If Okotoks council was looking for direction from its growth survey, it did not get it.
If anything the survey results, which were released at council’s regular meeting on Monday, muddied the waters further.
Council stated the survey was not intended to be a referendum which is why it included open-ended questions.
However, if you are not looking to get a gauge of public opinion then why do a survey at all?
Okotoks residents were given the impression council was looking to get feedback from homeowners regarding future growth. It was expected this feedback would guide council in its decision on whether or not to keep the population cap.
The responses are so varied and ambiguous there is no way the survey can provide council with any clear direction.
It appears this survey has little value to council’s decision making process.
The one conclusion that can be taken from the survey is the fact council must make this decision on its own bouyed by the feedback it has garnered from residents over the past three years.
According to the survey 66 percent of respondents are confident council will make the right decision.
Therefore, taxpayers are putting the onus on council to finally make a decision on Okotoks’ future growth. Residents do not want a referendum, a plebiscite or any further surveys. They are costly, time consuming and simply give the impression council is reluctant to make a decision.
Okotoks’ fate is in council’s hands — right where it should be.
