Sometimes no news is good news and sometimes no news, is just that — no news.
In regards to the town and county coming to some sort of recreation agreement, it seems the latter is more accurate.
After six months of behind the doors, provincially mandated negotiations between the town and county, failed to come to an agreement. And if everything plays out as hinted at by Danielle Larivee, Minister of Municipal Affairs, she will impose an agreement of her own.
That is if she does. It is true the letter from Larivee to both municipalities stated that she was giving both sides six months to come to a recreation agreement or face the possibility of having one forced upon them.
It has been obvious from the onset town council is more than willing for the province to intercede.
And why wouldn’t they, from their prospective they really don’t have a lot to lose. In 2016, the county will contribute $88,860, or about 14 per cent of the total operating costs for the major recreation facilities. Whatever agreement the province would impose is likely to be a fair bit north of 14 per cent.
From the county perspective, the possibility of ministerial intervention is more problematic. Unfortunately, since the negotiations were behind closed doors, we have no idea how much the county was prepared to contribute, but as we previously mentioned it will, in all likelihood, be more than the municipality or its ratepayers are comfortable with. If it is based on the number of county residents who regularly use the town’s recreation facilities, that number could be as high as 60 per cent.
However, the question is whether the minister will truly intervene?
Take Alberta Education Minister David Eggen for example, who earlier this year, set two different deadlines for the Independent Baptist Christian Education Society, to comply with his instructions to have in place policies that protect lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered and queer (LGBTQ) students and to submit them to the ministry only to have them ignored.
So far the minister has not really enacted any real consequences.
Will we see the same thing here?
The other question does she have the legal authority to impose an agreement? At least before the current one expires after the municipal election in 2017. In exchange for $5 million for the county’s half of the aquatic centre, the town agreed to let the county contribute to recreation what they deem is fair.
Whether or not Larivee is willing or able to impose a solution, residents should prepare for further disputes. One of the changes being proposed for the Municipal Government Act is to require all municipalities outside the Edmonton and Calgary areas to adopt inter-municipal collaboration frameworks on a wide range of topics. It they can’t agree on a framework the province will have the authority to appoint a mediator who may impose one.
