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Session on amalgamation raises questions

Public sessions on amalgamation of Black Diamond and Turner Valley raised many questions among residents in attendance last week.
More than 200 people provided input during nine public information sessions to contribute to a study exploring the feasibility of amalgamating Black Diamond and Turner Valley.
More than 200 people provided input during nine public information sessions to contribute to a study exploring the feasibility of amalgamating Black Diamond and Turner Valley.

Public sessions on amalgamation of Black Diamond and Turner Valley raised many questions among residents in attendance last week.

Turner Valley Mayor Kelly Tuck said people asked why amalgamation is being considered when it was defeated in a plebiscite in 2007, if there would be any tax savings and what it could mean for the two communities.

“We don’t know what it will look like,” she said. “We need the opportunity to go through the process.”

More than 200 people showed up to nine open houses in Black Diamond and Turner Valley to share their thoughts on Town services, operations, wellness and how to build better partnerships between the towns. The meetings were held as pat of an amalgamation feasibility study that should be released this spring. The towns 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.

“We are taking the time to go through all of these questions,” said Tuck, who is a member of the Amalgamation Feasibility Joint Steering Committee. “As we move forward we will know more. In the end we will have a clear, defined decision.”

When the idea of amalgamation was defeated 10 years ago, reasons varied from lack of information, concerns about losing the towns’ identities, as well as Turner Valley’s ongoing struggles with its century-old gas history and the price tag for policing services for a community with a population of 5,000 people.

Consultants with Urban Systems began collecting information in December to explore what it would look like if the towns amalgamate, remain status quo or expand the Friendship Agreement signed in 2012 which has resulted in the towns sharing resources, services, employees and aligning policies, procedures and bylaws.

“It’s not about a yes or no, it’s to start getting a perspective for the communities as to what have we been doing and what we should continue doing,” said Henri Cullinan, community planner with Urban Systems. “It’s important people understand what is amalgamation in the context of local government.”

Cullinan said they’re exploring gaps in the towns’ collaborations and how to be more effective and efficient, strengthen policies and planning, reduce competition for new development, build on each communities’ unique factors and grow existing businesses.

“It’s not about the money,” he said. “If we are going to go down that path we need to know all of the information. Maybe we are doing so much together that amalgamation is the next step.”

A survey distributed at the open houses asked opinions on the importance of services offered in their community and satisfaction and importance of having collaborative services from garbage collection to bylaw enforcement. It also asked the public to rate importance on location of facilities, municipal autonomy, cost of services and taxes, increased efficiency and effectiveness of administration services, as well as elected government and community identity.

Born and raised in Black Diamond, TJ Seymour said he and his family have been discussing amalgamation for years and sees the potential for it to offer more for residents in both communities.

“It’s about coming together with a bigger budget and different opportunities for funding and we could all have one voice on the same subject,” he said.

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