money in reserves every year.
Some pessimists say it can not be done, but two thousand years ago they said the same thing about parting the Red Sea.
Any way thanks for taking a moment to read my comments and please if you can spare a few more seconds vote on the poll on the left hand side.
Thursday, February 11, 2010
The bright side of the Crowsnest Pass
Want to see what the Crowsnest Pass is all about check out the following video, warning it was made by a reputable local developer and has a very short plug at the end for his company. But I think it was very well done and really exposures the viewer to a lot of great things about our community.
http://www.rockymountainproperties.ca/community.htm
http://www.rockymountainproperties.ca/community.htm
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
How to get a small town excited about development
Much as been said on other Blog sites regarding development in the Crowsnest Pass, and the silence from members of council regarding some of these developments.
First of all if a development does go bad here there is no question that lots of lawyers will find much employment, and make loads of money. Hopefully it does not come to that.
Anybody that as sat on a municipal council in the province of Alberta understands that issues discussed in camera by council that could be extremely sensitive from a legal point of view can not be discussed publicly, in fact during this term of the present council there was even an attempt by some members of council to remove one councilor because an issue that was dealt with in camera was reported by a local paper. This failed but it certainly drove home the seriousness of speaking to in camera issues.
Anyway lets clear up some misconceptions and rumors here, first of all Councilor Dean Ward as not done any of the following:
I have never been an employee of or received any kind of income from any developer,
I have never appeared in any kind of promotional video or literature for any developer,
I have never attended or lent credibility to any kind of shareholders or investors meeting.
I have never attended any kind of golf tournament, tickets to Flames games or any of those types of little perks provided by any party.
What am I guilty of? Attempting to encourage development in the Crowsnest Pass, to widen our tax base, to encourage business and people to move here. To create employment, have we been successful?
Some what on Highway 3 we have a development with 34 units built and another block of 6 units being started these units will bring in $150,000 a year in residential taxes, have created a number of construction jobs and supported some of our local businesses.
Other developers have come in to our sleepy little town and created quite a stir with flashy headlines and big proposals, yes councils, investors and numerous other folks have gotten excited and caught up in it.
Look at the following 23 headlines taken from our local paper dating back to 2005 there was a lot more people than just councilors that got caught up in this project.
Will this project or any other work out? I don't know.
We as a council just need to make sure that the communities best interests are looked after, and that taxpayer dollars are not spent pursuing somebodies dreams.
What is really amazing, over the last five years is the number of people that offered me all kinds of advice about how we needed to do everything possible to support development, and what a great thing some of these developers were.
Some of those same people today are telling me I can not believe you folks got sucked in by this stuff.
Council hears Sentinel ?resort village? Proposal Oct 3, 2005
http://crowsnestpasspromoter.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?archive=true&e=1933876
Subdivision approval next step for Bridgegate December 6, 2005
http://crowsnestpasspromoter.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?archive=true&e=1934028
Two milestones for Bridgegate development January 24, 2006
http://crowsnestpasspromoter.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?archive=true&e=1934169
Bridgegate budget now over a billion March 2, 2006
http://crowsnestpasspromoter.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?archive=true&e=1934272
Plans presented for River Run July 19, 2006
http://crowsnestpasspromoter.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?archive=true&e=1934547
River Run plans given go-ahead August 17, 2006
http://crowsnestpasspromoter.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?archive=true&e=1934641
Bridgegate rezoning approved Dec 7, 2006
http://crowsnestpasspromoter.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?archive=true&e=1935066
Bridgegate pressing forward Dec 22, 2006
http://crowsnestpasspromoter.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?archive=true&e=1935165
River Run gets go-ahead Jan 24, 2007
http://crowsnestpasspromoter.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?archive=true&e=1935264
Chamber hears Bridgecreek plans Feb 16, 2007
http://crowsnestpasspromoter.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?archive=true&e=1935350
Bridgecreek commits to millions April 19, 2007
http://crowsnestpasspromoter.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?archive=true&e=1935567
Local development hits minor road block May 17, 2007
http://crowsnestpasspromoter.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?archive=true&e=1935670
Town receives funding for Bridgegate project June 28, 2007
http://crowsnestpasspromoter.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?archive=true&e=1935808
River Run Rolling July 19, 2007
http://crowsnestpasspromoter.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?archive=true&e=1935863
Things flow well at River Run Jan 17, 2008
http://crowsnestpasspromoter.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?archive=true&e=1936386
Hotel/pool coming to Pass Jan 17, 2008
http://crowsnestpasspromoter.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?archive=true&e=1936376
Developing developments in the Pass April 17, 2008
http://crowsnestpasspromoter.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?archive=true&e=1936618
Crowsnest Lake construction this year April 17, 2008
http://crowsnestpasspromoter.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?archive=true&e=1936610
River Run project still on course June 26, 2008
http://crowsnestpasspromoter.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?archive=true&e=1936855
A new year: a new development? Jan 16, 2009
http://crowsnestpasspromoter.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?archive=true&e=1388070
A new year: a new development? Jan 16, 2009
http://crowsnestpasspromoter.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?archive=true&e=1521519
Coal dust threatens river Feb 6, 2009
http://crowsnestpasspromoter.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?archive=true&e=1420330
Bridgecreek consolidating offices July 31, 2009
http://crowsnestpasspromoter.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?archive=true&e=1678278
First of all if a development does go bad here there is no question that lots of lawyers will find much employment, and make loads of money. Hopefully it does not come to that.
Anybody that as sat on a municipal council in the province of Alberta understands that issues discussed in camera by council that could be extremely sensitive from a legal point of view can not be discussed publicly, in fact during this term of the present council there was even an attempt by some members of council to remove one councilor because an issue that was dealt with in camera was reported by a local paper. This failed but it certainly drove home the seriousness of speaking to in camera issues.
Anyway lets clear up some misconceptions and rumors here, first of all Councilor Dean Ward as not done any of the following:
I have never been an employee of or received any kind of income from any developer,
I have never appeared in any kind of promotional video or literature for any developer,
I have never attended or lent credibility to any kind of shareholders or investors meeting.
I have never attended any kind of golf tournament, tickets to Flames games or any of those types of little perks provided by any party.
What am I guilty of? Attempting to encourage development in the Crowsnest Pass, to widen our tax base, to encourage business and people to move here. To create employment, have we been successful?
Some what on Highway 3 we have a development with 34 units built and another block of 6 units being started these units will bring in $150,000 a year in residential taxes, have created a number of construction jobs and supported some of our local businesses.
Other developers have come in to our sleepy little town and created quite a stir with flashy headlines and big proposals, yes councils, investors and numerous other folks have gotten excited and caught up in it.
Look at the following 23 headlines taken from our local paper dating back to 2005 there was a lot more people than just councilors that got caught up in this project.
Will this project or any other work out? I don't know.
We as a council just need to make sure that the communities best interests are looked after, and that taxpayer dollars are not spent pursuing somebodies dreams.
What is really amazing, over the last five years is the number of people that offered me all kinds of advice about how we needed to do everything possible to support development, and what a great thing some of these developers were.
Some of those same people today are telling me I can not believe you folks got sucked in by this stuff.
Council hears Sentinel ?resort village? Proposal Oct 3, 2005
http://crowsnestpasspromoter.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?archive=true&e=1933876
Subdivision approval next step for Bridgegate December 6, 2005
http://crowsnestpasspromoter.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?archive=true&e=1934028
Two milestones for Bridgegate development January 24, 2006
http://crowsnestpasspromoter.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?archive=true&e=1934169
Bridgegate budget now over a billion March 2, 2006
http://crowsnestpasspromoter.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?archive=true&e=1934272
Plans presented for River Run July 19, 2006
http://crowsnestpasspromoter.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?archive=true&e=1934547
River Run plans given go-ahead August 17, 2006
http://crowsnestpasspromoter.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?archive=true&e=1934641
Bridgegate rezoning approved Dec 7, 2006
http://crowsnestpasspromoter.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?archive=true&e=1935066
Bridgegate pressing forward Dec 22, 2006
http://crowsnestpasspromoter.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?archive=true&e=1935165
River Run gets go-ahead Jan 24, 2007
http://crowsnestpasspromoter.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?archive=true&e=1935264
Chamber hears Bridgecreek plans Feb 16, 2007
http://crowsnestpasspromoter.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?archive=true&e=1935350
Bridgecreek commits to millions April 19, 2007
http://crowsnestpasspromoter.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?archive=true&e=1935567
Local development hits minor road block May 17, 2007
http://crowsnestpasspromoter.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?archive=true&e=1935670
Town receives funding for Bridgegate project June 28, 2007
http://crowsnestpasspromoter.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?archive=true&e=1935808
River Run Rolling July 19, 2007
http://crowsnestpasspromoter.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?archive=true&e=1935863
Things flow well at River Run Jan 17, 2008
http://crowsnestpasspromoter.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?archive=true&e=1936386
Hotel/pool coming to Pass Jan 17, 2008
http://crowsnestpasspromoter.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?archive=true&e=1936376
Developing developments in the Pass April 17, 2008
http://crowsnestpasspromoter.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?archive=true&e=1936618
Crowsnest Lake construction this year April 17, 2008
http://crowsnestpasspromoter.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?archive=true&e=1936610
River Run project still on course June 26, 2008
http://crowsnestpasspromoter.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?archive=true&e=1936855
A new year: a new development? Jan 16, 2009
http://crowsnestpasspromoter.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?archive=true&e=1388070
A new year: a new development? Jan 16, 2009
http://crowsnestpasspromoter.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?archive=true&e=1521519
Coal dust threatens river Feb 6, 2009
http://crowsnestpasspromoter.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?archive=true&e=1420330
Bridgecreek consolidating offices July 31, 2009
http://crowsnestpasspromoter.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?archive=true&e=1678278
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Community Standards Bylaws Crowsnest Pass
Last night at our council meeting Councilor Cole requested that the Community Standards bylaw be brought forth on Feb 23th.
He also requested that any member of Council, or administration bring forth comments, suggested changes etc to the bylaw. I would love to hear from any member of the public that has suggestions regarding this bylaw. Personally I would like to have whatever changes are required made prior to Summer.
You can read the present bylaw at the following address:
http://www.town.crowsnestpass.ab.ca/services/bylaws
Its the third from the bottom labeled Community Standards Bylaw 534
He also requested that any member of Council, or administration bring forth comments, suggested changes etc to the bylaw. I would love to hear from any member of the public that has suggestions regarding this bylaw. Personally I would like to have whatever changes are required made prior to Summer.
You can read the present bylaw at the following address:
http://www.town.crowsnestpass.ab.ca/services/bylaws
Its the third from the bottom labeled Community Standards Bylaw 534
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