Municipal District of Taber

To provide excellence in governance and service that will promote a safe, healthy, diverse and dynamic rural community.

We commit to the following core values in every aspect of governance, oversight and operations.

Respect

We are approachable and build positive relationships.

We consider other opinions and perspectives and support one another.

Integrity

We are professional and accountable for our behavior, actions and decisions. 

We perform our roles ethically and in compliance with our policies, bylaws and the law.

Transparency 

We provide honest, factual, relevant and timely information to enable informed decisions. 

We encourage participation & feedback while carefully considering its application.

We communicate decisions, supporting information and purposes.

1. To provide good government
2. To provide fair, effective and transparent governance.
3. To provide services, facilities or other things that in the opinion of council, are necessary or desirable for all or part of the municipality.
4. To develop and maintain a safe and viable rural community.
5. To work collaboratively with neighbouring municipalities to plan, deliver and fund intermunicipal services.

Strategic Plan

 
This Strategic Plan identifies our key strategic priorities over a 3-year period from 2019-2022. The Strategic Plan, and each Department’s 3-year Business Plan, is updated annually as part of our Budget process.

Business Plans

Department Business Plans outline each Department’s 3-year operational plans, their top operational objectives, key strategies to achieve those objectives, and performance measurements and indicators that will showcase our success. Department Business Plans are aligned with the overall MD of Taber Strategic Plan and Budget.

Accountability

We will obtain input from affected individuals and organizations. We will work collaboratively with neighbouring municipalities. We will provide accessible, timely and transparent reporting.

Economic Growth & Diversity

We will support local business. We will attract and retain new industries. We will take action within our fiscal means.

Sustainable Environment

We will ensure long term sustainable use of land. We will support sustainable and environmentally friendly services and structures. We will plan for the effects of climate change.

Municipal Infrastructure

We will work with neighbouring municipalities and other governments to ensure fair & sustainable delivery of services to all ratepayers. We will take action within our fiscal means. We will plan for the future.

Community Capacity

We will respect all cultures and points of view. We support collaboration, education and inclusion. We will create a sustainable future.

Strategic Priority: Accessible, timely and understandable information about Council decisions, actions and priorities.

Key Initiative: In 2019, implement a centralized point of contact for stakeholder & ratepayer questions & concerns.

Success: Employee time is measurably freed up and assigned in a more strategic way. Tracking of concerns & resolutions is capable of being analyzed & used more strategically to help set level of service & effect change.

Key Initiative:  Continue with hosting of an annual general meetings (AGMs) in order to, among other things, determine how ratepayers wish to receive information and to get ratepayer input into our long-term strategic initiatives.

Success: Information is accessible, timely & understandable to Ratepayers & Stakeholders.

Key Initiative: By the end of 2022, publish known level of service information, progress towards critical projects and progress towards strategic plan success on a quarterly basis.

Success: Engagement with Ratepayers & Stakeholders is overall positive with decreased numbers of concerns & decreased times for concern resolution.

Strategic Priority: A workplace culture based on our values and supported by our decisions, actions and priorities.

Key Initiative: Beginning in 2019, we will conduct an annual staff satisfaction   survey every two(2) years in order to, among other things, determine staff satisfaction with their roles & the culture & direction of the MD.  This would be a confidential internal document, for use by Department Heads, CAO and Council, that may contribute and assist in achieving organizational improvement(s).

Key Initiative: Implementation of team building and positive cultural development initiatives in an effort to retain and enhance a positive workplace culture.
 

Success: Staff understand their roles and feel valued for their contributions. Staff individually and collectively understand & support the direction of the MD. Staff have authority commensurate with their accountabilities & responsibilities.

Strategic Priority: Sustainably grow and diversify business & industry within the MD.

Key Initiative: Sustainably grow the MD’s business & industry sector to generate new revenue & opportunities.

Success: Council dedicates an appropriate percent of budget for promotion of MD economic growth and diversification. Publish a long-term Economic Development Strategy end of 2019 & Marketing Strategy in the first quarter of 2020 that provides opportunities for implementation of growth and plans to mitigate issues.

Key Initiative: Work with community partners to sustain & grow local business & industry, including agricultural industry..

Success: Council leverages local businesses to increase economic activity, investment and diversification. Partnerships are developed that support local business growth. 

Key Initiative: Promote and brand the MD nationally & internationally as a place of growth, prosperity and opportunity.

Success: The MD becomes known in social media, national & international conferences as a place of opportunity for business & industry development.

Key Initiative: Maintain & balance revenue to support MD services within legislative parameters.

Success: The MD increases its revenues year over year to support operational programs. Successfully advocate with the Province to bring back water & wastewater agricultural processing grants.

Strategic Priority: Recognize the impacts of climate variability & infrastructure on the environment and plan ahead to ensure community resiliency.

Key Initiative: In 2021, publish updates and relevant information with regard to how the MD is sustaining community resiliency by addressing the impact of climate variability and infrastructure on the environment.

Success: Implementation of infrastructure projects that contribute to enhanced community resiliency.

Key Initiative: Identify gaps & opportunities for future planning towards a sustainable environment.

Success: Implementation of 2-3 opportunities and mitigation plans to address gaps.

Key Initiative: Decision making processes and policy that allow for sustainable growth and development. Focus needs into planning and development requirements.

Success:  Sustainable growth that doesn’t negatively affect (from a proportional perspective) the MD’s bottom line/available financial resources.

Strategic Priority: Preserve the MD’s agricultural lands and industry.

Key Initiative: Conduct an awareness campaign that outlines protection methods and successes.

Success: Focused growth in hamlets; absence of vacant parcel subdivisions; trend identification from similar municipalities; key performance indicators are developed and the balance of development supports preservation of agricultural lands & industry.

Strategic Priority: Focus on sustainable financial planning for the future. 

Key Initiative: By first quarter 2022 develop a long-term financial plan for MD that includes 10, 15- & 20-year milestones to ensure financial sustainability.

Metrics for Success: There are specific plans & partnerships in place to mitigate future financial issues. Risk level is low.

Strategic Priority: Integrate Asset Management & Level of Service into all MD processes to enable qualitative and quantitative decision making. 

Key Initiative: Council sets accurate and data-informed Levels of Service for ratepayers.

Success: Develop a system that outlines an Infrastructure Report Card that incorporates Asset Management, Level of Service, & Level of Risk.

Strategic Priority: Advocating for & supporting quality & affordable rural broadband connectivity is available to all MD ratepayers now and into the future.

Key Initiative: Aggressively pursue rural broadband connectivity for all MD ratepayers.

Success: 90% of ratepayers have quality & affordable rural broadband access by 2025 & 100% by 2030.

Strategic Priority: Invest in the community.

Key Initiative: By end of 2019 Publish the Recreation Master Plan report on the current state of MD investment in community capacity, the measurements of success, opportunities & gaps.

Metrics for Success: Council approval of the report and recommendations moving forward to take advantage of opportunities and mitigate gaps. Financially support community volunteer organizations, programs and special projects annually. Increase overall community satisfaction and pride. Increase the numbers of active & available volunteers. 

Strategic Priority: Increase confidence in safety. 

Key Initiative: Maintain & Support Rural Crime Watch initiatives within existing organizational capacity and Regional Fire Services Volunteers.

Success: Reduction in rural crime and fires. 

Key Initiative: Provide regular reporting to Council on Community Safety (ie. Through monthly Council updates).

Success: Increase awareness and confidence in residents. 

Key Initiative: Dedicated funds to support visibility and effectiveness of CPOs. 

Success: Resident feedback is positive. 

Strategic Priority: Support housing and wrap around services for the community. 

Key Initiative: Support partnerships to provide greater options for the community.

Success: Council continues current funding and advocates for provincial funding for community initiatives.