Editorial From the Central Plains Herald-Leader on April 25 2009

Budgets.  They are contentious pieces of paper, aren’t they?  Governing bodies walk on pins and needles when dealing with budgets issues because when it comes to money, people pay attention, and many people were paying attention on April 21 when the Rural Municipality of Portage la Prairie passed its $16.8 million budget, with one vote against.  In fact, so many people were paying attention to the RM’s budget that the meeting couldn’t take place in the RM office, but had to be moved to an auditorium.  As with many contentious issues, the people against the budget the had most to say, although there were some supporters in the audience, too.

Suprisingly, not all those opposed to the budget were so positioned because of the RM’s commitment to the PCU Centre in Portage la Prairie.  One ratepayer was concerned because the RM didn’t budget “one thin dime” for agriculture, the dominant industry in the Central Plains area, which is an extremely valid concern.

While politicians at all levels have to negotiate between those for and those against, it seems the RM of Portage held a public hearing in name only.  Reeve Toby Trimble stated, quite matter-of-factly,  “We gave the budget second and third readings this afternoon after the public hearing, so it is an approved document….this is our final decision.” Someone should inform Trimble this is not “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?”  and while a final decision does need to be made, all sides should be considered very carefully, perhaps, second and third reading of legislation that has people so hot-under-the collar should not be pushed through the same day.  Instead, the councilors should have a chance to ruminate on the concerns brought forth and take the time to talk amongst themselves about the next step in the process.

Putting the one long-standing major issue, the PCU Centre funding, aside, and looking at the conduct of the RM as a whole, the council needs to stop bulldozing through initiatives and start listening to people.  The naysayers are not speaking out purely to be a thorn in the side of their elected representatives.  The fact of the matter is they feel so strongly about their position that they even took the RM to court … and won!  One has to wonder what, exactly, it will take for the RM to start listening to the people who elected them?

This budget may, in fact be a very solid one, but that is not the point.  The Reeve and his councillors, minus one, did not even give the illusion of listening to the many people who showed up at the public hearing.  A day or two mull over the comments given by their electors would not have wreaked any major havoc to the running of the municipality. One cannot blame those who are performing their civic duty and showing up at these meeting for feeling like they’re hitting their heads against a brick wall because, despite all their best efforts, nobody is listening to what they have to say.

An elected position means you are responsible to the public who elected you to work in their best interests, not to sweep their suggestions and concerns under the rug in order to get on with the business of the day. Hopefully, the next time the RM call for a public hearing, they will actually stop to hear what it is the public is telling them.

Tara Seel is the editor of the Central Plains Herald-Leader.