The Town of Athabasca will not be dissolving anytime soon if the current councillors have anything to say about it.
When asked if the town council would consider dissolution, councillor Richard Verhaeghe laughed.
“No, it is not even on our radar,” he said. “Why would we?”
Richard Verhaeghe said there is no need for dissolution.
“Dissolution is like bankruptcy,” he said. “It is an option of last resort.”
He then started throwing out scenarios.
“If the province is running a deficit, does the province seek dissolution and become a territory? Does Canada, which has a deficit seek dissolution and become part of the States?” he asked. “No.”
Many of the councillors quoted the financial auditors.
“Our auditors said we are in great financial shape,” Verhaeghe said. “Whatever challenges we have with infrastructure, they are the same challenges that every other municipality has.”
Verhaeghe said that it’s just like owning a house, you budget money each year for repairs.
“Our challenges are no greater, no better, no worse than any other municipality,” he explained. “Usually you consider dissolution when the town cannot write a cheque without it bouncing, when they cannot make payroll and we are far from that.”
Councillor Paula Evans also said dissolution was not in the town’s near future.
“I don’t think so, no,” she said. “There are very extreme rules about being allowed to dissolve.
“I read about it, and you have to do studying within your own municipality and the nearby levels of government, Athabasca County,” she explained. “Unless you are in extreme financial trouble from what I understand, they are not going to approve it.”
Councillor Lionel Cherniwchan said it would be something for the future council to decide.
“I think it is way too early to say,” he said. “Is it a possibility in the future, no I don’t think so.”
Councillor Tim Verhaeghe said he doesn’t think dissolution is the right route.
“I am not in favor or in agreement with dissolution one bit,” he said. “Our auditors said that we are in strong financial shape, and dissolution is basically saying, let’s lock up our town and turn over our keys to our neighbour.”
However, he said he was in favour of collaboration and amalgamation.
“I am not in agreement with dissolution one bit, unless the citizens of this community were to tell me otherwise, that is my position,” he said.
Councilor Colleen Powell agreed with Verhaeghe’s amalgamation idea.
“Dissolution is not a good solution for town and county relations,” she said. “Dissolution means that we simply close up shop and hand the keys over to the other municipality.
“It is not good for us. In terms of the future of the community, the minister is unlikely to recommend dissolution, and if we want to go and explore our options for a different kind of municipal governance, lets look again at amalgamation,” she said. “Amalgamation means that two municipalities or more come together and set up the parameters for a new municipality, with a different land use bylaw, a different set of procedures, a different council and a different name.”
Powell said the amalgamation attempt years ago was a positive experience.
“We had a very good agreement with the county, but we were unable to communicate that to county residents,” she said. “We learned a tremendous amount about what the county does, and they learned a tremendous amount about us.”
Powell thinks amalgamation should be a topic explored by both municipalities.
“There has to be a willingness on both sides to be equal partners,” she said. “Right now I know the ratepayers are saying dissolve, they are wrong. It is that simple.”
The Athabasca Ratepayers’ Association presented council with the idea of dissolution at the April 16 meeting of council.
“Most of the dissolutions they presented us with, if you looked at all those villages, you would find that most of them were probably not financially viable — we are,” she said. “We drive a Chevy, we don’t drive a Rolls Royce.”
Powell stated the ratepayers see dissolution as a financial advantage.
“What is in it for the county? There has to be some give and take,” she said. “If they were right, which I’m sorry, they are not about our financial situation, why on the earth would the county be the least bit interested?”
Powell said dissolution wasn’t the right solution, but amalgamation is.
“Dissolution doesn’t work, and I am not interested in it,” she said. “I would fight against it.”
