Tuesday’s November 12th council meeting seemed pretty low key for most, but seemed to confirm there is a lack of communication within the big house as well.
When calculating and budgeting for the City of Moose Jaw’s recreation facilities for 2020, there were notably only minor increases, as explained, mainly due to the carbon tax, an amount of 1.1% for heat and power and 0% for water.
It was quipped by Councillor Swanson, ‘so no increase for water?’ to the response ‘no’.
How, in a city that seems to have fallen in love with taxing the citizen at an alarming rate, could there be no budget increase for water at city facilities, when the City is proposing a 6% increase to water and 5% increase to sewer for 2020? Budgeting like this, in plain and simple terms, makes no sense; before the new year begins, your expenditures are going to be out of place. Wouldn’t it just be better to do things right, than looking for more money later in the year? If you are going to spend your time doing a budget, why waste your time doing it wrong?
The other issue that I suspect will come back and bite the community is the disbanding of the Economic Development Committee and the Planning committee; this is wrong in so many ways and would appear to give too many unchecked opportunities to mis-manage and spend money without proper oversight. The city’s altar slogan “What would PA do?” seems to have been thrown out the window on this one.
And here are some numbers you might find interesting, everyone is probably a story in itself.
Enjoy your week.
By the Numbers…
3 - Extensions given to CPI (Canadian Protein Innovation)
3.5 - Years working on Canadian Tire Deal
$18,000. - the number of reported dollars made at PBR (Professional Bull Riders)
$20,000. - number of immediate dollars paid to City Manager for all the extra work he did at Mosaic Place
1 - Extension give to Carpere
780 - Number of acres proposed being sold to Carpere
$48,723. - number of dollars of interest not being paid to the city by giving an extension to Carpere
81.5 - Number of acres proposed being sold for $180,000. to a holding company, east and south of the old XL Beef plant
$47,000. - Dollars spent on Mae Wilson sign
$3,198 - Dollars spend to replace two light bulbs on Maw Wilson sign
11 - Number of tickets City police issued each day in 2013 ((4,267)
60 - Number of tickets City police issued each day in 2018 (over 22,000)
6 - Number of new employees added to city hall last month
15%- (percent) in staff growth at city hall over the last 40 years
0% - (percent) in population growth in Moose Jaw since 1961
0 - Number of (Request for Proposal) RFP’s the city received on the old hospital land
24 - Number of days it took to let the people and councillors know there were no bids
$95 - Million of dollars approved for new city debt limit
Too Numerous - the number of secret in-camera meeting this year
12 - Number of months before the next city election
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This newspaper is committed to providing fair and accurate reporting on all issues affecting the people of Moose Jaw. Some language in my July 17 and August 21, 2019 columns might be construed as alleging criminal conduct on behalf of city officials. That was unintentional. I wish to clarify that there is no evidence of any criminal wrongdoing by civic officials and I retract any commentary suggesting otherwise.
Robert Ritchie,
Publisher
