Out-of-the-box thinking

If nothing else, at least give Town of Athabasca chief administrative officer Josh Pyrcz points for creativity.

He obviously sees a need for a second Community Peace Officer (CPO) in Athabasca, but rather than follow the usual pattern of ‘spend first, raise taxes later', he's looking for creative ways to enhance services without further burdening the taxpayer.

We're skeptical about how many businesses will voluntarily contribute towards the cost of a new CPO. In some ways, it sounds like a scene from an old mob movie: “Nice place ya got here ... wouldn't want anything bad to happen to it. Y'know, for a little ‘donation', we'll make sure it doesn't ‘meet with an accident.' Kapeesh? ”

But all jokes aside, and whether or not local businesses step forward to contribute, Pyrcz deserves credit for showing some out-of-the-box thinking in regard to the CPO issue. A potential partnership with Thorhild County is one option, as are the government grants suggested by some business owners.

And since we're trying to be creative, how about funding the CPOs through a foundation, and getting Alberta Justice to divert the proceeds from the victim surcharges on local property crime convictions towards it?

Many a good idea dies prematurely because we fear the potential cost. Good on Pyrcz for looking for unique solutions.