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October 24, 2007 Vol. 33 No. 12  
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A warm drive in the country


Suzanne DePaoli keeps an eye on the cattle during a cattle drive at her family’s Buffalo Head Ranch west of Longview on Highway 541 last Friday. photo by Tamara Neely

Mullen lays off 100

By Don Patterson
Staff Reporter

The provincial review of oil and gas royalties has led to some difficult decisions by an Aldersyde-based transportation business.
The Mullen Group recently announced it will lay off up to 100 employees at several of its business units – many of whom are drivers – because of uncertainty in the energy industry generated in the wake of last month’s report on royalty rates.
Mullen Group CEO Murray Mullen said he hasn’t had to lay anyone off for 15 years. However, he said the combined effects of an already slumping drilling sector and industry fears about the report have had a negative impact on his business.
“If my customers don’t call I can’t keep my people employed,” he said. “These are people who have stayed with us and are not temporary workers.”
He said a number of oil and gas companies won’t be spending as much next year on conventional oil and gas activities, which makes up the bulk of Mullen’s business.
“I don’t sit at their board room tables, but what’s material to me and my employees is if they say ‘We’re spending less money,’ I have to pay attention to it,” said Mullen.
If the industry rebounds after the provincial government announces its decision, he said he’ll decide whether or not he’ll be able to re-hire staff.
According to Mullen, traditional oil and gas drilling is a different side of the industry than the oilsands. He said the traditional activities were already slow and any further reduction in activity would be felt province-wide.
“The oilsands are all concentrated in Fort MacMurray, Edmonton and Calgary. The drilling side is felt in every little town and every little community,” he said. “There are a few bucks spent in Brooks, some in Pincher Creek, some in Turner Valley and some in Grande Prairie. It could affect every part of our province.”
Ultimately, he said the government should treat the oilsands differently than conventional drilling when it makes its final decision.
“There’s nobody that disagrees with having a review of the royalties. Let’s make it work for the next 10 years. I do that all the time with my own business,” he said. “But you can’t blindly follow one report.”
The provincial government is expected to announce its decision regarding oil and gas royalties later this week.

 

Ballots tossed out, board chair ousted

By Bruce Campbell
staff reporter

While Beth Burk is being sworn in as the new trustee for Ward 1 on Oct. 24 in the Foothills School Division, the former trustee and school board chairman will be holding a rally to challenge the results of the Oct. 17 recount that lost him the Oct. 15 municipal election.
“I am having to spend thousands of dollars to fight for a job that I won legally and legitimately,” Jerry Muelaner said in an interview Sunday. “I will be holding a rally at 11 a.m. at the Flare ’n’ Derrick, to fund raise for the legal costs.”
Muelaner was initially recognized as the winner of Ward 1 after the Oct. 15 election with 703 votes to 689 for Burk. However, after the recount of Oct. 17, Burk was declared the new trustee by a 512-505 margin, due to 373 ballots, the majority in Turner Valley, being declared invalid because polling officials did not sign them. Three hundred and sixty-eight of those void ballots came from Turner Valley — meaning 66 per cent of the 557 votes in the community were not eligible.
Burk said on Sunday she is stunned about the results and will take a wait-and-see process to see how things pan out.
“I am still a bit in shock — and honestly I have no idea whatsoever what is going to happen,” Burk said. “I asked for a recount and what happened on Wednesday never even entered my mind...
“I know I have to be at the school board office in order to be sworn in.”
Burk has no choice but to allow herself to be sworn in. Her interpretation of the Local Authorities Election Act is if she does not accept being sworn in, she may be disqualified for running in the next two elections.
“On my nomination papers, I did sign that I would take office,” Burk said. “This is unknown territory — Mr. Muelaner has some options, but I do not have an option at this point.”
She said the recount controversy could be a learning experience for the school division.
“I think this is an opportunity for electoral reform within the school district and the opportunity shouldn’t be lost,” Burk said.
She said the board has an opportunity to review the law and to see what the school division should do for future elections.
Muelaner said what happened on Oct. 15 was a simple mistake.
He said the list of registered voters at the polls and the number of ballots, “they all jive… Here is an opportunity for the government to recognize this was a mistake and just let the recount to resume with the 373 ballots… if there are spoiled ballots don’t count them.” He said at this point, the indications are the government isn’t about to reverse the Oct. 17 recount. As a result, Muelaner will likely take legal action asking for either a recount with all of the 373 ballots back in the box or, if needed, a byelection.
Muelaner has up to six weeks to seek a judicial review. He stressed he would like to have the issue settled as quickly as possible.


In this issue...
House of Horrors

Dewdney Players
prepare for spooky spoof
• See Entertainment


Highwood On a Roll

‘Stangs snatch first place from Holy Trinity
• See Sports

News Stories

Editorial

 Sports Archives

Published Wednesdays at Okotoks, Alberta, Canada. Serving the communities of Okotoks, Aldersyde, Black Diamond, DeWinton, Longview, Millarville, Priddis, Turner Valley, Bragg Creek, and the rural ratepayers of the M.D. of Foothills. And now the World. Established August 3, 1976.