Discussions around amalgamation show Black Diamond and Turner Valley residents are more open minded about the two communities joining forces than ever before.
That’s the perception of Black Diamond Coun. Ruth Goodwin, who attended five of the nine open houses in February where 266 residents shared thoughts on town services, operations and building better partnerships between the towns to provide information for a feasibility study.
The study is now complete and will go before both councils at their respective Aug. 2 meetings.
“I don’t feel there is as much stigmatization and negativity for some residents to have change,” said Goodwin. “I am happy that there were people that were actually participating in the process. I think that more than anything else people are more curious now.”
In Feb. 2016, councils in both communities agreed to explore amalgamation. They received a $150,000 grant from the Alberta Community Partnership to hire a consultant to conduct a study exploring the potential of merging the towns.
Amalgamation was explored by the Towns on two previous occasions, yet both were defeated in plebiscites. Among public concerns were lack of information, losing the towns’ identities, policing costs for a larger population and Turner Valley’s ongoing struggles with its century-old gas history.
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 to share resources, services, employees and align policies, procedures and bylaws.
“Now that we’ve done a study I’m looking forward to council accepting that next week so we can get that out to the public and have that continue on as a discussion with the old council and more importantly the new council that will come in October,” said Goodwin.
A survey was conducted in February, completed by 269 residents, asking opinions on the importance of services offered in each community and how satisfied residents are with them, as well as the importance of collaborating services.
The results, released earlier this month, show Black Diamond and Turner Valley residents consider the most important services being water/sewer, protective services, garbage/recycling and street/sidewalk maintenance.
Black Diamond residents showed they would like to see the top collaborative projects being purchase of equipment, community planning and administrative services, while Turner Valley residents put a priority on economic development planning, administrative services and local governance representation.
When it came to satisfaction of services residents in both communities were most satisfied with protective services, garbage/recycling, library, water/sewer and snow removal.
The level of dissatisfaction in Black Diamond was highest for bylaw enforcement, planning, street/sidewalk maintenance, public transportation and water/sewer while Turner Valley’s was recreation facilities, planning, snow removal, bylaw enforcement and street/sidewalk maintenance.
When asked how well the Town of Black Diamond is doing in delivering services 35.4 per cent of those surveyed were very satisfied, 53.8 per cent somewhat satisfied, 8.2 per cent not very satisfied and 2.5 per cent unsure. In Turner Valley 29.4 were very satisfied, 56 per cent somewhat satisfied, 11.9 per cent not very satisfied and 2.8 per cent not satisfied at all.
Turner Valley Mayor Kelly Tuck said she wasn’t surprised by the responses from the public surveyed.
“There was a lot of positive comments, especially snow clearing in Turner Valley,” she said.
As for dissatisfaction with bylaw enforcement, Tuck said that is expected.
“Some of these things like when it comes to protective services those are comments you would get no matter what,” she said. “If you got a ticket you are not going to like the guy that just gave you the ticket.”
Tuck said with the survey results now out and the feasibility study expected to be adopted by both councils next week, that should help lead the direction in determining whether it’s feasible for both communities to amalgamate.
“We did the groundwork to get to the next stage,” she said.
The next steps will be up to the new council following October’s municipal election, Tuck said.
“There is a lot of work behind amalgamation,” she said. “If the will is to move forward they will have four years to implement it.”
