OLDS – Olds town council has been given an update on the municipality’s 2017-2021 strategic plan, which encompasses completed projects and projects now underway.
The review came during the recent regularly scheduled policies and priorities committee meeting in council chambers.
To date, there have been 108 completed items and 55 others in progress.
The plan is divided into a number of sections: good governance, fiscal health, service sustainability, growth and expansion, protective services, and communication and engagement.
Projects completed under the good governance section now include 60 per cent of policies reviewed, 25 municipal government act amendments addressed as required under provincial timelines, rates bylaw consolidated, a change to the process for complaints on the community standards bylaw, human resources software system implementation, and Sportsplex winter user groups agreement.
Projects still underway include benefit plan review, tourism policy and strategy development, field user groups agreement development, and the upcoming byelection.
The current area of focus under the section is “improving our internal systems,” the review report states.
Projects completed under the fiscal health section now include the withdrawal from contract provision to Mountain View Regional Waste Management Commission, agreements for auditor, assessor and electricity provider, and Mountain View County funding to Rotary Athletic Park.
Projects still in the works include the implementation of three-year financial plan, records management review and implementation, and service level review preparation for the 2021 budget year.
The current area of focus under the section is “implementing a comprehensive engagement plan on service delivery expectations.”
Projects completed under the service sustainability section include public art policy, sidewalk inspection, relationship building with emergency mutual aid partners, renewal of mutual aid agreement with Mountain View County, regional emergency plan renewal, aquatic centre staff analysis, and operations centre planning update.
Project still underway include roads master plan, develop tracking process for performance measures and service level indicators, infrastructure surveying to include contributing attributes, and continuation of monthly monitoring of both water and wastewater systems.
The current area of focus under the section is “continuing to develop our asset management processes and demonstrate excellence in our business practice.”
Projects completed under the growth and expansion section include extension of Sportsplex operations to a year-round facility, wetland assessment, development of economic development secretariat, work with Fortis for utility expansion in southeast industrial area, and cemetery expansion Phase 1.
Projects still underway include memorandum of agreement with Olds Regional Exhibition, brownfield redevelopment, municipal development plan review, city status research, volunteer appreciation review, and review of off-site levies.
The current area of focus under the section is “utilizing our asset management data to better understand growth capacity.”
Projects completed under protective services section include streamlined municipal enforcement process, municipal enforcement review, fire bylaw adopted by council, emergency tabletop exercise, and community risk assessment.
Projects underway include community resource officer (RCMP) recruitment, fire uniform replacement schedule catch-up, full scale mock disaster scenario, and production of a home safety booklet.
The current area of focus under the section is “revisiting the municipal enforcement policy plan and practices to ensure bylaws are being enforced effectively.”
Projects completed under the communication and engagement section include new Town of Olds website, Nu2U expansion, creation of public art advisory committee, and annual volunteer recognition.
Projects underway include social development plan, community directory, public education during emergency management week, the creation of an internal communications strategy, and parks and trails engagement.
The current area of focus under the section is “developing and executing a communications strategy.”
The policies and priorities committee is made up of town councillors, who accepted the review report for information.
