The municipal inspection report detailing the affairs of the Town of Athabasca has been completed and submitted to Alberta Municipal Affairs.
Town council members were informed May 30 that the consulting firm conducting the report, Strategic Steps, had finished their report and would return to present it to council at a future date as dictated by the ministry.
Municipal Affairs public affairs officer Jerry Ward said in an email that the report is under review by the department to determine what steps, if any, would be taken as a result of the findings of the inspectors.
“Once the Minister accepts the report and recommended response, the report will be presented to council and the public,” he wrote. “At this time, there is no timeline for the Minister’s decision or for the public report presentation.”
“I do not have any word on how long it may take for the Ministry to share the report with our community but I eagerly await it,” Town of Athabasca Mayor Roger Morrill said in an email.
Coun. Tim Verhaeghe said in an email he looked forward to the results of the inspection and would be happy to comment on it once it has been received by council.
Coun. Joanne Peckham said she feels “relieved” that the inspection has been completed.
“It’s been quite time consuming for many of us, myself,” she said. “It’s been going through every email since the beginning of the election.”
She also said she hoped the report would provide a guide to help future councils, noting a municipal corporate review on the town completed by the province in 2013.
“Why the second inspection? This is not the first for the town,” she said. “So what’s not sticking, and what’s not being understood?”
