Don Kochan – Mayor, Division 2
Hi everyone, the following information is for your use:
Council Changes – An organizational meeting was held on October 25th that resulted in a few position changes. Although my appointment as Mayor was for 2 years, I have decided to step down as Mayor and resume my Councillor role and focus on Division 2 items such as the Springbank ASP that is being developed, the Springbank Community Centre and recreational facilities that are being planned as well as the transportation and water co-op issues that have been coming to the forefront. All further Mayor appointments will be for one year as per the new procedural bylaw. Rocky View’s new Mayor and Deputy Mayor are Crystal Kissel and Sunny Samra respectively.
Council has also established a Governance Committee made up of all Council members and I have been appointed to chair that committee. The establishment of a Governance Committee is to help Councillors better manage public meeting times, and to provide a venue for more in-depth discussions with County staff on questions of governance outside of regular bi-weekly council gatherings. Council will have an opportunity to provide administration direction before an item comes to Council for a decision.
Council Open Houses – The 2022 Customer Satisfaction Survey indicated that residents wished to be more informed on Council matters, therefore we are proposing on having Council Open Houses whereby topics of interest can be discussed with the community. We were hoping to commence the open houses starting in 2023 with the different divisions selecting a month and topics that would be of interest to the area.
Budget Allocator Tool – When we surveyed residents through the 2022 Customer Satisfaction Survey, residents asked for more opportunities to provide feedback on service levels. To help Council in their budget planning, a budget allocator tool has been put on the county’s website so that you may provide input on what service priorities are important to you while still balancing the budget. Please feel free to provide your input for our use.
Council will be commencing budget discussions in November.
Springbank Community Centre– Rocky View has retained a consultant to undertake a business case study for the development of South Springbank Community Facilities. The work program is to identify the types of facilities to be developed, functional programs for the facilities and associated costs. The facilities are expected to primarily serve residents of Springbank however surrounding areas are also expected to use the programs and services at the facilities. Rocky View has purchased land on the west side of RR33 between the Heritage Club and the Springbank for all Seasons facility to accommodate any planned new facilities. Currently, the Business Case is being evaluated and discussed through an Advisory group comprised of strong community leaders within the Springbank community. With constructive input from the advisory group, the business case will be available to all community members once the final draft is presented to Council. This will probably occur the early part of 2023.
Costco Application–Administration has been working with Costco on the application and they are expecting Costco’s new drawings and documents to be submitted by mid-November. It may take several weeks to finalize the review and determine if the revised documents align with all policy and technical requirements.
Springbank Area Structure Plan (ASP) – Administration is working on drafting the new ASP with the feedback outlined in the Engagement Summary being considered against other influences such as the Regional Growth Plan and technical constraints. Administration hopes that they will have an initial draft before the end of the year. Administration will present the updated plan to the Springbank community in the new year. An Engagement Summary Report of the communities’ input can be found on the county web-site. Please visit: www.rockyview.ca/springbank-area-structure-plan
Rural Municipality Association (RMA) – Council attended the annual RMA conference that included a series of workshops and a ministerial forum whereby the delegates were able to ask questions of the ministers regarding issues in their municipality. Health care, agriculture and reclamation practices were some of the prime topics that were questioned.
There were also presentations provided by the Nurse Practitioner Association, Alberta Energy Association, Alberta Roadbuilders & Heavy Construction Association, RCMP, etc.
As part of the conference I was presented Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Medal award. The Platinum Jubilee Medal honors those who have reflected dedication to family, community and country. The Medal marks the 70th anniversary of Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s accession to the Throne as Queen of Canada and her exemplified true meaning of public service.
Don Kochan
kochandiv2@gmail.com
