Public Hearing Reconvening
Amy Gregson – Times Reporter
The Golden Hills School Division and Wheatland County are reconvening the public hearing about the land for the potential East Wheatland School March 25.
The first public hearing held Nov. 26, 2009 was recessed after the County asked the school board to supply them with further information.
“The first public hearing was recessed because there was questions that were asked that we had not anticipated,” said Ron Kenworthy, chair of the Golden Hills School Board. “We sent information to the County and now it’s being called back to order for the summation and for the decision.” Golden Hills is asking Wheatland County to re-designate roughly 20 acres of land approximately four miles west of Hussar and close to the intersection of Highway 561 and Highway 842.
The further information the County had asked for included: an area structure plan that includes a site plan, with details about road access and water and waste details; how roads will be impacted; what are the travelling distances and bus routes; where will students be coming from; the emergency response plan if students are stranded at this location; how they will be evacuated and to where; to define the statement Golden Hills School Division made that “the school is either at this location or nowhere;” and to explain what exactly Golden Hills wants from Wheatland County with regard to this application.
Ben Armstrong, Reeve of Wheatland County, said this is all part of the process and it is like any other public hearing heard by the County.
“The public hearing is for the information to come to the table and the public is welcome to come and sit and listen,” said Armstrong. “We make our decision on the information that we hear at the public hearing.”
Armstrong said in public hearings there is sometimes one recess if more information is needed, and usually there isn’t more than one recess.
Wheatland reconvened the hearing because they have received the information they requested at the first public hearing from Golden Hills.
The council will look at the information presented at the next public hearing and will decide whether or not the school board will get the re-designation they asked for, said Armstrong.
He said the hearing is still open, so the public has the right to comment or put forth their opinion on the new information that is coming forward.
“If they want their voice heard that’s what a public hearing is all about, so the public has a chance to voice their opinions and concerns for or against what’s being proposed.”
The County can make their decision that night, hold the decision to a later date or if really necessary recess the meeting again.
Kenworthy hopes the County makes a decision quickly because the school is a part of the boards short-term capital plans.
“We’re hoping that it doesn’t take to long, but we also hope the decision is favorable,” Kenworthy said.
The East Wheatland School would replace the schools in Central Bow Valley, Standard and Hussar and would be centrally located to all students.
The Golden Hills School Division was planning for the school to hold 500 students, but may change this figure because of declining enrollment, said Kenworthy.
There are four schools in the East Wheatland area and it’s difficult for the school board to provide programs to each school because of the dwindling populations, said Kenworthy.
He also added the schools are facing deteriorating conditions and they will not receive money from the Alberta Government to repair them.
“The only way we can correct the situation is to build a new school that is central to all of them and to consolidate the programs,” said Kenworthy.
Even if the County does re-designate the land, Golden Hills School Division still needs approval from Alberta Education and Infrastructure, which has stated there is no money for capital expenditures, except if they feel it is important.
Kenworthy said he feels like they have a very good business case because of the deteriorating conditions of the buildings.
The school board has even forwarded the request to the Department of Education as their top priority.
“The business plan indicates there would be cost recovery in about six years, because if you don’t have to spend money on old buildings by spending money on a new one, then the cost for those old ones disappears,” said Kenworthy.
He said the entire process with the government could take up to four years.
The public hearing will occur March 25 at the Travelodge at 7 p.m.
Previous discussions, information and minutes from the first public hearing can be found at www.wheatlandcounty.ca under planning.
amy@strathmoretimes.com