Kevin Hanson – Division 1
2023 Budget Deliberations Underway
This year, Administration tried out a new process to help collect resident input. The County invited residents and businesses to try their hand at balancing municipal tax revenues and spending through an online Budget Allocator tool. The users were directed to increase, decrease, or maintain spending for services that directly affect their daily lives. Public comments were accepted from October 18, 2022, to November 1, 2022, and the results remain available to residents after this period for ongoing viewing. I consider this to be a pilot project for continuing to use the tool in future years.
So far this fall, Council has had a preliminary Workshop, followed by a Special Council Meeting where each department provided us an overview of their services, what their plan was for 2023, and the associated budget required to deliver that program. This is the core Budget to maintain current service levels. It is considered our baseline case and is currently available for viewing on the County’s website.
Finalizing our 2023 Budget continues with another Special Council Meeting scheduled for December 14th. At that meeting, Council will be presented the results of the Budget Allocator survey, time is allocated for further public input, and we will discuss a variety of potential new initiatives being considered for next year. Depending on where the final budget numbers are landing, a preliminary tax rate increase is estimated, with the final residential and business rates set in the spring once property assessments are finalized.
Fall RMA Convention
5 Councilors attended the convention this year, including myself. I spoke at the rural caucus meeting giving an update on RVC’s perspectives from the past 6-months of experience participating in the Calgary Region Growth Board. During the Resolution Session, with help from our administration, I introduced a successful amendment to a motion pertaining to Intermunicipal Collaboration agreements. The amendment removed potential for unintended consequences for rural municipalities that were members of a Regional Growth Board. I asked Sturgeon County to be the seconder for our amendment. Rocky View continues to establish closer relationships with other rural municipalities that surround Edmonton, as we have much in common.
Clearwater Park Discussion with Provincial MLA’s
I recently attended a meeting organized by the Discovery Ridge Homeowners Association and Elbow Valley Resident’s Club. In addition to myself, Clr. Richard Pootmans was in attendance representing residents in Calgary. The meeting was hosted by MLAs Mike Ellis for Calgary west, and MLA Miranda Rosin for Rocky View area, but Miranda was unfortunately not able to attend. Alberta Transportation Ring Road management was also in attendance.
The purpose of the meeting was to raise awareness with the MLAs of the potential for a tying a series of Elbow River green spaces upstream from Weasel Head through Griffin Park, through the Ring Road TUC, through Calgary-owned Clearwater Park, and potentially tying in further upstream Rocky View County Municipal Reserves, Environment Reserves, and perhaps some private land within the floodplain. Active Transportation access through / across the TUC was also discussed. These are still preliminary discussions, but my purpose was to ask the province what role they should or could play in the creation or coordination of a multi-jurisdictional park space on the west side of Calgary / Rocky View County.
Please e-mail me if you would like to be added to my contact list for e-mail and on-line communications – KRHanson@RockyView.ca or call 403.463.1166.
