Wood Buffalo big winners at AUMA awards

IMAGE. Supplied the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo.

Our region was a big winner with big ideas at the annual Alberta Urban Municipalities Association (AUMA) awards.

Minister of Municipal Affairs, Kaycee Madu, said this year’s award winners set the bar for the province.

“The recipients of this year’s awards have set an example for what inspiration, hard work and collaboration can achieve. I am proud to recognize the successful efforts of these Alberta municipalities, which have found innovative solutions to the challenges facing their communities.”

Civic leadership

RMWB Councillor Jane Stroud received the AUMA Award of Excellence.

The award recognizes civic leadership of elected officials on the municipal level who serve more than three years.

During her time as councillor, Stroud advocated for rural development, environmental protection, and infrastructure.

Girls Inc. of Northern Alberta also named her the ‘Woman of Inspiration’ in 2017.

Stroud is the second current serving RMWB councillor to receive the AUMA Award of Excellence.

Big Ideas

Also, CAO Anette Antoniak received the Minister’s Award of Excellence in Innovation for captaining the region’s Ideas Committee.

Formed in August 2017, the committee is responsible for developing a culture of change and innovation.

These included discussing ideas, cost savings, revenue opportunities, and how to be more efficient when dealing with the region’s daily challenges.

Antoniak said to date, the Ideas Committee brainstormed more than 200 ideas.

“By connecting the ‘boots on the ground’ to senior leadership, we’ve empowered employees to create positive change and encourage creative thinking while growing a culture of innovation.”

Moreover, 60 ideas are in various stages of implementation in the region.

Antoniak also received the Municipal Sustainability Above and Beyond Award for developing and using a zero-based budgeting practice since 2017.

There were 33 nominations for this year’s AUMA awards.

• Claresholm received the Safe Communities Award for their Risk Reduction Community Coalition.
• Warner County won the Partnership Award thanks to their intergovernmental Milk River Ridge Reservoir Water Quality Stewardship Initiative.
• The City of Calgary accepted the Larger Municipalities Award for its consolidation and efficiency with 311 Live Maps application.
• Bruderheim gained the Smaller Municipalities Award for their volunteer-led Business Incubator and Women Rising networking group.
• Barrhead County won the Award for Outstanding Achievement for its Barrhead and Area Regional Crime Coalition with the RCMP and Rural Crime Watch.

“I extend sincere congratulations to Councillor Stroud and Ms Antoniak on receiving these prestigious awards,” said Mayor Don Scott. “These awards recognize their tremendous work and efforts on behalf of the residents of the Municipality.”

For the past 18 years, the Ministry of Municipal Affairs presented the AUMA awards.

A committee of representatives from different municipal associations chooses the winners.