Judy Bennett Appointed Deputy Mayor

Councillor Judy Bennett has been appointed as the acting Deputy Mayor as of last night’s meeting. Each Council member serves two terms as Deputy Mayor within their Council term. Bennett will service as Deputy Chief Elected Official from June 22 to October 31 or until the appointment of the next Deputy Mayor.

Read more about the appointment of Councillor Judy Bennett as Deputy Mayor on pages 258 – 264 in the agenda package.

Municipal Development Plan Given Second and Third Reading

The Municipal Development Plan (MDP) had a busy night with a public hearing and second and third readings given by Council. The MDP acts as a roadmap for the next 30 years of development in Stony Plain and outlines four policy areas in need of strengthening which include economic development, environment and sustainability, housing, and agricultural lands. With the updated MDP approved by Council, the Town will move forward with plans outlined in the strategy. The updated MDP will be made available on the Town website.

Read the full Municipal Development Plan and public participation findings on pages 7 - 256 and learn more about the update on pages 287 – 291 of the agenda package.

Spruce Grove Looks to Stony Plain to Second Motion for Library Funding

Council is supporting the City of Spruce Grove to sponsor a motion for consideration by the Alberta Urban Municipalities Association (AUMA) related to library funding. The motion requests the Government of Alberta use more recent population numbers to determine per capita grant funding for libraries provided by the provincial Government.

Currently, both Stony Plain and Spruce Grove receive the maximum per capita funding from the province. The population statistic used to determine funding is taken from the federal census which occurs every five years. The projected 2020/2021 grant amount for Stony Plain is $89,505.

Find more information on library funding in the agenda package on pages 121 – 170.

Town Moves Forward with Nomination for Sustainability in Action Award

Council has approved a nomination for a Sustainability in Action Award for the Town. The award recognizes Alberta Urban Municipalities Association (AUMA) member municipalities that have demonstrated excellence in implementing sustainability plans and achieving measurable outcomes related to social sustainability. Award winners are to be announced in July.

Read more about the award nomination on pages 299 – 307 of the agenda.

Fiscal Update for 2020

Council received a detailed update on the Town’s financial standings last night. As of April 27, a revised budget with a 1 percent tax increase – compared to the original 4.26 percent increase planned – was approved by Council in light of COVID-19’s impacts on residents and Town operations.

Of the Town’s 6,400 utility accounts, 350 took advantage of the utility deferral service. Business license rebates saw 98 local businesses apply for the program with a total refunded value of $4,250. With property tax payments not yet due, Administration is unable to provide a detailed report on collected taxes with consideration to the deferral program in place at this time.  

The Stony Plain Golf course swung into action with the course opening back in May. While the course is operating with reduced staff levels and restrictions on public access, the course is on the upswing with a $150,000 to $250,000 deficit projected at this time.

With the move into Stage 2 of the Relaunch Strategy, an internal committee has been formed to review the impacts of facility openings and create a relaunch strategy. Updates will be shared with Council throughout the year as the situation develops.

Read the full update in the agenda package from pages 308 – 314.

Please note: This is not the official Town of Stony Plain council meeting minutes. Please refer to Agendas and Minutes for all supporting documents, and official meeting minutes that have been approved by Town Council.