Council Highlights - August 26, 2024
Below is a quick summary of Council discussions and decisions at the August 26, 2024, Regular Council meeting.
Mayor Dahl acknowledged the passing of former CAO Norm McInnis and offered condolences to his family and friends on behalf of the elected officials and citizens of Olds.
Departmental Reports
The RCMP shared their third-quarter update with Council, which included information on Q1 Municipal Crime Statistics and a Community Letter.
Protective Services provided a quarterly update to Council, which included the onboarding of seven new Probationary Firefighters and an update on the Drone initiative, in partnership with the University of Alberta. Municipal Enforcement stats for the quarter were also provided.
The Corporate Services quarterly report focused on key financial performance indicators and year-to-date budget statistics. The 2025 Budget Survey results from the community will be presented at the next meeting. Ongoing digitization efforts and new software implementation to support asset maintenance and budget were also discussed.
Intermunicipal Cooperation Committee (ICC)
The long-standing partnership between the Town of Olds and Mountain View County important to the success of the town, county and the region. The ICC agreement provides structure to this partnership and ensures the services and facilities our citizens depend on and utilize are managed in a responsible and efficient manner for both the Town and County. The renegotiation period for this agreement has been extended to December 31, 2024.
Bylaw Amendments
Council passed first reading for Bylaw No 2024-28 and 2024-29. A joint public hearing date was set for September 23, 2024 at 1:00 pm in Council Chambers.
Council passed first reading of cash in-lieu for parking first reading of Bylaw 2024-30. With this amendment, the Town of Olds seeks to improve the flexibility of the Land Use Bylaw by allowing staff and Council to more appropriately consider applications for infill development applications in Uptowne and East Olds. A joint public hearing data has been set for September 23, 2024 at 1:00 pm in Council Chambers.
Council Code of Conduct Bylaw Review
Council accepted the committee’s recommendations as presented for information and future discussions. Regular review and update our Council Code of Conduct Bylaws ensures they remain relevant, effective, and reflective of the values and expectations of our residents.
Council Ad Hoc Committee: Procedural Bylaw Review
Council gave all readings to Bylaw 2024-36 to create an ad hoc committee to review Council’s Procedural Bylaw. Similar to the committees established to review the Code of Conduct Bylaw, this temporary committee will be comprised of three elected officials and will be tasked with reviewing the current Procedural Bylaw and recommending amendments to Council. Council will appoint members at the September 9th meeting. Council’s procedural bylaw is the local legislation that governs meetings of Council and Council committees.
Olds Municipal Library Board
Council appointed Abriel Johnson and Doug Collie as new members to the Olds Municipal Library Board and re-appointed Curtis Cook. Their terms start August 26, 2024 and expire on October 26, 2026.
The next Council meeting is scheduled for September 3rd, 2024, at 1:00 pm.