MOUNTAIN VIEW COUNTY - Timely cooperation and dialogue between the provincial government and Mountain View County over the next four years would be beneficial to residents, says the county's reeve, Angela Aalbers.
“As elected municipal officials, we believe we have great value to add when the province is making decisions, and we are also happy to collaborate with the province in the interest of our ratepayers,” Aalbers told the Albertan.
In her recent mandate letter to Minister of Municipal Affairs Ric McIver, Premier Danielle Smith outlined government expectations for the ministry, including, “maintaining and building relationships of trust, partnership and open dialogue with municipal leaders across the province and bringing feedback and solutions from these discussions with municipal leaders to caucus and cabinet for timely consideration.”
Reeve Aalbers said the county is pleased to hear government expectations include the above.
In her mandate letter Premier Smith also called on the ministry to work at “continuing to improve the delivery of stable, predictable funding through the Local Government Fiscal Framework (LGFF).”
Mountain View County is “pleased that the premier is putting focus on advancing the local government fiscal framework,” said reeve Aalbers.
“The outcome of the funding formula will determine the split of LGFF funds across rural and urban municipalities (and) will have a great impact on Mountain View County,” she said.
The county current receives $2.1 million annually in Municipal Sustainability Initiative funding, “which will transition to the LGFF under either the same funding formula, or more likely an updated funding formula,” she said.
The funds are used by the county for capital projects, mainly road infrastructure, she noted.
Premier Smith also says she expect the minister to “work with municipalities and local businesses to benchmark, measure and reduce the time it takes to approve permits to create a more attractive business investment environment.
And to “develop appropriate incentives and benchmarks to significantly reduce municipal approval times for housing and business park developments.
In response to the mandate letter to the McIver, official opposition municipal affairs critic Sarah Hoffman said, in part: “The UCP is trying to hide their record, which has been deep cuts and total failure on many issues, including getting municipalities compensated for unpaid property taxes.
“Alberta municipalities need a real partner in their provincial government, and nothing in this (mandate) letter indicates that this is a priority of the UCP over the next four years.”
