Thousands of visitors are drawn to the hamlet of Rosebud in Wheatland County every year, but those looking for a roadside reprieve are out of luck-especially during the winter months-as there are very limited public washroom facilities available within the community.
Wheatland County administration presented council with a report during the regular Tuesday, June 6 council meeting, outlining inquiries from Rosebud residents about improving the public washroom facilities, and potential upgrades to allow for year-round use.
Previously, the Rosebud community received funding in 2017 from the county’s Community Enhancement Regional Board
(CERB) program, which provides funding to community groups or organizations for community enhancement projects. This funding was used to purchase two portable toilets, which are open to the public between the late spring and fall.
Between 2017 and 2020, volunteers from the Rosebud community cleaned and maintained these facilities. However, due to increasing difficulties recruiting new volunteers, Wheatland County staff have been providing assistance cleaning and maintaining the facilities.
Administration explained if council were to support the community to build more washroom facilities, there would be capital investment as well as yearly maintenance costs associated with construction-the cost would vary depending on the type of facility, and whether the facility was tied to existing water and wastewater services.
While washroom facilities were seen as a benefit to the Rosebud community, either seasonal or year-round, council questioned whether the project would be better suited to go through the CERB program or another grant application program, such as through Travel Alberta.
It was noted, even if the project were approved through a grant, council could continue to provide cleaning and maintenance services in the future if necessary.
The report was accepted as information and it was requested either administration or Division 6 Councillor Glenn Koester, relay information to the community regarding applying for grant funding for the project.

Hussar village council held a special meeting on Thursday, May 18 to make amendments to its 2023 Operating budget due to a miscalculation of the provincial school tax requisition, which would impact pending tax notices.
Council previously passed its 2023 Operating budget and tax rate bylaw during the May 11 council meeting; however, due to the miscalculation, a special meeting was called to amend the budget and pass a revised tax rate bylaw.
“We rescinded the motions from the earlier meeting and passed the updated Operating budget and Tax Bylaw according to proper procedure,” explains Hussar Mayor Les Schultz.
The finalized budget showed the Alberta School Foundation Fund (ASFF) calculation was actually lower than initially passed by $478.79 and totalled $40,808.73 for residential and farmland, and non-residential properties.
Total assessment values were up slightly over the previous year, with a total assessment for all property types valued at $16,554,390 compared to $16,145,310 in 2022.
Council passed the total combined mill rate, which includes the provincial school requisition and requisition to the Wheatland Housing Management Body (WHMB), of 12.85703 for residential and farmland properties, and 15.61601 for non-residential properties. The combined residential mill rate is down slightly, from 14.4721 in 2022, while the combined non-residential mill rate is up slightly from 14.8263.
“This was achieved by a lot of hard work and late nights by council in trimming the budget and still bringing quality service to our residents,” Mayor Schultz says. “There was also an increase in our MSI (Municipal Sustainability Initiative) operating grant that helped as well.”
While Mayor Schultz notes every situation is different, he says some residents may see as much as a $400 reduction to their tax bill this year.