I hope I am not too late to extend my kudos to the writers of the Gazette for the article regarding the St. Albert council changing its status from part-time to full-time councillors. As I read this, my first thought was, “Well that’s the end of my 50 years of residence here in St. Albert. I would not be able to afford the coming tax increase.” And then my next thought was, after realizing it’s April Fools time, “This would not be the first boner city council and administration got us, the taxpayer, into.” I can think of several boners.
Number one on my list, Ray Gibbon Drive. Underfunded and under-designed to accommodate whom? And, it is still not completed.
Number two: The Riel sports facilities built on the old city dump with cost overruns and the councillors just nodded their heads and OK'd the extra millions.
What about the planners and so-called engineers who oversaw these projects? I guess, at the end of the year, they got a performance bonus for their mismanagement.
If it was not for Mrs. Elke Blodgett, things would have been swept under the rug.
Number three: Someone leaked to real estate agents that the Villeneuve Road would be either closed or redirected. Real estate sales promised this to be a 98 per cent certainty.
Now the buyers of homes along that stretch are stuck with noisy traffic behind their homes. Try and get your fees back from the real estate sales people.
Number four: The so-called alignment of St. Anne Street. A $1.8-million blunder to remove some 100-year-old tree stands to end up at a dead end at Taché Street.
If this is part of the DARP project then it missed its mark by $1.8 million, which could have been used for more important projects. Or were our planners trying to accommodate the big Grandin center project. Who knows, hush-hush. How about some fire department ladder trucks to reach the 27th floor towers?
Number five: I think councillors got sideswiped by the administration with this new Supplementary Capital Contribution for future consideration and current infrastructure costs.
Another way to dig a little deeper into the taxpayers’ pockets and where does that money end up? As far as current infrastructure costs are concerned, that’s what are we paying utilities for.
These costs should include repair, maintenance and some growth. At least that should be part of any corporation's business plan. I guess our high priced help at city hall is foreign to that idea.
Years ago we had no storm sewer facilities and we really still don't. But then someone’s brainchild said here is where we can make some extra cash and voilÄ‚Â , here is another tax to pay
As far as council’s per diem expenses go, well that’s another story.
Well this is food for thought and my observations over the last 50 years. Time to say good-bye.
Hans Felch, St. Albert
