Town holds annual organizational meeting

By John Watson Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Town of Strathmore council held their annual organizational meeting, Oct. 23, to discuss potential changes to the meeting schedule, deputy mayor rotation schedule, seating arrangements, and board and committee appointments.

As per Bylaw 23-17, no council or committee of the whole meetings are scheduled during the month of August in a given year. Further, no council meetings are scheduled during the first week of January. 

Due to the Oct. 20, 2025 municipal election, no council meetings are to be scheduled during October 2025. This is pursuant to Bylaw 23-17 section 33.1 in which no regular council or committee of the whole meeting shall be held between nomination day and the inaugural organizational meeting each year a general election is held. 

Administration recommended council to maintain the current schedule, with regular council meetings to be held on the first and third Wednesdays of each month, and the second and fourth Wednesdays being committee of the whole meetings.

Council adopted the meeting schedule as presented unanimously and without debate. 

Also addressed was the deputy mayor rotation schedule. The remaining schedule posts Coun. Brent Wiley as the deputy mayor, serving from July 1, 2024 until Feb. 28, 2025. 

Following this, Coun. Debbie Mitzner will assume the role from Mar. 1, 2025 until Oct. 20, 2025. 

Council moved to confirm the schedule as presented in their agenda without debate. 

Also unchanged going into the remainder of council’s final year before the municipal election, is the seating arrangement. From any attendees’ left to right, the arrangement is Coun. Melissa Langmaid, Coun. Wiley, Coun. Mitzner, Mayor Pat Fule, Coun. Richard Wegener, Coun. Denise Peterson, and Coun. Jason Montgomery.

Addressing councillor boards and committees, Wegener requested to be removed from the intermunicipal collaboration committee (ICC) due to time constraints. Peterson motioned to have Montgomery replace Wegener on the ICC.

Wiley expressed interest in serving on the Wheatland Housing Management Body Board for the remainder of the ongoing term of council. As both Wegener and Peterson expressed interest in remaining on the WHMB Board, Wiley’s motion to step onto the board was defeated.