Election day is Thursday and I am encouraging everyone to vote, if you haven’t already. History’s great thinkers say we get the government we deserve, so use your ‘x’ wisely. You want a fair tax solution. You want council to work collaboratively, respectfully and transparently. You want good roads and infrastructure to serve existing residents […]
Bad news. Canada Post is negotiating with the municipality for space to locate super-mailboxes in Nesbitt, after two failed efforts since January to find a suitable postmaster and new building. Expect official confirmation sometime this month that the Nesbitt office will be permanently closed. Beyond the loss of postal services and a paying job, Nesbitt […]
Top Concerns Among Ward Two Voters POSTED JUNE 13,2019 GLEN KIRBY At campaign stops across our municipality, I ask farmers and acreage owners, “What does council need to work on?” Everyone has an opinion and it’s surprising how often those opinions hit the same themes. From my discussions with residents in Ward Two, here’s the list […]
When I ask residents about setting council priorities, rural roads is among the top three concerns. Maintaining and repairing roads is costly – the biggest spending category in Oakland’s budget when you add up equipment, materials and staff. In 2019, council has budgeted $75,000 for maintenance and gravelling plus another $75,000 for road reconstruction. That’s […]
As we chatted in his garage, a young voter asked how I plan to succeed as a councillor representing rural interests in Oakland-Wawanesa, when other capable people before me have struggled. This was an important question from someone who has lived his entire life in our municipality, representing a family with a long, long history […]
I have talked a lot about Oakland taxes increasing since the 2015 amalgamation with Wawanesa and I want to be clear about a few points. First, I’m thankful my municipal taxes haven’t jumped 39.9%, or 80%, or over 100% like some of my Oakland friends and neighbours. I have a school buddy and cattleman in […]
What a person doesn’t say can be as important as what they do say. Here’s an example from the Oakland-Wawanesa council meeting on Tuesday, May 21. Head of council Dave Kreklewich refused to apologize for misleading residents about the increased municipal tax burden on Oakland since amalgamation with Wawanesa in 2015. I called for the […]
I submitted my council nomination papers on Friday, which means the good folks in Ward Two of Oakland-Wawanesa will have to make a choice on June 20. Neil Bok and I are seeking the vacant seat in Ward Two. More could still join the race because nominations are open until May 15. To all candidates […]
As a long-time journalist, I am fascinated with what’s called ‘managing the message’. That’s when somebody with something to say doles out what they want you to know. Their version of the truth. Let’s take recent events in Oakland-Wawanesa. Within 5 weeks, two councillors resigned and a new budget was approved, despite petitions and challenges […]
Like a predictable movie, council unanimously approved the 2019 budget Friday, pushing municipal spending to an all-time high and tagging rural ratepayers with 86% of the costs for services shared with Wawanesa. In doing so, Oakland-Wawanesa councillors ignored petitions and requests from residents for a fair tax solution. But they promised to try harder next […]