Westlock County has finalized the wording for the Tawatinaw ski hill plebiscite and as it is now, it leaves those on the fence trapped between a rock and a hard place.
Don’t believe us?
Even councillors seemed conflicted, voting 4-3 at their May 9 meeting to approve the question which reads: “Knowing the operating cost impact of the Tawatinaw Valley Ski Hill on the annual operating budget, are you in favour of selling the Tawatinaw Ski Hill Facility regardless of whether it remains a hill or is used for different purposes?”
We know there are those firmly on the side of “Get rid it” and others under the “Keep our public land public” banner. It would be nearly impossible to sway those folks.
But for those in the middle, the way the question is posed, asking are you in favour of selling the hill regardless of what happens to it, forces the hand of those people who may say yes to selling it, but no to selling it to a mining company, let’s say.
How should they vote on the plebiscite?
Perhaps a more specific question or more options might have solved that problem, though we’ll never know now that the question is cut in stone.
In fact, the plebiscite’s simple choice of words to sell the hill instead of keeping it hints at what the county favours. If that is indeed the case, it’s really up to your own personal opinion to decide if that’s a good, or bad thing.
In any event, since the plebiscite falls on Election Day, Oct. 16, it’ll be up to the future council to decide what to do with the results, though they have the power to simply deal with the hill how they see fit, regardless of what residents say.
In a way it leaves this council off the hook as they likely won’t have to touch the issue unless they earn a seat at the next council table.
It also turns this topic into a potential election issue. Should I vote for this candidate because they agree with my views on the hill’s future? That may very well be a question ratepayers ask themselves and the candidates in the fall.
We won’t know the impact for several more months so stay tuned and brace yourselves for an interesting September and October.
