The Town of Athabasca will have to wait until at least June to get the results of the upcoming municipal inspection, according to provincial officials.
Municipal Affairs is currently in the process of hiring an inspector to conduct the inspection.
Jerry Ward, public affairs officer for the department, said the province’s request for proposals closes on Nov. 27, and the town would be notified once the inspector is selected.
“Inspections typically take 7 to 9 months from the time an inspector is appointed to the time the final report is accepted by the Minister and presented to council and the public,” Ward said.
He also said when the report is completed and accepted by Minister Danielle Larivee, it will be presented to town council at an in-camera session during a council meeting.
He added that shortly afterward, on the same day, there will be a presentation to council during the public portion of a council meeting.
“The ministry works with the town to schedule the meeting date once the Minister accepts the report,” he said.
At the Town of Athabasca council meeting Nov. 1, town interim chief administrative officer Doug Topinka said he had spoken via phone with Municipal Affairs. He said they told him they hoped to have the inspector in place by early December, and inspection done in three months.
“The indication was that the average is around three months,” he said. “However, with Christmas, et cetera in there, it’s always going to take a little bit longer, so based on that, by the end of March.”
In an interview after the meeting, Topinka clarified what he said.
“My thought would be probably completed by the end of March,” he said.
“Report in hand,” he added.
The Advocate attempted to contact Topinka after Municipal Affairs shared their timelines, but he was unavailable to speak before publication deadline.
On Feb. 29, former town mayor Lionel Cherniwchan held a meeting to start collecting names on a petition calling for a municipal inspection. Received by Municipal Affairs April 6, the petition was deemed valid in May with 832 valid signatures of town residents.
The province conducted a preliminary review in July, holding interviews with town council and members of administration. A report based on the interviews and other information like financial indicators, recent election history and key sustainability measures was sent to the minister in August.
In a letter written to Mayor Roger Morrill and council – dated Oct. 12 and received by the town on Oct. 17 – Larivee wrote that the preliminary review conducted in July “identified concerns that justify an in-depth review.”
