Notes from Council, November 2024
Dear Residents & Ratepayers,
The Rural Municipalities of Association held its fall convention from November 4th through November 7th. All members of council were able to attend and we were successful in getting meetings with several provincial government ministers. Todd Loewen with Forestry and Parks was very receptive to the County’s proposal to develop a marina at the McGregor Lake Reservoir Recreation Area. Our MLA, Joseph Schow, who is also the Minister for Sport and Tourism, committed to visiting Lomond to see the unfinished state of their ice arena, community hall, and curling complex. The Lomond Ag Society is in a legal dispute with their insurance provider. Minister Schow was able to visit Lomond on November 14th.
On November 11th I was able to attend the Remembrance Day service at the Champion Community Hall and lay a wreath on behalf of the County. While the Champion Legion has undergone some changes this past year with the sale of their building, they continue to organize a nice event to remember Canada’s sacrifices in war.
While I live closer to Milo, the Champion (District 20) Fire Association has been an enjoyable volunteer association for me. Preliminary plans are being considered for the construction of a heated storage facility behind the fire hall. Should grant applications be successful, the current fundraising efforts of the association will eventually have a long-term benefit for the Champion Community by freeing up space in the otherwise very full fire hall.
There was one regular meeting of Council in November. This meeting provided an opportunity to hear from Kim Welby of the SouthGrow Regional Initiative. SouthGrow is a regional economic development agency and has worked with its membership on a variety of projects that promote economic growth in Southern Alberta.
Also at the November meeting, Council reviewed the wage remuneration for our firefighters and emergency responders. We approved a cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) of 2.858% for 2025. Our local fire protection service provides an excellent training and professional development opportunity. The part-time income and health benefits can make it very worthwhile for those in the service. If you are considering this opportunity, please reach out to a local fire chief for more information.
As the County moves more fully into the role of water service utility provider, significant changes have been required to ensure that robust utility bylaws are in place. These changes should provide significant transparency and sustainability for the utility services that are being provided in Kirkaldy, the Vulcan County Industrial Park, Mossleigh, and eventually from new regional water infrastructure at the north end of the County.
With the conclusion of 2024, I want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas. Best wishes for a healthy and prosperous 2025!
Sincerely,
Christopher Northcott