The County of Paintearth held their annual organizational meeting on Wed. Oct. 24, to determine roles councillors would play and who would attend which meetings.
This meeting is held each year in October or early November as part of the Municipal Government Act cycle.
“It is a statutory requirement to hold these meetings every year and I think the school of thought behind that is councillors will serve on different committees in their four-year term,” said Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) Michael Simpson.
“When they are serving on these committees, some might be really passionate about some, less passionate about others.
“It’s also a chance in that they perhaps would want to change committees with another member for something else that they are interested in,” concluded Simpson.
Stan Shulmeister was selected as reeve for a second time and the deputy reeve title also went back to Doreen Blumhagen.
Councillors decided who was to sit on what committees and boards as they were given an array of positions to choose from.
“Everyone gets a chance to get their fingers in all these different areas of how municipalities operate and interact with the ratepayers, different community groups and organizations,” said Simpson.
“There is certain boards that, for example, the hospital board or the seniors housing board and things like that, they [councillors] would learn how those things operate and it will enhance their ability to perform as an elected official,” Simpson added.
The number of committees has been reduced from the previous list.
In fall of 2017 there were 66 active committees and appointments while at the end of this year’s meeting, there were 50 committees and appointments as some boards closed after inactivity or council felt their presence was not needed in that specific group.
All councillors, as well as two county members at large, were appointed to the Agriculture Service Board. The two county member at large positions are still needing to be filled.
The Fire Intermunicipal Committee will have Deputy Reeve Blumhagen, Coun. Dale Norton, Reeve Schulmeister, and Coun. Maurice Wiart sit on the committee.
The Mine Committee will be made up of Deputy Reeve Blumhagen, Coun. George Glazier and Reeve Schulmeister. Coun. Diane Elliott, Glazier, Reeve Schulmeister, Wiart and Paintearth County Development Officer Todd Pawsey will sit on the Municipal Planning Commission, commonly known as MPC.
All councillors are sitting on the Municipal Planning Committee. This committee also focuses on the relationship building of Individual Development Plans (IDPs) and Intermunicipal Collaboration Frameworks (ICFs).
Blumhagen and Schulmeister will be working on Halkirk’s while the Rural IDPs and ICFs will be handled by Glazier, Schulmeister and Pawsey.
The Safety Program & Risk Control Committee will be made up of Elliott, Glazier, Coun. Tyrrill Hewitt, Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) Michael Simpson, Assistant CAO Brenda Hepp, Director of Corporate Services Roth, Director of Public Works Cooke, Director of Environmental Services Cosens, Development & Community Services Officer Pawsey and Safety Coordinator Hildreth.
The Subdivision and Development Appeal Board will have Norton, Walter Pickles, Loren Rodvang, Terry Hepp, Gordon Wakefield, and a secretary.
Lastly, the Weed & Pesticide Appeal Board will also have Walter Pickles, Loren Rodvang, Gordon Wakefield, Larry Weber and one County member to be appointed.
A number of council appointments were also made.
Some of note include the Alberta Rural Transportation Committee, the Battle River Watershed Alliance, BREOC Committee, Canadian Badlands Tourism Association, Castor Housing Authority, Coronation & District Bus Society, East Central Ambulance Association, Parkland Regional Library Board and the Shirley McClellan Regional Water Services Commission.
“In the end, council as a whole was satisfied with the results of the meeting and I think they will continue to work together well as they have in the past,” concluded Simpson.
Terri Huxley
ECA Review
