Recent partisan "Fixes"

[oneoff]

Just a note to "self" as a reminder to the prediction made at the very beginning of this thread.

It's possibly much closer to a US grave problem being addressed....and forgive me for feeling that same result may befall instances of similar corruption practices within any Sask rural municipality.

Are there actually Canadian electors who believe that a counciller anywhere should be entitled to a downpayment in excess of $20,000 for a dugout; not yet constructed; and for which ratepayers could never receive any benefit.

At least there is at least some hope; and believe me a petitioned "forensic audit" would yield some starting revelations even if the US supreme court or some pocket pardon is the next gross injustice.

[WiltonRanch]

Being a councillor is a thankless job for those who give a crap about the position. That said rm politics can be as corrupt as that of a reserve. Nepotism, lack of transparency, foolish spending. The more dollars at play the worse it is.

Your own personal thread , cool !
I was a councillor for 2 terms
Not much f u c k I n fun
2 or 3 pricks in every division that thinks the RM is there for them and them only

[oneoff]

Is it beyond the majority of people to realize that:

When coming to a fork in the road; obviously a choice must be taken if one is to continue.

But having made that choice; is their any desire to wonder what the ending couda/woulda/shouda been had a different option been chosen.

Please take into account that their was at least a third option available; that being to turn around to home base or reassess or retreat even partially to different territory.

[oneoff]

Some readers may someday learn that silence on such serious matters does nothing to solve serious problems. It may only be a symptom of weak appeasement.

[oneoff]

So just what does anyone dare say about the FACT that a town of maybe 1500 or so; and a Municipality that should have a lot going for it; CAN'T apparently live under the same building roof (designed specifically for separate administrative offices; with only a shared council chamber and coffee room); all within a pretty damned new structure worth well over $1M.

I've reread this resurrected thread and am still amazed at how many blinders are attached to so many who apparently never could understand any matter adjudicated by official bodies performing duties duly constituted by and in accordance with actual legislation.

Remember anarchy, bullying and abuse will not prevail in the longer term. Just a prediction.

[LEP]

It is my mistakes about comparing Alberta to Sask as far as number of persons; services and area for each governing board. If we were both in an Edmonton area county I would strongly consider entering an election where the electorate pool numbers would at least number in the hundreds. And just for the record I have previously won a municipal by a full 85% decades ago. And with the backing of council can point to savings and progress that repaid meager expenses 10 fold over.

I do however note that my question for you remains unanswered



Would you confirm you would support council members pledging to obey the legislation giving them their powers; and practice open disclosure and fair and equal treatment of everyone who becomes involved with council's public business......without forcing a portion of the electorate to go over council's head?

Uhm without reiterating the entire wordy question, I have said twice I agree with you and what they did was wrong. Take it or leave it I guess.


For your information; any positive response would not positively be received by some of the local colleagues you might run across or seek out. Prove those SARM loveins aren't popular for the all expense trips to Saskatoon and Regina. Take the wife along; run up the mileage with everyone taking their own vehicle and charging $0.85 a click. Don't take any resolutions with you and enjoy the likeminded company.
And be sure to tell everyone what you learned, accomplished and how it benefited those who funded the "junket" to the big cities.

There you go again broad brushing every council and councillor. It may shock you but we carpool, don't pay .85 a click and actually get something out of SARM. SARM is virtual this year. Hopefully a trend for the future because I would rather watch either in council chambers or at home. Not sure why going to SARM is an issue. I pay for my own vacations at far nicer destinations. Sometimes multiple times a year. You should try it.

[oneoff]

It is my mistakes about comparing Alberta to Sask as far as number of persons; services and area for each governing board. If we were both in an Edmonton area county I would strongly consider entering an election where the electorate pool numbers would at least number in the hundreds. And just for the record I have previously won a municipal by a full 85% decades ago. And with the backing of council can point to savings and progress that repaid meager expenses 10 fold over.

I do however note that my question for you remains unanswered



Would you confirm you would support council members pledging to obey the legislation giving them their powers; and practice open disclosure and fair and equal treatment of everyone who becomes involved with council's public business......without forcing a portion of the electorate to go over council's head?

For your information; any positive response would not positively be received by some of the local colleagues you might run across or seek out. Prove those SARM loveins aren't popular for the all expense trips to Saskatoon and Regina. Take the wife along; run up the mileage with everyone taking their own vehicle and charging $0.85 a click. Don't take any resolutions with you and enjoy the likeminded company.
And be sure to tell everyone what you learned, accomplished and how it benefited those who funded the "junket" to the big cities.

[LEP]

I am not from Alberta. But I pointed out that where I live in Saskatchewan is pretty far for me get involved in a local issue.

I agree that Council should be open and transparent in their dealings. I have said that more than once. I have also said that some people get fixated about something and make it out to be much bigger than it is. After this length of time if you don't have a big enough group of the electorate that agrees with you then maybe you are hyperfixated on trying to find some misstep by council so you can say "Gotcha".

My biggest beef is you saying everyone who runs for council is corrupt or whatever. I have to admit I have run across those types but I would say generally they are a very small minority. If you know anything about RM politics, no one can run the show on their own.

Well , I spent two terms and it was a thankless job
Every division has one or two pricks that want the world
All about them , I had three
Not saying anything about your situation one-off , don’t know anything about it
All I know is I don’t miss it a bit and the opportunity should be there for anyone that wants it
Our RM is run very well in my opinion and appreciate the time the councillors put in

[oneoff]

LEP: I know you said "that what was done was wrong" but your comments both before and since make one wonder if you truly believe that there are no excuses for a council to not obey confict of interest declarations and any oaths of office that pertain.

There should be no excuse to ALWAYS treat legitimate requests for information and required releases of information without depending on excuses that have no place in public business.
I am glad that you disclosed you are from Alberta. If we operated on the scale of "County systems" as opposed to 1905 type boundaries; then your comments would have much more merit in this province.
You have county gas utilities with 3000 plus customers. We have $15000 to approx $20000 dependents who seemingly look after themselves first.

But the same people who prevent that advance to current electorate realities are the same people are aware there are no checks and balances when a closed group of council members begin to make regular "conficted" resolutions ........In addition there are potential and actual problems of Rural areas largely comprised of conservative politics; mere handfuls of relatives or group beliefs; even similar minded coffee shop patrons; plus deliberate lack of disclosure of any information and claims of only "shit and abuse" that may be all it takes to perpetuate the autocracy.

Would you confirm you support council members pledging to obey the legislation giving them their powers; and practice open disclosure and fair and equal treatment of everyone who becomes involved with council's public business......without forcing a portion of the electorate to go over council's head?
I assure you I believe in getting along; but draw the line at wannabe tyrants.

[LEP]

Roads in fair shape. Not by my farm. Miles and miies of wash board. My neighbour goes 10 mph down your fair roads, his tractor and wagon bouncing to the point it’s uncontrollable. I hate trucking in the kinderlsey rm. you don’t need a sign to tell you entered the rm. every rm around kinderlsey has way better roads. What’s up with grading the crap out of the low roads then going 2 passes out into the field with the grader making 4 foot high straw piles?

There are lots of places that we have snow drifting and are ridging to stop it. I haven't seen the 4 ft straw piles you speak of. But will drive around your way and take a look.

We get alot of traffic on main grids. Oil gets haul to our RM more than out of the RM. Speed causes wash board. You might drive reasonable but not everyone does.

As far as grading, in the summer every road gets graded close to once a week. Some of the secondary lesser used roads maybe up to two weeks. The 657 and 658 get graded twice a week.

Not making excuses just explaining what we do.

[TASFarms]

Thing is you don't know me. I am in my second term as councillor on an RM. I post my cellphone on the website and answer all calls. We have the lowest taxes in the province. Do our best to keep the roads in fair shape and post a surplus every year.

You armchair quarterback all the time. You apparently have a high opinion of yourself claiming you will clean up my mess. You seem to hard to get along with and yet you state "wouldn't it be easier to take good advice and listen to constituents or farmers". Almost more than anyone on Agriville you have a my way or the highway approach. Priceless.

Roads in fair shape. Not by my farm. Miles and miies of wash board. My neighbour goes 10 mph down your fair roads, his tractor and wagon bouncing to the point it’s uncontrollable. I hate trucking in the kinderlsey rm. you don’t need a sign to tell you entered the rm. every rm around kinderlsey has way better roads. What’s up with grading the crap out of the low roads then going 2 passes out into the field with the grader making 4 foot high straw piles?

[oneoff]

ll necessary information is now published above. Separate who is obstructionist; defiant and unreasonable at each step.
Initially the RM made it abundantly clear they would not be forthcoming in allowing inspection of adopted minutes during regular business hours. Nor would they willingly allow the staff to disclose documents that any person; upon proper application; or through provincial legislation is entitled to obtain.

Upon advice from municipal advisors; and the responsible Provincial Ministry and with reliance on Provincial legislation requiring the production of such documennts (and even the office staff within the RM Office). This is known as the "process". That isn't immediate; requires expenditures of time and money and generates recommendations. Which can; and we now know; are able be rejected for any arguable reason; as well as all other excuses or even ignoring. The final decision remedy is an application to the Courts; probably followed by appeals and unknown open ended potential costs and even being judged as losing the case. And potentially paying both through RM tax increases and personal legal bills. Readers might as well know that even winning a court case may cause the winning side to not be fully reimbursed for anything exceeding the "tarrif" schedule awarded by the court.
The precedent for this is the $2701.01 shortfall in costs awarded some years ago regarding an RM#33 Court of Queen's Bench Chambers. Council asked for "direction" and the judge obliged in "record time" by ruling the Council must "Hold the "damned" vote as required by a "sufficient petition"". And now that is out in the open (or no doubt on CANLII website too) I disclose that years later (as in about a couple of years ago) the council of the day did cut a cheque to the petitioner's representative for $2701.01. And all the numerous petitioners who had kicked in to pay the final installment were reimbursed. Well there were a couple of estates involved by that time...but it did bring smiles to every last standing patriot; if you get the drift.
That does work when you have a case that defies comprehension...and they have no choice in responding to legal documents to "appear represented by a lawyer" because a group such as petitioners; when served with court documents must be represented by legal counsel. Its a learning experience and of more value to democracy than any other party. But back to what is happening today....
And two sets of Ombudsman recommendations (and evidence of every last recommendation being "flipped off") are posted on the government sites for all to see. Not only that but the Office of the Privacy Commissioners recommendations posted above.
And it's a fact that the council members unanimously agreed or weren't present or miight have abstained; but those who voted were unanimous in their position of "flipping off"" those bodies charged with investigating valid complaints. Just as Council flipped of and even threatened those who asked for information required to be disclosed in the first place.

Observant readers and faithful council members should all agree that documents and adopted minutes required by law to be produced MUST be produced ASAP and should be simply provided willingly without any discussion, deliberate delay or impediment. OR NOT. Or a "big lie" or stonewalling or "attempted coverup"

The evidence shows council wishes not to be at all forthcoming; and resists any disclosure even to the point of not publishing the adopted minutes.


They even scrubbed the internet of all past minutes and documents for information available previously.
And someday "soon" I predict the Provincial Government will have to respond....because you can be assured that the Municipal advisers; and the Ombudsman and Ombudsman Annual Report and the Office of the Privacy Commissioner; meet; maybe even as often as every Friday (in some cases) with the Ministries who consider the issues that need addressing though legislative CHANGES.

[LEP]

This is response is for LEP and his flawed analysis

P.S. A hint. It's a bad sign if you are the only one to reply to your own thread, multiple times.


You always neglect to acknowledge council attempts to completely hide all council business.

Even to the extent of every adopted council minutes that have not been disclosed by any means. Add to that outright council rejections of recommendations of every Ombudsman investigation and the decision posted above (from Office of Privacy Commissioner lawyer, Q.C and head of that body you are compelled to respect; and the decision recommendations which has been quoted from the CANLII website).

There is but one conclusion. You dear sir are also complicit in this spreading governance problem....if you can catch what is being said.

Actually the very meaning of local politics is that it is local. I said previously that it is wrong that they did not disclose the information to you. I hardly think it something that I should get involved in. I live closer to the city of Edmonton than your RM.

It is up to a higher level of government to deal with this, hence the Privacy Commissioner ruling. Next it is up to the electors to decide if this is something that they are concerned about. So your issue is their lack of concern, not mine.

Your fight over several issues are longstanding and well documented. So if the electors haven't made changes to council, (in the past two or more elections) since this began, it kind of tells you who's side they are on and how much they are worried about Council's conduct.

Actions speak louder than words.