Current Rocky View County Division 1 Councillor Liz Breakey announced her intention to run for re-election after taking time to consider the four-year commitment.
“There is a number of projects I want to see carried through,” she said. “I just have a real hope for Rocky View County.”
Breakey has been in the role as councillor since April 10, 2012, after winning the by-election on March 26, to replace the late councillor Rick Butler, who died in a skiing accident on Dec. 27, 2011.
“It’s taken me most of that time to build relationships and trust and learn the ropes,” she said.
She said because she is a geologist by trade, she continues to put water and wastewater, along with land use as top priorities.
“The biggest deal for us is the water and wastewater service out here in Bragg Creek,” she said of the new system that was completed shortly before she took office.
She said the $26-million project took 12 years to come to fruition and the service is still not completely accepted by residents.
“We’re almost there,” she said.
As reported in Rocky View Weekly in April, the councillor supported a $15.8-million plan that was brought to council on April 16, 2013, by the Bragg Creek Citizens Advisory Committee that would see residents and businesses pay for part of the water/wastewater project through a local improvement tax.
Breakey said, without the service it is nearly impossible to encourage business and development in the hamlet, which she said hasn’t seen much in the way of new development in 20 years.
She said the hamlet has long been under a boil-water advisory because of the alluvial aquifer contamination and without an effective water/wastewater treatment in place, businesses have to rely on a pump-in and pump-out system, which is very costly and not attractive to new developers.
Hamlet residents were asked to participate in an online survey about the plan in June.
The plan and survey results were expected to come back to council on July 16, but in light of the flooding in southern Alberta the meeting was postponed and residents will now have to wait until September for council to weigh in on the County Plan.
Breakey said there is some silver lining from the flooding in Bragg Creek and the devastation it caused as the province has committed funding to help redevelop the area. (See story on page 1).
She adds the revitalization of the hamlet will focus on building outside the flood plan, which will require an update of the area structure plan.
“There will be major changes over the next little while.”
She said going forward the emergency response plan will be in the forefront of her mind and something she will want to address.
“As we learned the hard way in an emergency situation like flooding or fire, the bridges are shut down and we are stranded,” she said.
Breakey added communication is key to her constituency and said she will continue to update residents with her monthly newsletter.
She also added, her goals for the county include supporting the County Plan, which will help build inter-municipal co-operation.
”I hope residents will vote for me to continue the work we’ve started,” Breakey said.
“I don’t want to walk away from that (work). I want to keep going.”
