At the Regular Council Meeting on Monday, September 20, Mayor and Council approved Town Administration’s request for additional funding to address two challenges in the Drumheller Memorial Arena. The friendly amendment to the initial motion included a total of $210,000 to be allocated to an additional change room for female participants, as well as skate-safe flooring in the lobby. 

“We worked with Drumheller Minor Hockey Association back in 2019 to develop a concept and cost estimate for the construction of a dedicated change room for female participants,” begins Dave Brett, Director of Infrastructure Services. “This concept was used to apply for grant funding through the Co-op Community Spaces Fund but was, unfortunately, unsuccessful.” 

Administration requested an additional $20,000 from operations surplus to invest in conceptual engineering and construction estimate, $40,000 from operations surplus for the rental of a changeroom with washroom amenities for immediate use, and $150,000 from reserves for the construction of the project for a total of $210,000. The vote for approval was unanimous among Mayor and Council. 

“The goal will be to retrofit additional space for a female changeroom onto the 50-year-old building,” continues Brett. “We will lose some parking at the north-east side of the arena; however, this is such a great and needed addition to our facility and our community. We recognize and appreciate the public support on this project, and are happy to have received more support from Mayor and Council than we initially requested.” 

Administration will continue to work with user groups to hopefully acquire grant-funding in the next year, and have the work completed no later than the start of the 2023/2024 season. 

Nominations for the 2021 Alberta municipal election closed at noon on Monday, September 20. Municipal elections will be held on Monday, October 18, giving candidates four weeks to campaign for a seat on their respective council.
Along with voting for their municipal representatives, Albertans will also vote for school board trustees within their school division and ward, and two referendum questions--to remove the principle of equalization payments from the Canadian constitution, and whether Alberta should remain on Daylight Saving Time (summer hours) year-round.

Drumheller
There are three candidates in the running for the mayoral vote--newcomers Ed Almond and Mark Chung, and incumbent candidate Heather Colberg who is running for her second term.
Residents will also cast their vote for their choice on council between a total of 11 candidates. They include Grant Bergos, Curt Ewing, Lisa Hansen-Zacharuk, Patrick Kolafa, Tony Lacher, Anthony Miglecz, Stephanie Price, Jade Scott, Crystal Sereda, Ralph Veenhuis, and Tom Zariski.

Starland County
In Starland County, Kelly Maria Fitzpatrick and Mark Landry are running in Division 1, Steve Wannstrom has been acclaimed in Division 2, Bob Sargent has been acclaimed in Division 3, Ian Stuart Herd, Michal James McKee, and Jacqueline Watts are running in Division 4, and John Willam Rew has been acclaimed in Division 5. Reeve is selected at the organizational meeting.

Kneehill County
Kneehill County council is composed of a representative from each of the county’s seven divisions.

Faye McGhee has been acclaimed in Division 1; Christopher Morton, and Debbie Penner are running in Division 2; Jerry Wittstock was acclaimed in Division 3; Carrie Forbes, Glen Keiver, and Rick McInnis are running in Division 4; Jim Hugo, Laura Lee Machell-Cunningham, and Robert Park are running in Division 5; Wade Christie was acclaimed in Division 6; and Kenneth King and Lonnie McCook are running in Division 7.
A Reeve for the county is selected at the organizational meeting in October.

Wheatland County
Wheatland County’s council is made up of representatives from each of the seven electoral divisions within the county.
Allen Grant MacLennan, Janet Kanters-Shmorong, Shannon Laprise, and Erich Hoff are running for the Division 1 seat on council; Amber Link has been acclaimed in Division 2; Division 3 was acclaimed by Donna Biggar; Tom Ikert was acclaimed in Division 4; Scott Klassen and Brenda Knight are contesting for the Division 5 seat; Rex Harwood, Glenn Koester and Ginette Motta are running in Division 6; and Einar Davison, Rick Laursen, and Herb McLane are running in Division 7.
A Reeve will be selected at the organizational meeting.

Village of Big Valley
Clark German, Amber Dawn Hoogenberg, Daniel Alan Houle, Gail Knudson, and Harry Nibourg are vying for a spot on the three person council for the Village of Big Valley. A mayor will be selected at the organizational meeting.

Village of Morrin
Kenneth Balacko, M’liss Edwards, Dianna Lynn Helton and Howard Helton are in the running for the three-person council in the Village of Morrin. The mayor will be selected at the organizational meeting in October.

Village of Munson
Munson has seven candidates running for three seats on council. They include: Janice Gerk, Stephen Hayes, Angela Klassen, Leslie Landon, Kerry McLellan, Mark Mundorf, and Mary Taylor. The mayor is selected by Council at its organizational meeting.

Village of Delia
The Village of Delia’s election has been acclaimed by Melody Christofferson, Jordan Elliott, and David Sisley. Delia has a council of three and will select a mayor at the organizational meeting in October.

Village of Standard
Carol Allard, Richard Bryan, Larry Raymond Casey, Martin Gauthier, Joe Pedersen, and Adam Sommerfeldt are in the running for council in the Village of Standard. The Village of Standard has four council members, with a mayor selected at the organizational meeting.

Village of Rockyford
Seven candidates are running for five seats on council in the Village of Rockyford. Candidates are Charlotte Bencharski, Darcy Burke, April Geeraert, Bill Goodfellow, Tyler Henke, Kathleen Morin, and Leah Smith. Following the municipal election, a mayor will be selected at the organizational meeting in October.

Village of Carbon
The Village of Carbon has a five person council, with a mayor selected at the organizational meeting in October. A list of candidates was not available by press time.

Village of Hussar
Tim Frank, Coralee Schindel, and Les Schultz have been acclaimed as councilors in the village of Hussar. A mayor will be selected by council during the organizational meeting.

Christ the Redeemer Catholic School Division
Five incumbent Trustees will be acclaimed on Christ the Redeemer School Division--Michelle Rude Volk for Ward 1 - Assumption Ward; Mark Chung for Ward 2 St. Anthony’s-Drumheller-Strathmore Subdivision No. 1 - Drumheller electoral subdivision; Harry Salm in Ward 2 St. Anthony’s-Drumheller-Strathmore Subdivision No. 2 - Strathmore electoral subdivision; Ward 3 - St. Thomas Aquinas-Foothills Ward Subdivision No. 1 - Brooks electoral subdivision has been acclaimed by John De Jong; Andrea Keenan has acclaimed Ward 3 - St. Thomas Aquinas-Foothills Ward Subdivision No. 2 - Foothills electoral subdivision.
One new Trustee has also been acclaimed for Ward 3 - St. Thomas Aquinas-Foothills Ward Subdivision No. 4 - High River electoral subdivision with Mark MacDonald.
Ward 3 - St. Thomas Aquinas-Foothills Ward Subdivision No. 3 - Okotoks electoral subdivision will see an election as Krista Conrad and Andrew Gustafson vy for the ward.
Ward 3 - St. Thomas Aquinas-Foothills Ward Subdivision No. 5 - Canmore-Bow Valley electoral subdivision has a vacant opening for the ward with no nominations received.

Golden Hills School Division
Barry Kletke was acclaimed as trustee of Ward 1 - Three Hills, Torrington, Huxley, Trochu and area; James Northcott and Zbigniew Kozlowski will contest Ward 2 - Acme, Carbon, Linden and area; Justin Bolin has acclaimed Ward 3 - Drumheller; Robert Pirie and Jennifer Mertz were acclaimed as trustees of Ward 4 - Strathmore; and Laurie Huntley was acclaimed as trustee of Ward 5 - Carseland, Gleichen, Cluny, Hussar, Rockyford, Standard and area.

Prairie Land Public School Division
In Prairie Land, Holli Smith was acclaimed in Ward 1 Berry Creek; Lindsay Bond, and Shauna Davies were acclaimed in Ward 2 Subdivision 1, Town of Hanna; Scott MacPherson was acclaimed in Ward 2 Subdivision 2, Youngstown/Hanna Rural; Marsha Tkach was acclaimed in Ward 3 Subdivision 1, Veteran; Jinel Ference was acclaimed in Ward 3 Subdivision 2, Altarioi/ Consort; Shandele Battle was acclaimed in Ward 4 Subdivision 2, Delia.
In Ward 4 Subdivision 1, Morrin/Munson, insufficient nominations were received. The time of receipt of nominations shall stand adjourned to the next day (ie – Wednesday, September 22nd, 2021), at the same place (Prairie Land Central Office) at the hour of 10 a.m. and shall remain open until 12 noon for the purpose of receiving further nominations for the office of Morrin/Munson. Nominations shall remain open and be adjourned in the same manner from day to day until 12 noon of the day that the required number of nominations has been received for a period of six days, including nomination day but not including Saturday, Sunday and holidays.