Notes from Council, April 2025
Dear Residents & Ratepayers,
At out first meeting in April we had a presentation from Paul Bohnert of CTS Academy. Mr. Bohnert has been providing rural municipalities an overview of their career and technology studies program, how it works in a rural context, and how it can help solve work force challenges in Alberta. As he pursues funding from Alberta Education, he is seeking letters of support from municipal stakeholders on the value of such a program.
While support for the CTS Academy has yet to be determined, County Council did express support for a pilot project in Foothills County whereby local Community Peace Officers can have access to Canadian Police Information Centre data through the Alberta RCMP. This data will provide necessary perspective that could better ensure officer safety, as well as promote better cooperation between agencies of law enforcement. As many of us are aware, rural crime is a significant problem. These incidents are usually tied in some fashion to drug abuse and dependency. Officer safety is critical in circumstances where a routine traffic stop could lead to something much worse.
April has also been a month of reviewing the financial audit reports for Vulcan County and other boards on which councillors serve. The County’s Audit Committee met on April 2nd and provided the Director of Corporate Services with initial feedback on the award-winning reports he prepares using Microsoft Power BI. The hours and dedication that our Director of Corporate Services, Mark DeBoer, gives to enhanced financial reporting has caught the attention of the Government Finance Officers Association. Vulcan County was the recipient of the 2023 Canadian Award for Financial Reporting. I encourage anyone who is interested to have a look on the County’s website. We are fortunate to have Mark DeBoer working for the benefit of County ratepayers given his passion for transparency and accuracy.
At the second meeting in April, County Council declared Economic Development Week to run from May 11th through 17th and Alberta Rural Health Week to run from May 26th through the 30th. For those interested, please follow on social media for contests and activities that promote local businesses as well as the services that rural healthcare providers offer. These contests and activities have gained in popularity over the years.
Also, at the second meeting I brought forward a Notice of Motion that is now posted to my website. If you are interested, please provide me with any feedback that you can offer. Having met with the Board of the Lake McGregor Country Estates Community Association on April 8th, I was able to discuss with them a range of issues effecting their community; my thinking on their challenges has evolved during my time on Council. At present, they are moving into the role of utility owner and infrastructure operator for a Level 2 water treatment plant and wastewater system, including the roadways and stormwater drainage systems that are built overtop of the underground infrastructure. Having assumed ownership from the developer, the association is assessing the rehabilitation needs of infrastructure that is now twenty-five years old. My Notice of Motion was an information request, requiring administrative resources, to facilitate informed discussion at the council table on the challenges faced by Lake McGregor Country Estates. The request was successful, in part, and we will see what engagement occurs in the future with Lake McGregor Country Estates Community Association once an asset management study is completed.
Sincerely,
Christopher Northcott