The members of County Council met Thursday, Sept. 25, for a special meeting regarding the amalgamation of the Town and County Councils.
During this meeting representatives from Alberta Municipal Affairs made a presentation regarding amalgamation, how it starts, the overall process, the grants available, and what it could mean to the Barrhead community.
The beginning of the meeting began with Mark Oberg, County Manager, explaining how it would be beneficial for the members of County Council to have questions prepared for the representatives.
“We just need to get from municipal affairs what the process is for amalgamation, what our options are besides amalgamation, and what our options are within amalgamation,” Oberg said.
Councillor Bill Lane explained that Barrhead has gone through the process of Amalgamation before; back in 1995, however it was decided then that the process would not be completed and things would remain the same.
“That’s when it all started,” Diane Begert, Director of County Finance &Administration, said.
“There was talk back then and it never went anywhere and I expect this to be the same scenario,” Councillor Darrell Troock said. “Let’s get on with it, let’s see what they got… We have nothing to hide. We have a well run machine here.”
Troock added that throughout his years with County Council there have been circumstances where council has had the opportunity to save the town money, however the town refused to listen to the suggestions made.
“We could have saved them hundreds of thousands of dollars with working together, and they wouldn’t listen,” Troock said. “Lets get on with it and see what we want to say now.”
Troock asked Municipal Affairs what they constitute as not getting along, adding that he is amazed by “where we have gone from not agreeing to do what one municipality wishes… to amalgamation.”
“We are kind of the model for working together,” Troock said. “All of the sudden there’s a bee in their bonnet because they (the town) didn’t get their way, so we are forced into amalgamation talks.”
“I just don’t understand the waste of time, money, and our community,” Troock added.
Oberg presented his questions to council prior to the arrival of Municipal Affairs. Some of the questions included whether or not the county would have to pay particular attention for the further spending of the town.
Oberg was concerned that once the councils amalgamate, their debts will become one, and the county will take on the expenditures of the town, and vice versa.
“All of the debts, and all of the assets would be coming to one municipality,” Oberg said.
Municipal Affairs explained that yes the assets and debts would be the responsibility of the new council. However, both parties have their accounts reviewed by the Minister.
With the talk of amalgamation on the table council members are being confronted by members of the community with questions concerning the process, what it will mean for the county and for the town, and overall what will change.
“I have some folks asking me… if amalgamation is going to be a reality,” Councillor Dennis Nanninga said, adding that if the amalgamation does occur it will change things when it comes to the new aquatic centre.
“That is not saying that it can’t happen but, what has to come first?” Nanninga said.
Process of Amalgamation
The initiation of amalgamation proceedings requires giving written notice of the proposed amalgamation to both municipalities, as well as the Minister of Municipal Affairs.
The notice given to the Minister must include names of both municipalities, reasons for the proposed amalgamation, and a proposal for consulting with affected local authorities, including those such as the school board, and the public.
Following this is the direct negotiations, which can include a mediator if the municipalities choose, however three things must take place.
The municipalities must meet, discuss the proposals included in the notice, and negotiate those proposals in good faith.
All of these things must take place before either council says whether or not they want to go through with the process.
The municipality that initiated the amalgamation must keep the Minister informed throughout the progression of the negotiations.
Reporting on the negotiations to the Minister requires that once the negotiations are concluded, the initiating municipality submits a report that lists the matters agreed on and disagreed on, describes the public consultation processes involved, and summarizes the views expressed during the public consultation.
“That would include how services are being provided to the residents both the rural and urban,” Linda Reynolds, Municipal Sustainability Advisor, said.
The initiating council must sign the report, with those in favor of the amalgamation from the receiving council doing so as well.
“The others who are involved… do not have to sign. If you are not in agreement you do not have to sign it,” Reynolds said. “You would include the reasons for not signing it.”
The report is then submitted to the Minister who ultimately decides whether or not amalgamation is the right direction for the councils.
Once the process of amalgamation is complete, if amalgamation is decided, the existing councils are dissolved, with an interim council taking their place.
An odd number is always chosen for the new council, which will also take on a new name.
The Minister chooses the members for the interim council based on the information provided.
Those who are chosen then stay in those positions in council until the next municipal election, which for Barrhead will be in three years.
According to Begert, after amalgamating, there are certain Government grants that Barrhead will no longer be eligible for.
The two separate councils allowed for the town to apply for a grant, and for the county to apply for the same grant, however once amalgamated, they will no longer have the ability to do so.
However, there are grants available for the process of a mediation, which could deter amalgamation altogether.
The mediation will get both councils sitting in the same room, with a mediator if they wish, to discuss the issues at hand, and to hash them out either privately, or publicly.
There is a program that is provided by the Municipal Dispute Resolution Services that will supply municipalities in need with funds for a consultant during the assessment phase of mediation. This grant can provide up to $50,000.
Another grant provided by the MDRS is for during the implementation process, and has a matching grant of up to $30,000, and is funding that helps municipalities develop and put in action strategies to implement new policies and procedures, and may include funding for training and evaluation.
There are several items that are taken into account when reconstructing a municipality is under discussion.
Some of these items include the financial viability of both councils, the effects on council structure, administration, services and operations, the population and political representation, the appropriate process used to develop the proposal, as well as the impacts on the affected municipalities.
“There has to be some positive impacts that must be examined,” Kai So, Manager, Municipal Sustainability and Information, said. “We always want to make sure that the amalgamation makes sense.”
So added that it is not just the decision of one party to amalgamate, and that both parties must be on board with the decision.
“It should be a win, win for everyone,” So said.
One of the other options than amalgamation includes a Specialized Municipality. These forms of municipalities are considered when ongoing and unique requirements are proposed for a new municipal government as a result of a restructuring process.
“Every community is unique,” Oberg said.
Dissolution is another option, however with the large populations in both the county and the town, it is extremely unlikely that this option will occur.
Dissolution includes major changes to the council structure.
“The population between the town and the county of Barrhead are too close for dissolution to take place,” So said. “We would refer them to the amalgamation process because it would be the more appropriate process for the restructure.”
If amalgamation occurs, Barrhead will change its status from town to hamlet, with a municipal council instead of town and county councils.
Reeve Bill Lee said that mediation was the way the town should have gone about the process, rather than presenting the county with the idea of amalgamation.
