Dust control

[cowman]

Emerald: He isn't a contract grader operator but the contract manager. He not only manages the contract graders but handles all gravel, patching, signs and other services that a public works manager would do in most counties. Red Deer county doesn't have any equipment or public works employees, everything is contracted out. Apparently it saves the county a net $1.5 million a year, at least according to the Reeve?
In Red Deer county the CAO pretty well makes the decisions and council goes along with whatever he decides...as long as it doesn't hurt their chances of getting re-elected! The darned job has become such a goldmine they hate to lose it once they get in there! Two years ago(under a freedom of information request) the councillors were taking home anywhere from $43,000 to $96,000(reeve)! Now this included all the perks and a couple of the higher earners were also on the school board. Since then they have raised their honorarium 43% one year and 3% the next, as well as put up all the perks!
I believe Red Deer county residents voted for an elected reeve because they got sick of the gong show that was going on before the last election!
The present Reeve is a pretty practical guy and I would think he would have a good shot at getting elected. Incidently they intend to change the title to mayor instead of Reeve.

[cowman]

Changing the title to Mayor is inline with what Parkland County, Strathcona County and Sturgeon County have done. Seems to be the 'in' thing these days.

Your council renumeration seems pretty steep, given they do not work a 5 day week every week. Of course they can make work for themselves if they keep adding committees, conferences etc.

I am willing to bet that special interest groups around the county have their own 'candidate' for Reeve waiting in the wings. It seems to happen whenever the elected Reeve takes place.
There are some excellent elected Reeves around. Yellowhead County has a common sense fellow that tries very hard to be fair and represent the entire county.

[farmers_son]

I believe many people who prefer an elected reeve do so because it makes the rural municipality seem more like the city. The name change from reeve to mayor pretty much says it all.

I recall the 2001 elections for mayor in Calgary where Dave Bronconnier spent $800,000 to win. Even then it was not even close to a majority as three other candidates got almost as many votes as Dave. I believe runner up Bev Longstaff spent a lot of money too but am not sure of the amount.

A reeve elected at large can be influenced by wealthy supporters within the community who directly or indirectly offered support (monetary or otherwise) to the election campaign. A reeve elected by council would not be subject to the same outside political influences.

[cakadu]

There may not be wealthy supporters for the reeve inside council, but there is certainly room for back door negotiations to go on. Anything is possible farmers_son and the way some of these people want these seats it wouldn't surprise me one bit.

I personally want an elected reeve and it certainly isn't because I want to be more like the city. I want to see it so that this "old boys club" as cowman calls it, can be broken up a little.

I think you've been around long enough to know that if the back scratching goes on in public, it certainly goes on in private as well.

It's not like the money was Dave Bronconnier's - it was donated. Although, as an interesting aside I find it quite amusing that he feels the leftover campaign money should be his.

What I want to see out of any county council that we might elect is things happening throughout the county that benefit everyone and not just those that happen to be along the highway #2 corridor. If the drilling activity that is going on in my little corner of the county is any indication of what is actually happening throughout the county, then there is a whole pot full of money rolling into county coffers.

This topic started out as dust control and what can be done about it. The money that is collected is used for roads, but it sometimes isn't used on the roads that are taking the biggest beating and for which the oil company bonds are being put up.

The other thing is that the county may be saving money by contracting everything out, but since they have, the service has not been anywhere near the same.

Emrald, you're right, the money to be made by the councillors is pretty steep. I don't mind them going to conferences etc., but I would like to see something reported or learnings made public, after all we as the ratepayers should be seeing some sort of benefit for our money.

[cakadu]

I just faxed in my comments on the proposed changes to the Local Authorities Election Act.

One suggestion I made is that all candidates must declare monies donated to their campaign and 'in kind' donations as well.
A fellow in this area is noted for paying for huge ad campaigns for candidates of his choice. He has a large business and just puts the ads on his business tab at the local paper. Manytimes this 'donation' is well into the thousands. Does he have influence on the people he backs ? He is a very nice fellow but he does expect to be heard if he has an issue !

Reeves chosen by council certainly are pressured by special interest groups, and the councillors that selected the individual certainly have a fair share of 'clout' when it comes to lobbying the Reeve for support of particular issues.

One Reeve whom I have utmost respect for, has a different councillor chair each regular council meeting. His reasoning is that he didn't expect to be the Reeve forever and wants the rest of council to have an opportunity to show their colleagues what ability they have in the chairmans role.