Submitted

Sturgeon County – Establishing Sturgeon School Division’s electoral boundaries will be the topic of discussion during four Open Houses scheduled for November. With the addition of Thibault and Legal School Districts to its jurisdiction, Sturgeon School Division now includes all of Sturgeon County and the towns of Legal, Morinville, Bon Accord, Gibbons and Redwater. This geographical addition has created disparate populations in the various wards, and as a result of these population discrepancies, coupled with the upcoming election for school board trusteeship, it seems prudent for the Board to conduct an electoral boundary review at this time.

In its ongoing commitment to reach the best solution, while ensuring all opinions have been considered, the Sturgeon School Division Board has retained Stewart Weir & Co. Ltd. to conduct the review. Stewart Weir will carry out the necessary research and analysis, as well as gather public comment/feedback so that the redesigned electoral boundaries best reflect the interests of its constituents.

Four Open Houses, led by Stewart Weir & Co. Ltd. are scheduled for November. During the Open Houses, representatives will be available to answer any questions, and starting at 7:00 pm, there will be a 15- to 20-minute formal presentation followed by a question and answer period.

The four Open Houses will be held Nov. 6 at Camilla School
Nov. 7 at Namao School, Nov. 8 at Gibbons School, and Nov. 15 at Morinville Public Elementary School. All four open houses will run from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.

“The Open Houses are just one way to engage the public,” said Terry Jewell, Chair, Board of Trustees, Sturgeon School Division. “To accommodate schedules and to ensure everyone is given an opportunity to provide their written comments, we are also offering residents the convenience of commenting online.”

Jewell explained information regarding the electoral boundaries will be located on the School Division’s website (www.sturgeon.ab.ca), along with an email link for comments.

Once the Open Houses are completed, Stewart Weir & Co. Ltd. will review the feedback gathered from the Open Houses and online, and incorporate this feedback, where possible, into the redesign of the electoral boundaries. The final report is expected to be presented to the Board for consideration by late December 2012 or early January 2013. Upon endorsement by the Board the preferred option will be recommended to the Alberta Minister of Education’s Office for final approval.

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