By Adam Ophus

Partnership

Village of Caroline & County seek grant for amalgamation study

Feb 13, 2020 | 9:50 AM

Clearwater County and the Village of Caroline have chosen to pursue a Municipal Restructuring Study Grant which would seek to find out if whether an amalgamation is in their best interests.

If approved by the provincial government, the grant would provide $200,000 to cover the costs of an Amalgamation Study and Action Assessment.

The first step towards a possible amalgamation between the two was to have both councils approve the endorsed grant application which, as of February 11, has been met.

“If we do get the grant and the study is complete, both councils have to accept the report or amend it or maybe not proceed with the action plan at all,” Clearwater Communications Coordinator Djurdjica Tutic explained.

Neither the village nor county knows exactly what the benefits of amalgamation, if any, the study will end up providing.

renowned doctor eager for its arrival

Fundraiser Oct. 18 to benefit Red Deer's cardiac catheterization goals

Oct 11, 2024

CASH OR FOOD DONATIONS NEEDED

Salvation Army food bank in need of donations amidst increased demand

Oct 11, 2024

Last Seen Oct. 11, 2024

Missing: Carl Joseph Schuyler, 59, of Delburne

Oct 11, 2024

“Council looks forward to the findings of the study that will aid in better strategic planning for the long-term future of our community and improved fiscal responsibility to our taxpayers,” Clearwater County Timothy Hoven said in a release.

“It’s a little too premature to say what we would like to achieve, but I think just more efficiencies on all levels,” Tutic said regarding what both parties hope to gain. “We really are just waiting to discover what the findings of the study will disclose, and just getting that discussion started.”

These specific discussions between the Village of Caroline and Clearwater County regarding amalgamation do not include the Town of Rocky Mountain House.

It was in a special meeting held on January 24 that Caroline village council made a motion that if a new Regional Fire Agreement was not reached, Caroline would withdraw from all further regional mediation meetings. Additionally, if the January 31 date that was set for that meeting were to lapse and a new agreement were not in place, Caroline would also cease to provide fire services.

The village’s move proved to be the launching point for the talks of a potential amalgamation.

It was on June 14 of last year when the Village of Caroline and the Town of Rocky received a letter from County stating they would be terminating the Regional Fire Agreement.