The Our Town - Clarenville Blog by Paul Tilley

On October 30, Clarenville Town Council invited interested parties and groups to present to them recommendations towards developing the 2013 Town of Clarenville Budget.  This is my submission: My presentation has three major themes: 1) Clarenville needs to focus on its people:  We need the right people, with the right skills (working for the town and living in the town) to grow Clarenville. 2) Clarenville's growth needs to be managed.  Rules are important, but more importantly these rules need to be applied and monitored. 3) Clarenville's future success relies on NEW people coming to town.  Without the luxury of a baby boom, our future success will rely on attracting and retaining younger, better educated, community oriented people.  To be attracted and to stay these people require that the Town be an attractive place to live, professionally run and with the amenities that they want.  If we don't do this other towns will. (Greater St. Joh...

Naheed Nenshi is the Mayor of Calgary.  He’s young, just over 40, and he’s innovative.  Mayor Nenshi spoke at Memorial University last week and in St. John’s.  His hour long talk and question and answer session is a fascinating look on how we can renew municipal government and engage citizens in the process.  It’s well worth the watch – see it  here Key discussion themes that Mayor Nenshi raised in his discussion.  I reflect on them as LESSONS FOR CLARENVILLE: On Involvement - people will be involved in their community if they are asked to be involved. On being open as a country   - Nenshi noted that in order to continue our growth we are going to need imported talent.   We have to be more open.   Nobody should care where you are from - be concerned about what you can bring to the table On Transparency  - People want honesty and transparency. Transparency...

Last week you and I and the Town of Clarenville bought a new pickup truck.   It’s a pretty regular occurrence for the Town to purchase a piece of equipment to allow it to do the things that we, as citizens, expect to be done.   In order to help ensure that our elected officials get the best value for our tax dollars, things of any significant value (>$500) need to be purchased through a tendering process.  This means that we get at least three quotes on a significant item before we buy and then we, through our elected council, select the best of the bids. Multiple quotes ensure that our best interests are served.  Last week this did not happen and I’m not at all sure why.   According to the transcript of the meeting (reported on the PACKET website Oct 6 meeting @ 33 minute mark) , only a single quote was received for a ¾ ton pickup to the value of $39,947 +HST.  This single quote was accepted without question by the Council. There ...

After carefully listening to Tuesday’s Council meeting I was taken aback by Council's approval and insistence for “in writing” only proposals and limited private meetings for the pre-budget consultation with the finance committee scheduled for October 30. The formality of this approach will almost ensure that fewer people will seek a meeting and, because of the insistence on “in writing” comments, even fewer people will take part – especially those who are not competent speakers or writers – they will simply not bother to participate in the process. What impact will this decision have on the retired senior, people who prefer to express themselves vocally rather than through the written word  or the young person who each might have some very insightful thoughts to share with the Council but who will be frozen out? If you feel Clarenville needs more opportunity for citizen participation rather than less, please express your concerns to Mayor Fred Best  fred@clare...

Surely by now, if you own property, you have received your 2012 property assessment in the mail.   It’s been a jaw dropping experience for most people as we have seen the appraised values of our properties go up by 25% or more over the last assessment 3 years ago.   Because of this, the Municipal Assessment Agency, the provincial agency that calculates the values, has become a lightning rod for taxpayers and municipal governments alike. Tuesday night’s Council meeting was no exception.  The MAA received an impassioned bashing – but I’m not convinced. If you look at your assessment, I am sure that you will agree that it is a truer reflection of the actual value of your property.  Ask yourself honestly – could I get at least this much for my house if I sold it?  I am sure you will agree that it’s a more realistic value.   Because this assessed value is more realistic, banks will more readily acknowledge the value of your assets – maki...

I was at the hockey game this past weekend, where you?  If you were, did you work your way through the smoke outside the entrance? I remember when I sat on Council, we passed a progressive piece of legislation that outlawed smoking on all town owned property – including the stadium and stadium grounds.  At around the same time, several other  government departments and agencies, as well as some privately owned shopping malls, also adopted policies outlawing smoking on their properties.  It seemed like the thing to do. Since that time I have seen this rule made a mockery of time and time again – not just at the stadium but virtually everywhere that adopted the policy. Like many of the rules that are made, I wonder if they are made more to “look’ like some organization is being progressive rather than actually being progressive.   Old habits die hard, both for the organizations that make the rules and for those who choose to ignore the ...

Random Thoughts...: A New Piece of the Rotary Trail : Clarenville has a new trail to enjoy. Part of the Rotary Trail, it starts at the Dog Park and meets up with the original Rotary Trail. L...