Dean W. posted an article on Crowsnest Pass Home - Feb 9, 2012, 2:42 pm
I have been reading on Councilor Saindon's blog there appears to be a commenter that has a miss understanding of the property tax penalty bylaw. Even though I feel very bad for him and his family I get the impression that he feels that the River Run property is not going to get hit with the tax pena...
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Dean W. posted an article on Crowsnest Pass Home - Feb 8, 2012, 1:00 pm
Well almost all of Alberta is booming with a population growth of 10.8% or in real number’s almost 355,000 new residents came to our province during the last five years. The province is growing in leaps and bounds with the exception of this little corner down here in the South West the Crowsnest P...
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Dean W. posted an article on Crowsnest Pass Home - Feb 7, 2012, 9:46 am
Just one week prior to the municipality sitting down with CUPE to begin the bargaining process for the last collective agreement that expired at the end of 2011. The municipality continues to throw money around like there is no end to what the taxpayers are willing to pay. Yesterday our new Public W...
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Dean W. posted an article on Crowsnest Pass Home - Jan 26, 2012, 3:00 pm
Outstanding taxes: Remember all that discussion about the $1,044,000 that was outstanding in taxes back in early November. The stress that it was putting on the municipal cash flow. Forcing council to up the tax penalty from 21% to 52%, which would solve the problem by encouraging people to catch up...
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Dean W. posted an article on Crowsnest Pass Home - Jan 17, 2012, 4:06 pm
Often I have people ask me questions about the political situation in the Crowsnest Pass. So I will take the time to address the most common questions being asked over the last couple of months. What is your opinion of this new schedule for council meetings? Since Mayor Decoux and his group of counc...
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Dean W. posted an article on Crowsnest Pass Home - Jan 4, 2012, 5:11 pm
Well the turkey was gobbled down and the fireworks were set off now its time to see what 2012 will bring for us the good residents of the Crowsnest Pass. Weather you live in Crowsnest Pass East or Crowsnest PassWest I am sure one or more of the following will be of interest to every one of you. Stra...
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Dean W. posted an article on Crowsnest Pass Home - Dec 14, 2011, 2:22 pm
By "we" I mean the good taxpayers of the Crowsnest Pass. Just a matter of a few months ago our leaders hired a "New" Public Works Manager, I entered the G+P meeting last night just as the Mayor was introducing the "New" Fire Chief. If you take a moment to click over to the Municipality site @ http...
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Dean W. posted an article on Crowsnest Pass Home - Dec 12, 2011, 3:56 pm
The bs on this property tax penalty issue gets deeper and deeper. First of all I will start out by saying yes everybody should pay their taxes on time, their bank payments, credit card bills, utilities etc, in a perfect world they would. This world is far from perfect and that’s why all of the abo...
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Dean W. posted an article on Crowsnest Pass Home - Dec 8, 2011, 2:36 pm
After a year of task forces, strategic planning, creation of policy and procedures. We learnt just a few weeks back that the municipality has been stream lined from the previous cumbersome structure of four departments each with a director reporting to the CAO for a total administration team of five...
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Dean W. posted an article on Crowsnest Pass Home - Dec 1, 2011, 3:21 pm
Interesting story in the Crowsnest Promoter this week "Municipality appeals controversial development" available at http://www.crowsnestpasspromoter.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=3385896 Now we have entered the dawn of the new era in the Crowsnest Pass where policies and procedures set the way that bus...
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Dean W. posted an article on Crowsnest Pass Home - Dec 1, 2011, 2:50 pm
Occasionally where time as allowed I have been posting minutes of some of the council and G+P meeting. Now Council as decided that they will post approved minutes by noon of the following day, after some members of council suggested that they had been approached by members of the public questioning ...
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Dean W. posted an article on Crowsnest Pass Home - Nov 30, 2011, 5:15 pm
I see my fellow blogger beat me to it  http://blog.johnprince.ca/ but here it is the audio from the River Run Vistas Meeting on the weekend.www.adita.com/mintoft/mintoft.html I do feel bad for the investors, I hope they can come up with a resolve that works for them and gets some of their money b...
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Dean W. posted an article on Crowsnest Pass Home - Nov 23, 2011, 12:37 pm
We will be having a meeting with Jon Mintoft for all interested Vistas investors on Saturday November 26 from 2:00 - 4:00 p.m. The location is the Fish Creek Public Library located at 11161 Bonaventure Drive SE in Calgary. I urge everyone to attend. This is our opportunity to determine whether the r...
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Dean W. posted an article on Crowsnest Pass Home - Nov 22, 2011, 4:25 pm
On November 17, I wrote this post: http://crowsnestpasshome.blogspot.com/2011/11/financing-councils-dreams-another-pot.html Over the last week, I have heard many statements regarding the issue of back taxes: Lets address some of these comments going back to my original post, remember I said in my m...
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Dean W. posted an article on Crowsnest Pass Home - Nov 2, 2011, 12:49 am
Tonight prior to the start of the Council Meeting Mayor Decoux annouced that Myron Thompson Director of Public Works accepted the position of CAO. More to follow.
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Dean W. posted an article on Crowsnest Pass Home - Oct 28, 2011, 1:49 pm
On November 9th at the Elks hall the Mayor will be presenting the strategic plan that will hopefully deal with and resolve the issues that were raised by the Mayor's Taskforce back in May. I feel from reading the Mayor's report numerous times and based on the comments that I receive from people ar...
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Dean W. posted an article on Crowsnest Pass Home - Oct 27, 2011, 4:09 pm
Adoption of Agenda: CAO deleted item (b) under delegations, added item (c) Special Council Meeting under Topics for discussion, also added a Legal issue under In Camera. Motion to accept agenda with additions passed unanimously Delegations: 1. Kevin Phillips, Phillips Partners Inc-Electrical Distr...
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Dean W. posted an article on Crowsnest Pass Home - Oct 20, 2011, 3:11 pm
Municipality of Crowsnest Pass Oct 18,2011 Organizational meeting: Committee Appointments: The only change made during this process was Councilor Mitchell took a position on the Ag Services Board then in turn Councilor Saindon took Mitchell’s place on the Municipal Bargaining Committee. (The sign...
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Dean W. posted an article on Crowsnest Pass Home - Oct 17, 2011, 1:50 pm
Since the announcement in late September there as been a tremendous amount of debate about the changes within the fire departments in the Crowsnest pass. First of all I feel not enough as been shared with the community, for years here there has been much discussion over the need for four fire depart...
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Dean W. posted an article on Crowsnest Pass Home - Oct 12, 2011, 11:53 am
Issue of advertisng: Very interested to read the editiorial in the Pass Herald this week I will quote "For example, stating that it was costing taxpayers in the Crowsnest Pass $50,000 a year for advertising is a blatant lie" Well folks lets set the record straight first of all the issue of advertisi...
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Dean W. posted an article on Crowsnest Pass Home - Sep 29, 2011, 10:08 pm
Big meeting Thursday night at the Elks Hall between, Administration, Fire departments and Rescue. The press release is available on the municipal web site regarding Emergency and Protective Services. Here is the way it was explained to myself. There will be a Director of Protective and Community S...
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Dean W. posted an article on Crowsnest Pass Home - Sep 27, 2011, 2:01 pm
Now taxpayers of the Crowsnest Pass is the time to speak up. It’s a very simple process. Speak and you may be heard, say nothing and you definitely will not. Right now as you are reading this post, administration is gathering information from its various departments, from the various groups that...
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Dean W. posted an article on Crowsnest Pass Home - Sep 21, 2011, 11:55 am
Breaking News: Well the public demanded change and by jolly Jan 1st Council is going to give it to you. Yes you will defininitly see change, on your power and gas bill. The CAO stated last night to achieve the goals and objectives of Council strategic plan the municipality needs to bring in an a...
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Dean W. posted an article on Crowsnest Pass Home - Sep 20, 2011, 1:26 pm
The latest question was:  Do you feel that the municipalities business is being conducted in a transparent manner? Out of 39 votes 29 or 74% said no. 10 votes or 26% said yes. Take it for what its worth, but that's a fairly one sided vote. My next question involves the relationship between this cou...
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Dean W. posted an article on Crowsnest Pass Home - Sep 14, 2011, 2:34 pm
Last week at the council meeting there was a motion made by Councilor Saje to approve a recommendation from administration to conduct a Facility Audit/Needs Assessment at a cost of up to $90,000. The motion was passed by a vote of 5-2, (councilors Mitchell and Londsbury opposed). No question this pr...
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Dean W. posted an article on Crowsnest Pass Home - Sep 12, 2011, 12:25 pm
In the last few days you should have received your utility bill, included with it is a survey on public transit. For more information on public transportation and the costs associated with it take a look at the following post: http://crowsnestpasshome.blogspot.com/2011/05/public-transportation-in-cr...
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Dean W. posted an article on Crowsnest Pass Home - Sep 10, 2011, 1:41 pm
Administration brought forth a recommendation to spend $4000 to use Rich Eichler Consulting Ltd to conduct a feasibility study to identify development opportunities for this site. I was anticipating a large fight over this proposal, when previous council rezoned that land to commercial Councilor Mit...
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Dean W. posted an article on Crowsnest Pass Home - Sep 9, 2011, 5:00 pm
Remember a long, long time ago when a group of people sat in a public forum talking about change and Transparency? Last October to be exact down at the Elks Hall in what some people are now referring to has Crowsnest West (Blairmore for those that don’t want to change everything). On August 22th I...
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Dean W. posted an article on Crowsnest Pass Home - Sep 1, 2011, 3:41 pm
Director of Community Services Cam Mertz is no longer employed with the Municipality. First in June the CAO Tully Clifford left the municpality. Then in July Director of HR and Legislative Services Lynne Cox left the municipality. Now the Director of Community Services.
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Dean W. posted an article on Crowsnest Pass Home - Aug 29, 2011, 3:26 pm
I asked the following question: Should the municipality spend the additional tax dollars to send all members of council to conventions? Not surprisingly out of 39 people that took a moment to vote a solid 76% agreed with the arguments presented on my previous post regarding the issue of the Convent...
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Dean W. posted an article on Crowsnest Pass Home - Aug 25, 2011, 3:35 pm
Last week at the council meeting the head of finance was giving the council an update on the financial state of the municipality to the middle of August. Within that discussion somebody pointed out that there is an almost $300,000 liability for accumulated sick time for the municipal staff, a couple...
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Dean W. posted an article on Crowsnest Pass Home - Aug 22, 2011, 3:02 pm
On Tuesday August 16, an  item titled “Enforcement Services Audit” appeared on the agenda, with a recommendation coming forth from Administration stating the following. “That council direct administration to engage Transitional Solutions Inc. to undertake an Enforcement Services Audit to exa...
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Dean W. posted an article on Crowsnest Pass Home - Aug 12, 2011, 3:04 pm
This was the title of an article posted in the local paper a few weeks back, available at the address below. http://www.crowsnestpasspromoter.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?archive=true&e=3233128 Previous council put in place a policy that no more than three members of council could attend conventions at ...
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Dean W. posted an article on Crowsnest Pass Home - Jul 20, 2011, 4:55 pm
PRESS RELEASE Crowsnest Pass Operational Services (Public Works) is implementing plans to improve overall efficiency and service delivery to community residents. These plans include numerous functional changes that will see improved utilization of resources, improved efficiency and increased account...
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Dean W. posted an article on Crowsnest Pass Home - Jul 19, 2011, 2:13 pm
Well here is your chance to make your comments about the weekend, good bad or indifferent. Weather it be the parade, show and shine, carnival, Thunder in the Valley, etc. What did you think, is the weekend worth the $100,000 of taxpayers money that goes in to it? Should the weekend continue in its ...
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Dean W. posted an article on Crowsnest Pass Home - Jun 30, 2011, 12:01 pm
What I believe is going to be one of the most controversial recommendations in the Task Force Report is #10 regarding the whole Rum Runner/Thunder in the Valley weekend. Below we have the Task Force recommendation and there suggestions about how to achieve it. Some of council is already chomping a...
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Dean W. posted an article on Crowsnest Pass Home - Jun 29, 2011, 5:00 pm
Adoption of Agenda: Mayor Decoux added # 9 under Topics for Discussion, Strategic Planning. Councilor Saindon added a personnel issue In Camera. CAO requested that Item #6 and #8 under Topics for discussion go In Camera, and that Item #7 be deferred to July 12th. Motion to accept agenda with additio...
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Dean W. posted an article on Crowsnest Pass Home - Jun 29, 2011, 12:43 pm
The sole purpose of this meeting was to reconsider the Vote on Motion M#6123-11 which was to take all of the operations of the Crowsnest Library centralize them in Blairmore and close the Bellevue Library. What was one to expect? The silence of June 7th when council was notified in writing by the b...
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Dean W. posted an article on Crowsnest Pass Home - Jun 27, 2011, 4:45 pm
I am sure by now everybody as heard that the Bellevue Library is closing July 1st. Well not quite so fast, on June 7th at the G+P meeting there was correspondence from Pat Korble regarding closure of the Bellevue Library, council filed the letter as information. No huge concerns raised by anybody o...
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Dean W. posted an article on Crowsnest Pass Home - Jun 24, 2011, 1:38 pm
One of the recommendations coming out of the task force report to finance some of its suggestions is a tourism levy on hotel rooms. Most people including myself, because we do not pay attention to the list of charges that are added on to your hotel room bills one after another. Do not realize that w...
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Dean W. posted an article on Crowsnest Pass Home - Jun 23, 2011, 9:46 pm
Effective July 13 Director of HR and Legislative Services Lynne Cox will be leaving the Municipality.
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Dean W. posted an article on Crowsnest Pass Home - Jun 23, 2011, 4:07 pm
I was asked to post the following link. www.fuellingchange.com/main/project/102/Crowsnest-Pass-BearSmart-Program/1609082816 Please check it out there is an opportunity for the Crowsnest Pass to pick up $25,000 from Shell
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Dean W. posted an article on Crowsnest Pass Home - Jun 21, 2011, 2:04 pm
Mayor’s Final Task Force Report June 20 2011. Well last night I attended the presentation of the Mayor’s Final Task Report, the task force and council was all there with by my estimation 150-200 local residents. The Mayor gleefully informed us at the beginning that his council was now known as ...
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Dean W. posted an article on Crowsnest Pass Home - Jun 21, 2011, 11:57 am
Available on the Municipal Web site http://www.town.crowsnestpass.ab.ca/ Just click on the Final report of the Mayor's Task Force, June 20 2011 Note: I will share my comments soon.
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Dean W. posted an article on Crowsnest Pass Home - Jun 17, 2011, 1:37 pm
Despite some on Council not wishing to send the $2600 raised from the auction of Municipal Junk to Slave Lake. Our neighbours at the Town of Pincher Creek followed up at their last council meeting by agreeing to send the same amount,  http://www.pinchercreekecho.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=3174186 t...
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Dean W. posted an article on Crowsnest Pass Home - Jun 16, 2011, 2:15 pm
Tuesday night there was a new person sitting at the administration table, Mayor Decoux at one point during the discussion on the South Sasatchewan Regional Advisory Council referred to him as the Interim CAO. Surprisingly he did not introduce him, maybe he is saving it for the council meeting next...
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Dean W. posted an article on Crowsnest Pass Home - Jun 15, 2011, 5:17 pm
G + P Meeting June 14, 2011 Adoption of Agenda: Councilor Mitchell added a land issue In Camera. Motion to accept agenda with additions passed unanimously Delegations: 1. Crowsnest Community Support Society-Allison Johnson Day Program Team Leader. Interesting presentation about what the group does ...
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Dean W. posted an article on Crowsnest Pass Home - Jun 15, 2011, 2:02 pm
Coming out of the closet, this as nothing to do with politics. But for those that don't know me well, I am taking the opportunity after the better part of fourty years of hiding in the closet with all those other fans that have not had the opportunity to win a Stanley Cup in a longggggg time. I a...
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Dean W. posted an article on Crowsnest Pass Home - Jun 14, 2011, 12:57 pm
First of all I got hammered last year because I referred to the costs for "Thunder in the Valley". I clarified that it should have been the costs for the Rum Runner weekend, with Thunder in the Valley being just one of the events held that weekend. This is often a very contentious issue, but there i...
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Dean W. posted an article on Crowsnest Pass Home - Jun 9, 2011, 12:50 pm
The primary purpose of this blog is to discuss politics in the Crowsnest Pass, other issues are welcome also. You have the option of providing your name, you can remain anonymous if you wish. This blog is not about the individuals it is about the issues and the debate that follows. I welcome differe...
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