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Editorial & Opinion

Editorial: Too much work or too many workers

The proposed 2012 Morinville Budget identifies $5.2 million in staff wages and another $1.3 million in contract services for a total of $6.5 million. If we break that down it represents $764.34 for each man, woman and child who currently live in Morinville. But not all residents are rate payers. According to Andy Isbister, Morinville’s chief financial officer, there are 3,100 residential and 133 commercial / industrial properties on the tax rolls. Breaking our $6.5 million down by tax payer, we see an average of $2,010.53 each just to finance wages and contract services for next year… […]

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Editorial & Opinion

Letter: Reader concerned with salaries and reserves

Dear editor:

While I will try to be at the [budget open house] meeting Wednesday night, I wanted to be sure to pass along a few concerns that I have that may require some research just in case I can’t make the meeting:

1: Has anyone taken a long, hard look at the way we are trending with fulltime Town employees? […]

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Editorial & Opinion

Editorial: Be heard or be taxed

It’s budget time in Morinville and rather than decide how our money is going to be spent, our elected officials are leaving those decision up to us. They’re going to hold a couple open houses this week, bus in seniors and hire babysitters so mom and dad can come to see our politicians and tax dollars in action… […]

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Editorial & Opinion

Letter: Reader ponders concept of community

Dear editor:

What is community? Well according to the dictionary, a community is: a social group of any size whose members reside in a specific locality, share government, and often have a common cultural and historical heritage. Well OK, if the book says so, but that’s a pretty vague description… […]

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Editorial & Opinion

Coach’s corner: A disciplined approach to winning

By Scott Rodda

This seasons’ Jets cannot be accused of not being engaged or passionate about the game and, in fact, one could argue their passion and level of intensity at times has put them in less than ideal circumstances on the ice. Although one of the least penalized teams, the entire coaching staff and the players themselves recognize that discipline… […]

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Editorial & Opinion

Letter: Reader calls for more traffic lights

Dear editor:

As I go to work each day I regularly travel through the intersection at 100 Avenue and Grandin Drive. Over the past few years I have witness countless acts of stupidity, complacency and just a total disregard for others at this intersection. But what I saw this morning (Nov. 7) was only a second from becoming a manslaughter investigation… […]

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Editorial & Opinion

Coach’s corner with Scott Rodda

By Scott Rodda, head coach of the Morinville Jets

Another successful week for the Jets, both on and off the ice. This past week saw the Jets beat the Mustangs in a thriller on Wednesday by skating to a shoot-out victory and then downing the Icemen in Wetaskiwin by a score of 7 to 3. The win against the Mustangs was an ugly win as the Jets showed a lack of discipline and allowed the game to be… […]

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Editorial & Opinion

Editorial: Now ‘tis the winter of our discon-SCENT – Part 2

As word has wafted through the air like the fragrant smell of freshly cooked dog food, many Morinvillians are aware now that Champion Petfoods is now targeting the spring of 2012 for completion of the work necessary to bring the odour down by 80 per cent. As such, it looks like now ‘tis the winter of our discon-SCENT, if we may borrow from Shakespeare. Of course the Bard used the word discontent in his play and it is discontent that many residents have with Champion… […]

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Editorial & Opinion

Has Sturgeon County fired its CAO?

By Stephen Dafoe

Sturgeon County – County Council returned from lunch Tuesday afternoon to read one notice of motion on landowner compensation and to immediately go in camera to deal with a matter added to the agenda Tuesday morning.

Council had added a personnel matter to the morning’s brief council agenda and went in camera to discuss it at 12:55… […]

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Editorial & Opinion

Column: Coach’s Corner with Scott Rodda

By Scott Rodda, Morinville Jets Head Coach

Almost one third into the season, now’s a good time to weigh in on how the Jets season is progressing to date. Overall the coaching staff is pleased with the results, particularly with the low goals against average which is one of the best in the league. The attention being shown by our club defensively is awesome and certainly our goaltending is a huge part of that. Both [Mike] Saunders and [Brad] Miller have been very solid between the pipes… […]

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Editorial & Opinion

Editorial: What the readers think – council poll results

A year ago Morinville residents elected mayor and council. This week marks the one year anniversary of their having been sworn to office. Each candidate had a platform they ran on. Each candidate made commitments to the community in terms of how they would govern and what initiatives they would bring to the table. We asked MorinvilleNews.com readers – A year later, which councillor has walked the walk the best? The results were as follows… […]

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Editorial & Opinion

Editorial: 49 weeks later

Forty-nine weeks ago the first issue of Monday Morning News was delivered to businesses in town. It was a new publication built upon the desire to do four things: We wanted to bring news about Morinville to Morinville residents interested in reading the news. We wanted to create a platform whereby… […]

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Editorial & Opinion

Editorial: Remembering Thalia

It was with deep regret that we learned Thursday of the passing of Mrs. Thalia Fischbach.

The 100-year old Morinville resident became a bit of a celebrity in the community over the past ten months as she simultaneously represented the community with whom she shared a birth year and the large number of seniors in this community who have so much to offer… […]

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Editorial & Opinion

Reader displeased with denial of tax exemption request

Dear Editor:

I read with interest that the tax exemption was denied for the three non-profit childcare sites in Morinville. As executive director of McCauley Community After School Care Association I would have expected to hear this from the town not from the local newspaper. I would also have appreciated a request from council to attend the meeting to give our view point on this issue. We were given this exemption last year and t is my understanding that town administration recommended an exemption for this year. I believe that we are the only non-profit child care… […]