A Bon Accord solar farm, a St. Albert councillor, and a Redwater mayor won provincial recognition from Alberta’s municipal leaders.
The Town of Bon Accord, St. Albert Coun. Wes Brodhead, and former Redwater mayor Mel Smith won awards Nov. 18 during the Alberta Municipalities fall convention at the Edmonton Convention Centre.
Formerly known as the Alberta Urban Municipalities Association (AUMA), Alberta Municipalities is an advocacy group that represents Alberta’s villages, towns, cities, and similar bodies. This year’s awards recognized outstanding work by municipal leaders and administrations.
Civic champions
Brodhead received the AUMA Award of Excellence, which acknowledges outstanding civic leadership by someone who has held office for at least three years in Alberta.
In an email, St. Albert Mayor Cathy Heron said Brodhead had been recognized for his outstanding leadership on many fronts, particularly around public transit.
“I have valued his wisdom and his service on St. Albert city council over the past three terms and appreciate his ongoing commitment to our community,” she said.
“The AUMA Award of Excellence is a tremendous honour, and I cannot think of a more worthy recipient.”
Brodhead said he was surprised to hear he had won, as he didn’t know he had been nominated. He emphasized that good governance is a team effort.
“You don’t do [this job] for the recognition. You do it because you believe in what you are doing.”
Bon Accord received the new AUMA Municipal Environmental Award for excellence in environmental practices for building a $1.1-million solar array.
It all started back when a local developer working on a cannabis operation asked the town if it wanted to build a solar farm on their property, said Bon Accord Mayor Brian Holden. Council instead decided to construct a 1,722-module facility on its own land. The array came online in September 2020. The town drafted a team of sheep to mow the grass under it last summer.
Holden said the town made enough money off the array’s electricity sales to cover the project’s monthly loan payments, and expects the array to pay for itself completely in about eight years. After that, the array will add about $65,000 to the town’s coffers each year.
“That’s money residents can benefit from, both with taxes and other programs,” Holden said.
Holden advised other communities to not be afraid of big solar projects.
“Do the research, and you may find out it’s not as hard as it might sound.”
Smith was one of this year’s 21 recipients of the Distinguished Service Award, which recognizes those who have served 20 or more years on municipal council.
First elected in 1986, Smith served two terms as a councillor and four terms as mayor before choosing not to seek re-election in October.
Smith mentored 11 new councillors during his time in office and was instrumental with the Alberta Industrial Heartland Association and the Edmonton Salutes Committee, said Redwater Mayor David McRae. Smith championed efforts to refurbish the town’s iconic oil derrick and historic rail cars and worked hard to ensure the town’s policies reflected its community.
Smith also got his face on some pseudo dollar bills.
“When COVID first came into play one of the concerns of course was with public masking,” McRae said.
Instead of a punitive mask bylaw, town council decided to issue roughly $5,000 worth of “Derrick Dollars” stores could give to customers who wore masks that could be spent at local businesses. The dollars featured the town’s oil derrick on one side and Smith wearing a mask on the other.
Redwater Coun. Rob Olsen accepted the award on Smith’s behalf, as Smith is in hospital.
McRae thanked Smith and his wife, Sophie, for their years of service to the town and wished them both a happy retirement.
“[Smith] carried Redwater everywhere he went,” McRae said, and always worked to serve and promote the town.
“I don’t think anybody else could have done anything better.”
Award recipients received trophies. Visit bit.ly/3ntmPhn for the full list of winners.
