While over the last few years they have clearly indicated that they would not help fund any capital projects on community club recreation facilities that are actually located in the RM, and used almost exclusively by RM residents and taxpayers. So I think we can all understand why RM residents are concerned about the way that the RM Reeve and councilors have made the decision to give 8 million dollars of RM tax dollars to a luxury project located in the heart of the City of Portage la Prairie without any consultation with taxpayers.
On a project of this magnitude, a small ad in a local newspaper about a bylaw hearing held August 15th 2007 in the middle of harvest does not constitute a proper notification of taxpayers.
No one wanted to rain on the parade of the organizers at the public launch at the William Glesby center on May 15th, but when it is the first time the public has had a say it should be no surprise that the majority of people in the crowd were from the RM and obviously very upset over the way the RM council has conducted themselves.
Most people feel the mandate of the Rural Municipality should be infrastructure including roads, bridges, drainage, garbage, water, sewer, gas, internet, zoning, building inspections, etc.
While a few people think that recreation facilities should be included under basic infrastructure, most people have agreed with past council decisions not to fund projects of this type. To change the direction of the past councils on such a grand scale without consultation is simply unconscionable.
At least the City of Portage had this issue front and center in their recent municipal elections with people supporting the idea of the project by electing councilors on the platform of Portage needing a multiplex. No specifics of course, just a grand idea that politicians make to get elected.
The subject was never brought up in the RM elections, not a word mentioned. Do you think any Rural councilor or reeve would have gotten elected if they proposed making one of the largest loans in RM history and also use the rainy day fund to pay for hockey rinks and swimming pools outside their jurisdiction ?
Whether you agree or disagree on the proposed location, no one was asked where it should go.
Whether you agree or disagree of how it should be funded, no one was asked how much they were willing to pay or if they should pay at all.
Information has been provided from the top down by the 3 groups , there was never anyone asked at the grassroots level what their opinion was.
Everyone is simply being told to pay hundreds or thousands of dollars per year more in taxes to fund this project.