Special Areas Proposes to Shun Newspapers
Editor’s Note: This column appeared in last week’s Consort Enterprise. It affects readers of The Oyen Echo as well.
By David Bruha
It was rather shocking to learn that Special Areas is trying to shirk their basic responsibility of communicating important information out to residents. A notice in this paper (Page 12) reveals their plan to stop advertising Public Notices in newspapers and simply post stuff on the Special Areas website. The draft “Advertising Bylaw states: “Any information required to be advertised under section 606 of the Municipal Government Act of a bylaw, resolution, meeting, public hearing or other thing shall be given, in accordance with the time-lines prescribed in section 606, 2.1. Electronically by posting the notice prominently on the Special Areas Board website”.
One of the basic responsibilities of any government agency is to get information OUT to residents and concerned parties. Whether that be through media advertising, Canada Post, directly through email, or a combination of these tools, the obligation is to communicate with residents in regards to proposed bylaws, resolutions, meetings, or public hearings. Posting to a website is not a valid way for government to keep the public informed of changes that may affect them.
Of course the reason behind this proposal is to save a few dollars, which amount to a drop in the bathtub in regards to a proposed development. An example is the Natural Resources Conservation Board’s ad in the March 19 issue of Consort Enterprise giving notice of an application for a “Con-fined Feeding Operation” involving up to 11,000 head of cattle. It is un-likely that the cost of properly advertising this ‘Notice’ would impede the project. A responsible government body would insure the development permit fee would cover the associated costs of administration, including necessary advertising.
The wording of Special Areas’ proposal is to post pertinent information to their website - obligation met. End of story.
Other municipal jurisdictions have advertising bylaws that include all methods of communication: local news media, social media, websites, email, etc. The Special Areas’ proposal limits communication to only their website.
There is a healthy dose of irony attached to this as Special Areas relies on local newspapers when they issue press releases with the expectation that they will be published along with the local news (see Front Page of this issue). It is an acknowledgment that local news media provide an audience and a valuable service, just not when they have to pay for advertising. It is quite insulting that an affluent government body, that claims to be a partner in sustaining a healthy regional economy would expect the local newspapers to work for free - to somehow exist and be viable without income. Advertising revenue is what keeps the doors open and employees paid in local news rooms. How many members of the Special Areas Board or Advisory Council get up each morning and go to work without any compensation for their efforts?
Cutting costs is sure to be admired, but this proposal comes at the expense of the same residents that Special Areas is charged with serving and creates a precedent that leaves residents grossly under served and news outlets short of revenue.
The theory is that pertinent information is on the website - available to all. But how is someone to know a Public Notice has even been posted unless they make a daily habit of visiting the Special Areas website looking for something random. By extension of this policy, to keep informed with information that used to be sent out to residents, a person will have to make a habit of searching the Special Areas website, several Government of Alberta websites, Natural Resources Conservation Board website, Alberta Energy Regulator website, as well as a dozen Federal Government websites and probably any websites for nearby villages and towns. The responsibility of informing residents will fall onto residents, expected to spend half their waking hours checking websites to see if anything has been posted.
I am confident that practically no one wakes up to their day and thinks, “I better check the Special Areas web-site for Public Notices, and County of Paintearth website, and Village of Veteran, and the ERCB, and...
A further bit of irony is that the proposed Advertising Bylaw is contradictory to the Special Areas own “Public Participation Policy”, and this statement: “Special Areas recognizes the value of public engagement as part of the municipal decision-making process and is committed to creating opportunities for meaningful public participation in municipal decisions that directly impact the public. We’re all neighbours, and all need to have a say on issues that affect those of us who live and work in the Special Areas.”
Just don’t expect to read about it in your local newspaper...