Mountain View County and Village of Cremona officials are making progress towards finalizing a new fire service agreement before year's end, and officials say negotiations could wrap on the new document as early as mid-July.
“We've been in negotiations with the village for quite a while,” said Jeff Holmes, director of legislative, community and agricultural services for MVC.
“I think things will go pretty quick after the June 20 meeting. I expect we'll be in agreement on the key principles, and we'll have a little more work to do to finalize the document,” said Holmes.
Holmes and Eric McGhan, Alberta Municipal Affairs-appointed official administrator for Cremona, were to meet again June 28 to discuss key concepts they wish to include in the future fire services agreement between the two municipalities.
“We've both entered into this process with the mindset that one fire department is what the community has told us they want, and that's our goal. To make sure we have a partnership that will work for both municipalities,” said Holmes.
“Until the agreement is in place, it's business as usual for the fire department. There has been no interruption in emergency services, and certainly, that's our primary goal to ensure that there isn't one.
“There's a bit of urgency to get it resolved as soon as possible because we don't want to leave it to the last minute. It's important to both municipalities that we get this done as quick as possible.”
The protection of life and personal property that Cremona and District Emergency Services provides is paramount, said McGhan.
“It's a very, very important agreement. It's one of the highest priorities that a local government needs to consider,” said McGhan.
“So I am not treating this matter lightly in any fashion, but I am pursuing it with some haste, because the official position right now is that Cremona was going to withdraw from the authority, and that would be bad for both Mountain View County and the people of Cremona.”
The agreement, which helps facilitate fire services for county residents through Cremona and District Emergency Services, was the subject of fiery debate earlier this year following previous Cremona council's announcement of intent to withdraw from the agreement at a Feb. 26 council meeting.
“I won't let that happen. We will make sure that something is in place – but I'm hoping it's an agreement that everybody will find favourable, beneficial, and sustainable,” he said.
