This is one of two or three letters to the editor I plan to write to recap where the City of St. Albert is today and what I personally see as important moving forward. This letter specifically speaks to my personal intentions for the fall, 2017 municipal election.
First, one of life’s greatest gifts beyond parenting a child, is to be given the opportunity to work hard at work worth doing and the last nearly 13 years has been just that, serving this community and serving you on council. One just has to find out who one is and then do it on purpose and I have attempted to do that.
As I reflect on these past almost 13 years and what lies ahead, it satisfies me to know that important work has been done by the city, staff and the councils who serve you. It motivates me knowing that very important work is also forthcoming.
I also have chosen not to seek re-election in the fall of 2017; a decision driven by the thought of a different career stint and what that decision will be is left for another time.
St. Albert is known as arguably the safest community in Alberta, in recent years St. Albert has regularly been acknowledged as the best place to live in Canada, the best place to raise a family and recognized often as one of the safest Canadian cities, one of the best places to invest, and the list goes on. We are in a good spot.
Financially, we have seen several years of very modest tax increases and even a decrease last year, and the financial health, measured by reserves and debt is amongst the top two or three of all urbans in Alberta, arguably No. 1. The city, community, and corporation are in a sparkling place.
This community has within it about 100 not-for-profits. The community has about 25 churches and 30 schools. All of these organizations bring the most remarkable balance amongst the needs of education, culture, faith, social, recreation, health, business and sport. Having the opportunity to interface with each and every one of these organizations over time, has been perhaps my greatest pleasure and learning; seeing just how significant these sectors contribute to our community’s social capital and wellbeing. The community’s inclusiveness and unwavering love of youth, seniors and family contributes to our No. 1 ranking.
The non-residential sector, mostly represented by businesses, is also in a very good spot, as the trend toward improving our non-residential tax assessment compared to our residential is becoming balanced and getting even stronger. Not long ago, that split was 91 per cent residential to 9 per cent non-residential and today it is closer to 85-15 and nudging ever so close to a once thought elusive 80-20; thereby keeping residential tax increases in check. That economic development related goal reminds me of the Latin line on the city emblem: “In Omnibus Respice Finem”, meaning “in everything you do, look to the end.”
When I first began serving the community on council, Ray Gibbon Drive did not exist, nor did Servus Place, the Grain Elevator Park and Riel Recreation Park in their current forms. Today we must be grateful they each exist.
Part of how we live demands that we leave a legacy that outlasts us as individuals. While I have helped that as a father, a businessperson and as a hockey coach, I am also very proud to have teamed up with several city councils that have helped the community do that for and together with our community. Along with a current 625 city staff compliment, 60 RCMP members and the various organizations, a lot has been and is being done. The community however, still has needs for additional community gathering and community-development locations, needing another arena, aquatics facility, a gymnastics facility, expanded heritage sites, a bigger museum and library programming space. The next Council must step up and deliver on some of these needs.
Now, a few personal thoughts.
I love doing what you have elected me to do, and of the 20 mayors who served before me, only Richard Fowler, William Veness and Michael Hogan were given the opportunity to serve this community as mayor longer than me. That is remarkable company that I am humbled by and I am thankful and grateful to the community and my family for allowing me to serve you.
I chose community safety, wellness, neighbourhood, youth development and not-for-profit development as my public social policy platform while mayor. I chose business attraction through corporate and community brand and image enhancement as my public economic development policy focus. I chose the river valley, trees and the waste streams as a focus for my public environment policy focus.
I have attempted to serve St. Albert without faltering and I hope you believe that I have not faltered. I have worked at serving with sincerity, serenity, integrity and hard work. I have attempted to serve my duty as a communitarian leader. When needed, I have worked to give correction without resentment and I also have worked to see the sameness in beggar and in queen and in child and in king.
I hope you have seen that I have stuck to my values, even while being tested, since as we know, if one doesn’t, they are not values, they are just hobbies.
It has been said that one should leave the stage while the crowd is still clapping and while I am not certain if indeed the crowd is still clapping, I know it is my time to leave this stage. There is something to be said about choosing the time.
I still plan to be in early each day, serving where I need to serve. My parents raised me on a farm and we were poor. I owe it to my parents, to my entire family, to the community and to anyone who has little or lots. I owe it to continue to serve until the last time that I am expected to. Most know, I have been all in, serving early and serving late and I continue to do so.
My deepest and sincerest of appreciation and thank you to anyone and everyone who helps build this community in every which way possible.
In closing, a former United Nations Secretary used this brief prayer once which is profound in its meaning and profound in its simplicity.
“Night is drawing nigh
For all that has been – thanks
For all that shall be – Yes”
Thank you all.
Nolan Crouse, St. Albert
