Does this make sense?

[cowman]

Do you ever get sick of being told what to do by different governments? Usually by employees who have no stake in anything other than a cushy job or politicians living off your backs?
Here is a typical example and it relates to Emeralds post below: A townhall meeting where they bring in some pricey consultant to supposedly get a feel for how the people think on a certain subject? In reality he is there to sell the concept somebody thought up! When the people there shoot down the idea in a big way the "civil servants" in charge just go on their merry way trying to push their ideas!
Of course the politicians realize real fast that if they continue along these lines the old gravy train is going to end real fast so they put the brakes on!
Here is another example: The roads are falling apart. The reason is the oil field traffic is thicker than hell! The county is rolling in dough because they are bleeding the oil companies for all they are worth, but rather than spend the loot on the roads they have to blow it on a palace for the cushy civil servants as well as cover up all the waste and blunders the civil servants caused...as well as pay for all the outlandish programs they might dream up!
They seem to have the attitude that you dumb farmers aren't paying the bills so you have nothing to bitch about! Unfortunately they seem to forget that we do own the roads? We did pay for them and in some cases we physically built them? We do own the assets of the county and the politicians and civil servants are OUR employees...not the other way around!

[Horse]

Cowman that is about as stupid as the liberal adds . The govmt is bleeding the oil for a man making his income from oil surly you know better . If there is any bleeding being done it is buy construction companys and service companys.
IE $1.10 per k
$38/hr
Equipt standing at $160/hr
Hockey tickets paid for
If the rest of the country ran like oil co do we would be getting $25/ hr at McDonalds.
If the govmt would get a decent return for our oil we all would get $4000 instead of $400.
I dont believe you could find 10 people that would agree with you.

[FarmRanger]

Maybe you should reread cowman's post Horse? I think you may have missed his point?

[cakadu]

Just so I understand, cowman, what do you mean by "cushy"? It means different things to different people and it would help to know where you are coming from?

I thought from other posts you were sort of happy with the way the county had explained things at the last town hall meeting you were at?

There is no doubt that the 3 levels of government have to abide by the others' by-laws and regulations. That in and of itself can cause problems - even between municipalities.

When you spend a great deal of money on a consultants' study, you want to at least try to get buy-in for it. Hopefully you have it going in, but if not then it is a matter of making people aware and finding out what they think.

The road situation is only going to get worse because they are forecasting even more drilling activity, so that will only spell poorer roads.

Looking at something piece-meal it often doesn't make sense and one often has to try and see the bigger picture. I'm not sure what you are referring to in terms of the study and civil servants. Granted there are times when it seems like they are very out of touch with what the electorate want, no matter what level.

[cakadu]

I have found over the years that municipal politicians, particularly rural ones seem to want to listen to a chosen few of their ratepayers, likely where they feel a fairly significant pool of support will come from during the next election. Having said that, it seems as though the apathy from the electorate is alive and well in rural Alberta unless there is a huge issue that gets everyones attention.

[cowman]

Horse: In no way was I saying the oil companies aren't taking care of their contractors? But without a doubt the county is doing pretty well when it comes to making money off the companies...very well!
Linda: Reluctantly I do agree with the "plan" as a livable compromise. Doesn't mean I'm happy with it but I realize it is probably as good as it gets for the moment. I definitely will lose money over it. The important thing here was we did retain "first parcel out" and as for the "multi-lot subdivision"...well the pressure of demand will change that down the road somewhere, anyways? Since the planners were forced into retaining "first parcel out" however, they have implemented a mindset of doing everything possible to make it difficult? Kind of a secret agenda to thwart the will of the people?
Big things are happening in this municipality as well as the city of Red Deer. Quite often the goals of the two municipalities clash, as they are doing right now? The developement south of Red Deer in gasoline alley is about to explode and the plans for this area are very impressive. Some farmers are poised to make millions.

[cowman]

When we purchased our farm we wanted to have peace and quiet away from the ratrace near the town we lived in.
Today,land near the town is worth significantly more due to the potential for development than the land I own. I still have relative peace and quiet, am on a good road half a mile from pavement and am not happy that we chose the location in 1971. Sure I could develop land closer to town, and make a lot of money, but as long as I have enough to get by, and still have my privacy and the way of life we wanted in the firt place I am content.

[cowman]

Well I'm sorry you don't like your location LOL....I assume that was a typo error?
At one time I considered moving but the fact is I have some pretty deep roots in this area. Despite the fact farming isn't really viable around here there has not been a huge exodus of farmers around here. Not very many for the next generation but a lot of my boyhood friends still live here on the old places. Not all of them farming anymore.
It is good to live with people who you have a history with...in my opinion? The ones you played baseball and hockey with...the ones whose fathers, grandfathers etc. played the same games with your father, grandfather etc.?
I often joke that the area I live in is like a bunch of inbred barncats...everybody is related to everybody else!

[cowman]

Many of our neighbours are still in living in the community although some have moved into ADULT LIVING complexes in town. All I need is a visit there to get the hell back to the farm and be glad I live here !!!!
I too, enjoy old friends and keeping in touch with their families etc. at community functions .
Our arae was rife with oil workers from the 50's onward so there is a lot of NEW BLOOD here, mainly farm boys from Sask. that came to Alberta to work in the oil patch and married the local gals.
The generation before that all seem to have married a neighbour, likely because travelling was tough without roads or money for gas or even a vehicle, and horseback was a bit chilly in the winters, which according to those old timers were 50 below for months !!!