Highlights from Tuesday’s meeting of Grande Prairie City Council

Besides incentives for building new apartments, city council had several other things to discuss at Monday’s meeting.

– Council approved taking $1.37 million from the Financial Stabilization Reserve for the police service budget. The money includes $925,000 for a records management system. There had been plans to use the RCMP one, but officials now say this will not be possible because of the planned size of the new police service. There is also $400,000 for network infrastructure. The service needs to build its own network system, and more money is needed to do that. There is also $45,000 for tactical equipment. The police service plans to come have an interim containment team in place until a full tactical team is operational. Police commission officials told a standing committee that what they called “emergent issues” and are needed to meet the 2026 transition time line. They added a surplus from 2024 will more than cover the cost. Things like the timing of hiring led tot hat surplus.

– A quarterly financial update says the city is on track to run an $822,000 surplus this year. A report from administration says city hall is still within provincially prescribed debt limits and has enough money in its reserve funds.

– Mayor Jackie Clayton read out a proclamation for Community Disability Services Professional Appreciation Week. It is being observed until May 25. The proclamation says these “workers are valued for the positive impact their work has on the lives of people with disabilities and their families.”