It’s been a year with ups and downs for Rocky View County. 2012 started out in a sombre mood for council after former Deputy Reeve Rick Butler died in a skiing accident in December 2011.
“It was quite a different start,” said Reeve Rolly Ashdown, while looking back at 2012.
“We lost an important colleague. It was a sad few months.
“Then the attention turned to a by-election to bring another on,” he said of Liz Breakey, a longtime Bragg Creek resident who won the Rocky View County division 1 municipal by-election March 26.
Ashdown said there have been a number of positive changes in the County. He mentioned the CN Logistic Park expanding into the county, Target announcing plans for a distribution centre in Balzac, BFI opening a recycling facility east of Calgary and Fed Ex opening a freight service centre between Chestermere and Calgary.
He was also pleased with the opening of the East Valley Fire Station and the beginning of construction on a new County infrastructure and operations building located north east of CrossIron Mills mall.
“The highlight for me was getting re-appointed as reeve late in the year,” said Ashdown of the October organizational meeting. Ashdown has been reeve since 2010 and said it has been a privilege.
Heading into 2013, Ashdown said he is looking forward to the completion of the County Plan, a revamp of the municipal development plan that is currently underway. Once updated, the document will govern physical development of county land for the next 10 years. The County is looking for online feedback on the plan until Jan. 10.
A draft document will be presented to the public sometime in February or early March and will come to council for approval in June at www.rockyview.ca
Ashdown said he’s also looking forward to the completion of Bragg Creek’s Fire Smart program. A new county-wide emergency management plan is being created and will include fire protection for the Greater Bragg Creek Area. The first draft is expected to be completed by the end of summer.
Ashdown is also looking forward to the construction start for the Bragg Creek pipeline project for the new water treatment plant that is capable of providing 500 cubic metres of water per day.
It can be difficult for nine people with equal authority to work together, said Ashdown when asked about how council is getting along.
He admits there has been some tension but hopes council can work together in the new year.
He said he hopes this year councillors will “accept council decisions and move on.”
On Nov. 1, after the approval of Bingham Crossing development in Spingbank, Councillor Al Sacuta left council chambers, refusing to stay and vote on amendments to the land-use bylaw.
On Dec. 11, Councillor Margaret Bahcheli pretended to approve a gravel pit application in Cochrane, mocking the reasons other councillors use when approving applications. She then went on to say “we are losing sight of what our job is” and said she would vote against the application because of the number of residents who came forward to say they didn’t want it.
“At the end of the day, I would hope everyone is working hard for the best interests of the county,” Ashdown added.
