Message from the Reeve – COVID-19
Thursday, April 9, 2020
Hello friends and neighbours. I hope this finds you well during this unsettling and unpredictable time. I just wanted to reach out to assure you that we are here if you need us. We are working to keep you and your family safe as we implement new measures and protocols to deal with COVID-19.
Here’s a bit of a recap of some of things we have done to adjust to the conditions of the day.
We set up our County Emergency Management Center on March 16, just one day after the first reported Alberta case of community transmission. Since that time, we have participated in every daily briefing held by the Provincial Operations Centre, which is co-ordinating Alberta’s response. The County is in complete alignment with the COVID-19 rules and recommendations coming out of Alberta Health and the Provincial Operations Centre.
Council and County administration are looking at economic relief and recovery initiatives as well. When we bounce back from this, we want to be as ready as we can to kickstart the economy and do our part.
There are many programs available to financially assist individuals and businesses who have been impacted by COVID-19. You can learn about the range of Provincial programs on the Government of Alberta website, and Federal programs at Canada.ca. Everyone’s situation is unique, so there’s no question you’ll have to do a bit of searching on these sites for the programs and services that apply to you, but help is available.
CAO Hoggan has been working tirelessly with Council to make sure our core services including fire, road safety, enforcement, and utilities are operating as normal, and plans are in place to ensure that continues. Other services are being provided as efficiently as possible given the closure of County Hall and the need for physical distancing. You can see up-to-date details on the County’s current service offering at rockyview.ca/COVID19.
We have had to lay off some employees, and CAO Hoggan continues to monitor staff workloads. We are experiencing some slowdowns caused by working from remote locations, but the County remains committed to providing you with the services you expect. Our motto is, “Keep Calm and Carry On, but with Appropriate Precautions.”
We’re working hard on plans to hold virtual Council meetings to ensure important County business, planning approvals, and budget decisions continue to be made. This is more complicated than you might expect. With a ban on public gatherings, we still have to ensure public hearings are held and you have the ability to present. We are looking at all virtual options to carry this out and will keep you posted should we find a workable solution.
Don’t hesitate to reach out to us if you need assistance with anything. We will do whatever we can to assist you during this difficult time.
We are in this together and we shall emerge from it together. On behalf of all of all my Council colleagues, have a happy – and safe – Easter weekend.
Greg Boehlke
Reeve, Rocky View County
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