It is Waste Reduction Week

Nature's Gold

It's nature's way and it is beautiful.  The leaves fall, blanketing the ground, replenishing nutrients to the ever evolving life we take for granted, that below the surface; the ecosystem that feeds us, warms us, cools us and on which we depend for our own lives. So why do some people vacuum up those leaves and wrap them in plastic to be hauled away to a prison for plastic and old mattresses?

Raked into a pile or left on the ground, nature will make nature's gold. It is black beautiful and valuable.

Bob Dylan, a rare genius and a most deserving Nobel Prize winner, Gerry Warner

Bob Dylan, a rare genius and a most deserving Nobel Prize winner

Perceptions by Gerry Warner

Yes Virginia, there’s some justice left in a Donald Trump world – Bob Dylan has won the Nobel Prize.

This news hit me like a sledgehammer yesterday. The man that I have venerated since the early 60’s has finally gotten his just dues. When I first heard it on CBC, I fairly whooped with delight.

Good Lord, Creator God you gave us one when we needed it the most. Here we have this crazed bigot running amok spreading hatred, racism and lies, which for a while looked like it might make him President and now a languorous ray of pure sunshine has broken through. The poet that wrote “Blowin’ in the Wind,” the greatest anti-war anthem ever, has been recognized for what he is – a troubadour of truth at a time when we most need that rare commodity.

And to you naysayers who say Dylan is no poet, I say shame on you: "Gonna change my way of thinking, make my self a different set of rules. Gonna put my good foot forward and stop being influenced by fools." And God damn his poetry rhymes, the most powerful and difficult form of poetry. And it’s beautiful, haunting and hurting like that other great singer/poet, Hank Williams: “The guilty undertaker sighs. The lonesome organ grinder cries. The silver saxophones say I should refuse you. The cracked bells and washed-out horns. Blow into my face with scorn. But it’s not that way. I wasn’t born to lose you . . .” 

And Dylan speaks truths that are so powerful, yet so obvious, your reaction is why didn’t I think of that: "You don't need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows." Or: "Some people feel the rain, others just get wet." Or; "Act the way you’d like to be and soon you’ll be the way you’d like to act." And the classic:  "When you've got nothing, you've got nothing to lose."

But most of all, Dylan has got guts and the courage to say things that would be unsayable by anyone else. Witness these incredible lines out of “Hurricane:” “All of Rubin’s cards were marked in advance. The trial was a pig circus. He never had a chance. The judge made Rubin’s witnesses drunkards from the slums. To the white folks who watched, he he was a revolutionary bum. And to the black folks, he was just a crazy nigger. No one doubted that he pulled the trigger.”

Who else but Bob Dylan in a nation torn apart by race could get away with using the ultimate racist epithet “nigger?” Dylan got away with it because he did what every poet does – he spoke the truth.

If only we heard it more often!

I could go on, but I think you get my drift. In awarding Bob Dylan The Nobel Prize for Literature, the Nobel Prize Committee made a courageous, thinking out of the box decision. The Swedish Academy congratulated Dylan’s music for “having created new poetic expressions within the great American song tradition.” And all I can say is Amen to that.

I doubt that Donald Trump is a Dylan fan. I wouldn’t even be surprised if he doesn’t know who Dylan is. Trump is kinda ignorant that way. But it’s a dangerous ignorance that can’t do anything but harm to the world. Thank God there’s people like Dylan in the world because he does what every artist, poet, novelist and singer does to some degree or the other.

They speak truth to power, beauty to pain, laughter to sorrow, and most of all, they make us feel good about ourselves and our often miserable world.

Gerry Warner is a retired journalist and life-long Dylan fan and was one of the first in line when Dylan came to Cranbrook.

Poisonings in Community Forest

WARNING

REPORTS OF TWO POISONINGS RESULTING IN DEATH TO THE DOGS  IN THE LAST WEEK.

KEEP YOUR DOGS ON A LEASH !

IF YOU NOTICE ANYTHING SUSPICIOUS, CALL 1 (877) 952-7277

THE RCMP ARE LOOKING INTO THE MATTER.

THE SUSPECTED SUBSTANCE IS A WHITE MATTER AND POISON IS HIGHLY TOXIC - DO NOT TOUCH.

Enough

and Happy Thanksgiving Monday

Thanks to democracy, Council’s decision to borrow $10 million could be overthrown or confirmed by Gerry Warner

Thanks to democracy, Council’s decision to borrow $10 million could be overthrown or confirmed

Perceptions by Gerry Warner

God bless democracy! It may not be a perfect system as Winston Churchill once said, but democracy could save Cranbrook tax payers and property owners millions of dollars this month if they get off their butts and use it.

What am I talking about? Glad you asked. I’m talking about the Alternative Approval Process (AAP) now in place until the end of the month that could over rule City Council’s decision to borrow $10 million to jump-start spending on the crumbling road and infrastructure system in our city

But how many good Key City residents even know the AAP is happening or have bothered to pick up their form at City Hall? Not many. Media coverage has been light. There seems to be no buzz around town about the AAP unlike the East Hill boundary extension proposal that galvanized voters in 2009 and almost led to rioting in the streets. So as a public service, I’m going to explain what’s going on and try to do it as fairly and accurately as I can.

After all, it’s your money and mine.

The AAP form can be picked up during business hours at City Hall. It sets out what the City wants to do, namely approve a bylaw to borrow up to $10 million over the next 20 years to accelerate road, and infrastructure development in the city. Council has already voted unanimously to do this. But because it involves borrowing money, a lot of money in addition to the taxes we already pay, the AAP  provides taxpayers with the rare opportunity to overrule a decision by their elected councillors. The way it works is if 10 per cent of registered voters, which is 1,499 in this case, sign the AAP form and return it to City Hall before the deadline 4:30 pm Oct. 31, it will overturn the bylaw passed by Council and trigger a referendum as happened during the East Hill controversy.

Serious stuff for sure. Serious enough that all residents and property owners in the city should be aware of it and exercise their right to sign the AAP if they oppose the bylaw or refuse to sign if they support it. This reminds me of a famous quote by former US President John Kennedy: “We hold the view that the people come first, not the government.”

As usually is the case, there are many issues surrounding the bylaw. The City rightly points out now is a good time to borrow because interest rates are historically low. However, it could also be argued that we already pay taxes to provide services such as roads, sewer and water and our taxes aren’t cheap and borrowing would only add to the burden. Nevertheless, some may be tempted to support the City’s bylaw and not sign the AAP because our roads are in such atrocious shape, especially 2^nd St S. one of the main arterials serving the residential south side and sure to take one of the biggest bites, if not the biggest, out of the $10 million borrowed.

But do we need to borrow $10 million now when this will cost residents a tax increase of $31 per $100,000 of assessed value? And will interest rates stay this low much longer? Some say the the $4.1 million annually the City is spending now on roads and infrastructure should be spread out over a longer period eliminating the need to borrow and raise taxes. But others say we’ve waited long enough to fix our roads and borrowing now makes sense.  However, still more feel Council should lobby Ottawa more vigorously for Cranbrook’s share of the $120 billion Federal Infrastructure Fund, which would make borrowing unnecessary. Personally, I feel the City should have held an open house on the issue to better inform the public before they make their fateful decision on this issue.

So that’s it folks.It’s an extremely important decision for everyone in the city and one deserving thoughtful consideration. If you want to know more, check the City’s web page or go down to City Hall and get a copy of the AAP form.

But if you just ignore it you’re showing little appreciation for the hard-won benefits of democracy.

Gerry Warner is a retired journalist and former Cranbrook City Councillor.

The Math

Do we need a $10 million, 20 year tax burden?

The City of Cranbrook proposes to borrow $10M for road and infrastructure improvements. There is no question that improvements are needed but is this the best time? What are the implications for your taxes? Are there alternatives? You have only until October 31st to register your concern by signing a petition. The election promise was to fix our roads and not raise our taxes - an objective that can be met in 5 years without a loan that overburdens taxpayers unnecessarily. 

What you’ll be paying:

•          A total of 5.36% tax increase for 2016.  The projected 2017 tax increase could be a 6.78% tax increase.  A 20 year tax burden on seniors and young families.

•          The proposed $10 million loan would be paid for by taxpayers over 20 years.  That is an automatic 2.1% increase per year.  $31 per $100,000 residential assessed value.  Tax increase for business owners will be $56 per $100,000.

•          Plus regular annual tax increases.  The general property tax increase for 2016 is 2.26% or $16.84 per $100,000 of assessed value. The projected tax increases for 2017 = 3.68%, 2018 = 4.01%, 2019 = 3.72%, 2020 = 2.42%. 

•          Plus the additional yearly 1% Road Improvement Tax equates to about $7.45 per $100,000 of assessed value for residential property in 2016.

What’s the rush?  Let’s keep our tax dollars here.

•          It is estimated that the 1% Road Improvement Tax will fund just under $10 million of the $32.7 million in capital road projects planned for 2016 through 2020.  So we don’t need a loan.

•          The City already allocates $4.1 million/year towards roads and infrastructure The $10 million load would fix the same amount of roads in two years instead of five years.  Five years isn’t unreasonable.  Let’s take our time.

•          Stretching the work over five years would allow the City to be able to contract with local businesses rather than those from out of town.

•         A recent announcement through the Union of BC Municipalities indicates that money for roads would be available to municipalities over the next two years.  (http://www.ubcm.ca/assets/Funding~Programs/Renewed~Gas~Tax~Agreement/ubcm-phase-2-funding-submission.pdf?utm_source=The+Compass+-+September+28%2C+2016&utm_campaign=The+Compass+-+September+28%2C+2016&utm_medium=email)

What can you do?

You can fill in a petition form at the City of Cranbrook offices, 40 - 10 Avenue S.  Or you can print off a form online from the City’s website - www.cranbrook.ca go to Alternative Approval Process and click on the blue link to elector response forms. DUE Oct. 31.

Happy Thanksgiving

photo Stewart Wilson

Cranbrook Autumn

Photos Jenny Humphrey and Stewart Wilson