Rocky View County’s new mayor is looking toward 2022 with a renewed and excited attitude.
In an end-of-year interview with the Rocky View Weekly, RVC Mayor Don Kochan said the County and its elected officials are looking forward to the upcoming turn of the calendar.
“I know from the perspective of Rocky View County and my council colleagues, 2022 will be a year in which we continue to provide the programs and services residents and business owners want and need,” he said. “I thank our communities in advance for providing their wide range of feedback and ideas. I firmly believe that by working together, developing informed plans, and aligning priorities, we can make Rocky View County a better place to live, work, and play.”
2021 saw many events occur in RVC, including a municipal election on Oct. 18. Kochan, who was technically appointed RVC’s first mayor shortly after the municipal election – the position was previously known as reeve – was one of two newcomers to council, alongside Division 6 Coun. Sunny Samra. The election also saw the formation of a smaller group of elected officials, as the redrawing of division boundaries reduced the size of council from nine to seven members.
“As a newly elected council, we share a commitment to serving our communities, meeting challenges head on, providing meaningful communication to our residents, and making informed decisions,” Kochan said. “We thank you for your trust and support as we enter 2022.”
Prior to the election, a topic that was discussed at many RVC council meetings in 2021 was the County's stance surrounding the Calgary Metropolitan Region Board (CMRB) – an inter-municipal board comprised of representatives from 10 Calgary-area municipalities. Alongside fellow rural municipalities Foothills County and Wheatland County, Rocky View County voiced disapproval of the CMRB’s growth strategy after it was approved in May. Then-reeve Dan Henn said the County’s concern was that the strategy was too “urban-focused,” and limited growth outside of joint planning areas.
Since then, Kochan said the County has focused on strengthening its inter-municipal relations, adding collaboration with RVC’s neighbours “remains important to Rocky View County.”
“Council is committed to formalizing our relationship with municipal partners to ensure resident needs continue to be met,” he said.
“Council continues to review agreements – once that review is finalized, we will share our official stance on the CMRB.”
Alongside the strategic planning and budgeting process, Kochan noted council is continuing the search for a new, permanent Chief Administrative Officer (CAO). Former CAO Al Hoggan resigned earlier this year, and long-time executive director of corporate services Kent Robinson has been filling in as acting CAO for the last nine months.
At the group’s last meeting of 2021, RVC council appointed the County's executive director of operations Byron Riemann to replace Robinson as acting CAO, effective Jan. 1. Riemann will act as the County’s CAO until a permanent replacement for Hoggan is hired.
“This process is ongoing and RVC is hopeful that a candidate will be selected by the spring,” Kochan said.
Kochan also brought up the recent approval on Dec. 14 of the County’s interim budget, which will be in effect for the first two months of 2022 before the official 2022 budget is finalized. The interim budget is capped at total operating expenditures of $20 million and capital expenditures of $49 million.
“We know that our residents expect us to make mindful fiscal decisions,” Kochan said. “We look forward to an in-depth budget review in January to ensure that County spending aligns with the needs of our communities.”
On the public consultation front, Kochan said RVC is preparing to launch a Citizen Satisfaction Survey in February, to provide residents an opportunity to voice their opinions on County-related business. He added the survey results – which will be made available in the middle of the year – will be used to guide RVC’s overall direction and priorities for the next four years.
With a new year just around the corner, Kochan said the words he would use to describe 2021 are “change and renewal.”
“An election year is when residents pause to reflect on what they want for the County and to elect individuals who they believe can deliver that vision,” he said.
“During the campaign process, we heard that our residents value financial stability, transparency, and service excellence. During our two months in office, we’ve committed reviewing budgets, increasing communication and engagement, and hiring a CAO in alignment with those values. Council is renewed and excited for the changes to come in 2022.”
