No means no
Sharon McLeay
Times Contributor
Wheatland County Councillors are against entering into negotiations over the Calgary Municipal Plan (CMP).
A letter sent from the Alberta Municipal Minister Doug Griffiths informing Wheatland Council that a mediator would be appointed was not well received.
“The Government of Alberta continues to believe that any meaningful plan for the region must include rural and urban municipalities alike and must achieve a reasonable balance between the needs and aspirations of all parties,” Minister Griffiths said in the letter. “I am convinced of the ability of the region’s municipal leaders to come together and achieve a reasonable solution that reflects the shared interests of all of your ratepayers and the region as a whole.”
Minister Griffiths went on to say the Government will pay for the mediation services, and with one million people moving to Alberta in the next decade, straining infrastructure and water resources, failure was not an option.
“If we start the process there is a foregone conclusion that we will abide by the mediated decision. They (members of the CMP) keep asking us to get back in. We went through the process and said no. What about that don’t they get. It bothers the hell out of me,” said Councillor Ben Armstrong. “No is NO. We have said so more than once. Calgary has nothing that we need or want.”
Councillor Armstrong detailed that the plan does not address rural participants. He clarified it not only affects Wheatland County, but the scope includes Rocky View and parts of Foothills , Bighorn, Kneehill and Mountain View Counties, as well. Councillors said that they preferred operating under the Municipal Act. In discussions of the issue with elected officials from other counties, rural sentiments were consistent. Councillors felt the minister needed to deal with Calgary first and make changes to include rural concepts in the plan.
Councillor Ken Sauve said that the letter from Minister Griffiths sends a mixed message, considering that Premier Redford had stated membership should not be forced.
“For the small guy, I see this as a recipe for failure,” said Sauve about the CMP.
Reeve Glenn Koester said that the only thing the plan had to offer ratepayers concerned water rights and it was cheaper for the county to build something themselves. There did not seem to be any other incentives to belong. When Wheatland County withdrew from the plan, they set in motion the Wheatland Water Partnership contract negotiations. The contract deals with water issues for the area and currently includes Wheatland County (excluding Strathmore which belongs to the CMP), and the Villages of Standard, Rockyford, and Hussar, with a possibility of other shareholder participation in the future. The Wheatland Water Partnership is moving toward incorporation and documents were recently sent to the Minister for approval. The initiative has taken three years to develop. Koester said that entering into CMP negotiations would be an insult to staff, who worked hard to establish the Wheatland Partnership and such negotiations would be very confusing.
Council agreed to send a letter to Minister Griffith, stating they had no desire to be a part of negotiations, with copies sent to other rural municipalities. There was some discussion about meeting with other counties to establish some sort of solidarity on the issue.