The Village of Hussar has invited the Ministry of Municipal Affairs to look into the long-term future of the community.
The review, which could take upwards of a year, had its first meeting in July. Mayor Tim Frank said the Village’s council requested the review, based on input from residents about the village’s viability and points out that this is not a dissolution study.
“What it comes down to is what do people expect, what do people want and what are they willing to pay for,” said Franks, adding that many of the questions come down to tax load.
“It is all about making things clear and giving the villagers a chance to voice what they want.”
According to a letter to residents, a viability review is part of the Ministry’s Municipal Sustainability Strategy, introduced to improve the long-term viability of all communities.
They have assembled a team made up of representatives from Municipal Affairs, The Village of Hussar, Wheatland County, and four Alberta municipal associations. They held an initial meeting in July to set out terms of reference and timelines.
Franks said the review will encompass everything from financial viability to infrastructure demands now and in the future.
“It is the whole gamut of everything you do as a municipality,” he said.
He says one of the possible outcomes of the study is a better understanding of the village’s needs, which could help it access grant funding.
“The key part is that we could get some infrastructure stuff done, and that is huge,” he said.
“We could be found nonviable, or we could be found viable with a plan set out by the Minister which we would have to follow. It could be a long-term plan we could follow. It is about figuring out where we are.”
One important part of this is public consultations.
There is a public meeting slated for Monday, September 14 a the Hussar Community Centre, at 7 p.m. Municipal Affairs has sent out a letter to residents as well as a stakeholders engagement workbook.
This meeting allows residents and property owners to learn about the review, appear as a delegation to speak to the team and to discuses and respond to questions in the notebook.
For more information about the Municipal Sustainability Strategy, and updates on the Hussar review, go to www.muncipalaffairs.gov.ab.ca
