Last weeks + Regular Council Meeting March 2, 2020
Last weeks
On a personal note, I started the last couple of weeks with a trip to the Sturgeon emergency room due to an injury one of my kids sustained. Since then, we’ve had to follow-up with medications, dressing changes, and a couple trips to the Stollery for consultations with specialist surgeons. Thanks for everyone’s patience as I haven’t been as available over the last couple weeks as I normally would be, or as quick to answer emails!
Chamber of Commerce - Economic Outlook presentation
I attended the St. Albert Chamber luncheon where ATB Chief Economist Todd Hirsh gave his “Squirrels and Boulders: Mega-trends affecting Alberta's economy” presentation. It was an excellent reminder of the importance of long-term planning and the perils of being caught up in the details hitting the headlines.
UDI Luncheon - Edmonton Global presentation
I attended the regular luncheon of the Urban Development Institute - Edmonton Region, where Edmonton Global was the guest presenter. We learned about Global’s plans for attracting business to the region, and about the need for partnerships and collaboration to support economic prosperity throughout the region.
Throne Speech
It was interesting attending the throne speech in person. I look forward to seeing the details in the official budget, and hearing how the budget will affect the city, our residents, and our regional partners.
Homeland Housing
I was in Westlock this month for the regular board meeting of Homeland Housing. We received normal updates, but also briefly discussed the Expression of Interest being released by St. Albert regarding opportunities to develop land in the downtown core for provision of affordable housing. We are also waiting to see how the provincial budget will impact seniors living in our buildings.
Officer Qualified Recognition Ceremony
Congratulations to our newest officers!
Employee Appreciation Event
It was great to see so many City of St. Albert employees at this event - It’s wild seeing some of the people I’ve known for decades at the city recognized for their long service!
Environmental Advisory Committee
The EAC is the first community group to give staff feedback on possible changes to our Parks bylaw, which hasn’t received a significant update since 1965. I look forward to seeing the proposed updated bylaw in a few months.
ASCHA Regional Meeting
The Alberta Seniors Communities & Housing Association (ASCHA) regional meeting in Stony Plain was an excellent opportunity to hear about the challenges facing housing bodies in the region, and to learn more about advocacy efforts to ensure exceptional housing for seniors remains a priority in the province.
Agenda highlights
MDP Update
Prior to our regular 2pm public meeting, Council is meeting to receive an update on the Municipal Development Plan project - I look forward to the draft being shared with the public soon.
Riverside Area Structure Plan & Land Use Bylaw - 2nd & 3rd reading
If third reading passes, this would see a second school site created in Riverside using smaller parcels than the original site, which would reduce the space available for parks. We’ve heard from many Riverside residents who are concerned about the potential changes, so soon after the original ASP was approved. Other changes are summarized in the March 2 presentation.
Heritage Advisory Committee
As one of the five new resident committees that was created over the last three years, conversations about changes to how the committee is structured seem natural - If successful, this motion will have Admin enter into discussions with Arts & Heritage Foundation “to explore the possibility of transferring the… committee … to the jurisdiction of the AHF”.
Library Board Committee
One of the action items to come out of Council’s strategic planning session was to remove the requirement for a Council representative on the library board. Although we are permitted by the province to have up to two Council representatives on the board, many communities like ours have elected to remove Council reps because community volunteers are more than capable of providing strong leadership as board members. Thankfully, we have an abundance of these amazing volunteers in St. Albert. (Note: This motion is not to remove the current Council rep, just to remove the requirement that there must be one.)
Standing Committees of Council
If successful, this motion would remove the right of the Mayor to be a voting member of our two standing committees unless their presence is required to achieve quorum.
This is a brief and incomplete overview of our meetings, 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. I encourage everyone who is able to tune in the the live-stream of the meeting (2pm 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.
