More unhappy peasants!

[cowman]

It seems some people aren't very happy in the county I live in!
A group of ratepayers have decided to succeed! There is a ad in the local paper for a meeting in Spruceview for "Anyone wanting to set up a new Rural Municipality, west of the fifth meridian!" They also staged some kind of media event at the county office...but I'm not sure what it was?
Not just sure where this is coming from? Maybe these people got sick of the arrogance of county council and staff? Or maybe they feel they are being ignored or something? Or maybe it is something else entirely?
Now I know a few of the people involved...and they are pretty solid citizens?
Coppertop: A question? Can one part of a municipality succeed and set up their own county? What would be the procedure, if that is possible? Would a plebicite work?
I don't know if this is a good idea or not, but on general principles I would say if they want to go they should be allowed? I assume they have thought this through?
Cakadu and blackjack: This is your area? What are you hearing? What is your councillors take on this thing?
I'd love to be a fly on the wall at that meeting(Feb. 6/ Spruceview hall)!

[cowman]

Sorry...Should read a bunch of people want to secede, not succeed...well maybe they want to do that too! LOL
You get old and the spelling starts to go...what can I say!

[wilagro]

So where would the people go who want to secede?...the county adjoining???

[coppertop]

cowman, if enough citizens wish to have a new municipality created they would have to petition municipal affairs. Whether or not it would happen is anyone's guess. Lakeland County and Lac La Biche are now in the throes of amalgamation, so allowing more rural municipalities might be something the government wouldn't want to happen. In our case we petitioned for a new municipality, and ours was formed from three jurisdictions. The process took about four years if I remember correctly, but I think that ours was the last new municipality created and that was 19 years ago.

I would guess that the folks who are initiating this process have valid concerns about how the county is run or what sort of services they get in their area. Quite a test for the new minister right off the get go !!!

[cowman]

Checked around a wee bit on this and I guess these guys are serious! Don't think they are thinking to clearly on this one? Maybe need to get educated about a few facts of life?
Apparently they feel miffed because they think the county isn't paying enough attention to their concerns? Too much time spent fighting the war with Red Deer!
Personally I think they should be allowed to set up their own municipality? Then they would find out just how far their farm taxes go!
Maybe they could name their new municipality Dog Patch?

[cakadu]

In the past I have heard that the county is not paying enough attention to those that are away from the action, namely the highway #2 corridor.

One of the things that caught my eye in the latest county news was the Councillor for Division 5 asking that consideration be given to the Spruce View Co-op in paving their parking lot. Apparently the county is going to be doing some paving on the side road and the Co-op would like to get their paving done at the same time, which to a large degree makes sense because the equipment and manpower will be there. What doesn't make sense to me and maybe you can shed some light on this for me copper, is that the County is looking to foot the entire bill up front and the Co-op would pay back their full share of the costs plus any interest I believe. Is doing something like this considered to be in the normal course of business for a municipality? Is the councillor, whose division houses the co-op in any kind of conflict (he used to be on the Co-op Board but I don't believe he still is.) The whole thing just doesn't ring right with me.

To be quite honest cowman, I haven't heard anything about this. I'm guessing here, but could this have anything to do with the fact that the division is going to be divied up with this whole elected Reeve thing?

[coppertop]

Most times when a paving crew is in the area and a business wishes to have their parking lot paved they speak to the county and tie onto the county's contract so to speak.This allows the business to take advantage of the rate the the county negotiated with the contractor.
In any cases I am familiar with the county was reimbursed by the business as soon as they received the invoice which was when the paving was completed. In my councild days I would certainly have never supported allowing a business to pay back their paving in installments.

cowman, I suspect that the citizens who are threatening to petition for a new county are just trying to get some attention. If I were a councillor in their division I would certainly be paying attention to their concerns.

If there is a lot of pipeline and M E assessment in their area, then they certainly would not have to rely on farm taxes. But they would certainly get a shock when they found out that they have to provide their own fire suppression equipment and manpower, their own solid waste disposal site,agricultural fieldman ( in order to get their Ag Service Board grant),road maintenance equipment or contract it out, and the list goes on and one. Plus they would have to negotiate a recreation agreement with any urban centres to ensure that their citizens could use sports facilities such as swimming pools and arenas. They would also need to negotiate a library agreement, ambulance agreement, and also pay their fair share towards a Seniors Housing Foundation to ensure that their citizens would have the opportunity to apply to reside in a local seniors lodge if needed. On top of all this they would need to hire administration staff and build a county office !!!

I would suggest that it would be a lot more sensible to work things out with their county, and make a list of their issues, and expecations, and present them to council during a public meeting vs attempting to form their own municipality.

[cowman]

Linda: From the Red Deer Express/jan24

Not the whole article, just the highlights.

A group of unhappy Red Deer County citizens are banding together to investigate the possible formation of a new municipality.
"While Red Deer County concil policy has been moving toward urbanization, this group desires a rural municipality which is responsive to the needs of rural residents, agriculture and industry" said Greg Conn, a resident of Red Deer County and interim spokesman for the group.
County councillor Jim Lougheed, said the residents don't have a real basis for the issue.
"Theres been a huge number of miles(for roads) done in my division in the last couple of years and I know theres been at least as much attention paid to the roads in Division Five as there has been in any other division" said Lougheed. "I can't see where forming a small division will make it viable at all."
The residents will hold a public meeting next month to solidify the mandate to move forward with a petition to present to the Minister of Municipal Affairs requesting the formation of a new rural municipality.
Lougheed added he doesn't think the province will support the proposal to form a new municipality.
The meeting will be held Feb 6 at 7 PM at the Spruceview Hall.

Now my question is this: If these guys get a certain number of people to sign a petition, would this be something that should go to a plebicite? And if in a plebicite, the majority voted to set up a new county...shouldn't this be allowed to happen?
It was very apparent at the public "townhall" meetings on land use policy that there is a definite split on how people on different sides of Highway 2, view land use policy? In the east they want developement, in the west they don't.
There is quite a bit of oil and gas activity west of the Fifth meridian. Not as much as the CBM explosion happening in the east, but still a lot.
The fifth meridian runs about 6 miles west of the city of Red Deer boundary.

[coppertop]

cowman, in our municipality there were two plebicites held over several years, then one area was adamant that they did NOT want to be in the new municipality so they were allowed to remain in their original jurisdiction. The Minister may decide to do one of several things, but first I would think that a viablity study would be done to see whether or not a new county could stand alone. I think the residents are making a point, and obvoiusly the Reeve and Council should be trying to address their issues and see whether or not they are valid vs dismissing them in the media.

[cakadu]

I'm not clear on the details for the paving copper as it was just an agenda item in the draft minutes published in the county newspaper. If it turns out that the Co-op will pay upon invoice, I guess there isn't really any harm done. I hope they publish what the outcome of the deliberations are.

I guess there are more hands grabbing for division 5. Must be putting the councillor on pins and needles. ;-)

[coppertop]

I suspected that the paving was a pay on invoice situation. It does allow county businesses to save a bit on paving costs mainly the move in and out of equipment when it is already in the area.

[cowman]

Linda: Mr. Lougheed is kind of set in his ways? Sometimes it seems his attitude is "I know what is right. Don't confuse me with facts!"?
I recently had a little go around with him about the Quad thing? You know about changing the bylaw to allow quads on the county roads for industrial/agricultural use?
I found him very obstinate and not able to follow reason? When I pointed out a "wink-wink" solution to ignoring their own bylaw would come back to haunt him...I thought I saw a glimmer of understanding for a moment...which was soon replaced by his stubborn insistance that its worked in the past so it should work now! I realized he just doesn't "get it" and I was wasting my time!

[cowdog]

I hope everyone reading this thread understands what is really going on. The clown at the head of this revolt is trying to get noticed as a candidate for mayor of the county [ a new position]. I have been told by some of his nieghbours that he also lead a fight against a water flood being proposed by a oil company. He was the strongest opponent until the oil company offer to pay him for his water at which point he sold it and his nieghbours out.

[cowman]

I never thought of that angle! Might even work for him? I think only 27% bothered to vote in the last municipal election and the more rural areas always vote heavy.
I hope this doesn't happen and I'll tell you why: When you get a one trick pony who obviously doesn't have a clue about how the system works...you are going to have problems. The fact is industry is paying the bills in Red Deer county and anyone who tries to curtail industry is going to hurt everyone!
I don't think there are any real declared candidates? I think the present Reeve will probably take a run at it? Not sure if he is going to be the best choice or not?
I would think the ratepayers should take a pretty hard look at how well the present council has governed the municipality.