Last week & upcoming + CGISC meeting July 12, 2021
Last week & upcoming
Our Monday meetings last week started at 11:30am and ended shortly before 9:30pm. This spring has been busy both for staff and Council - This is due both to the incredible uptick in development, but also due to challenges of the pandemic recovery, ongoing Reconciliation actions, high fire risk, and dangerously high temperatures. After our meeting wrapped, I took the longest break (almost 4 days!) I’ve managed since the start of the term in 2017. It was a refreshing camping holiday spent picking wild strawberries and swimming in the river with my family - The break has left me feeling energized!
pekîwewak awâsisak Children are Coming Home walk
On Sunday, July 10 at 10am and starting in front of St. Albert Place, I plan to join in a walk acknowledging the recoveries of unmarked graves associated with residential schools.
“pekîwewak awâsisak ᐯᑮᐍᐘᐠ ᐊᐚᓯᓴᐠ, Children are Coming Home (Cree) is a community led walk to acknowledge the recoveries of unmarked graves connected to residential schools across Canada. This walk will be lead by Elders, survivors, and their families, and will pay respects to the lives lost in residential schools, show support to those who survived, and recognize the intergenerational trauma residential schools have caused.”
Arden Theatre Plaza Series
The Arden will be hosting outdoor live music events every Thursday evening starting August 5 and ending September 30. Tickets for tables & chairs can be purchased through the Arden box office (soon, I suspect - I couldn’t find a working link today), but residents can also enjoy these concerts outside of the licensed area in front of St. Albert Place. I’ve been told that food/drinks can be purchased - I assume by ticket holders only - but I’ll share more on my social media as I get updates. I’m not sure if food trucks will be available nearby for those who haven’t purchased tickets for the licensed area. I’m excited about this - Golden, B.C. hosts similar events all summer long for their community & they are a ton of fun to attend.
Managing Diversity for Organizational Sustainability
On a more personal note, I start the last class of my MBA this summer. Although I could have ended more quickly if I’d selected a class that was available earlier in the year, I chose to wait so that I could participate in a class that focuses on a topic that I’m passionate about. I’m excited to start Managing Diversity for Organizational Sustainability, and to complete my MBA journey this fall.
CGISC agenda highlights
Capital Prioritization Matrix
This is to consider a proposed process for deciding on capital expense priorities and to adequately plan for (fund) capital expenses. We approved the first matrix in 2018, and this proposal builds on that process.
Council Remuneration Review Committee
This item is to consider creating a standing bylaw so that remuneration of Council is reviewed on a regular once per term schedule. The last time that Council remuneration was considered was in 2016 through a volunteer committee of residents. I wrote about our remuneration and changes in time commitments since the last review in a blog post earlier this year.
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.
