
Nolan Ball, Rangeland Agrologist, presents on range management processes and tools at the 3-day quarterly meeting of 2022 for the Special Areas Advisory Council in December. ECA Review/Submitted
Special Areas Advisory Council met earlier this month for their last quarterly meeting in 2022. A variety of topics was discussed, including the proposed 2023 budget and road program.
Council enjoyed having guest speakers in throughout the three-day meeting, with information shared on regional irrigation, upcoming economic development projects like the Hanna Agricultural Centre project, and updates from regional school divisions.
The value of regional partnerships was emphasized, including potential opportunities to collaborate with school divisions on local career and development programs.
Darrin Balanik, Special Advisor on the Alberta Police Service Secretariat, joined the group to report on the province’s work on a provincial police force and to share some history and context on this issue.
A key part of the December meeting centered on motions from ratepayer meetings held earlier in the year. 2022 was the first year of ratepayer meetings since the start of the pandemic and the group spent considerable time discussing concerns ratepayers brought forward at these local meetings.
Discussions on challenges from renewable energy project development in the region emphasized the need for continued enforcement by both Special Areas and other enforcement agencies.
Administration reported on work to address issues related to these projects in the region, including engaging RCMP to increase the presence of enforcement officers.
Council shared concerns they were hearing from residents and directed administration to keep enforcement in these areas as a top priority, including collaborating with other enforcement agencies to make sure the right resources are being deployed effectively.
Council confirmed their commitment to the preservation of native prairie and the strong preference to not see development of renewable energy projects on public lands in the Special Areas.
Council directed administration to send a letter confirming this position to the Ministers of Energy, Environment and Protected Areas, and Municipal Affairs including Rural Municipalities of Alberta, along with our local MLA.
The impact of drought conditions in the region were discussed, including the scarcity of water resources and ongoing negative impacts to rangeland conditions.
Administration shared that a reduction in allotments is expected for 2023 in response to these challenging conditions.
Information on community pastures was presented to council, including options for operating Richdale Community Pasture.
Council confirmed they would be interested to learn more about options for managing community pastures but reinforced the need to make sure any decisions weren’t rushed along. As Special Areas is the public land manager of these lands, the need for Special Areas to consult with stakeholders on any potential changes was highlighted.
Council reviewed the proposed 2023 budget and discussed continuing impacts of supply chain issues on planned expenditures.
Special Areas strong partnerships with municipal neighbours, including industrial tax transfers and recreation funding, were highlighted as critical to helping support communities in the region.
Shaune Kovitch, director of municipal services, presented a history of the staged surfacing strategy for road development in Special Areas.
Council confirmed the value this program has brought to the area over the past 20 years.
Council confirmed their support for the Alberta Transportation staged surfacing plan and recommended the proposed 2023 road program be taken out to road committees.
The 2023 proposed road program will be finalized based on input from local road committees and brought back for approval at the Spring 2023 Advisory Council meeting.