Village of Hussar council submitted a formal request to Wheatland County council requesting bylaw services from the county following a motion from the village’s regular Thursday, August 12 council meeting.
Currently, the village receives all bylaw enforcement services from the nearby County of Newell, which adjoins Wheatland County’s eastern boundaries, due to concerns with previous Wheatland County council and administration.
During the meeting, Hussar Mayor Corey Fisher stated he had spoken with county Reeve Amber Link regarding these concerns.
“I always kind of liked the idea we could be just as involved with (the County of Newell) as with Wheatland, and that was nice,” Mayor Fisher said during the August 12 meeting.
Mayor Fisher noted, since contracting bylaw services from the County of Newell, those services have not been utilized often. He also gave an example where an animal control complaint was made and officers elected to reach out by telephone to the owner in question rather than physically attending the village to address the complaint.
Following the council meeting, a formal letter of request was sent to Wheatland County council to request animal control along with noise and traffic control services. The request was brought forward at the county’s Tuesday, August 24 council meeting.
It was noted by both councils that Wheatland County currently provides bylaw services for the Village of Rockyford, and a similar agreement could be enacted with Hussar.
“My intention, should council direct us to, is to meet with (Hussar CAO Kate Brandt) and start discussing arrangements in that matter (bylaw services),” said Wheatland County CAO Brian Henderson during the August 24 meeting.
CAO Henderson noted cost arrangements and a full report would be brought back before council following engagement with Hussar CAO Brandt in order to move forward with the request.
Division 7 Councillor Ben Armstrong, whose division encompasses the village, motioned for Wheatland County administration to keep communicating with the village to propose a bylaw enforcement agreement. The motion was carried unanimously.
