_Over the next six months community members will have an opportunity to discuss their thoughts and ideas on how Cochrane could improve._
_Every week we will head out to Deja Brew, where we will have open discussion and engagement with residents of all ages and diverse backgrounds. This is how WE will connect with Cochrane._
Small local business owner Scott Kerr-Smith has been a resident of Cochrane since 2006 and has a young family.
While Scott defines Cochrane as being a gem in terms of our location and opportunity; sprawling growth, lack of openness, and unnecessary bureaucracy are all things he could do without.
For Scott it is not what he doesn't like about Cochrane but shifting our psychology to creating a connected community that encourages residents to come together and stay in Cochrane rather than treat Cochrane as a stop and go. To make Cochrane more desirable, Kerr-Smith would like to see our downtown core become more pedestrian/bike friendly. To Kerr-Smith driving through Historic Downtown is a missed opportunity to connect with others and keep our small time charm alive.
Coming from overseas, he says if a small town is able to organically grow it helps maintain a central core connection which creates a destination where people come together to socialize, connect with their neighbours, and where businesses flourish. To Kerr-Smith Cochrane has seen forced growth, sprawling communities that continue to add to the disconnect of town. If you create a vibe, people will come says Kerr-Smith and, spend some time.
"There is a real opportunity here so why not try something different? We're a historic town so why not embrace that and make downtown a pedestrian area? Let's bring street traders and small pop up stores it let's those smaller businesses and real community stuff take place. I am sure you have seen the Farmers' Market on the Thursday night it's a real success, so why not make the entire town like that?! The downtown strip is essentially bypassed by most people now, so why not open up and bring the community to the centre of the town."
Kerr-Smith shares if Cochrane were more pedestrian and bike friendly we could see business success like that seen in Canmore and on Calgary's 17th ave. "The more money that is spent in Cochrane we all benefit. We have massive muncipal debt but where's the benefit?! We are just turning into Okotoks or a suburb of Calgary, yes the new communities bring in revenue but if you turn around and spend more than we get the town as whole doesn't benefit, it just brings challenges that have not been addressed."
When it comes to rules and regulations, Kerr-Smith feels our local government frankly needs to sit back and not create issues out of non issues.
"I believe the town and government should keep thier noses out of it as much as possible and let the free market and people figure it out."
What would Kerr-Smith like to see when it comes to future electoral candidates, openness.
"For the town council to remove their personal agendas and look towards what the people want and what the town wants as a whole. It seems to be very agenda driven regardless whether the public opinion supports that or not."
How to make consultation better? Stop snippy remarks, shares Kerr-Smith, and consider other alternatives. "Rather than every complaint that is leveled against the town, they snipe back...'oh you're lucky we're even doing that or quit complaining or we'll stop it all together, or if you don't like it move...they should be like we didn't think about that but that's a good idea, thank you."
Kerr-Smith also believes social media voting could open up a whole new level of consultation and conversation as long as it is listened to and not overlooked.
In the end Kerr-Smith doesn't feel negatively about Cochrane but isn't seeing the positive benefits either.
_If you would like to share your thoughts, views, and/or suggestions email us at [news@cochranenow.com](mailto:news@cochranenow.com)_
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Rocky View County's anticipated zero per cent tax rate increase was formalized at its Apr. 25 meeting by an unanimous vote, in contrast to the division between councillors over the same question last year.
The county will be collecting $111,048,400 in property taxes towards its $260,447,800 budget with an estimated $149,399,400 coming from other sources. The county has seen a 2.7 per cent increase, or $3.1 million, in assessment growth since last year.
RVC Reeve Greg Boehlke says a conscious effort to increase nonresidential operations has helped keep the county's residential property taxes among the lowest in the province.
"We've been very fortunate and I would say it was between luck and good management, but we've also been consciously trying to grow our nonresidential tax assessment and it has been success," says Boehlke
"Right now, the 24-25 per cent nonresidential assessment is paying about 50 per cent our of taxes."
A zero tax rate increase doesn't necessarily mean you''ll pay the same amount as last year. If your property assessment increased, likely your property taxes will go up. If it decreased, likely your taxes will decrease.
The county collects requisitions on behalf of other jurisdictions and you'll see these on your tax notice. Rocky View residents will see a 7.9 per cent tax increase in education taxes and there's a 0.7 decrease in the requisition of the Rocky View Seniors Foundation.
Earlier in the meeting, the council placed its $6,144,658 surplus from 2016 into the tax stablization reserve. That follows a $7.5 million surplus last year.
In 2016, the zero pre cent increase decision was reached by a close 5-4 vote, with four members opting to support the one per cent increase recommended by administration.