St. Albert's new city council officially took over the reins Monday evening as former mayor, MLA and judge Richard Fowler performed a swearing-in ceremony with the mayor and six councillors.
"The next three years are no longer yours," Fowler quipped to first-term Coun. Wes Brodhead.
The only business council addressed during its first official meeting was setting the rotation of deputy mayors and laying out its public meeting schedule for the upcoming term. Council will now meet Mondays at 3 p.m., one hour earlier than the previous norm. Public hearings will continue to be scheduled at 5 p.m.
The city's budget process will begin on Monday and will dominate council's timetable into December.
Inaugural address
Nolan Crouse began his second term as mayor with an inaugural address declaring that St. Albert is a special community that must not be compromised.
"My resolve remains undaunted to confront every issue that brings decline in this community, everything from river conditions to tree maintenance, from graffiti to potholes, from bullying to homelessness," he said.
The city must continue to find ways to distinguish St. Albert from other places, Crouse said.
"Maintaining that mystique will not be easy in this post-recessionary time when we hear from some, but not all, of our residents that a tighter fiscal restraint philosophy is necessary," Crouse said.
Crouse thanked councillors for offering their services.
"It takes courage and strength of character to stand for elected office and put so much of your personal, family and professional life aside to undertake this community service," Crouse said. "You all have done that, so congratulations to all six of you and welcome."
Weighty task
Brodhead said the ceremony brought home the seriousness of the task he's taken on.
"It was pretty special," he said. "To feel the weight, the responsibility of the next three years sort of settle on your shoulders … there's a real sort of history that comes along with it."
Fellow first-termer Cathy Heron was also moved.
"I joked early on, will there be Kleenex at my station because I thought I might cry," she said. "I almost did."
Heron said the group already has pretty good camaraderie while not always agreeing.
"We've had a little bit of conflict already that we've easily resolved," Heron said, "but at least we know we're not just following each other's tails."
