Mountain View County (MVC) council has decided to not have the municipality sign the Red Deer River Municipal User Group (RDRMUG) Charter for Protecting Source Water Quality.
The decision came by way of motion at the Nov. 7 regularly scheduled council meeting.
RDRMUG is a collection of municipalities in the region, including Carstairs, Didsbury, Olds, Sundre and Mountain View County. It is, among other things, a forum for members to discuss water supply, water use and water quality issues in the region.
The Charter for Protecting Source Water Quality in the Red Deer River Watershed has been formulated following workshops. Member municipalities have been asked to officially sign the document.
The charter states, in part, that RDRMUG “recognizes the importance of protecting all Central Alberta water resources for the future well-being of communities, and the businesses and residents therein, along with maintaining a healthy environment, including aquatic and riparian ecosystems throughout our watershed.”
It also states that, “an ensuing goal of the RDRMUG is to ensure, by means of education, promotion and example, the protection of source water quality by all municipalities through their adoption of meaningful policies and implementation of relevant actions.”
In a briefing note to council, Mountain View County administration recommended that council receive the charter for information and request a letter be sent to RDRMUG from the reeve highlighting the policies and implementation of relevant actions and programs Mountain View County has in support of protecting source water quality.
“I’m worried that we are going to fetter some of our own municipal decision making if we use the word charter because I feel it is authoritative,” said Coun. Al Kemmere.
“I can support where we include all of the different policies and this is how we are addressing the intent of the charter; but to call it a charter worries me about the authority that comes along with it.
“Last thing I want is for our rights as a municipality to be fettered by somebody who lives 40 miles or 50 miles downstream and then have them say, ‘Hey, you agreed to this and now you have to deliver on what it says.'"
Following Kemmere’s comments, Chris Atchison, director of legislative services, said, “Alluding to those comments, that’s exactly administration’s position as well. There’s really no direction from RDRMUG on what this charter is going to be used for in the future.
“We are concerned that there may be policy and budget implications. In the future this charter could come back to contradict council policy and procedure.”
Coun. Greg Harris said he was in agreement with Coun. Kemmere’s comments.
“I know we support RDRMUG and we support the watershed alliance and I think what administration is outlining is perfectly adequate at this particular point,” said Harris.
“There is no clarity on where it (the charter) is going or what it could be used for, so I support administration’s position.”
Harris proposed a motion to follow administration’s recommendation as outlined in the briefing note.
Reeve Beattie said he agreed with the recommendation and the motion.
“The letter will clearly identify the programs that we already have in place and I don’t feel it is necessary to sign the charter to achieve that,” said Beattie.
The motion passed, with Coun. Peggy Johnson voting against.
In a separate briefing note to council, administration outlined some of the programs the county is involved with relating to water protection in the district.
The note states, in part, that, “Mountain View County partners, contributes funds or works with organizations with similar mandates for the protection of water quality such as Alberta Conservation Association, Alberta Agriculture and Forestry, Agroforestry and Woodlot Extension Society, Alberta Environment and Parks, Alberta Invasive Species Council, Cows and Fish, Ducks Unlimited . . . Sundre Petroleum Operator’s Group and numerous of our neighbouring municipalities.”
Sundre mayor Terry Leslie is the RDRMUG urban co-chair. He attended the Nov. 7 MVC council meeting.
In an interview following the council meeting, Leslie said he is disappointed the county has decided not to sign the charter.
“The charter was an opportunity for municipalities to say, ‘Here’s what we do and we want everybody that we represent to understand that it is not just us, it’s each and every one of us that through education and information can all do a better job and be aware of the impact that each of us has on the Red Deer River watershed,'" said Leslie.
Deputy Reeve Angela Aalbers did not attend the Nov. 7 county council meeting.
