LSAC COUNCIL MEETING AGENDA MARCH 8 2018 ADMINISTRATIONS RECOMMENDATION, ADVISE TO STRIKE THE POLICY? REPEAL THE MOTION FROM 2016? WHY NOW!!!

Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me.

You will recall that LSARA has recently reported to you, the Ratepayers that the pending sale of the old Lac Ste Anne Administration building had not followed a due process.

We told you how we have been providing information from the Municipal Government Act as well as other bodies with respect to the process that should have been undertaken.  In our communications, we also advised both Council and Administration that there was a motion that must be addressed, 812-16 from November 10th, 2016. “Direction for old Office”.  That motion DIRECTED Administration to obtain costs to demolish.

We have seen a number of items that have been published by the LSAC Administration that attempted to fool both you and me that they dealt with the motion, that they obtained costs that were detrimental to the demolition of the old Admin building. Then in another sentence, it states that they never did put out an RFP (request for proposal). 

They indicated a “group” came forward that didn’t want to see the building demolished. Is the greater good of all of the County resting on this “GROUP” opinion?

Fast forward a few days and we told you that on numerous occasions LSARA has requested the Policy Handbook that in the past was always provided to new council upon their swearing in to council. WE ASKED, THEY TOLD US IT DIDN'T EXIST!  We found references to the Policy Handbook in Council Minutes as late as December of 2017. 

Then they told us, it does exist but there is not a disposition policy with respect to buildings, just land.  THEY THEN CHANGED THEIR STORY!  WE NOW KNOW THAT THEY DID NOT TELL US THE TRUTH!  NOW THEY WANT TO REMOVE THE POLICY FROM THE LSAC POLICY HANDBOOK!!!

Administration told us that they are changing the policies and that all of them would be available to LSARA when they were made available to the Public by way of the LSAC website in July what the changes would be. 

How can we understand as Ratepayers of this County if any of these potential changes are the “right thing to do” if we haven’t got a clue what they are even proposing?  Better yet, WHAT ARE THEY HIDING? WHO DOES IT BENEFIT?  WHY ARE THE CHANGES NECESSARY?  DOES COUNCIL EVEN UNDERSTAND?

The Land Use Bylaws proposed changes were being managed by public input as there was an outcry from the Ratepayers with respect to some of the changes.  Fast forward a few months and there are still people applying for special permits to place multiple RV’s on their land.  Some proposals for RV storage are put forward as Developments.  Some are approved while some are denied?   WHY?  What makes one better or worse than another?   WHO STANDS TO GAIN FROM THESE DEVELOPMENTS?

LSARA has tried very hard to stay positive with the new council. We had great hopes that they would ask lots of questions before they would surge forward with any changes or proposed changes. We had hopes that they would do their own due diligence without being potentially led down a garden path. LSARA also told you that the Administration is very reactive to the posts that are created by LSARA. Here we go with one more…. DIRECTLY FROM THE AGENDA FOR THE UPCOMING COUNCIL MEETING ON THURSDAY MARCH 8, 2018. 

8. CORPORATE SERVICES REPORT
A. FINANCE -  1. Cancel Policy #265 – 1 Disposal of County Owned Lands

SO... REMEMBER THIS?  LSARA RECEIVED THIS 7 DAYS AGO AFTER REPEATED REQUESTS FOR THE POLICY HANDBOOK FROM ASSISTANT COUNTY MANAGER ROBERT OSMOND.  HE SAID:

“Further to your request for a copy of a disposal of capital assets policy, Lac Ste. Anne County does not have such a policy. However, policy 265-1, Disposition of County Owned Lands, does speaks exclusively to land disposals. The policy lays out Council's policy direction for land disposals. Administration is preparing a report to Council, regarding this policy, for the March 8th Council meeting. Further information about the policy will be available to LSARA at that time.

With regard to your repeated request for a copy of the LSAC Policy Handbook, Lac Ste. Anne County is currently undergoing a thorough review and restructuring of our Municipal Governance Documents (MGD), which includes all Policies, Procedures, Directives, and Bylaws.  In concurrence with the new Municipal Government Act amendments, we intend to have all of our policies available on our website by July 2018.  In the interim, if you require any particular policy, please forward the request to Administration.”

SO WHICH IS IT?  IS ADMINISTRATION IN FACT PREPARING A REPORT TO COUNCIL REGARDING THIS POLICY OR UNDER ADMINISTRATIONS RECOMMENDATION, ADVISING TO STRIKE THE POLICY?  WHY!!!  

LSARA has requested the POLICY Handbook on numerous occasions.  WE are not asking anymore.  The FOIP request was submitted and rejected.  The letter that came back stated that Council and Administration was within their rights to WITHHOLD the PUBLIC information as it was due to be implemented and publicized within 60 days. WHICH is it? Roberts July 2018 or the FOIP coordinators 60 days?  

Additionally, the request was NOT for a new Policy or new Policy Handbook.  THE REQUEST WAS VERY SPECIFIC IN THAT WE REQUESTED THE POLICY HANDBOOK THAT WAS IN PLACE AT THE END OF SEPTEMBER 2017.  Apparently we aren't clear in our request that we have repeatedly communicated  OR ARE THEY ARE JUST IGNORING US.  LSARA will now press forward with our request to the FOIP commissioner for resolution!

NOW after there is an accepted OFFER on the table for the Old Administration Building they look to rescind a MOTION and to strike a POLICY.

9. ADMINISTRATION
A.   COUNTY MANAGER -  3.   REPEAL MOTION #812-16 AIR 0225

16 months later Administration thinks they had better deal with "The Motion" AFTER the fact? LSARA cries FOUL!!!!! This is another prime example of the “Tail wagging the Dog.”

When LSARA and the groups before us launched Petitions to be able to have a voice on matters that had the ability to impact us greatly as Ratepayers, Council and Administration did not listen. LSARA put in some additional effort and had great support from the Ratepayers to ask the Minister of Municipal Affairs to look into the affairs of the County of Lac Ste Anne. They stalled and when push came to shove, they rejected our petition. 

They rejected it and once again LSARA went to work and proved beyond a doubt that not only was the Petition valid, but the Minister’s office did not follow their own process in rejecting the petition. The last communications LSARA undertook with the Minister, Shaye Anderson was with respect to the failings of that process. 

His response was much pretty much cookie cutter to what most of the other organizations that surround us and have requested Investigations of their County administration have received. Essentially he said, if you don’t like what is going on, you have the opportunity to change that in the upcoming election.  There were changes, four changes.  FOUR NEW COUNCILLORS! 

ARE THEY BEING PROVIDED WITH THE NECESSARY INFORMATION IN ORDER TO MAKE AN INFORMED DECISION?

If you review the Agenda for the upcoming March 08, 2018 County Council meeting, you will also note some in camera items. One of which is the Performance Review of the LSAC CAO for 2017.  What are they evaluating him on?  How can Council evaluate with just about half the council being elected just in October of 2017?  Are they or have they utilized the actual document that is created for this process?  How do you get a raise and a cost of living without this being completed?  

THIS SUGGESTS TO US THAT THE PAST COUNCIL DID NOT DO THE PERFORMANCE REVIEW OF THE CAO AS REQUIRED BY ALBERTA MUNICIPAL AFFAIRS AND THE ACT.  ADMINISTRATION IS DOING YET ANOTHER COVER UP OF ISSUES BROUGHT UP BY LSARA!!!!

The criteria used to determine whether the CAO is the right fit for the community need to be developed and approved by Council.  Section 207 of the MGA outlines the CAO responsibilities and Section 208 provides the major administrative duties. Each of these sections should be included as the core criteria of the appraisal.  The following are some suggested criteria LISTED IN,

Alberta Municipal Affairs

Performance Appraisal of a Chief Administrative Officer

Management and leadership practices

1. Does the CAO display a positive leadership style in his/her dealings with the public, staff, Council and municipality? LSARA BELIEVES NOT
2. Does the CAO have a clear understanding of the background of major issues and the decision making process?  LSARA BELIEVES NOT
3. Does the CAO model the values of the organization?  LSARA BELIEVES NOT
4. Does the CAO show a clear understanding of all issues (including global) that impact the municipality?  LSARA BELIEVES NOT
5. Does the CAO ensure resources are allocated in-line with strategic objectives?

WHO'S STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES?????   

LSARA BELIEVES NOT THE RATEPAYERS!!!!!

VIEW THE COMPLETE  ALBERTA MUNICIPAL AFFAIRS PDF FILE HERE

LET US KNOW IF YOU THINK WE HAVE THE RIGHT PERSON FOR THIS POSITION

What functions are being performed by the CAO and the Administration when there are third party contracts being created for County Administration Responsibilities such as Human Resources? These are lucrative contracts folks, not just a drop in the bucket!  THEY ALL ADD UP!!!
LSARA wanted nothing more than to be able to work with the Council that was elected and to work with Administration.  It is apparent more now than ever, that all the good we hoped as Ratepayers would come to pass is going to be some time in coming.  

WHY are we still feeling like we have to POLICE?  We should be able to bring forward concerns and work together towards resolution.  Not find the Agenda a day or two before and see that there are items that we brought forward on the agenda. Items that should have been dealt with long ago. Processes that are being ignored!

Time for the dog to start wagging its tail rather than the Tail wagging the DOG. ENOUGH!!! Time to live up to the campaign promises and take a serious look at who is running this COUNTY AND HOW IT AFFECTS THE RATEPAYERS!