Longview receives kudos from Municipal Affairs Minister

Alberta’s Municipal Affairs minister gave kudos to Longview on its work to tackle issues identified in a report following a yearlong municipal inspection of the Village’s operations.
The Village received a letter from Minister Kaycee Madu last month complimenting it on its work to address concerns relating to construction of a walking trail being built on the village’s west end.
The letter states that while Municipal Affairs isn’t issuing directives, it requires council to confirm the status of each item contained in the May 9 report provided by Longview Mayor Kathie Wight by Nov. 29.
“I am pleased that council has taken clear action to address the various matters of concern as identified in the inspection report,” Madu wrote. “I offer my compliments on the important work council and administration have undertaken since the presentation of the inspection report, and I look forward to a further update in November.”
Madu wrote that after he reviews council’s final report, he will determine whether further action is required or if the inspection process can be concluded.
The Village went under the microscope in 2018 when an inspection team from Sage Analytics researched documents and conducted interviews in response to a petition submitted to Municipal Affairs in 2016. The petition was signed by almost half of Longview’s voting population, calling for a provincial review.
During a public meeting on Jan. 31, inspector Shari-Anne Doolaege described the Village as being managed in an “irregular, improper and improvident manner.”
She described the leadership as “weak,” saying the Village operated in an environment of criticism and harsh treatment from a “shadow council,” consisting of former staff and council.
Doolaege said council meetings lacked formality and proper decorum with interruptions from the gallery and meeting minutes showing council failed to give unanimous consent and gave all three readings in the same meeting contrary to the Municipal Government Act.
She also identified irregularities in village bylaws and inconsistent performance evaluations of former CAOs.
Wight, who began her term as mayor in 2017, said administration and council began responding to concerns outlined in the report since receiving it last fall.
“By the time they got their special report to the Village we had done things already that were in the letter regarding paperwork that needed to be improved upon,” said Wight. “I was glad that we answered their questions and that they had no concerns left after we had written our report.”
Wight’s letter addressed concerns relating to the walking trail in response to issues stated in the report pertaining to the development of the trail, which the report states revealed a lack of municipal leadership caused by frustration, delays and a risk to public safety.
The report states that in September 2016, volunteers nearly ruptured a sour gas line while constructing a fence and that there was no reference to an engineer design for the trail, nor was the site tested for slope stability or suitability prior to construction.

Wight’s letter, addressing these and other concerns, followed a request by Coral Murphy, Alberta municipal affairs manager of municipal accountability, who said while council initially responded to most concerns and was willing to take responsibility to correct them, it didn’t address concerns about capital management and management of the walking trail. She gave the Village until May 15 to do so.
Wight said the Village is now working closer with the ARC Society, which spearheaded the trail, to ensure everything is done properly such as providing insurance coverage for volunteers and ensuring equipment is used safely.

“We’re making sure that I’s are dotted and T’s are crossed and they they’re following the design of it and stuff like that," she said.
In addressing concerns that council had no adequate financial accounting of the project, Wight said the trail was never a Village capital project and any grant funding came through the ARC Society.
“It had nothing to do with the Village,” she said.
Wight said the Village’s November update will inform Municipal Affairs how the trail is progressing and that she’ll double check the original report to ensure all concerns expressed are covered.
“After we put in the final report he will make the final decision,” she said. “If there’s more that needs to be done or if it’s signed off I don’t foresee any problems. We’re moving forward and taking it one day at a time.”