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Taxes, water hot topics at forum

Water, amalgamation and taxes were among big issues when 10 candidates vying for a seat on Black Diamond council faced off at last week’s candidates forum. Most questions directed to the two mayoral and eight councillor candidates Oct.

Water, amalgamation and taxes were among big issues when 10 candidates vying for a seat on Black Diamond council faced off at last week’s candidates forum.

Most questions directed to the two mayoral and eight councillor candidates Oct. 5 at Oilfields High School focused on the town’s water situation, amalgamation with Turner Valley and taxes.

Asked if council would strive to remove water restrictions and slow down development in the meantime, candidate Chelsey Kehler said water restrictions are becoming a norm worldwide.

Since the 2013 flood that washed away the town’s water treatment plant and wells, citizens have been on restrictions that eliminate outdoor water use on specific days at level 2 and altogether at level 3.

“Going off of level 2 restrictions is not something that’s going to happen,” Kehler said. “When we look at growth, we need to look at sustainable smart growth, environmentally friendly buildings. It needs to be smart expansion that makes sense to our tax base.”

Candidate Daryl Lalonde disagreed, saying council should explore opportunities to remain at level 1.

“It seems like we’re going the wrong direction,” he said. “I would like us to get to opportunities where you are looking at 1 as a normal, where 2 is a stretch.”

Candidate Ted Bain said council must sort out the Town’s water situation.

Black Diamond and Turner Valley have been sharing water since the flood, yet more sources are needed to bring the supply back to pre-flood capacity. The Sheep River Regional Utility Corporation is currently working with the Province on finalizing a source that could bring it back to that level.

“Without stable, secure water supply we are in big trouble,” Bain said. “Until we are as certain as we can be that we have a secure and sufficient water supply, making future plans is difficult at best.”

Another hot topic for the approximately 80 people at the forum was the possibility of amalgamating with Turner Valley. The communities considered merging twice before, but the idea was voted down both times.

The topic returned to the table after the towns formed the Friendship Agreement to share some services, resources and streamline policies and bylaws.

A feasibility study on amalgamation, completed last spring, explores maintaining the status quo, sharing more services between both communities and amalgamation.

Mayoral candidate Ruth Goodwin said she supports amalgamation, but the towns must first examine asset management, operations, development, services and staff and get public input.

“I am for a low and slow process, taking a look at where we need to go from this point to the next,” she said. “The financial audit must be done prior to taking that next step.”

Mike Ross, also vying for the mayor seat, said amalgamation is inevitable. While it doesn’t need to occur immediately, he said it must be analyzed in-depth.

“If the two councils determine that it’s the route to go during its term it can still work on sorting things out for the first two years,” he said, adding the application process takes 18-24 months. “There is time to figure out what it’s going to cost and what it’s going to take to do it. I believe amalgamation is inevitable at some point but we don’t need to rush into it.”

Councillor candidate Veronica Kloiber said she struggles to see the benefit of amalgamating.

“We share many public services with Turner Valley and this is already beneficial to both communities,” she said.

“I’m concerned with the cost of policing, which would become ours to fund if the communities merge. For the moment I feel upgrading our infrastructure is the best place to funnel our money.”

When asked who would support a plebiscite on amalgamation, all candidates except Lalonde and Ross were in favour.

Concerns were also raised about taxes. When asked who’s made an effort to maintain the tax rate, incumbent Brian Marconi said he was against this year’s increase.

“There was an opportunity to have a zero increase in the municipal budget, unfortunately there was several members of council who decided to go for an increase and add things to the budget,” he said. “Myself and two others voted against the increase.”

Marconi said the public should be told how much services cost and have input on what they would like reduced or cut. He used snow removal as an example.

“To plow and take snow away there is a cost to that,” he said. “If this town grows it’s going to become more costly. It’s a matter of identifying what things can be taken out or looking for cost-effective efficiencies in the system.”

Incumbent Jackie Stickel agrees it’s up to the public to decide what services they deem important.

“If you cut taxes a bunch you are also going to cut a lot of services,” she said. “We need to have open communication about what service level you expect and what service level you are prepared to pay for.”

Sharon Hart, who previously served on council, said attracting more businesses to town contributes to lowering taxes.

“We have seen more growth around the car wash,” she said. “Those businesses definitely are going to aid in lowering our taxes.”

Residents head to the polls at C. Ian McLaren School Oct. 16 from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

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