Don Kochan – Mayor, Division 2
Hi everyone,
Following is an update on Council matters for your use:
Rocky View County Budget: 2023 – Administration is in the process of drafting the base budget for 2023. They are presently collecting information from the public and will start discussions on the budget with Council in September. Council will be considering the feedback received in the 2022 citizen satisfaction survey as they work through the different department budgets.
Customer Satisfaction Survey: the results are in on a customer satisfaction survey that was undertaken by an independent market research company – Leger. A key finding was that most residents feel they have a good/very good quality of life in Rocky View County and that they feel safe and it is a great place to raise a family. Preserving the feeling of country life and mitigating overpopulation will likely be important in the coming years to ensure residents’ quality of life remains positive.
Residents are mixed on their level of overall satisfaction with the quality of services and programs suggesting an opportunity to improve various services and programs such as planning, road maintenance and municipal enforcement.
Another area for consideration is to review the level of communication provided and the method used. Providing more transparency on how feedback is used and how it impacts decisions will make residents feel that their feedback is valued and heard.
There is much more information in the satisfaction survey report and it can be found on the county’s website for your viewing.
Springbank Area Structure Plan (ASP): The project team is finalizing the Engagement Summary Report. Then, once the revised draft ASP(s) are completed, the team will hold another public engagement event to present the revised draft ASP(s) together with explanations and information on the amendments made to seek public feedback and input prior to a public hearing; that engagement event will likely be in the fall, and will most likely occur through another open house and written feedback opportunities.
Administration is still awaiting a decision from the Minister of Municipal Affairs on the Calgary Metropolitan Region Board Regional Growth Plan, which will affect how we plan Springbank.
Springbank Off stream Reservoir (SR1): A presentation was provided to Council
by the Province on the SR1 project. The Province provided information on a Joint Land Use Committee that has been established regarding the land use planning of the area. Membership of the committee consists of the Springbank Planning Association (SPA), Springbank Community Association (SCA), local ranchers, Indigenous group representation, and Rocky View administration. Work of the committee is expected to continue over the summer.
Just as a reminder if anyone wishes to follow the construction progress you can obtain information regarding upcoming construction activities and traffic impacts/detours when available via a project email provided by the province. You may register for the updates at springbank-project@gov.ab.ca.
The work is being completed by Graham Construction & Engineering Inc. and Vinci Infrastructure. Inquires may be directed to Hubert LeMiere of Vinci Construction at 1-306-209-2121 or Hubert.LeMiere@vinci-construction.com
Rocky View County Open House July 20th: It has been two years since our last Open House, and we welcome back residents to this fun-filled annual event. There will be a free pancake breakfast, displays from County departments: fire, enforcement, transportation, waste and recycling, and agriculture – fire trucks, graders and equipment displays and there will also be live music and family-friendly activities, such as face painting, a clown, and a petting zoo.
This event is an excellent opportunity to mingle with other residents and learn more about County services and departments.
Rocky View Counties Agricultural Tour July 21: This year’s tour will feature Calgary Farmyard, Winter’s Turkeys Farm, Alberta Carriage Supply, Decisive Farming by Telus Agriculture, and other exciting highlights important to Alberta’s agricultural community. Featured events include a 4-H speaker and the 2022 Master Farm Family Award, with the day concluding at the Balzac Hall.
Enjoy your summer holidays!
Don Kochan
kochandiv2@gmail.com
