Sundre MLA Joe Anglin is encouraging the Sundre mayor and councillors to visit the Alberta Legislature in Edmonton to discuss flood mitigation with new ministers.
He suggested they make the trip as soon as possible, adding he would like to join them.
Premier Alison Redford announced a cabinet shuffle Dec. 6.
The minister of Alberta Municipal Affairs is Ken Hughes, taking over the title from Doug Griffiths. The minister of Environment and Sustainable Resource Development is Robin Campbell, taking over the title from Diana McQueen.
Anglin gave a presentation during the council workshop meeting on Dec. 9, where he said he believes the new ministers will be more reasonable and more open than the last two.
Part of the plan is for councillors to invite them to Sundre to meet with members of the Red Deer River Quality Control Committee.
The committee reformed in November in an effort to get the provincial government to move forward with flood mitigation efforts. The original committee, which folded last year, was instrumental in getting the province to provide funding to build berms on the Red Deer River.
Members of the committee, along with Anglin, made a trip to the legislature last year and met with Griffiths and McQueen. They brought letters with them that had been written by members of the public in the Sundre area.
Coun. Myron Thompson, who is chair of the committee, said the letters didn't spark any action.
“I agree with you. It's time to make that trip to Edmonton,” said Thompson, during the Dec. 9 meeting.
Anglin said he wants to see the province take action not just suggest another study.
“I think we're at the ‘let's do it' stage,” said Anglin. “We shouldn't be dodging bullets anymore.”
He wants flood mitigation work to be completed before the spring.
With the dump of snow in Sundre over the last couple of weeks, Thompson said he is worried about the runoff in the spring.
“We've had enough studies to build a dam…we don't need to wait until the spring runoff to determine another study,” said Anglin. “The only way I know how to get in the door first is to start knocking.”
