The Campaign is On -- and C.O.P.

I was very pleased to see one of the candidates in our upcoming by-election out door knocking in our neighbourhood today!  We discussed the election and some of the issues facing Beiseker.  I hope to see the other two candidates over the next few days.

There has been much concern voiced over the increase of senseless vandalism here in Beiseker in the past few months.  I note that the Village of Linden has started a C.O.P. (Citizens On Patrol) program in their community.  We had a similar program a few years ago the last time we experienced an increase in vandalism, but the program ceased when the problem went away.

The problem is back!  Should we re-create the C.O.P., here?  Do we have enough folks willing to drive around the community for a few hours each week? 

Let me know what you think.

My View on the Mountain View Gazette article

The article in an earlier post came from this week's edition of the Mountain View Gazette.  I was interviewed for it by Ms Isaac last week.  I think it's a fantastic article!  It gets the word out just how much silliness we've had to put up with from the provincial government over these past ten years or more.  We in Beiseker have had enough!

One thing not made totally clear in the article is that the Aqua 7 Regional Water Services Commission is made up of seven municipalities: Rocky View County, Kneehill County, Linden, Carbon, Acme, Irricana and Beiseker.  We are all facing this issue of high water costs and extra commission charges as we are all members of the commission.  Administration fees and debt servicing charges are paid for out of general renevue in each municipality.  Rocky View County has actually paid all those extra fees even though it hasn't sold one drop of water yet!

The leaking pipes and the poorly operating meters are purely Beiseker problems and I believe we are well on the way to solving them!   Coast-to-Coast Mechanical has installed more than 40 of the almost 300 meters already and Public Works Foreman Bill has detected and repaired many leaks!

Please, take time to read the article.  Thank you to the Gazette and Jennifer Isaac for bringing this story to the attention of even more Albertans.

Issue #1: Water! Water! Water!

Beiseker has many water problems.

 Our drinking water is supplied by the Kneehill Regional Water Services Commission from Drumheller. We buy water from the Town of Drumheller, then pipe it to Kirkpatrick where it is treated and distributed to Carbon, Acme, Linden, Irricana and us.

 The counties of Kneehill and Rocky View are also part of the system. The system was built about 6 years ago funded by the province, the federal government and the municipalities. Each level of government contributed about one-third of the full cost of the system. The municipalities are finding it hard to pay their portion!

Every attempt by the Commission to sell water has been blocked by the Town of Drumheller! That, coupled with water conservation programs have reduced the sale of water throughout the area.

Similar water projects around Alberta have been funded by the provincial government up to 90% of their cost! A water project east of us recently received funding of over 80% of the cost!

I will continue to fight to get Beiseker and the rest of the Kneehill Regional Water Services Commission an equitable funding arrangement, as they rightly deserve!