Athabasca County intends to move forward with a new building for Family and Community Support Services (FCSS), with or without the town.
After FCSS announced its intention to vacate the Old Brick School in favor of a new building (likely to be constructed next to the County building), town council requested a meeting with the county to discuss the development.
But according to the county, the town has had ample information and time to oppose or give suggestions regarding all aspects of a new FCSS building.
Athabasca County Reeve David Yurdiga said the town has committee members that sit in on both the FCSS and Multiplex Society meetings.
ìAs municipal partners, we welcome the townís input, but to claim that they have not been given a chance to give their viewpoint is not true,î Yurdiga stated. ìWeíre dedicated to working with our municipal partners and those procedures have been followed.
ìWeíre going to move forward with or without the townís blessing.î
Discussions regarding a new facility have taken place at FCSS meetings as far back as 2011, according to the reeve.
ìThe content of those meetings included the shortcomings of the current facility, allocating the funds for the new building as well as the construction of new office space,î Yurdiga said. ìAll indications that a new building was in the near future.î
Yurdiga added that if the town was questioning the amount of input they have had, they could have expressed it at those committee meetings.
ìIf the town council feels they have been left out of the loop, they should look at their representatives on the FCSS board, as they have obviously not done their job by reporting back to council,î Yurdiga said. ìIt has been known for a number of years that the Old Brick School was no longer conducive to FCSS as an organization and the programs they are running.î
Athabasca County realized that action needed to be taken to improve the workspace of their FCSS employees.
ìAthabasca County has moved past the discussion stage to meet those needs,î he said.
ìTo state that the county has not put enough thought into a new building is both a slap in the face to our staff, who have worked diligently to explore the options of a new space, as well as the FCSS employees that must deal with the less than ideal conditions in the current facility,î Yurdiga said.
FCSS falls under Athabasca County jurisdiction, and they felt a new building was a top priority for the sake of their employees.
ìWith comments regarding the development permit, I think that was uncalled for,î Yurdiga said about a comment Athabasca town councillor Colleen Powell made during the last town council meeting.
ìWe have to get away from the politics of this. We have to look at the need and what is best for the community.î
Emil Zachkewich, chairman of the advisory board for FCSS, agrees with Yurdiga because he states the town knew about the building proposal all along.
ìItís their responsibility to take the information or whatever transpires at the FCSS board meetings back to their respective councils,î Zachkewich said about the reps from each council that sit on outside committees. ìClaiming that they have no input into this is entirely false because they have two board members present.î
Zachkewich said it is the responsibility of committee reps to relay the information.
ìPleading ignorance is a very lame excuse,î he said.
Athabasca town councillor Colleen Powell who sits on the FCSS committee, could not be reached for comment before press time.
