With the Oct. 16 Municipal Election on the horizon, current Westlock County councillors will individually review the 27 recommendations from the municipal inspection report and offer responses at their final Oct. 10 meeting.
Councillors voted 5-2 at their Sept. 12 meeting to craft their own answers — Coun. Albert St. Louis and Ron Zadunayski voted against.
Zadunayski had instead pushed for a special meeting of council to discuss the responses.
“If everyone comes back with ideas then we don’t need a special meeting,” said Coun. Ray Marquette, pointing out that he was not sitting on council for much of the issues highlighted in the report.
In the wake of the report, the county has until Nov. 28 to respond to 27 recommendations. If the deadline isn’t met the province could impose changes as it sees fit.
Coun. Dennis Primeau said it made the most sense for councillors to respond to as many of the recommendations as they could.
“Many of these are common-sense issues that can be easily dealt with,” he said. “But some will probably have to wait until the next council.”
CAO Leo Ludwig noted councillors can defer responding to any of the recommendations to the next council, but said even those need to be in by Sept. 29.
He would then compile them into a report for council to review, in addition to any commentary from administration.
With the possibility of wholesale change on council as all seven seats are being contested and two incumbents aren’t running, Ludwig said the next council will be able to modify the responses if they don’t fit into its mandate.
Recommendations in the report include arranging proper training for councillors, regular reviews and updates of strategic plans, establishing a roadway management plan and reviewing the municipality’s bylaws to ensure they are in compliance with the Municipal Government Act.
Should the minister of Municipal Affairs not be satisfied with the responses, or the Nov. 28 deadline isn’t met, the minster has the option of changing any of the recommendations into mandatory directives.
