Black Diamond and Turner Valley residents will be asked for their opinions before the two Towns release a study on amalgamation.
The public can share thoughts on town services, operations, health and wellness and how to better build partnerships between the towns at nine open houses next week. Information collected will be included in an amalgamation feasibility study to be released this spring.
“We are just asking for input from the public, we are not providing anything at this point,” said Black Diamond Coun. Ruth Goodwin, member of the Amalgamation Feasibility Joint Steering Committee. “This is an opportunity for both the committee and the consultant to find out from the public what the public knows, what additional information they are going to require – it’s to stimulate questions.”
The two communities - separated by a mere three kilometers – applied for and received a $150,000 Alberta Community Partnership grant last year to hire a consultant to conduct a study exploring the potential of merging the towns.
Amalgamation was explored a decade ago, but was defeated in a plebiscite in 2007. At that time residents cited lack of information, concerns about losing the towns’ identifies, as well as Turner Valley’s ongoing struggles with its century-old and gas history and the potential of a high price tag for policing services if the communities reach 5,000 people as reasons against amalgamating.
Black Diamond open houses are set for Feb. 13 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. and Feb. 15 from noon to 3 p.m. in the Black Diamond Municipal Centre, as well as Feb. 14 from noon to 3 p.m. and Feb. 16 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. in the Griffiths Senior Centre.
In Turner Valley, the open houses will take place in the Sheep River Library Feb. 13, 16 and 17 from noon to 3 p.m. and Feb. 14 and 15 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Residents can fill out surveys and speak with the consultant and committee members. The survey will also be available on both town websites.
“It’s very important that throughout the process we are going through at this point it’s not just council we engage, it’s also the public,” said Turner Valley mayor Kelly Tuck, a committee member. “There might be an area we haven’t identified as being an important topic.”
Tuck said public input is a very important piece of the consultation process.
“We heard clearly all along that there was an importance to have feedback from the residents,” she said. “This ensures there is public engagement which is always really important to council.”
Tuck said information collected will be included in the study, which will address three potential scenarios: the two towns either amalgamating, remaining status quo or expanding the Friendship Agreement. The Friendship Agreement is a partnership that has the towns sharing resources, services, employees and aligning bylaws.
“When you’re looking at bringing two communities together it’s about looking at what are the tangible assets, finances, department loads, infrastructure - you start taking piece by piece apart and start putting it back together,” she said. “It’s definitely been a learning experience.”
Black Diamond deputy mayor Mike Ross, who is also on the committee, said answers to the public survey will give the consultants and committee a better idea on how to proceed with the potential for amalgamation and he expects it will also help to quash rumours.
“There is all kinds of rumours going around that we are going to amalgamate, that amalgamation is going to cost millions of dollars, that amalgamation is going to save millions of dollars,” he said. “Nobody knows those answers yet and we can’t answer those questions yet. The only way to quell rumours is to get information from the public at the earliest opportunity and find out what they’re interested in knowing about the process.”
He added that scheduling several open houses increases the chances of the public being able to attend.
“We are trying to spread it out over an entire week so people can come in at their leisure,” he said.
“If they come to an earlier one and think of questions after they can come back.”
