COVID UPDATE - January 28th, 2022

Letter to citizens

Jan 28, 2022

Dear citizens,

Today, I will report on the Covid situation in our area and on non-Covid related items.

Covid update

The situation in our area is no better than in the rest of the province. Our numbers of active cases has gone way up these past weeks. We presently stand as of Thursday , Jan 27, 2022 at 171 active cases. We unfortunately must also report new casualties to the disease in our health region. We have collectively lost 41 individuals to Covid. Many families are affected and we want to offer our sincere condolences to all who are left to mourn the loss of their loved ones. We also want to wish a strong recovery to all those who are presently sick or convalescing including all those who are not presently represented in the report of active cases.

The Omicron variant is spreading quickly and continues to deserve some proper attention. Please follow the AHS guidelines to protect yourself and all members of your family. Vaccination is still the foremost AHS recommendation to avoid a lengthy and painful illness from Delta or Omicron. If you are still conflicted regarding vaccination, please speak to your Doctor and spiritual leaders.  At this time AHS also advise using better grade masks such as N95 or double masking when in public or close contact with other people. Local businesses are still reporting that many shoppers are refusing to wear a mask in their establishments. This is not appropriate behaviour nor respectful of the protocols posted on their doors. Businesses have an obligation to protect their staff to keep their doors open for our collective benefit. Let us find it in ourselves to be supportive and mask where required.  And above all, sanitize often and maintain 2 meters distance from each other when shopping or in any other places. 

As mentioned by Dr. Henshaw, Alberta Chief Medical Officer and Premier Kenney, these next weeks will continue to be critical for our Health System. Together we can ride this fifth wave by protecting ourselves and all members of our family the best way possible. Our children need to know that we are there for them and care about their future. They need to be at school learning and socializing and able to navigate in a safe environment at school, at home and in their community.  Together we can do it. According to AHS trends, the future may soon be brighter, this is my hope for all of us in our Health region, our Province, and our Country!

Non-Covid update

Council has worked hard in establishing some priorities of Council for this term. Our administration will prepare a document for the public to see in the near future. Feedback is always appreciated by way of a phone call or a note to the office.

In the near future, we will be able to share with you the results of our audit. We believe it will be as good as in the previous years. We want to thank our Finance Team for their great ability to manage your tax dollars and our grant money. When we receive your tax assessment in the spring, you will also have inserts regarding how the Town spends its budget.

At this time, Council is starting to have some open conversation regarding the repeal of the Prohibition in Southern Alberta (Bill 2) and how to apply the new ruling in our Town.  Council has asked Administration to consult with other neighboring jurisdictions and find answers to questions raised at our Council table.  A major change brought by the new legislation is that the public no longer needs to be consulted by way of plebiscite. Council alone will make the decision on this matter. Please note that Council cannot base their decision on religious grounds, as it would be unconstitutional.  We value your input on that matter and are seeking ways to inform you thoroughly prior to making any decision at the table and to receive some feedback. Administration has been tasked to develop a consultation process and report to Council.

For your information, the County had an open house for a rezoning of the Magrath golf Course to allow the dispensing of alcohol at their Club House. This was already happening, but the new provincial legislation required new legal measures to be taken by the County to continue their historical practice of allowing alcohol in the Clubhouse.  The Town of Magrath now has a Liquor By-Law imbedded in their new Land Use By-Law.

At our last Council, we had a STARS presentation and as Council will continue to support their efforts by way of donation. This past year we had 4 rescues by STARS in our town. They saved lives and we are very grateful for their services.

For your information, the Town of Cardston is contributing $25,000 in cash and $10,000 in kind towards the new Elementary School Playground with an additional $1000 in sponsorship to a golf hole in the upcoming Rotary Golf Tournament. 

We also received the visit of our MP Glen Motz and were glad to share with him some concerns especially regarding Federal Broadband funding that is not yet supporting towns who want to upgrade their system.  We also learned that he visited with Blood Tribe Chief and Council and were encouraged to hear his words regarding our efforts in building relationships.

Please keep your calendars open for the upcoming viewing of “The Meaning of Empathy”, a documentary developed by ---film director Tailfeathers  on the opioid crisis on the Blood Reserve. It will be available on line. Check our website for more information.

We regret the lengthy disruption to our businesses on Main Street during the installation of Fiber Optic to the TD Bank. The drilling caused some issues and repairs to a water line were needed. All is back to normal and it feels good!

It is all for now! Keep safe!

Always at your service,

Mayor Kronen