Alberta Municipal Affairs has assumed control of the Village of Cremona as of March 19 and is currently in the process of finding an interim CAO to carry out administrative duties for the village, said a Municipal Affairs spokesperson.
ìWe're in the process of finding one (an administrator),î said Kathleen Range, press secretary and spokesperson for Municipal Affairs Minister Doug Griffiths. ìI think (we'll have one) as soon as possible.î
The ministry was forced to take over the village after a series of resignations by council and administration, the last of which was now former mayor Leslie Abrams' on Tuesday, March 19.
ìI notified the minister (of Municipal Affairs) 10 minutes after having received the mayor's resignation on Tuesday,î said interim CAO Terry Lofstrom in a phone conversation last Thursday.
He confirmed that the Cremona council meeting scheduled for last Tuesday evening had been cancelled because there was no quorum with which to hold a meeting. Melinda Whitlle resigned her seat on council the week previous.
Being that two of Cremona's three council members resigned, quorum could not be held with sole remaining councillor Karel Beckman. Quorum requires a majority of council members to be present.
ìBefore the resignation of the mayor, there was one councillor and the mayor,î said Range.
ìSo if they didn't agree on a particular item, they'd be at a stalemate.î
Range said typically when a council does not have quorum, byelections need to take place to fill empty seats on council.
ìBut that (byelection) would be speculation at this point. First, we're going to wait for results from the viability study, and then we'll be making some assessments based on that.î
Being that the viability review Municipal Affairs is undertaking in Cremona is the first of its kind, this is also the first time councillors and administration have resigned in the midst of the review process.
Though Range said she doesn't think the resignations will have any effect on the viability review, she didn't want to speculate on the matter.
ìThe viability study is ongoing, and a public meeting is going to be held later this spring to gather public input,î she said.
ìIt's going through its process, and they'll advise us once they're complete.î
These advisories will come at the end of the viability review, though Range said she doesn't have an E.T.A. as to when the review will be completed.
The search for a replacement CAO began as of Friday March 15, when Alberta Municipal Affairs was notified by Abrams of interim part-time CAO Lofstrom's resignation earlier that day.
Tendering his 30-day notice of resignation as of March 15, Lofstrom's final day as CAO for Cremona will be April 15 ñ just over two months shy of his contractual end date of the end of June.
Lofstrom declined to give a reason for his early departure ñ his second resignation since December of last year.
Originally, a two-year contract would have seen Lostrom keep his post as CAO until December 2013, but a two-month notice of resignation for retirement was accepted at the Dec. 18 meeting of Cremona council, slating his first early retirement date for Feb. 4, 2013.
Lofstrom returned in a diminished capacity weeks later as part-time interim CAO, working 100 hours a month, until the end of a new contract, which would have seen his departure at the end of June 2013.
ìBecause we're in the middle of the viability review, there was no way we were going to get a full-time CAO,î said Abrams.
ìIf the village were to dissolve, the new CAO would have only had a job for a few months.î
ìI understand his decision to give his notice early,î she said.
ìI believe the whole situation was taking its toll, and it was no way for him (Lofstrom) to start his retirement.î
Whittle reluctant to specify resignation details
Former councillor Mindy Whittle was hesitant to speak of her decision to resign, which was submitted to Lofstrom March 13.
ìI don't think anybody has the right to know after the way I've been treated,î said Whittle.
ìI always, always have put principle over personality ñ even at the times I didn't want to. But when people start going after my family, it's no longer worth it.î
She said one of the hardest things for her to do is leave the fire department behind that she worked so closely with.
Whittle shared some details of her resignation letter to Lofstrom with the Courier via email, the details of which are included below.
ìThe decision to move on was made with a heavy heart and mind. Although Cremona has only been my home for seven years, it is the first place I considered home since I left my parents' house,î she wrote to Lofstrom in her resignation the letter.
ìMy family dynamic has changed drastically since becoming a councillor, and my love for my family exceeds all other commitments,î she wrote.
Whittle said the best thing she can do for her community is to raise her two young sons and teach them love of family and community pride.
She went on to say what an honour it was to work with Lofstrom and Abrams.
ìIt's been a great pleasure working for the village as an elected representative. The staff of the village was outstanding, and I learned a great deal from them,î she said.
ìMr. Lofstrom's friendship, mentorship, and leadership made it all worthwhile.î
Abrams speaks about her resignation
Abrams said her own resignation on March 19 was part of a chain of events, some from recent weeks, and some from even further back.
ìThere's been an ever-increasing demand on me from the village, especially with the viability review. Many hours are required, and reading and responding to information put out by the viability review.î
ìIt was starting having an effect on my work life,î she said. ìFar too much time was spent at work dealing with village stuff.î
According to the Municipal Government Act, resignation [161(1)] ìThe resignation of a councillor must be in writing and given to the chief administrative officer.î
Lofstrom added that the other subsections of 161 denote that resignations become effective the date they are received by the CAO, and the CAO must report resignations at the first council meeting following receiving them.
Once she heard about Whittle and Lofstrom's resignations, Abrams said she immediately contacted the minister of Alberta Municipal Affairs on Friday, March 15 to request an official administrator for the Village of Cremona.
ìMonday (March 18), I called to speak with him, to set up a meeting for Tuesday, and he just wasn't available,î she said.
The minister was conversing with Abrams through his aide, who promised her a phone call on Tuesday morning, she said.
ìIt was just a domino effect. I waited until four o'clock (March 19) to turn in my resignation to give Municipal Affairs a chance to call me back and at least let me know they were working on something ñ or give me some indication as to what the next steps would be.î
ìI really needed some answers. I didn't feel like I could continue in my capacity without being able to inform the residents as to what the next steps would be.î
With her job in Calgary feeling the effects of the extensive hours she put in as mayor of Cremona, Abrams said it was time to choose between her career and the village ñ a decision that did not come easily.
ìIt was becoming increasingly difficult to give them both the attention that they needed and still succeed at both.î
ìI am still very passionate about the village,î she said. ìThe issues here are huge, and we don't need to add any more fuel to the fire. This community needs to heal. The issues need to be resolved to the best of the ministry's ability.î
ìI'm just looking for a day where I don't have to talk about it. I've been through a whole range of emotions. Relief, a sense of freedom, a little sadness and disappointment too.î
Abrams said colleagues', residents', friends' and co-workers' calls of support since her decision to resign have been encouraging.
Abrams, who served as mayor for the Village of Cremona for two and a half years, has no illusions about the village issues being solved once the ministry has completed its work there, but she said she has hopes things will improve.
ìThey're (Municipal Affairs) not going to make this all fluff and sunshine ñ there are going to be issues once the ministry walks away. But somewhere along the line, things have to take a turn and start to improve.î
ìEither way there needs to be Municipal Affairs intervention, and I hope my resignation is not in vain.î
Cremona's issues are no different than those of other municipalities, said Abrams.
ìWe have some residents who don't agree with or are upset with council decisions. All councils have council members that don't agree.
ìQuite frankly, people should worry if a whole council does agree every single time. This was a case of never agreeing, but we could have dealt with that. We were dealing with it.
ìWe're two and a half years in. But now we have the issues with the viability review, and the county.î
Recent events between the Cremona council and Mountain View County council over a fire services agreement have only served to place further strain on the village and its viability review, she said.
ìWhat it started to look like to me is that the county was hijacking the viability review ñ not only that, but it's starting to look like a hostile takeover by the county.î
She said she doesn't regret her decision, and she hopes that some positive things come for the village as a result of her stepping down from her seat as mayor.
ìI truly believe this village has potential. There are people here who are proud of Cremona, and believe in Cremona and its future. I am just hoping that those people stand up and help push Cremona forward.î
