The Town of Okotoks is asking for residents to help shape the future of the town.
There are several Council Committees that are looking for board members, including ones that youth aged 14 and older can join.
These committees shape the future of the Town, as well as foster connections and help to make positive changes.
Currently, there are five committees that are looking for board members, and they are the Public Library Board, Family and Community Support Services Committee (FCSS), United Way/Okotoks Partnership Committee, Assessment Review Board, and the Subdivision and Development Appeal Board.
Those who are 14 and older can apply to join the Public Library Board, the FCSS Committee, and the United Way/Okotoks Committee, while the other committees are dedicated to people who are 18 and older.
The Public Library Board will help to keep the library a relevant and healthy organization in town that can offer services and activities that are beneficial to the community members.
Board members will set policies that address the community's needs, develop appropriate activities and services, develop long-term and short-term plans, promote the library, fundraise, and establish the library's budget.
This board is an autonomous entity governed under the Alberta Libraries Act and is a 10-member committee that consists of eight residents of Okotoks, including one member under the age of 18, a member of the Okotoks Council, and a member of the Foothills County Council.
It is a one-year commitment, with the possibility of it being up to three years, and they meet every fourth Thursday of the month.
The FCSS Committee will help to strengthen the family and community life in Okotoks, and board members will provide leadership to help identify and address social issues.
The committee members will continue to build a welcoming and safe community, which includes distributing funds to organizations that are in the process of making the community a better place.
This committee consists of nine members, eight of which will be Okotokians, including two youth, and one member will be from the Okotoks Council.
It is a one-year commitment, with the possibility it being extended to three years, and they meet the first Wednesday of every month.
The United Way/Okotoks Partnership Committee will oversee community funding campaigns and build awareness for those campaigns.
From there, they will distribute the funds from the campaigns to local non-profits with programs that have an impact in the Okotoks area.
This 11-member committee will consist of 10 Okotoks residents, including two positions open for youth, and a member of the Okotoks Council.
It is a one-year commitment, with the possibility of it extending to three years, and they will meet every second Tuesday of the month.
The Assessment Review Board is an impartial tribunal, made up of Okotoks residents, who will hear formal complaints from property owners who are against their assessment.
This allows property owners to have a voice when it comes to their annual assessment.
This board will have hearings that will receive evidence and arguments from affected parties, then assess the evidence to arrive at a reasoned decision regarding appeals from property owners, against the assessment received in regard to their property.
Those who join this board are required to take some provincial training to make sure they have a good understanding of the applicable legislation and how to apply it.
On top of the training, those who join this board have to be free from bias and conflicts of interest.
This is a one-year commitment, with the possibility of being extended to three years, and the meetings are held annually, usually in late spring or early summer.
The Subdivision and Development Appeal Board is an independent tribunal that will hear appeals related to certain land use and development application decisions.
This board is independent of the Town and will make decisions that are founded on fact-based evidence, apply legal rules as per legislation and planning documents, such as the Municipal Development Plan, and will consist of five provincially trained citizens from Okotoks.
It's a one-year commitment, with the possibility of it being extended to three years, and they will meet within 30 days of receiving a valid appeal.
Applications to join a committee must be submitted by end-of-day on Sunday, October 6.
To learn more about the committees, and have a say in how the Town grows, click here.