One of Mayor Nolan Crouse’s highlights for 2013 isn’t a big, headline-grabbing project or controversy.
Instead, it’s seeing routine maintenance happening on everything from trees to sidewalks, something the previous council worked for few years to make happen.
“I just felt very good in 2013 that we had kind of coming to a point of very good maintenance in our community,” Crouse said. “And most people aren’t going to see that. They see the big, splashy things.”
The last council put money in place for maintenance projects.
“That I take pride in because it doesn’t get attention,” Crouse said, adding a desire to keep up community standards was something the 2010-2013 council heard a lot about on the 2010 campaign trail.
Crouse returned for his third term as mayor after October’s municipal election.
“Obviously the key highlight is being re-elected because the community is putting faith back in you,” Crouse said. “It’s not easy in Canada for a mayor to be re-elected for a third term.”
While he started a new term as mayor in November, leading a new council with different priorities, he feels in 2013 another high point was being able to finish the work councillors set out to accomplish in 2010.
“I think most important for me is kind of bringing the closure to the majority of last council’s priorities. I think we did a decent job of finishing what we said we were going to do,” Crouse said.
A personal accomplishment is his continued role as chair of the Capital Region Board.
“That is not a very easy role and it’s not an easy job. And quite frankly it’s time-consuming,” Crouse said. “I believe I have served the greater good of Alberta by serving the Capital Region Board.”
This year wasn’t all highlights, however. Crouse feels the campaign leading up to the municipal election was a low point for him thanks to the sometimes nasty tone.
“I really felt that was a poor reflection of our community,” Crouse said.
Looking ahead to 2014, he predicts prudent financial management will be a trend for council.
“You’re seeing it with the budget already. You will see a continuation of fiscal conservatism,” Crouse said.
The 50+ club building, if the renovation and expansion is approved, will be a “real gem” when it is complete, Crouse said. He hopes to see a decision on the development of a new park and ride.
“In 2014 we’re going to have to bring some closure. We’re either moving on or we’re not,” he said.
New traffic procedures and projects will ideally help lead to less tragic fatalities, Crouse said.
And in 2014, Crouse expects St. Albert to continue to grow.
“I think we’re going to see a tremendous amount of development in St. Albert in the next five years and I think 2014 will be an aggressive year,” he said.
