So a special meeting on 70 Arlington was held Wednesday Sept. 29, 2010. The meeting that was not announced until Tuesday to try and limit the amount of people who could attend. I for one have a very forgiving boss who allowed me to leave work to attend with very little notice. I am lucky to even have heard about it.
At the meeting Mayor Nolan Crouse stated he was told by Habitat for Humanity that 24 units was not affordable? How is it not affordable when they are a not-for-profit organization that gets donations of the land, building supplies, labour and cash? Habitat's own website states:
"Average cost per square foot?
“The average cost per square foot of Habitat houses in Canada is about fifty dollars. This cost reflects building materials and services only. Any costs associated with acquiring land would be in addition to this. Labour is volunteered.”
This would mean that a 1,000-sq.-ft. house would cost $50,000 as the money for the land has been donated already. How is that not affordable?
So they turn around and instead of listening to what the public has said, do what they want. As a matter of fact one member of the public who asked if she could speak stated that it is the mayor’s right to let someone from the public speak without re-opening the public hearing if he so chose. And what did Mayor Crouse say? The public hearing is closed. Then they proceeded in this back room to pass the 30 units proposed and close the meeting. Please keep in mind that Mayor Crouse was quoted in the St. Albert Gazette Wednesday on the issue of the sculptures from Monday’s council meeting:
“The reason I voted for it was based on the input we received,” Crouse said in an interview Tuesday. “My going-in position last night was to send it to budget and have it compete with other business cases. The public influence last night changed my mind.”
Council heard from 10 speakers, all of who supported the purchase.
That's right. Mayor Crouse said he voted for it because 10 people showed up in favour of it. So when 10 people want something, Mayor Crouse will spend $232,500 of taxpayers' money but when around 100 people speak up against 70 Arlington and even are willing to compromise, they are completely ignored.
Coun. Lorie Garritty who is not even seeking re-election said that he thinks it is a good project. What about the people who voted for him? Is that not what he should be thinking of? It should not be about what Garritty thinks.
Council had so many options that they could have gone with but they chose the most abrasive, ignorant, sneaky and undemocratic path that they could have.
Is this who you want for the next three years? I hope the rest of St. Albert was watching and realizes that this can easily happen to them next. Only one incumbent — Coun. James Burrows — voted against this proposal and as far as I am concerned, the rest need to be voted out.
Blaine Emmons, St. Albert
