Dear Editor:
I served nine years on council and was proud to have been part of the team that built the beautiful new town office and library building.
A few short years after moving the library to this new location, Jean Keetch started her campaign for more funds and more space. She was told the public purse was limited and she should do some fund raising and/or charge for her programs. Neither happened. She just keeps coming back to the town and Ponoka County and requesting more tax funding.
The crux of the problem is this: there is only one taxpayer, (you and me) yet three levels of government to fund, federal, provincial and municipal. In case you hadn’t noticed, there are huge cries for more public funds for all those who would feed off the public trough such as health care, schools, ambulance, policing, libraries and a multitude of special interest groups. They all have one thing in common: their piece of the pie is the most important to them.
None of those who signed the petition about the library are against having a functional library. What they were against was Jean Keetch’s empire-building vision of a library/social venue, as well as they were against the towns’ proposed financial disaster in caving in to Keetch’s demands.
I was surprised by a few of the responses in support of this vision, Natalie Evans wrote about her children attending story time, movie night, pizza and board games night, holiday-themed parties, science experiments, magicians and storytellers. What she didn’t say was that these functions were free and or almost free, and what a great babysitting service it is. Look at our magnificent community centre and programs that they offer — they can’t get people to attend because they cost money. They even let go of their program director, and now I see another huge loss to our community is Rick Kreklewich, the Recreation director, and his wife, Sarah, and their two children. Rick is moving on to Blackfalds, and because it is politically correct, he won’t say anything bad about his current employer or council but the reality is there were and are some serious issues.
Rimbey’s population continues to shrink, now down 104 and counting since this council took control.
Like MLA Joe Anglin said, where is Keetch’s business plan, what other options did she look at? She complained she would have to add staff to move some of her programs to other facilities, like the community centre, and or to the Blindman Youth Action Centre. Both places have kitchens and substantial space and are free and or almost free. What about moving to the Co-op mall where everyone in the community visits weekly? The rent was mentioned at $60,000 she said it was too expensive, but what she didn’t say was that the rent of $60,000 included utilities, so her net rent would have been $30,000 a year, completely within her budget. If it wasn’t within her budget, I’m sure the town and the county could help out with a few more dollars to move her library to the Co-op mall.
I am a senior on a fixed income and can’t afford these frivolous expenditures. Don’t put up with this drain on our precious tax dollars. If this comes to a referendum please vote against it.
If it goes to public meetings please show up so those with focused special interest don’t dominate the meetings like they attempt to do with articles in the paper, and emails to put pressure on those in politics.
You may even choose to call or email the county and or the town in opposition to this ridiculous funding request. If you remain silent, those in favor of this funding request are being encouraged to call Ponoka County and the Town of Rimbey to promote their cause, they will win and your tax dollars will be wasted.
Dave Karroll