Speaking truth to power

The following letter to the editor in this week's Crowsnest Promoter newspaper (not available on-line) speaks volumes to council's misguided believe that the only way to manage this municipality is by way of paying top-dollar to out of town "consultants", who know little to nothing about this community and its people.

In my travels throughout the community it's becoming apparent to me that most people I speak to now regret voting for a name, not knowing the man. Add to that, if this man and his council had told residents here they planned on running this community with over-paid consultants telling them what to do, the people here would have told them what they could do, and where they could go, with that idea.

If ever there was a quote that summarizes this councils style of management, I believe the following is it:

"Politics is the art of looking for trouble, finding it whether it exists or not, diagnosing it incorrectly, and applying the wrong remedy."


Council asked to do job elected for

Dear Editor,

There have been many letters in the papers condemning the current Mayor and Council - how they are running the community - and questioning who is making the decisions that affect the bylaws and services of the Municipality of Crowsnest Pass. As I do not sit on council, and as a taxpayer, I am not privy to most of the decisions made in council chambers - I can only base my feelings on what is being reported in the local papers and on the town website.

I base my opinion on my background and experience - and how the organization I headed handled the changing of our bylaws.

I am the past president of Hockey Alberta - an organization of more than 65,000 members with a multi-million dollar budget. An organization which has run successfully in this province for 105 years. Over the past two hockey seasons I set up a committee which looked at our current bylaws and regulations - which have been in place for decades. We conferred with our membership, travelling the whole province several times - received input, made changes and mostly listened to what our members wanted and needed.

The bottom line is that the new bylaws were passed with only three opposed - and were accepted with minimal changes by corporate registries.

The point is - changes that were needed were done without outside consultants, without spending exorbitant amounts of members' money, and without causing an uproar within the organization. The changes that needed to happen were done with the input of those people who were going to be most affected - our membership.

I was elected as President of Hockey Alberta to run the organization in a fiscally responsible manner and to ensure that services and programs were available to our members, without constantly asking for more money.

I voted for this mayor and council to run the community in the same way. What I am seeing is our elected council hiring consultants rather than making decisions on their own on how to run this community. Rather than looking internally for solutions, money is being sent outside the community to come up with supposed better ideas. A bylaw consultant, waste of time and money. A fire chief to tell our volunteers how to do the job they have been doing for years - an insult and a waste of time and money.

Strategic planning - great concept - Hockey Alberta is on year 12 of a 20 year plan. If not utilized by our council, senior staff and the community - another waste of time and money.

The bottom line is - council was elected to run this community - not to defer all decisions to people who are using the community as a way to line their pockets. I am asking you to please do your job.

Annie Orton




The government consists of a gang of men exactly like you and me. They have, taking one with another, no special talent for the business of government; they have only a talent for getting and holding office.