I thought, after living in St. Albert for over 40 plus years while also monitoring the performance of the respective councils, that I would acquire some confidence in Council decision making. Admittedly, I have seen highs and lows, yet the recent approval of the West and Northeast Area Structure Plans have greatly undermined that confidence. There has been much discussion by Council in the lead up to the recent decisions, of the burgeoning demand on the city budget; suggesting councillors were well aware of the growing budget strain, not only to sustain the city's current infrastructure, but the imprudence of taking on more debt. So I was disheartened to read the Nov. 7 Gazette article that cites the mayor and councilors expressing disbelief that administration should have the audacity of reminding council to stay the course with the overarching Municipal Development Plan which Council approved in April 2021. The 2021 Flourish MDP involved extensive public consultations, yet council is now prepared to unilaterally press forward with changes. To add insult to injury, Councillors were also cautioned on the ballooning financial commitments that would only add to the budgetary shortcomings these same councilors had recently expressed concern for. My bottom line is that the reasons given by councillors in approving the Northeast ASP are not acceptable to me for the extra tax burden this imprudent decision making will impose on me and my fellow St. Albert residents. Time for a change in council decision makers.
Ken Crutchfield, St. Albert
