Letters

Kimberley and South Eastern B.C. ‘Under Siege’

I’ve been wondering how long it will take for the Animal Alliance and the Deer Protection Society to distance themselves from their two representatives that were arrested as they ‘allegedly’ destroyed our clover traps.  They all like to talk about the waste of tax payer’s dollars so I can’t see any reason why these people should not step forward to refund we tax payers for the damaged/destroyed deer traps as well as all of the additional expenses incurred by the RCMP and the courts.  I know I certainly don’t want to pay for it.  We will be expecting to hear that you will do the honourable thing and soon be reimbursing us.

A recent Bulletin reader wrote complaining that he/she was not informed that the traps were being set.  I think you need to come out of your tunnel; your vision seems to be impaired.  News of the cull has been reported on the radio and in the newspaper for months based on a democratic decision made by your elected City Councillors.  And what would be the point of phoning you up so you can plan a negative media blitz and invite unwanted vigilantes to our city.  We don’t need or want these night stalkers.

It is also interesting to read about the threats emanating out of Toronto regarding our business.  Ms. White claims that we will suffer dire consequences if she and her society don’t get their way.  Well, as a person very familiar with the Western part of Canada, I don’t think I could find a single person that would give two cents for the opinion of a person in Toronto.  Going back to “The Crow Rate”, there has never been any desire to entertain eastern opinions or solutions to our problems.

Now it’s not as though Toronto doesn’t have its own problems right now.  Might I suggest that we have amazing dogs in Kimberley that could do a wonderful job of hazing the Mayor from their fair City.  He doesn’t seem to be that fleet-of-foot so hazing should work quite nicely.  Problem solved.

Bill Roberts

Originally published in the Cranbrook Daily Townsman July 2012

Open For Business?

Prior to being elected to municipal office, members of the Citizens for A Livable Cranbrook Society (CLCS) were relentless in their demands for transparency and accountability from Mayor Manjak and Council. Now that the CLCS are in power I would like to keep their tradition alive by asking a few questions:

During his Inaugural Address Mayor Stetski refuted the notion that the CLCS was "anti-development" and insisted that the City of Cranbrook under him would in fact be "open for business". This comment was possibly made as a reference to the debate over the East Hill boundary extension that he and Councillor Cross were involved in as Directors of the CLCS and their well-documented opposition to the expansion. What do we make then of Mayor Stetski's current Development Costs Charge (DCC) bylaw proposal which could see current DCC's rise by at least 100% and according to opinions submitted to Council, potentially 500%? Considering that according to the 2011 City of Cranbrook Annual Report DCC levies for 2011 were far less than 2010 levels and that the City recorded only $3041 in DCC expenditures it would appear that under the current DCC bylaw development in Cranbrook is stagnating. It is hard to understand how this huge increase in DCC's will entice investment and job creation we need to keep our children here and our economy growing.

In the same address Mayor Stetski made reference to the 12 pieces of his platform, available for review at www.stetski.com , that we "will be hearing a lot more about" over the next 3 years. One of those pieces "Prudent Fiscal Management" states he would "limit basic municipal tax increases to a maximum of the annual inflation rate +2% annually" and that any major increase in revenues would be approved via referendum if elected. However in his 5 year Financial Plan Bylaw taxation levels are set to rise from $19,842,125 in 2011 to $26,364,027 for 2016, an increase of more than 30%! Does a $6,500,000 property tax increase qualify for approval via referendum? Is this what the citizens of Cranbrook were voting for when they elected Mayor Stetski? Was then Citizen Stetski planning this tax increase prior to being elected and if so why was he not transparent in campaigning on a tax increase that he has introduced in the first three months of holding office?

Ken Dunsire
Cranbrook BC.