ABP Zone Meetings and Municpal Elections

[cowman]

How many of you are planning on voting in both the ABP Zone Meetings, and in the Municipal Election in your area ?

[farmers_son]

I will be and going one further, I standing for election for councillor.

[farmers_son]

I am afraid that everyone in the rural areas will be busy with the harvest and not take time to vote in the municipal elections.

[cakadu]

What sorts of qualities are you looking for in the people that stand for election? What issues come to mind that you would like to hear and give a voice on?

[cakadu]

1. Committed to fairness, viewing the municipality as a whole vs division specific.
2. Community minded vs self serving.

3. Basic knowledge of legislation and time committment involved.

4. Willing to work as TEAM with other council members and administration.

[cowman]

It's sort of funny in Red Deer county. Doesn't appear anybody wants to run, even though we have a lot of issues here and the pay is pretty decent? Three of our councillors took home more than $80K last year! I suspect there might even be one division where nobody will run! Don't know what they'll do then? I suppose appoint someone?
The zone meetings and elections for the ABP will get their usual attendance I expect? Close to 1% of the active producers. Apathy for the whole political process seems to be a way of life in Canada and I guess it's even worse in the USA. I think Canadas turnout for the federal election was in that 60% range and the US is usually around 50% turnout. Sort of makes me think people understand the whole thing is basically a sham?

[cowman]

If no one files nomination papers then the county will have to extend the nomination for another day or until someone files.
My feeling is that a lot of people aren't prepared to devote the time necessary to serve on municipal councils, unfortunately a lot of our municipal politicians are getting ready to retire, so it is going to be interesting to see how many of them decide to run again if no suitable candidate can be found.

[cakadu]

How can that be cowman? That is more than double what they are supposed to be taking home.

I do believe that there are several incumbents running again and have heard that there will likely even be some challenges in some divisions. One councillor is unsure about whether to run again or not and one definitely has stated that he will not.

Emrald - I'm sure in many respects people feel that it is a thankless job, so why bother? Not the best attitude to take.

I would suspect that many counties have mounting issues that they have to deal with. Finding the right people will be a challenge to be sure.

[cakadu]

Councillors per diem rates and other compensation is decided by council and must be part of the procedural bylaw. Some municipalities have hired consultants to provide recommendations on what councillors should be paid. Some councillors serve on numerous committees and usually are paid per half day and full day or per meeting, so the busier they are the more they are compensated. I have always said that a good, hard working, honest councillor is cheap at twice the price, but unfortunately and unfairly, councillors that don't put any effort into what they do are paid as much as the ones that work their butt off !!!

[cakadu]

If there is actual work being done, then I don't have a problem with councillors being paid. Having said that however, I'm not sure that going to meetings to set up meetings to talk about the necessity of more meetings constitutes work.

Like anything, you do have some that work hard and others that coast along and get the same remuneration, whether it be on council, in your volunteer organization or even in school for that matter. I guess it boils down to what you can live with.

From what some have said in these threads, I hold out some hope that there will be some good choices made as far as the ABP goes. We sometimes feel that there isn't enough time or we're not qualified enough to do the job, but we won't know until we try.

[cakadu]

Hopefully producers will attend the ABP Zone meetings and listen to the candidates, then choose the individuals that seem best suited to the task. I really have no patience for apathy, too often I have seen people sit at home and not particiate in elections etc. then complain bitterly because they aren't happpy with the decisions that are being made.

[cowman]

Actually Linda those numbers were published in your local county news by the taxpayers group? Obtained under the freedom of info thing?
Now I believe two of those were also members of the school board and that money made up a good portion of that price. The other one was the Reeve.
However I believe the base rate is $30,000/yr.? For every committee they get another $150/day as well as meals and milage at 60cents/km. As well as any conferences etc. I believe the lowest paid councillor was in the mid thirties range? Might want to contact your local rep of the taxpayers group?
As far as not complaining because you never voted...perhaps you are right Emerald. But I guess as long as they have a mandatory checkoff, then I think you have a legitimate right to criticize(after all you are paying them)? Perhaps a better way to do it would be to let a producer opt out of the checkoff? You could then vote with your money?
I find it ironic that I am forced to pay for a lobby group that is not working in my interests...in fact is working against my interests! Hey sort of like the Liberal party in Ottawa!

[cowman]

60 cents a km ???? That is a lot higher than the average municipal councillor and government employee is compensated for mileage.
Most municipalities pay in the .40 cent range and the Provincial Government pays .38.
In our area councillors are paid $325.00 per day when they are away at a conference or meeting out of the area, plus mileage, and accommodation where necessary. The Reeve charges half a day to go into the county office and sign a letter. That works out to $159.00 plus mileage !!! He usually has breakfast and lunch at the taxpayers expense as well !!!
From the sound of things locally, there may be some changes in the October election !!!
As far as the check off goes, I am not completely sold on mandatory check off. It would be interesting to know just what percentage of producers too advantage of the opportunity to vote on the proposed increase in the check off this last time around.

[cowman]

Well Emerald we didn't get to vote on the last checkoff, or at least I don't think so?
We did get to vote on whether the checkoff should remain mandatory about 10 years ago? 12% of eligible producers bothered to vote. You didn't have to go to any meetings or anything like that. You could vote at the DAs office.The ACC(ABP) used the money they had aquired from the checkoff for a massive advertizing campaign to keep the checkoff mandatory. And they won the vote with slightly over 6% of the actual vote!
I'm not sure if the whole thing was apathy on the part of producers or the fact that they secretly agreed that a mandatory checkoff was okay? The ACC promptly doubled the checkoff to two dollars!

[cowman]

I remember voting on one checkoff, but don't know how long ago it was. I have taken resolutions to the Zone meetings a couple of times, and also spoke to them at the ABP Convention. The Zone meetings in this area have been poorly attended, usually the same faces in the crowd each year. I had a call from one of the Directors last year asking me where I thought they should hold the meeting,the location I suggested would have attracted a fairly large group of producers but they chose another hall way off the beaten track, and got a handful of people at the meeting !!!
The candidates forums for the municipal elections are usually only attended by a few people, unless there is a huge issue within the municipality, then there is standing room only.
Nomination Day is the 20th, so after that the countryside will be covered with campaign signs !!!