There was an influx of information to consume during the first regular council meeting of Strathmore Town Council on Wednesday.  

While the agenda was short in items, the content of the items was lengthy.  

Financial 101 

The meeting opened with a financial overview of the Town of Strathmore’s expenses. This presentation included information on how the Town of Strathmore’s financial operations function. 

This took up a majority of the meeting with the presentation covering a long-term financial plan, property taxes, utilities, grants, revenue, and debt.  

The council accepted the presentation as information.  

COVID-19 Protocol Update 

During this agenda item, council was provided an update on COVID-19 protocol changes in the Town of Strathmore facilities such as the Strathmore Motor Products Center.  

Currently, all Town of Strathmore facilities are in the Restrictions Exemption Program (REP) which requires attendees to be fully vaccinated before entering.  

Deputy Mayor Jason Montgomery asked if administration had looked into not participating in the REP, saying facilities would then have 1/3 of the fire code occupancy in the facilities, which could be a viable option.  

Manager of Recreation and Culture for the Town of Strathmore, Mark Pretzlaff, responded explaining that operating at 1/3 capacity was only one requirement of not entering into the program. It would also cut off access to the facilities to anyone over the age of 18 unless they were accessing private training sessions.  

Mayor Pat Fule asked if Strathmore’s approach of entering into the REP was in line with other communities in the surrounding area.  

Pretzlaff said that a lot of communities surrounding Calgary all utilize the REP including Okotoks, Banff, and Airdrie, stating some smaller communities such as Rockyford and Hussar began trying to operate outside of the program, but have since entered the REP.  

Councillor Brent Wiley asked what the Town of Strathmore’s policy was on requiring proof of vaccination for employees of the municipality.  

Interim CAO Doug Lagore stated that vaccinations are mandatory for all employees and currently all of the Town’s employees are 100 per cent fully vaccinated.  

Wiley asked how many employees resigned prior to the November 1st deadline in which all employees of the Town of Strathmore had to have been fully vaccinated.  Also questioning if the mandate applied to employees who are under the age of 18. 

Lagore responded that less than 2 per cent of the employees chose not to comply which was a standard across municipalities in the province, stating that the mandates do not include employees under the age of 18.  

Wiley asked if the decision to place a mandatory vaccine policy for Town of Strathmore employees went before the previous council and if there was an end date for the mandate in mind.  

Lagore answered saying the CAO is responsible for the Town’s employees under health and occupational standards and determined the mandate was the best course of action. He said at the moment they will not be addressing an end date. All new hires are also required to be fully vaccinated.  

The councillor then asked if a third booster shot would also be added to the mandate in the future. Lagore responded that they were not entertaining it at present.  

Change of Municipal Status 

Next on the agenda was a notice of motion from Councillor Debbie Mitzner on the subject of a change of municipal status.  

Her motion read, “Councillors have a duty to consider the welfare and interests of the municipality as a whole. A city may be formed for an area in which a majority of the buildings are on parcels of land smaller than 1850 square meters and there is a population of 10,000 or more. The Town of Strathmore recorded a population of 13,592 during the 2016 Federal Census and council may request the minister change the status of a municipality.” 

She made a motion that the council direct administration to prepare a report on the costs and benefits of the Town of Strathmore gaining city status, the process of becoming the City of Strathmore, funding availability, and the time needed to complete the change.  

The report will be presented to the council during the regular council meeting on December 15.  

Petition – Parkwood Place Signage 

On September 29, 2021, Administration received a petition regarding Parkwood Place Signage (cul de sac and children playing).  

The petition did not meet the requirements set out by the Municipal Government Act therefore council was not required to take note of it.  

Councillor Denise Peterson made a motion to accept the petition regarding Parkwood Place signage as information and to direct administration to contact this group regarding signage to inform them that signage will not be erected. 

The floor was then open for discussion, in which Deputy Mayor Montgomery noted that this was the second petition council has received in regards to a traffic issue in the last four months, suggesting there be a policy of sort put in place that did not require 10 per cent of the population to sign.  Feeling that was a huge number of people to get to sign a petition when it only affects a neighbourhood. 

Lagore responded by saying that the parameters set out are from the MGA, and Town Council cannot override them.  

Mitzner asked why there was a need to even petition for a cul-de-sac sign if it was indeed a cul-de-sac, questioning what the other options were for the group of people who wanted the sign erected.  

Lagore responded by saying he always advises residents who come to him with issues, that petitions are the most ineffective way of dealing with municipal government. He suggested what they can do is meet with the administration regarding a concern. If administration gives an answer they weren’t looking for, he suggested they appear before council to make a case. 

Deputy Mayor Montgomery questioned why this request was denied.  It was revealed that there are approximately 60 cul-d-sacs in Strathmore, and if one sign was put up, other areas may request one as well which has an operational impact.  

Wiley suggested an amendment to the motion which was to advise an alternative process to the group seeking the sign.  

Committee Appointments  

During this time, Deputy Mayor Montgomery was appointed to the Community Futures Wild Rose board, and Councillor Denise Peterson and Councillor Richard Wegner were appointed to the Wheatland Housing Management Board with Councillor Mitzner acting as an alternate.  

Council Procedure Bylaw 21-29 

Council’s Procedure Bylaw provides the public with clarity and transparency around how Council runs its meetings.  

According to Administration, there are some inconsistencies in the Town’s bylaw and some sections that need updating, including the change in Council Meeting start time.  

Council gave the bylaw first reading and will be discussing it further at a later date.  

The next Town of Strathmore regular council meeting will be on November 10 at 6 pm in council chambers.