Valleyview Town Council addressed a range of governance, emergency management, and policy matters during its organizational meeting held January 12.
Council received a presentation from Director of Emergency Management Jesse Harris, outlining the roles and responsibilities of Council, the Emergency Management Committee, and the Emergency Management Agency. Harris explained that emergency management involves coordinated planning to prepare for, respond to, and recover from emergencies and disasters in order to protect lives, property, the environment, and community continuity.
Several appointments were made to the Valleyview Municipal Library Board. Council appointed Katrin Sannig, Travis Werklund, Gwendolyn Villebrun, and Christina Fobes to one-year terms ending January 31, 2027. Council considered factors such as governance experience, financial and policy skills, community service involvement, and availability when making the selections.
Council also approved formal wording for a land acknowledgement to be read at the start of council meetings. The acknowledgement recognizes that meetings take place on the traditional lands of the Sturgeon Lake Cree Nation, part of Treaty 8 territory, and acknowledges the Nation’s historical connection to the land and ongoing relationship with the Town.
An external auditor was appointed, with Council accepting a proposal from Metrix Group LLP to serve as the Town’s auditor through to 2029.
Library governance was also discussed, with Council reviewing a report and receiving it for information. Acknowledging its limited legislative role under the Libraries Act, Council directed administration to forward all letters of complaint regarding the library to the Library Board and to encourage the board to seek further guidance from the Public Libraries Services Branch.
Council made an appointment to the Valleyview and District Recreation Board, naming Debra Wedel to a one-year term ending January 31, 2027. The Recreation Board serves in an advisory role, providing direction for recreation services in the Valleyview area.
A new Fleet Management Policy was approved, establishing a consistent and financially sustainable framework for the acquisition, maintenance, replacement, and disposal of Town-owned vehicles and mobile equipment. The policy will support long-term capital planning and compliance with the Municipal Government Act.
Council also directed administration to prepare a draft policy outlining the framework and guidelines for live streaming council meetings.
Finally, Council gave all three readings to Bylaw #2026-01, the Municipal Emergency Management Bylaw. The updated bylaw aligns local emergency management practices with current legislation, corrects errors and inconsistencies, and modernizes provisions related to authority, responsibilities, and public safety during extraordinary events.
Keith Hopper, Trending 55
