The following is a list of questions posed by area residents at the Town of St. Paul election forum, but that did not get addressed due to lack of time at the Oct. 4 event. The St.
The following is a list of questions posed by area residents at the Town of St. Paul election forum, but that did not get addressed due to lack of time at the Oct. 4 event. The St. Paul Journal provided these questions to each of the candidates, giving them the opportunity to respond. Questions are followed by the answers of the candidates who chose to respond.
Council candidates include incumbents Don Padlesky, Judy Bogdan, Norm Noel, Dwight Wiebe, Ken Kwiatkowski and Edna Gervais, along with challengers Gary Ward, Ron Boisvert, Lise Belliveau, Brad Eamon, David Inscho, Nathan Taylor, Kim Werenka, and Tyson deMoissac.
Incumbent Mayor Glenn Andersen will be running against challenger Maureen Miller for the mayor's chair.
Question - Do you think there is a healthy work environment at the Town with over 30 staff either leaving or being terminated over the last two years?
Answer from Lise Belliveau - I have heard of job dissatisfaction and a culture of fear and retribution regarding Town of St. Paul employees. I want to ask for clarification of hiring/firing policy. I also want to know what steps where taken before firing occurred. Research very clearly shows that employees do not do well in a culture of over control and that innovation and personal investment is thwarted.
Answer from Brad Eamon - No, with that turnover rate there is something there that needs to be examined.
Answer from Maureen Miller - I know you keep hearing our only employee is the CAO which is true, but a review of the procedures that are presently in place I believe is warranted based on the community concerns.
Answer from Edna Gervais - Council has one staff member that they are responsible for, that is the CAO. All other staff report to the CAO. I am not sure of the exact number of Town employees that have resigned or been terminated in the last 2 years but I do believe that new Council should review this with the CAO. Having a positive work environment it crucial for the Town to run smoothly.
Follow-up question to incumbents - Were exit interviews done on all leaving/terminated employees?
Answer from Edna Gervais - As stated in my previous comment, Town staff is the CAO’s responsibility & therefore it would be inappropriate for Council to interview these employees, as per MGA 201. (2) A council must not exercise a power or function or perform a duty that is by this or another enactment or bylaw specifically assigned to the chief administrative officer or a designated officer. However, Town employees were given the opportunity to anonymously give their feedback on the CAO’s Annual Evaluation, that was completed by Council, in July 2017.
Question to incumbents: Do you feeling spending $25,000 to bring a Junior A World Exhibition hockey game was a prudent use of taxpayer money? If so, what was the economic benefit to the town?
Answer from Edna Gervais - When the past Rec. Director brought the idea of hosting a World Junior Hockey Game in St. Paul, I thought it was a great idea. This event could be enjoyed by all ages & it would bring people into our community. Based on the Rec. Director’s calculations, with admission & 50/50 sales there would be no cost to the town. He indicated that there was a possibility of even showing revenue with liquor sales. Based on this information Council made the decision to bring the game to our town. Unfortunately the Rec. Director had not done his due diligence in obtaining accurate information from World Junior Hockey in regards to the regulations that had to be followed to host the game. It is so important for Council to have proper information in order to make sound decisions. With the proper information I would not have been in favor of spending the money.
Question: What is fair to expect of you in terms of transparency and accountability to do the right thing for the community? How can taxpayers hold you accountable?
Answer from Edna Gervais - In the past 4 years on Council I have received many emails, texts & phone calls from residents with questions or concerns. I ensure that resident’s questions are answered & their concerns are addressed. I would also like to see regular Open Town Hall Meetings & all Council Meetings be live streamed so everyone can view the action. This would encouragement public engagement. Our residents should have the right to give their input prior to decisions being made.
Answer from Lise Belliveau - I think transparency and accountability are supported by having many conversations, including radio call ins, coffee shop meetings, accessible viewing of meetings and getting back to residents when they ask a question.
Answer from Brad Eamon - If elected I am here to represent our community and listen to what the residents want. I know at times not everyone will be happy with some of the decisions made but having said that I want to engage our residents and approach every decision with an open mind. I will do the best I can for this town.
Answer from David Inscho - I believe it is a fair expectation of the taxpayers to have access to all elected officials to be able to discuss the ratepayers wants needs and concerns. All decisions of council should be available to the taxpayers as much as possible so as to make sure the people of the town know what is going on.
Answer from Maureen Miller - You can hold me accountable by my commitment of information sharing and community engagement. I would like to see council meetings live streamed so the public can be involved with decisions that they may be passionate about.
Question: To Maureen Miller specifically - How does being on a school board directly working with schools give you the qualifications to run a town?
Answer from Maureen Miller - There are many similarities in both organizations. Definitely the rules of order of council meetings and reporting to government are similar. Budgeting as well as the responsibility of hiring and evaluation of the Superintendent/ CAO are the same. A passion to be involved in decisions regarding the future of our children is what initially attracted me to the school board and I have that same passion of wanting to be involved with the future of the town . I specifically worked on the communication and policy committees because I have a strong belief that if policy is clear the direction of the whole organization moves forward with one common goal. Every decision counts no matter how trivial it may seem so without the direction and policy to support it an organization is in a reaction mode and not so much proactive. My other passion has always been communication. As parents of children in our care concerns around changing curriculum, modernization of schools to meet changing curriculum, student / teacher ratio were common concerns. Engaging community and parents and understanding their perspective we as a board were able to move these concerns through to Provincial levels and be their voice. This open communication is absolutely necessary in an organization that is supported by your tax dollars.
Question: If elected, what's one thing you commit to doing to reduce unnecessary costs for taxpayers?
Answer from Lise Belliveau - Costs can be held in check by having a freeze on salary increases for council. Planning development over three years for infrastructure projects as well as being vigilant to support projects that have positive economic impact on businesses.
Answer from Brad Eamon - Spending our tax dollars responsibly.
Answer from Edna Gervais - I think it is very important for Council to do their homework & have all the information necessary to make sound decisions in regards to spending. We have to spend wisely but we also have to focus on economic development in order to increase the commercial & industrial tax revenue. This would help to maintain or reduce residential taxes.
Answer from David Inscho - The first thing would be a complete review of all town procedures and programs with a view to eliminating any duplication of services. The second would be implementing the recommendations of such a report.
Answer from Maureen Miller - It is council's responsibility to do our due diligence in gathering the necessary information to assist in making sound educated decisions. If unnecessary spending is identified or common sense requires us to do business differently but more efficiently those changes will be made.
Question: To incumbents - Councillors attending FCM conference did not stay for the full conference but went on a tour of parliament on one day. Was this a good use of taxpayers' funds? Do you feel councillors should reimburse the town for the registration fee for that day in the amount of $312.63 and for your per diem of $225 for the day you did not attend your sessions?
Answer from Edna Gervais - The Tour of Parliament was scheduled by Shannon Stubbs, MP for our area. It is important for local government to work closely with Provincial & Federal Leaders. The tour itself was very informative & lasted just over an hour. I did not miss any sessions at FCM.
Answer from Judy Bogdan - I decided to go to Ottawa after looking at the itinerary and felt that it would be beneficial to attend. Sessions that I attended were "Food to Fork" initiatives, amalgamation of municipalities, networking other municipalities and some of their programs...i.e. Communities In Bloom, engaging volunteers, tours of historic sites which were donated by families for community events..
I was the one that organized the tour of Parliament Building with Shannon Stubbs for all of our Council. It was most enlightening, as I am an experiential learner. Our personal guide explained the Senate where we met one of the Senators. We had the opportunity to go inside the Peace Tower which was very moving to see all the names of Canadian soldiers who fought for our freedom in all the wars. Was it money well spent...yes indeed. Should we have to reimburse our per diem..no.
Upon our return, I did post as well as mention to citizens in the community that I would be willing to share all that I learned, share pictures and answer any questions. Unfortunately, no one person responded.
Question: To incumbents - Former CAO Ron Boisvert had a succession plan for the next CAO. Why did the succession plan not go through, and what was the costs to ratepayers for the training, and then re-hiring?
Answer from Edna Gervais - According to the Personnel Handbook that is used for the Town’s best practices. All Management positions are advertised internally & externally. Although Town staff are encouraged to apply but It is an open competition based on finding the most suitable candidate for the position.
In regards cost incurred to the Town for training or re-hiring I do not know the exact figure. It is important for all Managers & staff to have the proper education & training in order to understand their roles & responsibilities. This is an investment in town staff & should be ongoing.
Question: The youth council has wondered about environment and the opportunities for people in St. Paul to have recyclables disposed of properly. What are you willing to do to keep our disposables out of the landfill?
Answer from Lise Belliveau - I support recycling of biodegradable waste and believe that this needs to happen very soon.
Answer from Brad Eamon - Good question, I really don't have a good answer for. I would encourage everyone to look at how you recycle at home and ensure you are doing what you can. We all want what is best for our environment.
Answer from Edna Gervais - I am an advocate for Green Initiatives. I think we are headed in the right direction. Introducing the Organics/Waste Project for St. Paul is a good first step. I would also like to see all residents having curbside pickup for recyclables.
Answer from David Inscho - The Town of St. Paul will be implementing a blue box program this will help to keep a great deal of the recyclables out of the landfill.
Answer from Maureen Miller - I am definitely an advocate to greener alternatives. It is our responsibility to be the leaders and investigate options for our community. We then communicate and receive direction moving forward. These decisions come at a cost and as residents you need to be informed and involved before these decisions are made.
Question to incumbents: What is the one decision that you have made on council to date that you have regretted or wish to have a re-do?
Answer from Judy Bogdan - If I were to re-do a decision, it would have been having the Junior A World Exhibition hockey game. I really did feel that it would be an opportunity to generate revenue for our town. I did not do enough research as to all the parameters involved.
Question: How is the town going to pay back the $1 million debt on the golf course, with low usage and low golf traffic? (Develop the back nine and then you can tax the heck out of them like the rest of us).
Answer from Edna Gervais - The Town having to take over the Golf Course came as a shock to me. I had questioned the need for the Golf Course to come & request financial assistance on a yearly basis. I was told that this was a reasonable ask. They would ask for financial assistance & they would pay it back after they presold golf memberships for the next year. From a business perceptive I did not understand how this made sense. They had to pay for the current year’s expenses with next year’s revenue. Then the inevitable happened & the Golf Course defaulted on a mortgage payment. Because the Town had backed the loan, the Town had to move forward with the takeover. At that time Council was advised that all dealings related to this matter would be handled by the CAO & Assistant CAO. Without Councillor’s knowledge, Administration sent out letters to the Golf Course Board. These letters stated that they would personally be responsible for the debt. From the start, most of Council felt that we should negotiate an agreement in order to be fair to all involved,. Keeping in mind that these individuals were hard working volunteers. The way Administration handled this was a fiasco & eventually Council had to step in to finalize the negotiations. Although it may seem like the Town inherited a white elephant please keep this in mind. The amount owing on the mortgage to date, is $727.000, the value of the Golf Course would appraise for millions more than that. It is still a work in progress but I can see it becoming a viable operation. Discussion has begun in regards to adding a Driving Range which is crucial to any Golf Course. At the end of 2017 a review of all financials will be done & I would encourage all members to come forward with suggestions to improve the Golf Course.
Answer from David Inscho - Unfortunately, we the taxpayers are stuck with this bill as the previous council guaranteed the line of credit for the golf course. I think that a new council has to look at all option that are available to it in order to alleviate this burden to the ratepayers of St. Paul.
Question to mayoral candidates: Can you each speak to the importance or non-importance of hiring an economic development officer for the town?
Answer from Maureen Miller - I believe an economic development officer would be an incredible asset to our community and surrounding partners. With changing demographics we need to be proactive in attracting the necessary businesses and services to keep St. Paul and area a community of choice.
Answer from Edna Gervais - This question was addressed to Mayoral candidates but I wanted to give my opinion. I feel it is vital for the Town to hire an Economic Development Officer (at least part time, perhaps shared with the County). EDOs have a certain skillset that is required in order to market our town properly & pursue funding opportunities. We have to look at Economic Development as a collaborative effort for our Region.
Question: Will you be fixing the Xtreme Oilfield road?
Answer from Edna Gervais - This road was budgeted to be done in 2017. The funds have to be diverted to major water & sewer line repairs . New Council may budget this for 2018?
Answer from David Inscho - The Extreme road is part of the new development plan and as such will be in line for a major overhaul.
Question: Yes/no question - Is your motive for running for council because of any of the following - the perceived dysfunction of current council, the disarray of upper management, or the dissolution among town employees?
Answer from Lise Belliveau - What has been happening on Town Council and in the Town office is a part of why I chose to run. I also feel that it is important to give back and work for consensus and progress. I have been successful in the areas in the past.
Answer from David Inscho - All of the above.
Answer from Maureen Miller - No.
Question: What's the biggest initiative you want to support or implement in the next term If you are elected?
Answer from Brad Eamon - I will support initiatives that will better our community. We need to make sure our tax dollars are being used effectively. We should support our seniors and plan for future generations.
Answer from Edna Gervais -
1)I want to ensure that the skatepark & Dogpark is completed.
2)I would like to examine our local healthcare system & the condition of our hospital. Perhaps this should have been done prior to the Wellness Centre being built. Yes we did need a new Clinic, but this would have been the time to assess all the deficiencies in our local healthcare system & assess the condition of the hospital.
Answer from David Inscho - In order to stop the municipal share of taxes from rising as they have been for the past several years I strongly believe that the Town of St. Paul desperately needs to invest in an industrial park so industries such as Extreme Oilfield have a place to set up business. These types of businesses pay a high rate of taxes and also pay very good wages. A town such as St. Paul cannot rely on as high a percentage of its tax base being residential. There needs to be an expansion of industrial tax base.
Answer from Maureen Miller - Coming from a medical background local healthcare has always been a concern to me in keeping a community viable. I need to understand how to improve the hospital facilities and well as continue to attract and retain physicians.
Question: Are any candidates taking a leading step into alternative energy such as solar, wind, geo-thermal, for our progressive town?
Answer from Lise Belliveau - I am interested in researching the possibility of solar power for town-owned property. The Chief and Council offices of Saddle Lake have solar panels on their buildings. We definitely need to expand our choices in St. Paul.
Answer from Edna Gervais - I am the town representative on the Alberta Bilingual Municipalities Assoc. One of the pillars of the Assoc. is green energy & they work closely with Eco-West Canada. Through this Assoc. the Town received almost half a million dollars of funding from Federation of Canadian Municipalities & from the Province for the Waste to Energy Study that was done. Through this Assoc. the town also received funding to review Emission Reduction Opportunities within our community.
Answer from David Inscho - I am in favour of all alternate forms of energy providing these forms of energy do not add to the tax burden of taxpayers.
Answer from Brad Eamon - If there are grants or incentives that would benefit our town they should be explored also I would encourage interested consumers to seek existing grants and incentives that are currently available.
Question for incumbents: What are some of the noteworthy accomplishments as a council member that show residents they should re-elect you in these trying times?
Answer from Edna Gervais: FCSS/Parent Link Building; Regional Waste to Energy Study-leading to Organics program in St. Paul; Skatepark/Dogpark initiative; Priority to create a Plan for maintenance, repair & replacement of infrastructure
Question: Given the turnover of town staff and the atmosphere of insecurity and disharmony prevailing among a large segment of the remaining personnel due to a management style which is insolent, are you prepared to ask the Minister of Municipal Affairs to carry out a ministerial review of all operations of the Town of St. Paul?
Answer from Brad Eamon - If it is warranted yes.
Answer from Edna Gervais - I would absolutely be in favor of having Municipal Affairs conducting a review of the operations of the Town.
Answer from David Inscho - No not to begin with but I will strongly advocate that council find out what is going on as this kind of turnover in staff is unprecedented. It is impossible that the Town of St. Paul has had for many years this many staff members that are not qualified for their jobs. I believe there is much more going on than meets the eye.
Answer from Maureen Miller - Having Municipal Affairs involved in the operations as well as training roles and responsibilities will be one of my first requests of our new town council.
Question to all incumbents: What is the procedure for giving wage increases to the CAO? Was this procedure followed for all three CAOs employed in the last term?
Answer from Edna Gervais - The procedure that is followed, is at the time of the CAO’s Annual Performance Evaluation an increase in pay is granted if the CAO has met the goals & objectives Council has set out for her/him. In my 4 years on Council this procedure was followed except for one instance, which I recently found out about. A substantial wage increase was given to the past CAO without all of Council discussing it. A resolution must also be brought forward at an open public meeting. If you look through the minutes this was not done.
Question: What would be your approach to the aging infrastructure issues of the town?
Answer from Brad Eamon - They will need to be addressed one way or another. The key is being efficient and effective now and for the future.
Answer from David Inscho - I think the first step is to hire a new engineering firm to do a complete audit of the town's infrastructure. Once this is completed, then the town can develop a plan to address any problems that were identified by the audit.
Question to Gary Ward: You were a councillor, then a recreation director. You and Harvey handled the golf course fiasco. Why are you running for council now?
Answer from Gary Ward - This main reason I am running for council is my love for the community and the passion, commitment and integrity I can bring to council. I want to be the voice of our citizens and continue making St. Paul a safe and better place to live. I am truly committed to the Town of St. Paul, my home and yours. I will work for and with you now and in the future.
Question to Mayor Glenn Andersen: Are there written performance evaluations completed for CAO, and if so, how often?
Question for Ron Boisvert and Gary Ward: What was the hiring procedure when you served as Town of St. Paul CAO/assistant CAO? Was this procedure followed for every open staff position?
Answer from Gary Ward -
To the best of my knowledge every position was handled in the same manner
- Posting of job
- Review of resumes
- Interviews with applicants by hiring committee
- Reference checks
- Follow up with applicants
- Issue letter to successful applicant
Question to new candidates: How many times have you attended council meetings in the last year and what is your experience in municipal and volunteer governance?
Answer from Brad Eamon- I have attended two meetings. I have very little experience in municipal and volunteer governance, however I am still running to represent the citizens of St. Paul, and I will work hard to ensure accountability and transparency. We all start somewhere and I will do the best I can.
Answer from David Inscho: I have attended council three times in the last year, twice this fall.
My volunteer experience:
17 years with the Mallaig Legion
Have held all executive positions in the Legion branch
23 years with the Army cadet league of Canada (Alberta branch)
1 term on the Army league provincial executive
2 terms on the Wildrose provincial executive
5 years on the local Wildrose board, three of those as vice-president of policy
2 terms on provincial Wildrose policy and constitution committee
Answer from Maureen Miller -I have attended many council meetings and have experience in Roberts Rule of Order in both school board as well as volunteer organizations I have been involved with.
Question: Do you support continued funding of library services at current levels? Would you support increasing funding? Do you personally use the library?
Answer from Brad Eamon - I personally have not used the library but I would support our library and services as I do feel that it benefits our community in many ways. As my girls grow older I'm sure it will be a “hub&” my family will use.
Answer from Edna Gervais - Yes I support continued funding for the library. If additional funding was required for the library I would consider it. I would need the backup information in order to support the increase. Yes I use the library.
Answer from David Inscho - First question - yes. Second question - no. Third question - seldom.
Question to Maureen Miller: What will you do regarding the vandalism happening in St. Paul?
Answer from Maureen Miller - Vandalism is the result of a much larger issue that unfortunately there is not an easy fix. I can see that our community has become more diligent in watching out for our neighbor. Possibility giving more focus on the importance of Citizens on Patrol volunteer program. I understand it is councils responsibility to keep our citizens safe but times have changed and now it will a greater concerted effort both with appropriate funding to our programs and volunteers to bring our community back.
Question: What steps would you take to beautify the town to attract more people to town?
Answer from Brad Eamon - Our town has come a long way, we need to continue to show others that as a community we care about our image and need to keep up the good work.
Answer from Edna Gervais - Beautification is important but we need to get the people here to see it. We need to partner with all agencies to market our town, Chamber of Commerce, HUB, County of St. Paul to name a few. The Town should look at establishing a Economic Development/ Marketing & Communication position.
Answer from David Inscho - Create greenery wherever possible. The best way to attract more people to town would be with more industry to hopefully lower the tax base thereby increasing the town's ability to attract more people to call St. Paul home.
Answer from Maureen Miller-I am open to any suggestions. Our community partners have done an incredible job in revitalizing the down town core and I know they have many ideas moving forward. I also know that volunteers are getting tired. We need to encourage more involvement. This is our community. I ask you to be involved.
