Last week + Regular Council Meeting January 14, 2019
Last week
We started our week with possibly the longest meeting so far this term, then the week got busy! For two full days, Council met with key members of our Administration team to review our strategic plan and discuss changes to Admin’s resulting corporate business plan. Our top priorities are staying steady, with Economic Development, Growth planning, Transportation, Infrastructure investment, Housing, and Environmental Stewardship continuing to be top of mind. As far as I know, this is was the only photo taken over the two days so that we could wish our EA well during her 1-year leave from us!
Agenda highlights
Reminder: This meeting starts at 1pm!
Effects of Banning Single Use Bags
Based on my motion approved last year, we are discussing the results of preliminary considerations for a single-use bag ban.
Our Environmental Advisory Committee is recommending that we "prepare a bylaw to ban single-use plastic bags by the fourth quarter of 2019 <and> that adequate stakeholder consultation is completed within the business community; an education and outreach campaign be implemented... <and that> consultation be completed with member communities in the Edmonton Metropolitan Region for a coordinated campaign." They are also recommending that we include single-use items like "straws, coffee cups, Styrofoam, plastic utensils, etc." in a potential ban.
Administration has also provided a backgrounder on consideration for whether we want to go down the bag-bag route. It’s been helpful seeing the lively discussion about this topic on my Facebook page.
Growth Capital Plan
There is an “ …over $300 million deficit… estimated within the 10 year Municipal Growth Capital Plan”, but there are charters within the plan that have no support for being realized. The January and February GPFC meetings will be an opportunity to review the charters and clean up the plan so we don’t have to keep reading charters that are permanently not going forward.
One example of charters we’ll likely consider in our discussions are the two separate options for an Aquatics expansion at Servus Place:
This is a brief high-level overview of highlights from our meeting agenda, with my personal comments sprinkled in - In no way are my opinions representative of the official direction of council or the City of St. Albert. Please let me know of any typos or errors. As always, I also encourage everyone who is able to tune in the the live-stream of the meeting (1pm here) or attend in-person (3rd floor of St. Albert Place, hang a right getting out of the elevator). You can also register to speak if you have information to present to council. Full agenda packages can be found on the stalbert.ca website.
