By KEVIN BERGER, Local Journalism Initiative
Purchasing gravel pits in order to utilize more locally-sourced gravel, paving more arterial roads, reducing the amount of time required for permitting by 25 per cent and creating a market for the selling of agriculture products by 2030 are just some of the objectives the RM of Corman Park wishes to accomplish in the next few years, as outlined in its new 2024-2028 Strategic Plan.
According to an administration report, RM of Corman Park councillors met last August to discuss the municipality’s priorities over the next four to five years.
A number of those priorities were then approved by council in September, and the strategies for achieving those priorities were then discussed again in April.
All of that discussion culiminated in the draft 2024-2028 Strategic Plan, which was reviewed at the administration committee meeting on May 13. During that meeting, committee members voted unanimously to recommend that council approve the Strategic Plan, which was done at the May 27 council meeting.
In the introductory message to the Strategic Plan penned by reeve Joe Hargrave and CAO Kerry Hilts, they state this plan is a “roadmap to the future” that lays out how the RM will go from its present state to a more prosperous future.
“We share a common objective: to value what we have and to make it better. We will work together to advance the strategic priorities and goals contained in this document, and in so doing, we will enchance the spirit of our community and create an even better place to call home.”
The plan consists of five broad priorities: financial accountability, infrastructure renewal, service delivery, agricultural sustainability and building partnerships.
Under these five priorities, there are objectives and strategies that outline how the RM will achieve them.
For instance, under the priority of financial accountability, the plan calls for the RM to increase the amount of grant revenue it receives by 25 per cent in four years, and to potentially incorporate an existing urban municipality into the RM by establishing a municipality district by 2028.
Under the priority of “infrastructure renewal,” the RM wants 50 per cent for all gravel used within the municipality to come from RM-owned gravel pits by 2030, which will involve identifying gravel pits for sale and establishing three zones within the RM for gravelling.
The RM also wants to identify more arterial roads for paving and look at alternative strategies for paving roads such as the Lutheran to Langham grid.
Under the priority of service delivery, the RM wants to establish best practices for fire response by the fourth quarter of 2026 and to create fire services strategies by 2030.
Further strategies for accomplishing this priority include conducting a fire services review and working with the province to allow fire levies within developments. (Right now, the province only allows levies for lines and hydrants.)
Furthermore, the RM wants to reduce permitting time by a quarter before 2027, which it can potentially accomplish by establishing pre-approved building plans that are automatically approved for permits.
Division 2 Councillor John Saleski spoke in favour of this strategy in particular, noting that it was a “fantastic idea” that could potentially make building homes easier.
“So many people, especially younger people, want to build a house, but they have no idea of where to start or what to do,” Saleski said, adding that they could pick a pre-approved design to make the process easier.
Under the priority of agricultural sustainability, the RM is looking at creating an “agricultural hub” within five years and opening at least one agriculure manufacturing business iwthin four years.
Finally, under the priority of partnerships, the RM wants to etablish rules for engaging partners and to expand the role of Des Nedhe and Epcor.
The next steps in accomplishing this strategic plan is to create business plans and to bring back updates on their progress two or three times a year, administration noted.
While the committee did vote to recommend the plan’s approval, Division 1 Councillor John Germs cautioned his colleagues on what he perceived as over-spending by the RM, particularly on paving projects and taking debentures to pay for them.
“How many more years can we continue taking more debentures on and more debt?” he asked. “Then we continue to look for revenue to cover these capital projects, and then we go back to the ratepayers.”
Saleski said he agreed with Germs, adding that he was uncomfortable with all the tax increases the RM was improving, such as the $235 base tax that will be applied to all properties in 2025.
“I think we need to look at efficiencies and cutting spending on certain areas,” he said.
Division 4 Councillor David Greenwood said he agreed that the RM has to watch how much it spends on studies, pointing out he was the only one to vote against the $235a base tax.
However, he also pointed out that many people borrow money in order to purchase their first home, comparing that practice to the RM taking out debentures.
Division 8 Councillor Wendy Trask pointed out that administration had presented them a report several years ago showing that paved roads saved money over the long term compared with gravelling roads each year.
“Long term, I think what we need to do is take that savings and put it away for the maintenance of paved roads in the future,” she said.