After more than two years, Village of Clyde councillors and residents will soon know Alberta Municipal Affairs’ final recommendations in the final step of the municipality’s viability review.
Council will hold a special meeting on Monday, April 11 at Clyde Community Hall where councillors and residents will have the chance to meet with Municipal Affairs representatives to discuss the report’s findings.
Municipal Affairs spokesperson Jerry Ward said the document outlines the options that council will ultimately select.
“It will contain information on two viability options for the village,” Ward explained.
“One is Clyde remains incorporated and implements the recommended actions outlined in the viability plan, or the Village of Clyde dissolves to become a hamlet within Westlock County.”
While the report has been completed, it will not be released publicly until the meeting. Village and county councillors, along with residents will be mailed copies for review a week prior.
Once the options are presented, council then decides how to proceed.
“[We’ll decide] whether or not we’re going to accept the conditions of the report, if there are conditions, or send it to plebiscite for dissolution of the village,” explained mayor Doug Nyal at council’s Feb. 19 meeting.
Ward said a timeline for a decision would likely be set out in the report.
If council decides to keep the village incorporated, the report identifies steps to make it more viable, Ward explained.
Should council choose to dissolve, a plebiscite will be held to gauge public opinion.
“The minister may issue directives to council and administration to ensure the recommendations of the viability review team are implemented,” Ward said.
“The minister will have a public vote of Clyde electors to determine public support of that option.”
If residents support dissolution, Municipal Affairs minister Danielle Larivee would petition cabinet for a dissolution order. If residents vote against dissolution, the minister would then make the decision on the fate of the municipality.
Nyal said the meeting is a good opportunity for residents to gain insight behind council’s decision, whichever way they decide.
“[If] council says no, we’re going to meet the conditions of the report of the minister and we’re not going to send it to plebiscite, we’re going to remain operating as a village … to do that, in my mind, we need to have a reasonably good mandate from the residents of the village that they agree with our decision,” Nyal said.
“Not just they’re agreeing with us. They understand how we’re making this decision and the best way for them to understand that is to see the report presented to them from the people that created the report.”
