Dear Editor,
Sgt. Kyle Koller, I read your introductory article in the Review on May 5 and I have some concerns. I have been a resident of Rimbey for over 20 years. I also served on council for nine years and understand about the issues of traffic law enforcement as well as bylaw enforcement.
I took exception to your comment that “The average, when people think we are not in town is 80K” is an outrageous exaggeration. Who are these people? The vast majority of law abiding Rimbey residents observe our 50K speed limit and other than an occasional reminder (warning) the majority are cautious courteous drivers.
In my 20 plus years driving in Rimbey I was pulled over twice and given warnings by our resident RCMP. Constables Bill, Cliff and even Staff Sgt. Ken who viewed their jobs while living in our community as one of to serve and protect.
I asked another high profile citizen who has lived here over 20 years and he had a similar experience, no tickets but three warnings. Unlike you, being a non-resident, the RCMP felt they were part of the Rimbey community and performed their jobs admirably without writing a batch of tickets. Their income wasn’t predicated on their ticket writing.
I was present in a Rimbey business recently when you walked in and waved a book of tickets at the mayor and said “Look what I made for the town!” How does that jive with your comments about quotas and or grey area infractions?
I can guarantee you this one thing, in the nine years I was on council we evaluated the need and/or responsibility of council to hire a part time bylaw enforcement officer, but because of cost, decided against it.
People need to understand that 40 per cent of the value of the tickets that you write and/or that RCMP writes in our jurisdiction comes to the town as revenue. We pay for our RCMP by way of our federal and provincial taxes. Your services need to be paid for by way of town taxes, aug- mented by fine revenue.
I also took exception to your comment “that visi- tors to this community are enticed to spend more time here.”
I talked with a regular visitor and Rimbey supporter, a 70 plus year old female farm resident from out west who is more than a little upset at you hiding in the bushes at the west end of town at the top of the hill right after the area where the speed zone changed and gave her what amounted to her third ticket in 50 years of driving. Sure happy you protected us from her speed demon driving and welcomed her to our community.
People of Rimbey need to understand that it is administration’s responsibility to administer this program. Mayor and council approved it, they can also disapprove it and terminate it at any time if they so choose. I would encourage Rimbey taxpayers to speak to the part time, highly paid, possibly in part from fine revenue, non-resident town administrator Donna Tona and let her know your thoughts about her administration of this program. You can also speak to mayor or council.
Being as how this pro- gram is sponsored between the Town of Rimbey, summer villages and other jurisdictions, you may want live in those areas.
I know at least one disgruntled Gull lake resident who was ticketed for parking on the wrong side of the street. (I’m not sure if that was a grey area location).
Concerned citizen, Dave Karroll