Hi Chestermere,
There was a lot of administrative heavy lifting that happened at council this week. This work is setting us up for success for the short and long term. Committee Appointments were made for several committees, and we are excited to get these committees working. Committee work is an important part of the legislative work of council as it provides opportunity for the public to be involved in the process of shaping the community. This council continues to demonstrate that it is committed to moving the City of Chestermere forward and we are excited about the opportunity to work hand in hand with members of the community.
Our Animal Control Bylaw passed first reading on Tuesday and a public hearing has been booked for Tuesday October 8, 2024 at 9:00am. This is another chance for the community to be involved in providing feedback to council and to have their say in the passing of this bylaw. We invite you to share your comments with legislative services via email or come to the public hearing on October 8.
Council approved a budget of $150 000 for the Mayor and Council Charity Golf Tournament happening on September 19, 2024. It is important to note that this motion does not mean that council is spending $150 000 on a golf tournament. Rather, it gives us the mechanism to properly receive the donations and financial support and then spend money to cover the costs and donate the proceeds to the Chestermere Public Library and the Town of Jasper. It will simply be an in and out account and not an addition to the budget.
We took an extended recess in our meeting and had a consultant come in a do DISC Training with our council and executive staff. This work was valuable as it helps us understand how each of us approach decision making and how we operate in a professional environment. This will lead to improved understanding and communication. It has been great that council and our executive staff have worked hand in hand on our orientation, strategic planning and on the DISC training. We are working hard on creating a team that is working together for the betterment of Chestermere.
The meeting on Tuesday ended with us updating and passing several policies. Again, while not the most exciting work, this work is helping set us up for success in the future.
Councillor Schindler and I were able to attend an important discussion held at Synergy this week with regards to suicide. I want to say thank you to Synergy for the work they do in our community and for continuing the conversation about this important and sensitive topic. Councillors Sandboe, Schindler, Randhawa, Deputy Mayor Grant and I were able to attend Energizer Night hosted by Macaroni Kid Chestermere at the Chestermere Recreation Centre. This was a great chance for us all to connect with several agencies in our community.
Throughout the week, administration, working with our consultant, hosted meetings with regards to our new Municipal Development Plan (MDP). I had the opportunity to sit in on some of these discussions and the feedback from builders, developers, community organizations and community members has been insightful and valuable. I would encourage everyone to continue to watch for the future opportunities to provide feedback in this process.
It is motivating to watch how our community is working together and communicating to move Chestermere forward. From the 15 minute meetings with the mayor, to council attending public events, to residents being involved in committees and in the MDP process, it is helping council to make informed decisions.
Thank you Chestermere. It is a pleasure to work in service for you.