A change is in the air
Four years have passed and it’s hard to believe that my term as your elected official, aka councillor, lackey, humble servant, voice of reason or dis-reason (if that’s even a word) is only weeks away from its completion (insert sigh of relief here?). That’s right. As of October 18th, I will be out of a job. Not that I didn’t enjoy the role, but rather, I came to the honest truth that this post requires an individual’s undivided, 24/7/365 devotion to what we all want to achieve when we say, “I want to make things better for all residents of Rocky View County”. That’s the very foundation why folks run for a council seat. Why else would someone run if they felt they couldn’t make a difference?
From those who want things to remain status quo to those who want to see change, passionate debates will continue around kitchen tables, in bars and around firepits. Topics such as flood mitigation, commercial/residential development, traffic, internet connectivity, emergency response/management, water/wastewater servicing to budworm infestations (to name but a few) affecting Division 1, will continue well into the future.
And speaking of the future, on October 18th, there will be a new local councillor representing you from a newly defined Division 1. The geography and population density will be vastly different. With Bragg Creek & Area, parts of Springbank and the community of Elbow Valley being combined to form Division 1, more voices and topics will be added to the mix. At the end of the day, it’s your duty as a resident to vote and have your say as to who will represent you and your values in RVC. Change is never constant. Council is your voice.
Some pesky business
It was during last month’s council meeting that a Notice of Motion (NOM) Reeve Henn and I had drafted was read into the public record to have Administration research and develop a strategy to deal with the potential deforestation and associated devastation from the recent spruce budworm infestation. I want to thank the Reeve and fellow councillors for passing the motion a few weeks ago so that this can be addressed should the threat of another infestation or the results of the last one be required. Administration will bring forward a report to the new council by the end of November 2021.
Stay in the know
Please note that all council updates/timelines concerning projects, developments, applications, fire bans or to find out what happened at a past council meeting et al can be found on the RVC website (rockyview.ca). Need to speak to someone in the know, make a complaint or look for information, just hit the CONTACT US link on the website and submit your query.
For more immediate information, please make sure you are registered with RVC’s Safe & Sound notification service. This provides residents with emergency alerts (SAFE) as well as communication (SOUND) regarding road closures, fire bans, applications, etc. If you live out here it’s vital that you are signed up for updates.
Some final words
In reflecting back, I hope I managed to help initiate some positive change to make a difference. Along with my fellow councillors, Administration & Staff, provincial and federal government colleagues, surrounding RVC neighbours and most of all, constituents, I thank you for your support and trust over the past four years. I am humbled by the experience and honoured to have served every one of you. Although I may no longer carry the moniker of your elected official, I will continue to be an advocate, volunteer and be an active member for issues that affect our community. Please stay connected and should you need a voice of reason, second or third opinion or even a sit-down to shoot the sh*t, I’m here for you. Let’s continue to “grow sensibly together”.
In the meantime, stay healthy, hug your children (even if they are of the hairy variety) and most of all, stay safe and wear a mask. Oh. And don’tforget to vote on the 18th!
– Cheers, Mark
