Fluff or Transparency – The Reeve Report
When determining whether an article is Fluff or actually transparent or an attempt at, it behooves the writer to provide some quantifying information on both. For the purpose of these articles, we utilized the 2011/2012 Activity Report as there are some clear distinctions between how things used to be reported vs how they are reported now.
Actual issues such as significant rainfall that year that caused damage to infrastructure, caused flooding, made it miserable for Agriculture. He discussed some of the planning that MUST take place in order to best serve the County. Stated a goal, to ensure that services be provided to the Residents with a minimal impact to the Ratepayer. Sourcing of gravel was one very serious issue that arose.
Staying with the Focus of Planning, short, med and long term, the report identified some of the initiatives that the Council and Administration was working on. This gave a very clear picture of where they were putting their efforts. There were 19 items identified on the list.
The closing was very significant as well as it was a quote. How they would strive to make decisions based on information and how Council and Administration would address all Residents.
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This, in our opinion was TRANSPARENT or at a minimum afforded the Ratepayers an opportunity to review and determine if there were items they wanted more information on.
On to the Activity Report County Progress 2016/2017
The Mayor did not see fit to provide the Ratepayers with a Report but rather a “Message from your Mayor, Bill Hegy”
The first paragraph speaks to how we were all tested in one way or another and how we became stronger. He identified wildfires, agricultural crisis, economic uncertainty and loss of a Councillor. How with a new year there was a renewed drive, another year of victories won, lessons learned and how efforts will be refocused on making the County a better place to live, work and play.
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2. "Wildfires" – this makes it sound like we were in the position Ft. McMurray was or BC is this year. We had a couple of fires that were significant absolutely. The one at Alexis Reserve and the Trestle fire at Mayerthorpe. These are NOT at the level of crisis that he has identified here. We have the resources within our County and the Mutual Aid available if it is required to effectively manage this type of event. Furthermore, these fires are fought with Provincial Funding and corporate insurance dollars as the county does not own the Trestle and the Fire at the Reservation is also a fire that would have been invoiced and not paid for by County Residents.
3. "Agricultural Crisis" – Yup. We had a drought. I know first hand as we only put up one cut of Hay last year. Our family and friends were impacted by the lack of moisture we all experienced. When something is identified as a Crisis in a report, that generally identifies that there was some type of relief from the source of the report. The only way anyone got any compensation is if they carried their own insurance. The County declared a drought. That’s it, that’s all that is how the “CRISIS” was supported.
4. "Economic Uncertainty" – What an understatement. We all KNEW that we had faced and would continue to be challenged with the economic climate in the Province. So what did THEY do in order to backstop the County? To protect us from rising costs, lack of income?
THEY SPENT MORE! THEY BORROWED MORE!
THAT WAS THE RESPONSE!
THAT WAS THE RESPONSE!
5. "Victories won" – What victories did we win? What were we fighting that it became a victory?
6. "Lessons Learned" – What lessons did we learn? In order to learn a lesson, you have to have made an error or not known how to do something, so what didn’t they know or what mistake was made?
7. "Refocused efforts to make LSAC a better place to live, work and play." – What efforts have been put forward to date? What does this mean? Does this mean that we are looking to attract business so that we can work in our own County? Does this mean that there will be trails developed for cross country skiing? A new park? What does this mean?
Noteworthy Achievements of 2016
"Much Needed Changes to Fire Fighting Programs and Facilities"
Fire Fighting Programs
– If he means the erosion of all the agreements with our Summer villages and towns in the County, then I guess he got his changes alright!Facilities
– The changes here are more debt, that’s what they are. A new piece of land with an old building on the West End of the County to house the fire trucks. A building that has extensive renovations required. Now you have to man the building because you have be able to claim the same as private industry that you have fire services available at all times. Wages, renovations and cost to purchase. Those are the results of his much needed changes. But he didn’t tell you that. Where in all of this is the financial benefit to the Residents of this County? How much has all of this cost us in loss of contracts and in infrastructure?The "Inter Municipal Development" Plan that he identifies is far from completed.
– If you take a look at the Plans on the County Website, you will note that the Alberta Beach IDP is Bylaw 20-2015. It is not a signed document and it is dated 2014 which makes it an unauthorized document as the appropriate amount of readings to pass it are not completed. Lac La Nonne IDP is from 2002 and Onoway is 20-2014. So how will these plans facilitate new growth and attract Economic Development to the Region? While we agree there must be IDP’s within the framework of the County, we also MUST stretch out to our neighbors in other counties in order to facilitate growth."Strengthening of the Communication Program"
– If he means that we are paying for a website that is very difficult to navigate and where information such as Meeting minutes take a month or longer to post, then yes. They have added communication. What they have also done is taken away business from one local paper and provided all the advertising to the other one. They have also posted their paper on the County website. This is unfair business practices. They are paying for color advertising in a weekly publication . The information contained therein is printed so large with pictures just to fill the page and the quota. That it is an extreme waste of space and then that equates to money.Communication with the Ratepayers in any other aspect has deteriorated. It is at an all time low. The Ratepayers are treated with disdain, ignored, disrespected. They have totally lost the confidence of the Ratepayer in their actions with respect to the petitions, how they borrowed, (and continue to BORROW) and then went ahead and made decisions that were not backed by the Ratepayers.
LSARA has requested information on behalf of the Ratepayers only to be told that if we want it, we have to FOIP it so FOIP we have. This is to obtain information that is PUBLIC. Information on programs, resources, staffing, progress. These are things that should be readily available and our council should be asking questions regarding these same items.
Mr Hegy closed by quoting Henry Ford.
"Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success."
If this quote was actually put into action, we maybe could see a viable future for this County.
It isn’t, so where does that leave us?
SHOW US the working together! 11 Mayors put forth a request to the Minster of Municipal Affairs in 2016 requesting intervention, an inspection of the County. Does this show us working together?
It's up to you to decide with the next election whether you believe the message from “Your Mayor” is "Transparent" or if you believe it is "Fluff".
More to follow soon so you can decide whether it is Fluff or Transparent.
Hope to see you all at Gunn on Monday, August 21st at 7 PM. LSARA is working very hard on your behalf to bring items forward that are very important to consider for how you may cast your vote in the upcoming election of October 2017.
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