Environment policy leads to new hire

Sharon McLeay
Times Contributor

 

A new environmental policy accepted by Wheatland County council resulted in the hiring of a new full time environmental coordinator.
“The previous coordinator has come back from maternity leave and is on a .6 position. We would like to give the person currently filling this role a full time position. It means about a $40,000 increase,” CAO Alan Parkin.
The full time environmental coordinator position was included in the accepted environmental policy. The position will be responsible to the agricultural service board, but the coordinator will also work closely with the county planning department.
With environmental regulations changing at a rapid pace, and new regulations being developed by the province and the South Saskatchewan Regional plan, there is a need for a qualified staff member to address any issues that arise, according to Parkin.
“When someone phones and has an environmental issue, we will have a person who is trained, who will be able to go out and follow up,” he said. “Under legislation, we have a duty to follow up.”
Councillors wanted the calls investigated, with any frivolous issues weeded out, prior to Alberta Environment involvement.
There was discussion that this may be setting up a second level of monitoring and that the county really has no punitive measures to deal with infractions.
“This is our ratepayers who live and work in our county. We owe them duties of care to make sure things are done right,” said Coun. Alice Booth.
Parkin clarified the role would have more of an educational focus than a punitive one.
“There is a lot of legislation out there that people aren’t aware of,” said Parkin.
Parkin said the county is working on a ratepayer environmental survey, set for release sometime in 2017, that will identify what environmental concerns residents have and set directions the public would like to see in future policy and decision making processes.