Richard Froese
South Peace News

Heading into the final quarter of its four-year term, Town of High Prairie council is ready to put a final stamp on the strategic plan.

At its regular meeting Aug. 9, council moved a motion by Mayor Linda Cox to set a day-long session Sept. 24 in town to finalize the plan for its last year.

“We’re going to set three to four goals,” Cox says.

Staff recommended an evening session on Aug. 29, but council preferred a longer time, and decided on one day.

“We need to spend some time to dive into it and maybe leave a legacy,” Councillor Debbie Rose says.

CAO Brian Martinson and treasurer Terri Wiebe will organize and facilitate the session.

“We are in the final year of our mandate and maybe we could focus on two or three goals,” Councillor Donna Deynaka says.

Council set 11 goals in 2014, months after the election in October 2013, which included.

1. Improve financial stability of the town
2. Create an environment for economic development to occur
3. Improve communications with residents of the town
4. Decrease property taxes
5. Develop better communication and contact with provincial government
6. Improve and retain Town staff
7. Improve public image of High Prairie and increase community pride
8. Develop highway and downtown revitalization plans
9. Increase Community safety
10. Work with Northern Lakes College on its High Prairie campus development
11. Develop an “Old Hospital New Hospital” Action Plan

Cox says the town didn’t do a lot to achieve these goals, but other groups and individuals stepped up, such as the centennial train mural as part of downtown revitalization, new businesses opening in town for economic development.

Council also turned down a proposal to contract Gordon McIntosh to provide a two-day workshop this fall to review the strategic plan, for a cost of $8,534.

That quote was received after a request by Councillor Brian Panasiuk at a previous meeting to get quotes for a professional consultant.
Panasiuk was absent from the recent meeting.

Several councillors say the cost was too high for the town and a consultant would have been more appropriate at the start of the process, rather than in the final stage.