Olds mayor Judy Dahl says as 2017 begins, the town will continue providing services to residents and make improvements, but in a careful manner, in light of the economic downturn.
Late last year, council approved a $10.6-million capital budget which includes trails and street improvement projects for $5.45 million, $2.2 million in water and sewer infrastructure work, plus about $1.65 million in work on new athletic parks in the northwest end of the town.
Dahl says council is confident those projects will "build a responsible future for our community."
She says council is well aware that "we are in an economy of time that forces communities to bring delivery to the people with less."
Dahl says council has identified six goals: stakeholder relationship building; taking leadership in sustainability; creating/maintaining a safe, secure and healthy community; advocacy; sharing information between council and administrative staff; and "strong fiscal management."
She says councillors and staff work hard to reach these goals on a daily basis "while we collectively prepare for new opportunities."
Dahl says that fits with the town's mission statement.
"We engage all stakeholders in order to listen, learn, understand and communicate the current opportunities and challenges," she says.
Dahl says one highlight of 2016 was the way a 2013-2017 council service plan and annual council schedule timelines worked out.
"These tools supported council to engage with administration through our new budget process where we review the Town of Olds' service levels with staff," she says.
This year is an election year in the province.
When asked if she will run for mayor again, Dahl said only that she will "focus on 2017."
Dahl is finishing her fourth term as mayor. She resigned as a long-term Olds municipal employee in May 2004 and made her first run for public office was that fall. She was sworn in as mayor on Oct. 25, 2004.
She was re-elected for a second term in 2007.
In 2010 she was acclaimed as mayor, having run unopposed.
