MOUNTAIN VIEW COUNTY - Board and commissions of Mountain View County have submitted 2020/21 annual reports to council, outlining activities and challenges facing the respective organizations.
Councillors reviewed and received the reports at the recent regularly scheduled council meeting.
Those submitted reports were the Subdivision and Development Appeal Board (SDAB), the Cremona and District Recreation Board, the Carstairs Library Board, the Sundre Library Board, the municipal planning commission, and the Strings and Keys Education Fund Committee.
In her report, SDAB board chair Alana Gibson said the board heard three development appeals, one for a dwelling manufacture and agricultural support services, one for business home-based assessors building, and one for a development recreational resort.
She also provided comments on behalf of the board: “It is believed that there will be challenges for the board in the upcoming year because of the current effects of the COVID epidemic (pandemic). Besides potential challenges of meeting in person it is noted the significant decrease in appeals to date.
“It is suspected that there will now be an increase in appeals as developments in rural area become more and more popular as people seem to be preferring to leave the cities for the safety of rural areas.”
In her report Jen Gunderson chair of the Cremona and District Recreation Board said, in part, “This year (was) not a typical year. We were able to fund all applications. Each year we are able to allocate funds in such a way that I believe we meet the needs of our community yet still retain an appropriate reserve.
“As a board we are insistent on appropriate format and have established communication with program applicants that may be deferred. Overall I am pleased by the accomplishments of this committee.”
Carstairs Library Board chair Lesley Morasch said, in part, that, “Through these difficult COVID times the environment of the library has remained welcoming, positive and caring. COVID and the ever changing mandates will continue to be the biggest challenge the board will need to contend with during the upcoming year.
“Community members continue to generously support the library through tireless fundraising by the Friends of the Library.”
Sundre Library representative Lynda Lyster said, in part, that, “The library provides excellent resources for the patrons of Sundre library. During the mandated closures, staff made a point of touching base with vulnerable patrons, mostly seniors, through friendly phone calls. The library is much more than just books.”
Gerald Ingeveld, chair of the municipal planning commission (MPC), said, in part, that, “This year we had the challenge of working through some changes in our statutory documents that recently took affect. Planning staff did an excellent job of pointing out the transitions, and when they applied to applications.
“MPC had no specific areas of concern this year and have no recommendations for changes in our format or activities.”
In his report, Strings and Keys Education Fund Committee chair Jamie Syer said total disbursement from the fund was $3,150.
“The uncertainties caused by the pandemic continues to have an impact on music students in various ways,” he said. “Most high school music activities were paused or eliminated during this past year, and private lessons were generally held via Zoom. Music festivals and music examinations are only now considering a return to in-person performances in the spring of 2022.”
Council received the reports as information at the Sept. 13 council meeting.
