Town of Barrhead councillors nail down specifics of plebiscite vote

BARRHEAD - Town of Barrhead residents will go to the polls on the plebiscite on the Neutral Space Bylaw on Dec. 2.

Town of Barrhead councillors decided this at their Oct. 8 meeting, accepting an administration recommendation.

The bylaw states that "to ensure all public buildings, crosswalks, and flags remain neutral", crosswalks within the town's borders should be limited to the conventional stripped ladder or continental pattern between two parallel lines, all in white. It would also restrict flags on municipally owned facilities or property to those of the national, provincial, and Town of Barrhead. Existing flags or crosswalks are not grandfathered.

Councillors gave first reading to the bylaw at a special Sept. 30th council meeting.

The drafting of the bylaw became necessary after Barrhead Neutrality presented the municipality with a petition to pressure councillors into drafting and enacting the bylaw or to force a plebiscite on the said bylaw.

To be a valid petition under the Municipal Government Act (MGA), 10 per cent of the town's population needed to sign the petition. Alberta Municipal Affairs listed the town's 2023 population at 4,320, meaning the petition needed 432 signatures.

Councillors also selected Nov. 20 and 28 as advanced polling dates and approved separate motions to use special ballots for eligible voters who were not available on any of the polling dates.

The advanced polls will occur in the Town of Barrhead council chambers from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., while the primary vote will be from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. at a yet-to-be-determined location. Councillors approved institutional polling stations at the Barrhead Healthcare Centre, Shepherd's Care, Hillcrest Lodge, Jubilee Manor, Golden Crest, and Klondike Place.

Councillors also appointed corporate services director Jennifer Mantay as returning officer and development and legislative services director as her alternate.

Coun. Dausen Kluin asked how the institutional voting would take place.

Callihoo replied that the returning officer would coordinate the specifics with the facility site managers, setting aside a specific block of time on Dec 2.

"What will happen is whoever we have designated will go room-to-room with someone [from the facility], allowing the residents to vote," she said.

The estimated cost for the plebiscite is between $5,000 and $7,000.

Barry Kerton, TownandCountryToday.com