Village of Lougheed remains optimistic for the future at Open House

Lougheed Mayor Deb Smith chaired an Open House meeting with Council on Thursday, May 2, to present the village’s 2012 Financial Statement, 2013 Budget, and the village’s Strategic Plan for 2013-14.

Only three residents showed up for the meeting, along with Deputy Mayor Sonny Losness, and village councillors Bob Ruud, Sherri Cherowka, and Joe Cameron.

Smith also introduced new shared administration CAO Kevin Miller, who has taken the CAO job in Hardisty starting this week.

Hardisty contracts shared village administration with Lougheed.

Smith said to visitors, “I welcome you to our open house, and I wish more people would have come.

“It takes teamwork between Council and citizens to make the community successful.”

Smith said that Lougheed has a remarkable community dynamic.

In the 2011 census, only Alliance and Lougheed showed population growths, where Lougheed showed an 7.4 per cent increase, and Smith explained that the village has grown again, since 2011, and Council is conducting a municipal census to get the up-to-date population figure.

Smith made brief mention of the recent BRSD vote to close Lougheed School at the end of June, saying, “If we can accept that nothing is permanent, that change is inevitable, community life will continue, in an altered manner.

“It won’t be the end of our community.”

Read the rest of the story in the May 7, 2013 Edition of The Community Press, on newsstands now!