Northgate, SK and Corus Land Holding Corp.

[oneoff]

If the concensus is that one looks after me, me, me first second and third; I think I could can learn to live with it pretty quick.
There just doesn't seem to be much support for acting otherwise.
Seems kind of odd that there seems to be so little pressure on council to be accountable and more open with the bylaws and motions that are so hastily made in some cases and so drawn out and non-productive in others. The only common denominator is that the council avoids every public forum of communication with whom they are supposed to serve.

[oneoff]

farmahloic The first step in answering the last question is to know what has been proposed by the new owner. That question is still completely unanswered.
Realize everyone has been shut out of the completed land acquisition. So what justification for not answering the first question that is essential to any debate on what that facility or facilities are being proposed.

[farmaholic]

I think the minutes of the council meetings can be scrutinized by anyone, at least the ones in our RM were recently regarding a water drainage issue. I don't know how much detail is in them. I would assume the bantering back and forth between Councilors wouldn't be recorded but motions, maybe some relevent debate and the results of votes are. In general, I think alot people in the rural municipal electorate are apathetic until something that affects them personally arises. How do you engage them?

[farmaholic]

Would it then be fair to say you're not opposed to any development of the area but to the way it was handled. By the sounds of it, it is too late to change anything. If you want to make a difference, you might have to get behind Councilors who are more transparent or get involved yourself and encourage other like-minded people to run for council.

[oneoff]

People are engaged by desiring to be informed and becoming informed.

But as previously mentioned in older posts; there is not even a general knowledge of the right of ratepayers to observe open council meetings from the gallery. Then the apathy and cowardice of all but a very few to ever attend such a meeting in their whole life; the deliberate refusal of most RM councils to broadcast or record their meetings for public viewing; a general council atmosphere that their decisions are no one's business outside the RM; motions made such as banning all electronic devices from the council/committee meetings without prior council approval; snide comments obviously directed at susceptable visitors in the gallery; direct comments made at those present in the gallery who are in no position to defend themselves from their attackers; council members who have blurted out that they will vote against every approach made to council by a certain ratepayer(s); a reeve that says as reeve he can do anything that he wants; all coucil membersbeing allowed to make the decisions with their division (with a near automatic reciprocal agreement of similar support for their other division); and a council that sits though a member declaring that he has a conflict of interest; remains in his seat; speaks to the issue at hand and quite probably was included in the vote.

And unfortunately I don't see how it would be productive in any way for one new person(s) to want to try to become involved in such a situation.
As stated before; there need to be some drastic changes to the "old boys club". Such things as a significant number of female councillors; members confident and sensible enough to not be afraid of having their council attendence observed or broadcast live through modern internet audio and video techniques.
Civil discussions and invitations for opinions at public meetings and gatherings should be encouraged and a scheduled common event and expected on at least a yearly basis. Currently such meetings are avoided and never held by several; but we do have social gatherings like golf tournaments.
Until the atmoshere changes; democracy will deteriorate until there is no respect for the institution. I don't know what drives some councils; other than catered meals; the power to treat identical situations differently; bylaws that are not enforced according to how they read; draconian new codes and statutes that arguably are not desired by sparsely separated rural ratepayers and on and on.

[oneoff]

I've done more to promote development than most others. And could point to some significant successes. But its always hard to soar like an eagle when you're flying with turkeys.
A person with much experience once said " leave your hatchets and personal agendas outside the council chambers; and only conduct business within." Develop appropriate and necessary policy, bylaws and motions that will be used on a blanket basis; and not as a framework to decide on a case by case basis how identical situations will be decided differently.

[dustyroad]

what are the best ways to deal with the small alkali patches, cotten

[LQQKY]

Best way to deal with small alkali spots is to look the other way as you continuously crop the land around them.

[oneoff]

I fail to see any connection between alkali spots and the heading of the topic about Northgate "development"

Is it a coicidence that this thread has been "hijacked by cotten, dustyroad and now Looky. Ordinarily the forum moderator would delete or move such comments; but this site hasn't ever seemed to have a moderator. And so I will provide a repeat of a nearly three month old reply made to these same hijackers.



posted Feb 11, 2012 8:51
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Dustyroad is not the first person who claims to know what is going on at Northgate. (Cottonpicken and at least one RM councillor have previously bragged in the same way).
But none of those people had any intention of telling the public what they know. There are insiders who are making the decisions (regarding public property) and now attempting to destroy the credibility of anyone who asks for the facts from those insiders. This is another example of "I can't /won't tell you"


Now that the land aquisition is completed (or is it); its time to ask for the inside information that these people claim to have had all along. And just how did they get that information; because it is still being tightly with held from the press and the public.

[oneoff]

farmaholic: one of your questions was....Previous to the latest development/interest, if no one ever came forward to acquire it how can we be suspicious of the deal.......

And I am told by at least one person that the answer was that yes they did inquire aeveral years ago; and the answer was it could not be done because of Her Majesties streets and lanes.


As for other people's arguents particularly about creating jobs. This argument must only be based on a world shortage of jobs; because any SE Sask resident already has more potential work choices than they will be able to fulfil. And just which power pole and rv park are those immigrants going to huddle around.

Just mayebe thats why the rural municipality is promoting the idea of up to 4 residences on every quarter sections. Sure there was almost one family per quarter 125 years ago; but now there is a world scarcity of arable land; and


we are being led into creating 40 acre acreages. Strategic and long term planning my ass. Uncontrolled growth can bankrupt those who don't have a grasp on the problems created by such wreckless expansion.

[Hopperbin]

JHC LQQKY had to look at your name 3 times to figure out how to spell it. Maybe sell them alkali pathes as acreages, LOL. I know I got some too.

[dustyroad]

Hey oneoff you what a chance at buying my alkali spots? I dont want to see a forum because I did not put them up for public tender.