Just mean spirited or Are these actions of actual or Wannabe dictators

[oneoff]

What do the silent readers think of this newest decision from the adopted minutes of Feb 8/2018



13.2 SARM Health & Dental Plan Policy

Resolution No: 2018-0110 Shane Boyes


That we acknowledge the Policy change for 21) Council Benefits in the Policy Manual.

SARM Health & Dental Plan
SARM health and dental coverage is available to members of Council at the same level as employees. All Council members, as long as they are a member on Council or are appointed to a Municipal committee as per Committee and Appointments Policy, are members of the Group Medical and Dental, paid by the R.M. of Enniskillen through the Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities.

Carried



I enquired about the most recent Health and Dental policy and its premiums and understand its pretty comprehensive and significant;....like $33,000 for last premium. This new resolution apparentl extends those benefits (all now "free") to even a emember who could possibly not even show up to a single meeting.
It might even be the gold plated plan that council has chosen for the "same level as employees" and seems pretty generous for a pretty part time "volunteer". Further if its a family freebe then that would mean wife or significant others, children, dependents? (of course?) are all included and covered. Its all up to councillors who definitely give themselves this personal entitlement and as you know also choose who the committee members shall be. This significant health and dental Benefit Plan could well be a bigger cost than what the committee is worth; not to mention the actual payout benefit that is made when claims are made to the insurance plan for new drugs which may well be priced at $3000 (plus or minus) per month.

Can you say out of control; and no consultation with those who pay for these benefits. Why not give the rest of the ratepayers that which has been so easily given by the decision makers. Just kidding. That would be equally as stupid as what happened last month.

[LEP]

This should also prompt other quiet elected officials to join in this discussion... I assume this is directed to me. I don't check in on Agriville for a few days and look what happens.

SO anywho, I looked at your list of concerns and will provide some comment. I have to say some areas I agree with you and some I do not.

Taxes likely went up last year on ag because in our RM ag assessment doubled and oil was down slightly. So the argument is should you use the mill rate factor to keep taxation levels the same relative to the previous year or let the areas where assessment has increased bear the burden? Looks like they buffered the increase somewhat from what it could have been.

In our RM we don't offer medical benefits to council and committee members. I have to agree that I think this should be reserved to employees only.

The issue with the injection wells is a SAMA matter. They would defend their assessment of injection wells. Any RM with oil activity in the province has them. Have heard of no push back here on this one.

Our general penalty bylaw is $25,000 as well. I think it is the legislated maximum set by the province.

Our setbacks are 200ft and highways is 300ft for buildings and trees. Barbwire fences are ok, board wall fences likely not.

I noticed from the minutes in two different recorded voted there was half voting one way and half voting the other so not completely a unanimous board.

I have to agree with RD414 that I haven't seen the issues of conflict you describe in my RM or surrounding ones.

All I can say is you are one lucky guy because 3 divisions are coming up for election this fall. So get two like minded individuals together and run on a change ticket. Put together a mailer that briefly itemizes the issues you have mentioned here and let democracy rule.

[oneoff]

Just thinking about else is best served cold.

Comes to mind that "bringing in" a whole whack of new electors could get some real attention and interest in issues brought up in this thread.

For all anyone knows; an astute entity might be able to catch on that an opportunity exists ...if they just happened to be in the market for some farm land and maybe a very good sized block of valley property...and unlike apparently the general RM readership in Sask.. know what is right and fair and maybe even how to achieve those ends.............................................. ............................

[burnt]

[B]
..................
All I can say is you are one lucky guy because 3 divisions are coming up for election this fall. So get two like minded individuals together and run on a change ticket. Put together a mailer that briefly itemizes the issues you have mentioned here and let democracy rule.

If only that were truly effective.

There are two kinds of people who will allow their name to stand on a ballot - those who think they're going to make a difference, and those who want a shot at the trough.

And guess who usually ends up having the most influence?

The elected council usually becomes nothing more than a rubber stamp for those who really control policy - the bureaucracy, the establishment. Because the troughers, knowing which side their bread is buttered on, will almost inevitably side with the bureaucrats, outnumbering the voice of those who actually care about the best interests of their constituents.

Hey, what's not to like about free dental for all your circle...

And if you want to spark the most virulent reaction ever, just run on the promise that you are going to drain the swamp.

You will garner lots of attention - guaranteed.

[RD414]

Addressing a few of your points One-off, I did not like the Chinese Volvo graders and stayed away. Your 5000 hour Volvo was worth 50 percent, at least, more. Our trees and buildings are 150 feet but fences can be on edge of your property. Wire fences. Our max penalty is set at 25000 also. Somebody comes in and destroys some infer structure, this will probably still not cover it. It is just a number till you use it.dont have any oil or gas. Your lucky your taxes are fairly low, your commercial is carrying roughly 75 percent of your taxes. Doesn't make it right or fair, in my opinion, your council talking that huge health and dental plan. Pigs get fat, hogs get slaughtered. Throw your hat in the ring this fall and go out and sell your platform.

[LEP]

There are two kinds of people who will allow their name to stand on a ballot - those who think they're going to make a difference, and those who want a shot at the trough.

And guess who usually ends up having the most influence?

Like I said before I don't see it in my RM or surrounding RM's.

But if you want to offer change, and think change is needed. Then take up the opportunity to shine a light on these matters and offer an alternative. If you lose then the public must be happy with the present council or apathetic.

But to do nothing means you pretty well have to turn your bullhorn off.

[burnt]

There are two kinds of people who will allow their name to stand on a ballot - those who think they're going to make a difference, and those who want a shot at the trough.

And guess who usually ends up having the most influence?

Like I said before I don't see it in my RM or surrounding RM's.

But if you want to offer change, and think change is needed. Then take up the opportunity to shine a light on these matters and offer an alternative. If you lose then the public must be happy with the present council or apathetic.

But to do nothing means you pretty well have to turn your bullhorn off.

Nothing could be further from the truth.

You seem to be one of those who think that the most important part of a councilor is their mouth, when if fact, it is their ears.

And if what I described does not fit your local experience - and it might well be as you say - then you are among the most fortunate in all of democracy.

And furthermore, your RM is definitely swimming against the current of Agenda 21/2030.

Good luck with that.

But it could be as you say. However, I know for a fact that here in Ontario, the Provincial Policy Statement is treated more like law than policy. Hence, it virtually always overrules any local decision-making.

I have seen it first-hand with property owned by my family. And council was pissed because the County ended up overriding their decision. But no one had the balls to stand up and support what they said because the CAO and the planning department work hand in hand.

There is strong evidence that local councils are nothing more than a rubber stamp for providing a thin veneer of legitimacy to the intentions of those higher in the food chain.

I mean, why risk that free dental or medical...

And this type of "governance" is what gives rise to the likes of Donald Trump or Doug Ford.

Or Stalin.

[oneoff]

There are two kinds of people who will allow their name to stand on a ballot - those who think they're going to make a difference, and those who want a shot at the trough.

And guess who usually ends up having the most influence?

Like I said before I don't see it in my RM or surrounding RM's.

But if you want to offer change, and think change is needed. Then take up the opportunity to shine a light on these matters and offer an alternative. If you lose then the public must be happy with the present council or apathetic.

But to do nothing means you pretty well have to turn your bullhorn off.

Trust me; what I've done is not nothing. Give me credit at least for exposing what others want buried forever.

I worry about any bullhorn being silenced. It's already happened to "electronic devices of all kinds within the council chambers". That smacks of censorship of another of the rare "checks and balances" disappears. It probably isn't even legal in recognized settings such as open monthly council meeting sessions. Its a fact that rural areas run on second hand information that turns into running on gossip in the additional itenerations. We are "isolated" compared to urban areas and live in relatively scarcely populated RM's where everyone has heard of everyone else in one way or another. Few people even visit with others; and you certainly don't discuss the transgressions of close friends/elected officials with those close friends.

So I'll fight to keep whatever bullhorn available BECAUSE

-we don't have any real time accountability from most RM council's.. there is little input and open hostility and repercussions are quick to be turned on "troublemakers"
-we're missing the money trail by not having the disbursements and financial information at least in the minutes on a somewhat timely basis.

-there is a desire of most council's to perpetuate the staus quo
- entitlements and conflicts of interest are way to numerous...even if some can't see it or are blessed to not be affected by that which is a common problem elsewhere

And finally; it robs the satisfaction of someone being thoroughly trounced by some "base support" not open to "fake news". One must choose the time when the electorate is educated enough to know that they want change.

In my case that happened some decades ago during the "Sask city/urban health district boundary ". There were public meetings called where not even the wives of council members voted for supporting the resolutions their husbands made to only join a rural health district that basicically no member of the area had ever attended for health treatment.
I trounced an incumbent councillor with an 85%/15% vote margin. It was so bad that the papers never published the vote count. Polling would now make me believe that people are aware enough of the pending (25 year plan and 80 plus addition zoning bylaw changesfor example) for that "overthrow" to be remotely possible at this present time.. No one has ever read those documents fully....and I mean no one....not even myself. Its too painful...too futile...too onerous.. to wasteful of anyone'e time

Still waiting for any indication that that analysis is in error. Maybe its just more enlightenment of what is going on that is required. Also maybe I'm wrong...but not much evidence provided by the responses so far to prove that case.

Please respond; and refute any of the evidence (if you can) that has been published directly from the adopted minutes and facts that are true to the best of anyone's knowledge.


The solution isn't to try to bury these issues. They won't stay dead in any real democracy.

[LEP]

The nothing I refer to, is not taking the opportunity you are presented with, to try and make real change by running in the fall.

In fact, it should be relatively easy to have a public airing of the information that you have discussed here and for the last few years.

If the electorate isn't concerned, then all you can pursue are the items that are illegal, like not completing the conflict of interest disclosures.

Why not run? What are you worried about? Losing? I think you are trying to advance your goal of public awareness are you not? Winning is a bonus because you can work within the system to reform it. You don't have to fight for disclosure of the information on matters of concern, etc.

By having an election you would bring a heightened attention to the issues you are concerned about.

But by not running do you not look disingenuous?

[oneoff]

LEP:

You've always put a way too much emphasis on "running" prematurely when the public doesn't yet have much of a a shred of background information about about the issues with which they wish to remain to be blissfully unaware. That situation is largely due to lack of interest; lack of information; lack of will; and being brainwashed into knowing that all councillors get is shit and abuse for a thankless job. What has our council ever done to show openness? and what more could be done?
What a council must first do is want to be accountable; want the input of all ratepayers which all requires changes to the way things have been traditionally done through the status quo.

There has been some progress that has been made on these fronts...such as council minutes placed on the internet. That's a whole lot better than chasing people away with fees and outright forbidding using a cell phone camera to capture the image of that page of minutes. Tell me (LEP and others) what precipitated that change and then I'll tell you it was a few handfuls of people ( or maybe a thousand complaints to Ombudsperson about various council's in the span of a year or two) across the province (and it was the Ombudsperson who made that recommendation because of people such as myself (and perhaps LEP you could tell us what part of that progress you actively supported for less forward thinking RM's)


Again LEP I am not reporting on the council minutes reflecting the shortfalls of council's such as the one you are associated with. I would ask LEP to provide the link to their council minutes; even its just so others can learn how his council perhaps displays a different attitude than I see in certain other peer jurisdictions. And that point is going to be brought up as a challenge until it is received; or I get banned from this site.

How hard is it to say that repeating adopted minute resolutions and bylaws that even don't look good in your eyes ...are certainly not in your RM Bylaws and policies. And even be forthcoming enough so a person can check out a claim made.

I take the view that electors should be the ones to approach candidates that might better have better financial acumen; or think a little deeper into the wording of council resolutions; or would at every opportunity give chances for input from the public etc.etc rather than throwing out a red herring demand that anyone forfeit their comments if they are unwilling to prematurely go down to a humiliating electoral defeat.

The electorate isn't up to speed yet so on with an attempted education course. The "swamp" doesn't want immediate change and I know enough to not expect change until some critical mass is reached.


Patience. And show me where and prove to readers your SARM peers aren't enabling abuse of a necessary "Medical and Health Benefit Program" for employees (without purposely extending coverage to outside members of Boards and Committees (and even Council members themselves)).