Lamont County has reached out to the Minister of Municipal Affairs as a response to a petition that was sent to Alberta Municipal Affairs last month.
The petition requested that the minister of municipal affairs complete an inspection of Lamont County, with the petition alleging that staffing costs and mill rates are not reasonable. The petition also shows concerns with proposed changes to the county’s Land Use Bylaw.
In the county’s response letter, they claimed that the cost and disruption of an inspection are unwarranted.
“We wish to reinforce that the purpose of an Inspection is to investigate matters that are irregular, improper, or improvident in nature,” the county wrote in a release. “They are not intended to be a mechanism for disgruntled citizens, representing a minority of residents, to take political action in response to misinformation or disagreements with County decisions.”
In addition to the letter, the county also provided a document that goes over staffing expenses, taxation rates, and the adjustments to the cost of living. These numbers are also compared to surrounding municipalities.
“Municipal Inspections are an important mechanism for the Minister of Municipal Affairs to ensure that Municipalities are being operated professionally, in good faith, in accordance with legal requirements. They are not a mechanism for dissatisfied resident to exert their political will,” the city wrote in their concluding comments. “It is our hope that this document will support the finding that there is no foundation for an Inspection of Lamont County.”
The initial petition was sent to Alberta Municipal Affairs back on February 12. You can read the county’s full response on the Lamont County website.
