Lloydminster has released its 2017 annual report highlighting what the City has accomplished in the past year. The community report discusses the development and growth in the City, the emergency services, roads and transportation, as well as wastewater projects.
The current Council has been in place for almost two years and Mayor Gerald Aalbers says their governance of the City has changed dramatically from previous councils.
“One of the things now going into our second full year I say to people year to year it changes. Really from a measurement of your governance, I think you need to ask your councillors and the Mayor at the end of four years has it changed from where we started to when we finished because it’s really a progress we want to see.”
One of the features in the report is the 212 building permits that were issued with 83 lots conditionally approved. Aalbers believes the City has come through the worst with the economy and the permits are a sign of that.
“It’s still tough there’s no question about it I hear it from residents, I hear it from businesses, people on the street, the oil and gas industry it’s tough slugging out there, but we really hope that we’ve seen the worst of the worst.”
2017 saw over 8,000 911 calls made to the RCMP, 31 Family and Community Support Services grants allocated and several City projects completed, including the addition of two tennis courts. So far, this year the City has released its findings of an eight-year-long audit on employee spending. 2018 has also brought a tax increase for residents, however, Aalbers says there is optimism for the rest of the year.
“I think there’s an expectation from people, businesses that the City is going to have to toe the line and do a really good job on that budget for 2019.”
Aalbers adds that there is still uncertainty for the future as both the Alberta provincial election and federal election are coming up in 2019. To read the full report visit the City’s website.