Council and Jim Puffalt,
I take it none of you fine councillors and our fine city management realize that essential services including health care workers, store employees, newspapers and businesses in the city are risking to care for us, keep food on our table, provide news, continue the essential city services, and so much more; you should be applauding their sacrifice to keep the city going during this COVID-19 pandemic and lead by example.
So we are all clear, I consider this pandemic very serious and unless necessary my brave wife and I have sheltered in our home. We both wear masks and respect social distancing when we are out so I understand the fears and frustration this pandemic has placed on all Moose Jaw citizens, including council and administration.
So councillors, the “email” obtained through a [Moose Jaw Express] Freedom of Information request: Is this how you, talk about citizens of Moose Jaw when you’re challenged to explain your actions or lack of action while you are in Executive Meetings or sharing E-mails with one another?
Frankly, this would explain a lot concerning the property at 1511 Hastings St. and the lack of action to restore or demolish that property.
[I have been asking the City of Moose Jaw to investigate and do something about], but I digress.
City manager Jim Puffalt has accused the “local media” of pushing a “conspiracy theory” about the possible reason why city administration locked out the media from city council meetings.
In a recent article, Puffalt was quoted to say in another FOI request received by the Moose Jaw Express, “We held our weekly press briefing on Thursday (April 9) and were berated by the Moose Jaw Express, who stayed with their conspiracy theory and are using the Covid-19 crises to advance their narrative that the virtual Council Meetings were implemented to prevent the press from being able to personally view Council Meetings and Press Briefings.
During one of the online pandemic press conferences, the Express suggested that the media be allowed to have one reporter attend the press briefings in person and act as a pool reporter.
However, city administration and the mayor were not receptive to this suggestion. Did all of council reject this suggestion?
Yet, Premier Moe seems to think it’s important enough for Provincial briefings to be attended by one press person representing Regina.
I applaud the Premier, It’s called “accommodating” so Saskatchewan residents, including seniors, can get updates on the COVID-19 pandemic. So is the Premier wrong to his approach to the press?
Municipal advertising
Puffalt also wrote, “We took it (the conversation about media access) off-line as they (the Express) were very argumentative and at one point completely self-serving suggesting that we should put more advertising in their paper to let “the seniors know what is happening.” (editors note: Which THEY did not suggest ever)
So, Mr. Puffalt, let me remind you of your words spoken, "I really believe in customer service and that starts with me, and that starts with me and council. We have to create a working relationship and be able to work with people, and we have to do that for our citizens. We all have the same end goal in mind and we want to provide the best possible service we can to our customers, and look after people in the community."
Do you not think the Moose Jaw Express is trying to provide the best possible service to those same citizens?
Since I’ve not been able to get answers from council or Jim Puffalt concerning the above mentioned house [the property at 1511 Hastings St.], I’ve turned to editorials in the Moose Jaw Express, and they have been kind enough to share our story.
One thing I’d like to mention is that the publisher of the Moose Jaw Express made an effort to personally check out the property at 1511 Hastings St. after being made aware of my concerns. City manager Puffalt, drove by the house twice and finally checked out the property after my constant emails. The mayor or council have never to my knowledge inspected the property.
Unlike this council and administration, the Moose Jaw Express haven’t treated us to “silence and indifference.” The have shown compassion and understanding for our problem with the city.
Media simply whining.
“I could give a rat’s ass how MJ Express feels about our virtual meetings. If they have a problem with it, that’s their issue,” Councillor Dawn Luhning wrote in a correspondence that the Moose Jaw Express received through a Freedom of Information request.
So Dawn, that tells me when I turned to you for assistance and you said, “I’ll find out and get back to you,” and you never did get back to me, should I conclude, “You give a rat’s ass?”
This, seems to be the resounding theme at city hall, “we don’t give a rats ass,” what the citizens or small businesses think.
Democracy is an inherent right. Arrogance and poor leadership are the first steps to dictatorship.
-- Carter Currie
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
On October 1st, 2019 the Moose Jaw Express received the third Letter to the Editor from Carter Currie regarding the Derelict Property at 1511 Hastings St as below:
“City Manager Jim Puffalt, Dawn Luhning, Brian Swanson, Scott McCann, Crystal Froese, Chris Warren, Frazer Tolmie, Greg Lawrence, Greg Reeves
“What does it take to have the city take a citizen’s concerns seriously? Amazingly two drive by’s, by the city manager at night gave him the information to correctly assess the property at 1511 Hastings St.
“The fire chief, deputy chief, fire inspection officer and building inspector did a fire inspection and were operating as bylaw enforcement officials when they inspected the property at 1511 Hastings St. on August 5, 2018 according to you.
“You seriously want me to believe it took 3 of the highest paid officials from the fire department and a building inspector to do an inspection that missed the rotten structure in the roof and the potential health issues in the house itself. Was there a notice on the door to inform anyone of these potential health and safety issues?
“The first I knew of what Rod and his staff were doing was when Chris Warren told me in an email on September 3, 2018.”
Jim Puffalt your words:
Good Evening Mr. Currie: Sept 26
Again, my apologies for misunderstanding the information provided to me and the Fire Chief did apologize for any misconception that he provided to you in your discussion with him.
The Fire Chief and the Building Official are aware of the requirements of the Property Maintenance and Nuisance Bylaw and are considered Enforcement Officers under the terms of the Bylaw.
I drove by again this evening and will discuss with the Building Department tomorrow to get an update and will correspond further.
Publisher of the Moose Jaw Express/MooseJawToday.com, Rob Ritchie made an effort shortly after receiving the 3rd Letter to the Editor in October, 2019 to go see firsthand the said house to make his own judgements on the situation.
Shortly following, on November 14,2019 publisher Rob Ritchie sent a note to the mayor and councillors stating that we were not necessarily interested in getting involved, as seen below in this correspondence :
From: Ritchie <rrflyer@gmail.com>
Sent: November 14, 2019 1:32 PM
To: Brian Swanson <BSwanson@moosejaw.ca>; Chris Warren <CWarren@moosejaw.ca>; Crystal Froese <CFroese@moosejaw.ca>; Dawn Luhning <DLuhning@moosejaw.ca>; Scott McMann <SMcMann@moosejaw.ca>; Heather Eby <HEby@moosejaw.ca>; Fraser Tolmie <FTolmie@moosejaw.ca>
Subject: Carter Currie - Derelict Property 1511 Hastings St.]
Hey Folks,
I really don't see this as an article or letter to the editor we want to run, but I have been to the house in question and believe his complaints are valid. It has been empty for the past 15 plus years according to another neighbour and looks pretty moldy on the inside to me.
He tells me only Mr. Swanson has replied.
I think there is validity in his claim and think he is owed an explanation or response, or perhaps I am missing something.
It is not our job to be dealing with these issues.
Please at least do him the courtesy of a response.
Thanks
r
Also, congrats again on landing the Sask Power deal.
Cheers,
R
On November 14th, City Manager Mr. Puffalt responded to Rob Ritchie as below:
---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Jim Puffalt <JPuffalt@moosejaw.ca>
Date: Thu, Nov 14, 2019 at 4:51 PM
Subject: Carter Currie - Derelict Property 1511 Hastings St.]
To: rrflyer@gmail.com <rrflyer@gmail.com>
Cc: Fraser Tolmie <FTolmie@moosejaw.ca>, Dawn Luhning <DLuhning@moosejaw.ca>, Brian Swanson <BSwanson@moosejaw.ca>, Chris Warren <CWarren@moosejaw.ca>, Crystal Froese <CFroese@moosejaw.ca>, Scott McMann <SMcMann@moosejaw.ca>, Heather Eby <HEby@moosejaw.ca>, Craig Hemingway <CHemingway@moosejaw.ca>
Good Afternoon:
Thanks for your inquiry. City Hall and individual Councilors have corresponded with Mr. Currie with the most recent being October 11, 2019 in response to a concern he expressed on October 8, 2019. The e-mail Mr. Currie sent to you was from October 1, 2018.
Mr. Currie first made City Hall aware of his concerns in August 2018. There were some very valid concerns that were within our enforcement powers and in response Bylaw Enforcement Officials have issued orders to and been working with the neighbouring property owner since that time to resolve.
Thank you for giving us an opportunity to respond.
Jim Puffalt
City Manager
Editor’s Note: In the correspondence above, you can see that Moose Jaw Express really did not want to initially get involved with the situation but as the City of Moose Jaw continued to disregard Mr. Currie with no response or resolution, the Moose Jaw Express/MooseJawToday.com became the media outlet to reveal the situation to the public through Letters to the Editor. In light of The City of Moose Jaw Mantra that states “We are solution focused…and we resolve issues with a sense of urgency in a positive manner…” to date June 19, 2020 there still seems to be no resolution and very little attention by the City of Moose Jaw regarding the house at 1511 Hastings St.
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the position of this publication.
