OLDS — Outgoing Coun. Debbie Bennett has called on staff to provide more election-related information to residents after noting other communities had that information on their websites.
Bennett made that request during council’s Oct. 12 meeting. The municipal election was held Oct. 18. Bennett did not seek re-election this year.
Bennett said other communities listed polling stations plus information on referendum questions posed this year.
She said they also listed Restrictions Exemption Program (REP) rules. Under that program, Albertans are required to show proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test in order to enter many businesses, facilities and venues.
Bennett suggested the town’s website coordinator could make that happen.
Coun. Wanda Blatz liked the idea, adding she thought it should have been done long before now.
“I mean, this has been something we’ve known that’s been in the works since Jan. 1, of 2021 and it shouldn’t be the day before our polling stations open and be inundated with questions as to what’s going on,” Blatz said.
“It could be on our website and it could be on our Facebook page. I could have missed it quite easily, but I mean, these are things we’re hearing that we need to do better at communicating and we’ve got people in places of position that should be doing this. That’s just my own opinion.”
Acting chief administrative officer Sheena Linderman and acting operations director Doug Wagstaff said they’d make sure that direction is passed on.
"I’m going to say in fairness to any staff member, they’re going to do what they’re asked to do and if they haven’t been asked to do anything, that’s not an expectation that would be placed upon a staff member without them being directed to do so," said Wagstaff.
“So as we funnel information to any of our communications (staff) they can do whatever they’ve been asked to do.
“And now that that’s been brought forward, it had not been a directive that had been given either administratively or council-wise previously, in fairness to those staff. We will deal with it now that it’s been brought forward."
