MOUNTAIN VIEW COUNTY - First-term Mountain View County (MVC) councillor Gord Krebs says a lack of confidence in council and administration were behind his decision to resign last month.
“With the current council and administration, I just don’t feel that I am able to represent the ratepayers of Mountain View County the way they deserve to be represented,” Krebs said in a statement provided to the Albertan on Sept. 4.
The Division 4 councillor resigned last month, with council voting on Aug. 28 to hold a byelection on Oct. 16.
The division includes the areas of Bergen, Harmattan, Westerdale, Elkton, Rugby and parks of Fallentimber.
The county's chief administrative officer (CAO), Jeff Holmes, accepted Krebs’ resignation on Aug. 13.
The county officially announced Krebs’ resignation on Aug. 14, releasing a statement that included reeve Angela Aalbers saying, “On behalf of Mountain View County council, we extend our thanks to councillor Krebs for his service to our community over the past nearly three years.”
The statement did not include any reason for the first-term councillor’s resignation.
On Sept. 4, Krebs also provided the Albertan with a copy of his resignation letter.
“In 2021, I ran for office with the intention of helping residents shape the county the way they wanted to see it,” he said. “The past two years have made it obvious that residents don’t shape the county, but rather administration and council shape it for them with little to no respect for residents’ concerns.
“Having lost respect for the people I work with, it’s time to move on. I will look after my apologies to the residents of MVC for not fulfilling the term they trusted me. It seems I am accomplishing nothing on their behalf. I no longer wish to be part of the problem.”
At the time of his resignation Krebs remained under sanctions imposed by council on Nov. 30, 2022 after being found in violation of two sections of the Council Code of Conduct Bylaw 09/22.
The sanctions included Krebs not sitting on any council committees.
The byelection to replace Krebs is expected to cost about $10,000, says CAO Holmes.
Nominations for persons interested in running in the byelection are being accepted until noon on Sept. 18.
The next general election in the county is scheduled to take place in October 2025.
