Sundre's council recently discussed whether to raise a Mountain View County flag in front of the municipality's office.
Coun. Cheri Funke brought the idea to the table for consideration during the June 26 meeting.
Every member of Sundre's council is well aware that the provincial government's impending updated Municipal Government Act will place an increased focus on inter-municipal collaboration moving forward, she said.
"And council and the residents are well aware of our past relationship with Mountain View County ó it's been rocky at best. I wanted to bring this forward to council as somewhat of an olive branch towards Mountain View County," she said.
"We may not all get along all the time, but they do make a large contribution to our community. They give us a lot of money, plain and simple."
To initiate the discussion, the councillor tabled a motion to fly the county's flag in front of the municipality's office.
Coun. Myron Thompson wanted to ensure the flag would be donated.
Director of finance and administration Vic Pirie also wanted to know whether the request called to erect a new flagpole or replace a flag that's already there.
"Legally, we can't replace any of those," said Funke, confirming a new pole would also have to be installed.
Coun. Paul Isaac was not opposed, "but to me, putting up their flag on our yard is not building a relationship."
Even though he did not have a problem with the suggestion, Isaac expressed a greater interest in sitting down with the county's council to discuss the idea first, as opposed to arbitrarily deciding alone among Sundre's council to fly the county's flag.
As a point of clarification, Funke said she had discussed the notion with a member of the county council for feedback, and was told that the flag would be donated.
"They understand that it may just be a symbolic gesture, but it would be a huge symbolic gesture in the right direction."
Coun. Nolan Blatchford was on board, but wondered what a new flagpole would cost and whether the county would fly the municipality's flag as well.
"That's the question I had," agreed Coun. Chris Vardas, adding administration would require direction on the matter.
"I'm OK with the gesture of flying their flag out there. We are part of the Mountain View County, we do get funding from the Mountain View County, and it kind of shows that we're ready to play ball nicely," he said.
"I think it's time for us to start playing nice in the sandbox."
Funke's motion carried unanimously.
