CREMONA – A byelection date has officially been set to vote in a new council following the August resignations of three members that left the village short of the quorum requirement and thus without the legislative authority to make decisions or take any actions.
Karen O’Connor, the village’s chief administrative officer, said a meeting was held on Sept. 17 after minister of Municipal Affairs Ric McIver issued an order appointing Doug Lagore of Transitional Solutions Inc. as the municipality’s official administrator with all of the powers and duties of council until Nov. 30 or until quorum is restored.
During the Sept. 17 meeting, O’Connor said resolutions were passed setting the nomination period to start on Wednesday, Sept. 18 and ending at noon on Monday, Oct. 7.
Nominees will then be granted an additional 24 hours in the event they for whatever reason should decide to withdraw from the race before their names are subsequently made public.
Residents will in turn get their chance to vote in a new council on Monday, Nov. 4.
Sandra Ryan has been appointed returning officer while O’Connor will act as the substitute returning officer.
A ministry spokesperson told the Albertan in response to follow-ups that any questions village residents may have regarding the upcoming byelection or requests to speak with the official administrator should be directed to the village office, which can be reached by calling 403-637-3762.
The Sept. 17 meeting agenda, which is available on the village’s website, included among a handful of other resolutions also officially accepting for the record the resignations of three former members of council who in August announced their intentions to step down. They were former mayor Tim Hagen as well as deputy mayor Joe Canaday and Coun. Jody Dick.
In an email dated Aug. 13, Dick submitted a resignation thanking administration as well as council colleagues “for your support and tutelage during the past 14 months” before going onto wish them all the best moving forward.
“I know everything we did as council was for the betterment of the village,” said Dick.
A handwritten letter dated Aug. 20 and signed by Canaday simply announced the former councillor’s intent to resign without further elaboration.
Hagen’s handwritten letter of resignation, also dated Aug. 20, cited first and foremost concerns about his health for his decision to step down.
“It is too hard on myself to keep fighting a small group of people that only looks at how they can get rid of council, CAO and public works so they can put the people they like (friends) in their place,” he stated, adding his physician had even recommended he resign to reduce stress for the sake of his heart’s health following a history of cardiac arrests.
“The last council meeting we had showed me just how bad my health is. I couldn’t finish the closed meeting. We all (myself included) blamed it on the heat, but I’m sorry to say that was not the case…it had more to do with the stress,” wrote Hagen, going onto conclude by stating that serving had for the most part been a pleasure, and then extended well wishes for “the very best in the future” to the village and those still working for it.
