INFORMATION and PRIVACY

Transparent - As an adjective has a number of definitions. 

The first one describes allowing light to pass through so that objects behind can be distinctly seen. The second one, identifies being open to public scrutiny. 

On April 27th, LSARA sent an email to Council and Administration. The letter was based on requests for information on items that we have questions we have as an executive and additionally many Ratepayers have asked us.

We asked the following questions as we were unable to find them on the Lac Ste Anne County Website.

1. Bylaw 15-2017 Property Tax Rate
2. Agreement between LSAC and the Project Manager for the Administration Building.
3. All Project Manager Reports as per the agreement to Date.
4. All Geotechnical Engineer Reports including the report on testing of the soil as well as the Excavation and Compaction Reports as overseen/tested by the Geotechnical Engineer.
5. The reports related directly to the heaving concrete issue.

The response was received by LSARA on the 27th of April from the County Manager.

1. Bylaw #15-2017 will be posted to our website as it was signed today. 

2. No response 

3. "We will post to our website the project manager Reports under the new office information. We are awaiting a report from our consultants with respect to the new office after their meeting in May. We will post to the website once received." (Still Waiting)

April 27th LSARA responded once again requesting responses to questions 2 & 4. We also stated " In regards to item #5 "Heaving issue" we believe that an " issue Report" with "Recommendations" from the Project Manager should have already been provided to Administration on this matter. We would also appreciate a copy of this report as we believe this is a serious issue not to be taken lightly, and we as Ratepayers need to be kept aware of as it is a time sensitive matter."

The response we received came May 2nd, once again from the County Manager. His response was as follows:

"All New Administration Office information is being reviewed to release to our website. We will update once a further review has been completed by our consultants. Access to any information that is not publicly released will be subject to FOIP legislation."

Yes... FOIP. 
PUBLIC information that MUST be available to the RATEPAYERS.

Section 153 of the Municipal Government act states in part, Councillors have the following duties;
a) to consider the welfare and interests of the municipality as a whole and to bring to council's attention anything that would promote the welfare or interests of the municipality; 

So my question to you, as a Ratepayer is do you think this is TRANSPARENT? Do you think that you as a Ratepayer should have to FOIP information related to the Administration building and the management of the build? 

We as LSARA most certainly do NOT. We will submit the FOIP request which will cost the Association monies. It will also cost the COUNTY , which is YOU as a Ratepayer to prepare the documents for the request. Much easier to be TRANSPARENT. And much more cost efficient!

LSARA next meeting is Saturday May 27th at 11 am at the Darwell Seniors Centre. 

Please join us so we can share with you all the information that we have gathered. Please like, share and see first on our Face Book page. Lac Ste Anne Ratepayers Association. Our blog is associated to the Face Book page and you can see all the documents we reference. Please also tell your friends, neighbours, family to support our volunteer efforts and join our Association. Memberships will be available at the meeting for $10 a person or $20 per family. We an also accept donations as we are a registered society. Hope to see you there.