By Nigel Maxwell

Local crime watch group requests apology from Reeve

Jan 23, 2019 | 1:00 PM

Comments made by the Reeve of the Rural Municipality of Buckland (R.M.) last week are uneducated, according to one of the coordinators of a local crime watch group.

Blair Thomas with Lake Country Crime Watch Inc., is responding to remarks made by Don Fyrk, which claimed the crime watch group sat back, and had left the issue of rural crime to be handled by the RM. The RM in turn then made the decision to create a new bylaw enforcement unit. Thomas argued his group was formed in Oct. 2017 and has done extensive work on the issue.

“After looking through our meeting attendance sheets, I have noticed that Mr. Fyrk has been to two meetings, and it appears that other councilors have attended a total of three.  I would like to compare this to the RM of Shellbrook, who regularly attends meetings, and has missed a total of two meetings since day one,” Thomas said, adding the purpose of inviting the RM was for their own awareness and input. Thomas further explained his group has made several attempts to invite the RM of Buckland to their meetings, but received no reply or was told no one from the RM could attend.

“I, myself, took some extra initiative to phone the Reeve, Don Fyrk, after we extended yet another invite to the RM.  It was very clearly stated to me that “I will not attend, and the RM is not willing to use our resources to pay for councilors to attend, nor is it willing to use its resources and funds to start or fund a crime watch group,” Thomas said.  

The RM’s new bylaw officer is expected to complete his training this month and start work soon after. Thomas said he supports the decision by the RM council to fund this initiative.

Workplace incident

City of Prince Albert pleads guilty to workplace safety violation, handed fines

1h ago

Lighting it up

P.A.'s Zablocki leads Regina to victory on Day 4 at Esso Cup

Apr 24, 2024

WORLD SOFTBALL

Group stages officially set for Men's Softball World Cup in P.A.

Apr 24, 2024

“Anything that help curb the issue of rural crime is welcome and I feel we should we should be able to work hand in hand with them,” he said.

The next scheduled RM council meeting is Feb. 11 and Thomas said he plans to attend but won’t be there to just sit and listen. 

“My objectives will be to clear up any misconception (once again) that Lake Country Rural Crime Watch Inc. is not just Lakeland, and to come up with a solution to better our correspondence and communication.  I am also planning to ask for a formal apology to the ratepayers of the RM of Buckland, as well as a formal apology to Lake Country Rural Crime Watch Inc,” he said.

Lake Country Crime Watch holds meetings on the third Thursday of each month, and Thomas said they plan in the future to have rotating locations/holding meetings at various other locations in surrounding communities to make it easier for people to attend, including representatives from the RM of Buckland. Anyone interested in getting more information about the group or becoming a member, can do so by email lakecountrycrimewatch@gmail.com.

panews@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @princealbertnow