Morinville Council Briefs

By Stephen Dafoe

Maskoske appointed Returning Officer for fall election


Council voted unanimously Jan. 22 to appoint Jennifer Maskoske as the Returning Officer for the 2013 General Municipal Election.

Municipal and school board elections will be held Oct. 21, 2013. It is anticipated Maskoske will also be appointed Deputy Returning Officer by Greater St. Albert Catholic Schools to run the School Trustee Election for that division. It is also anticipated that Sturgeon School Division will hold their election under their own Returning Officer.

Maskoske’s duties as Returning Officer include appointing deputies, election clerks, constables and others required to hold the election. Additionally, the Returning Officer establishes voting stations, receives nominations and gives notice of the same, and declares any acclamations in the event the election draws insufficient candidates.

Morinville to play home to Regional Business Symposium


Morinville will play host to the Third Annual Regional Business Symposium this spring. The annual regional partnership between Gibbons, Bon Accord, Morinville and Sturgeon County will once again carry the theme Together Strengthening the Sturgeon Region, and the event will once again be held at the Morinville Community Cultural Centre.

Council had sponsored the 2012 iteration of the event with a $10,000 contribution, an amount that was refunded to the community due to the success of the event and effective cost management. Council has approved another $10,000 contribution to this year’s symposium as well as some in-kind contributions on the venue.

Morinville’s Chief Administrative Officer, Debbie Oyarzun, told councillors a celebrity keynote speaker is currently being sourced and that a date will be selected once speakers are firmed up. A secondary speaker is also being sought as well as speakers to address regional and local aspects of business. Oyarzun said she would be floating the idea of a panel discussion to the steering committee.

She also said this year’s event will carry less of an oil and gas focus and will cover aspects of businesses that will be of help to businesses ranging from home based to big business.

Oyarzun is looking to take it outside the stereotypical business symposium and involving a number of partners including Chambers of Commerce and even the library.

Tracking motion defeated


A motion on motions was defeated in a 5-1 vote of Council Jan. 22. Councillor David Pattison, seeking to ensure items in the works by Council and Administration are cleaned up in a timely manner, put forth a motion that a “Motion is required for administration to commit resources to address items on the parking lot list.” Pattison was the only supporter of the idea.

Council currently has a tracking list of projects and discussions in the works that are part of the Council package. The tracking list documents when the item was originally discussed and where it is on the road to completion.

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