OLDS — Big changes may soon be coming to the Olds Police Advisory Committee (OPAC) and the town’s Public Art Advisory Committee (PAAC), which could save the town some money.
Town council is considering dropping at least one – maybe both councillors from the OPAC.
Also, at the suggestion of administrative staff, council is considering dissolving the current PAAC and creating a new committee on public art that meet on an ad hoc basis (meet when necessary) and would be managed by administrative staff.
In both cases, a report from administrative staff says cost savings could be realized because there would be no expense claims from elected officials for attending those meetings or for committee meals or other miscellaneous committee costs.
In addition, no overtime would be charged by town facilitators attending those meetings.
It’s anticipated that those proposed changes will come back before council during its organizational meeting, which will be held at the end of the month.
OPAC
Coun. Wanda Blatz suggested that one councillor could be dropped from the committee.
She also wondered about whether more discussion is needed with municipal enforcement officers and the RCMP, which she said is in flux as it awaits a community officer.
Coun. Darren Wilson went one step further and said both councillors should be dropped from the committee.
He said council receives lots of information on crime in town from Olds RCMP detachment commanding officer Staff Sgt. Warren Wright, the town’s new senior peace officer Paul Wright and protective services director Justin Andrew.
Mayor Judy Dahl wondered about how much input the committee receives from the public.
Coun. Harvey Walsh echoed the call to axe both councillors from the OPAC, pointing out its purpose is to advise council, so why have councillors sitting on that committee?
Coun. Dan Daley echoed Wilson and Walsh’s thoughts, saying he was “leaning toward” taking both councillors off the committee.
PAAC
“I totally support the recommendation here that the Public Art Advisory Committee be dissolved and that they be an ad hoc committee,” Coun. Wanda Blatz said.
She agreed with the chief administrative officer Brent Williams that there is “a good group of folks sitting on that committee” that could easily do their work on an ad-hoc basis and report their findings/concerns to council.
Mayor Dahl agreed the proposed change could result in cost savings for the town, but noted that Coun. James Cummings, who sits on that committee wasn’t present to provide his input.
Coun. Wilson said he not only agreed with dissolving the committee, he’d like to see the committee examine what its mandate is and present that mandate to council.
The chief administrative officer said “a larger public art strategy” is needed for the community but it will likely take some time to create that strategy. Meanwhile, the town has many other issues to tackle.
