LAC STE. ANNE COUNTY A YEAR IN REVIEW #7

LAC STE. ANNE COUNTY A YEAR IN REVIEW #7

This is the 7th segment in LSARA's Year in Review. As we go back through all the requests that we have submitted to LSAC and the responses we have received, it generates more and more questions. One of the areas where you, the Ratepayer can assist us. Searching for information, gathering information as it takes a team, an army. When we as Ratepayers are once again faced with the call to action, that is what we will need, an army.

Question #15 - How much was the total dollars spent on the acquisition and repairs to the east end fire-hall?  How much of this was borrowed monies?  This building was also initially touted as an East End office space.  When and who will occupy this facility?

LSAC Response - The East End Facility was originally budgeted as a combined district #1 and #2 Firehall with a budget of $2,500,000 to be funded by borrowing.  The purchase of the SANG building in 2015 with renovation expenses was $714,000 and was funded from reserves.  An additional project was identified to build a $936,000 additional bay to the structure with borrowing however this project was ultimately cancelled.

The East End Facility has, for the last couple of years, provided County Administration with both office and meeting space.  With staff hosting meetings and working from that space when appropriate.  The decision to initiate further services at this location such as permanent staffed services and bill payments, was indefinitely deferred by County Council during strategic planning in 2018.

Had LSARA responded we would have asked at what point five years later do we expect to see other uses for a few million dollars other than to house a few fire trucks?  We absolutely understand and appreciate the need for the Fire Services that we have.  A very much needed and valuable service.  

A few things have happened here... first off, if you go back and look at the financial tables that were supplied to LSARA that we posted in a previous post, you will note that the $936,000 was included in the Long-Term borrowing table.   The land is not included in that table.  This purchase came about as a direct result of the erosion of Fire protection services from LSAC to the towns, villages, summer villages.  The County ended up in the end with some of them no longer requiring their services as private enterprise stepped in. 

To say that this facility is being used in the manner that was stated in the response is we believe subjective.  What constitutes a meeting?  A monthly meeting for the volunteer fire crew?  What county staff or services have been made available at this office?  Who uses it?  Who in administration?

Question #16 -  How many staff does the County of Lac Ste. Anne currently have in the Fire Department and where is their location?

LSAC Response – The County employs two full time staff (County Fire Chief and Deputy Fire Chief) and one part time staff ( Safety Director and Fire Services Administrative Assistant) in the Fire Department.  The County Fire Chief and Administrative Assistant are based out of the County Office and the Deputy County Fire Chief is based out of the East End Facility.

Had LSARA responded we would have identified that this is one more debacle.  More issues and then you have a department that has only ever had one paid member the Chief, and all of a sudden you have a number of full-time fire positions.  Don't take this the wrong way here as this is NOT a slam against the volunteer folks that provide such a great service to the people of LSAC, this is about a knee jerk reaction. LSAC (not the newly elected part of the council) painted themselves into a corner with the new administration building and eroded neighboring agreements.  It is our opinion that they thought that if there was an office on the East end that the Ratepayers of that area would be placated.  

Well we don't have an office.  We have a building that houses fire trucks.  The buildings they previously occupied are still being used by private Fire services for exactly the same purpose as the County did.  A serious concern on monies spent that did not have to be.  Upgrades were necessary of the existing facilities we are told but don’t think that it would have been over 3 million dollars.

Question #17 – Is there a possibility that a live stream or webcast can be initiated for ratepayers to be able to view council meetings in the future?

LSAC Response – This strategic planning items have been considered in the past, however issues surrounding technology, MGA records requirements and advice from legal counsel must all be considered.  This item was indefinitely deferred by County Council during strategic planning in 2018.

Had LSARA responded we would have asked then WHY was the structure, equipment for this exact thing to occur put in and paid for by the Ratepayers?  To say that there are issues surrounding technology, wow…. We have paid for several communication towers in the county and continue to pay to maintain them and we STILL have technology issues?  At a cost of a million dollars each?  The MGA component, well in our opinion “in camera” sessions happen all too frequently.  Maybe by having to shut the feed off they would be more mindful of what those sessions look like!  In addition, what could possibly be so scary that Legal has to be consulted?  These items of discussion are about our tax dollars and how the affairs of the County are managed.  Not everything that is discussed is FOIP protected!

How do we, as a County have all these monies in Reserve when every time, we turn around there is a new short term borrow?  Remember that short term borrowing cannot be petitioned.  If we have that kind of cash just sitting around, then why are we borrowing?  We keep seeing in the minutes “funds taken from reserves”.  The $150,000 thousand that they were over budget for the new phase of the Paddle River Campground.  Who is managing these budgets to have such cost overruns?  Is it necessary to add $700 fire pits to each stall or would one for $200 have sufficed?  Why is it that LSAC finds the need to compete with private business?  These are just simple things. 

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