With the official results of the 2017 municipal election confirmed Friday, the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo now has a new mayor and 10 councillors to lead their municipal government for the next four years. On Tuesday, Oct. 24, they were sworn in at Shell Place in front of their friends, family, colleges and constituents.
Councillors for Ward 1 include Mike Allen, Krista Balsom, Verna Murphy, Jeff Peddle with Keith McGrath and Phil Meagher both returning. Bruce Inglis and returning Claris Voyageyur are the councillors for Ward 2, with Sheila Lalonde for Ward 3 and returning Jane Stroud for Ward 4.
Mayor Scott told MyMcMurray that he is already settling into his new role, having met with each councillor individually and as a group and started to create bonds.
“Now we need to turn words into action,” said Scott. “Excited to get some work done and talked to the councillors and get things done that we discussed in the campaign.”
In the next couple of weeks Mayor Scott plans to get himself and council all caught up and is looking forward to getting stuff done.
“I’m going to reach out to Premier Notley and to the Prime Minister, I want to remind them of the importance of this region,” said Scott.
After the ceremony, the first organization meeting was held.
Council unanimously voted for all three items on the agenda, including when and who will serve as deputy and acting mayor, when meetings will be held and who will represent council on boards and committees.
The members of council that will serve as representation on boards and committees include Phil Meagher for the 2018 Alberta Winter Games Host Society, Verna Murphy for the Advisory Committee on Aging, Jane Stroud for the Wood Buffalo Housing and Development Corporation, Sheila Lalonde for the Fort McMurray Airport Authority, and Keith McGrath and Jeff Peddle for the Regional Recreation Corporation.
It was decided that biweekly council meetings will be held on the second and fourth Tuesday of every month.
The first meeting in the Council Chambers will be on Tuesday, Nov. 14, 2017.
