2024 at a glance for Cypress County

Posted on January 9, 2025 by Ryan Dahlman

July 

The two embroidery machines in the classroom at Eagle Butte High School where The Butte operates out of were bought by teacher Sean Longmore from Customs Print & Stitch, where he worked while he was in high school. Longmore was always interested in business and, with no official business training, has learnt by trial and error.

“I always wanted to be a teacher, my uncle was a teacher, and I loved the way people respected him. People really admired him and what he’d done, and I thought that was awesome,” stated Longmore.

Longmore completed his education degree in Saskatoon, although he and his two brothers had already taken over the Labels store on 3 Street SE and created the Boys on Third brand. He worked at Medicine Hat Public School Division for the first seven years and moved over to Eagle Butte this past January.

Dunmore Equestrian Grounds in Dunmore, Alberta will play host to the third annual ‘The Heritage Gather’ from July 12 to 14, 2024.

Kathy Schnell says that the event will open on Friday at 6 p.m. with a special pow-wow demonstration done by The Wild Tongues Drum Group, which are a group of pow-wow dancers that will perform several Indigenous dances including the jingle dress dance, the chicken dance, and a fancy dance. The event, Schnell says, will also open the event on the Saturday as well.

“I just think it’s an amazing event that combines both the western heritage and Indigenous culture, and it brings both together,” said Schnell. “That is what developed Western Canada.”

Cypress County council recently moved to change how it handles animal regulation.

During a review of policy, including how the keeping of animals on parcels under 40 acres, administration looked at neighbouring municipalities, and it was found the majority choose to regulate the keeping of animals under an animal control bylaw or equivalent.

Presently, the regulation of keeping domestic animals and livestock is covered under the Land Use Bylaw. It was proposed that this be removed from the Land Use Bylaw, and for administration to bring forward a replacement bylaw of consideration at a future meeting.

During the Cypress County Council meeting that took place on July 16, the County took a proactive stance to prevent the incursion of wild boars.

“I think everyone is familiar with the destruction that wild boar can cause,” said CAO Tarolyn Aaserud. Agricultural Supervisor Lisa Sulz was present for questions and prepared the request.

Coun. Shane Hok spoke on the topic, saying that it was brought forward after watching some films demonstrating how “sneaky and how destructive these wild boars can be.”

“It’s something we have to put a halt to, before it becomes a problem,” said Hok.

During the recent Cypress County Agricultural Service Board meeting, the board discussed a Request for Decision regarding a letter requesting support submitted by AgKnow – Alberta Farm Mental Health Network.

“AgKnow was established as a direct response to the 2019 ASB resolution aimed at addressing mental health on farms and ranches across Alberta,” said Linda Hunt, Program Director of AgKnow and author of the letter submitted to the Agricultural Service Board. “Your vision in founding this initiative has provided the means to begin developing effective, evidence-based, and practical resources that enhance the resilience of farmers and their families, and to address the barriers that prevent farmers from seeking assistance. While considerable progress has been made in raising awareness and advocating for mental health in farming communities, the challenge lies in ensuring the widespread adoption of supports and services that deliver long-term positive change for farmers and their families. We currently face a critical funding gap between our last grant and the anticipated funding for our next one. This inconsistency in funding jeopardizes our ability to provide continuous support to farm families year-round as they cope with the daily challenges of farm life and navigate times of crisis.”

August 

The following are select briefs from the Cypress County Agricultural Service Board meeting that took place on June 25, 2024.

Agri-Environmental Report

Kennedy Roeder, Assistant Agricultural Fieldman for Cypress County, provided the Agricultural Service Board with the Agri-Environmental Report. Roeder explained that there was a Youth Range Days on March 25, 2024, and that Youth Range Days is a camp for kids ages 13 to 18 and is aimed at educating youth on wildlife, working landscapes, plant identification, rangeland and riparian health. 

The Board, Roeder stated, also co-hosted a workshop with SEAWA with the Land Stewardship Centre for the Green Acreages program on June 18, 2024, at the County office that involved 20 participants. One person in Cypress County completed a project through this program, Roeder said, and was able to access fundintg to help complete her project.

After 22 years of serving as Treasurer of the Elkwater Community Association, Elkwater local Leslie Nemeth has decided to retire from the position.

“I have put my property in Elkwater up for sale, and although it hasn’t sold yet, that is the reason I decided not to let my name stand for another term as Elkwater Community Association Treasurer,” said Nemeth. 

As treasurer, Nemeth says she would pick up the mail, pay the bills, post to the accounting program and balance to the bank and of course do a month end balance and prepare a treasurer’s report to present at the monthly meeting. 

The 2024 Dunmore Equestrian Miss and Sweetheart Competition will be held on August 23 and 24 in Dunmore.

“The purpose and reason for the program is that the Royalty, both Miss and Sweetheart, get the opportunity to be ambassadors for the Dunmore Equestrian Centre, the Little Britches Rodeos, the sport of rodeo and the western way of life,” said Melissa Bast, mother of Jada Silcher, who was 2023 Dunmore Equestrian Miss. 

With Cypress County chief administrative officer Tarolyn Aaserud taking a position with the City of Medicine Hat, the county welcomes an interim replacement in Mike Koziol.

Koziol was born and raised in Edmonton, but has taken on various roles throughout the province over the years before he retired in 2017.

“I started my career with Alberta transportation as a bridge engineer. I lived in Peace River, Red Deer, Edmonton,” said Koziol. “I moved to Lethbridge to work in the private sector, and did a lot of transportation-type work presentations to councils. And then when I was done with that, I went on to highway maintenance.”

Koziol served as the manager of street engineering for the City of Edmonton for eight years, which he called the “best job in the world,” though he added it was occasionally intimidating to present to council there.

September

The Dunmore Equestrian Centre welcomed new ambassadors for the year on Aug. 24 with the crowning of this year’s Miss and Sweetheart.

The centre was pleased to crown Sweetheart Meadow Van Maarion and Miss Emma Baedke, out of a pool of two and three competitors, respectively.

The competition took place over two days, with both public speaking and modelling taking place Friday evening at the Safety Buzz Campus, and the horsemanship portion of the competition happening the following morning at the Dunmore Equestrian outdoor arena.

The Stigma-Free Mental Health Society (SFMHS) is thankful for a $25,000 Canada Post grant that is being used to expand the Stigma-Free School Program into southeastern Alberta. The Stigma-Free School Program, a leading initiative by SFMHS, provides a rich array of free resources designed specifically for students, educators, and school counselors. This program includes virtual classroom presentations, interactive toolkits, Stigma-Free Clubs, and professional development sessions. 

In late 2023, SFMHS President Andrea Paquette moved from British Columbia to Medicine Hat. She has been engaging with a variety of organizations, including Eagle Butte High School.

 “With the support of Canada Post and our local partners, we are ready to expand our reach and ensure that students in southeastern Alberta have access to mental health educational resources they need,” says Paquette.

Cypress County has passed a motion to apply for grant funding via the Green Municipal Fund, for tree re-planting as part of the Dunmore Shelterbelt irrigation system replacement project.

In August, public works staff removed trees that were noted to have low survivability after several years of drought conditions. Approximately 129 trees were removed.

It was noted during the regular council meeting Sept. 4 that GMF tends to prefer larger-scale projects, and it was suggested in conversation that administration consider exploring options to integrate the application into a larger-scale work.

A total of 1,026 bikes hit the pavement Sept. 14, several carrying more than one rider and most hauling some very important cargo, to take part in the 38th annual Medicine Hat News Santa Claus Fund Toy Run.

The far-reaching line of motorcycles that paraded from the Irvine Hotel through Dunmore toward the Medicine Hat Exhibition & Stampede grounds was the second largest organizers have seen in the history of the event.

“This has been a blowout year,” said Heather McCaig, communications co-ordinator. “We’ve had lots of community people come out, we have kids in strollers, grandparents. So we’ve had amazing community support this year and we’re so grateful.”

October 

Every year, Cypress County invites citizens to join a variety of boards, committees, and commissions – and in 2024, that time is now! Applications are open until October 8, with appointments announced at the council meeting on October 16. Adults (age 18 and over) are encouraged to apply, as voices from a variety of age ranges, backgrounds, and experiences are the best way to ensure diversity and representation. Have your voice heard and be the voice of your community while also getting to see how local government works firsthand. 

Medicine Hat’s electric distribution department is preparing another application to build a substation in the south end where officials say a lack of power and reliability is holding back development in the area.

Last year, regulators denied a city proposal to site the $22-million substation near Highway 3 at the city limits when residents of a Cypress County residential subdivision objected and the Alberta Utilities Commission said the city hadn’t made its case on growth in demand.

Similar arguments defeated an alternate location near an intersection of South Boundary Road that leads to the county hamlet of Desert Blume.

Now, city power officials will discuss new and alternate locations with affected parties at an open house on Oct. 15 and 16 at the Desert Blume Golf Course ahead of a new application to the AUC.

Three of the six HALO pilots are licensed for both fixed-wing and rotary aircraft, so getting them certified to fly the Dave Rozdeba South Alberta Flight Academy student-built plane isn’t difficult. Thus far, only Captain Ryan Shrives is certified to fly the Vans RV-12 and said, “certification wasn’t complicated, it was more about time management and having people available. It was a few flights to get familiar with the machine and the systems.”

Shrives said the plane, which now has about 300 flight hours on it, was fun to fly and he has taken up CEO of HALO Paul Carolan to give him a feel for how the plane handles, what it can do and visibility.

Cypress County council held its annual organizational meeting Oct. 16 alongside its usual bi-weekly public meeting.

Dan Hamilton will be continuing in his role as the Reeve, taking both his oath and his usual spot in the Cypress County meeting room on Oct. 16. He commented that he takes his job seriously and hopes to continue to do his best for the county.

Also returning to his role as Deputy Reeve is Richard Oster. Both parties were the sole nomination for their positions.

Cypress County accepted a delegation request from Meadowlands Development Corp., which sought out a change to present on a proposed subdivision in Desert Blume.

After several weeks of trips out to Dunmore, Irvine’s Agricultural Students received their certificates for truly understanding the buzz about safety.

Students have been coming up to Safety Buzz Campus once a week for the past five weeks or so, said Nichole Neubauer, Irvine School Agriculture Discovery Centre co-ordinator. While there, they have been learning the ins and outs of safety while out on farms.

The idea for the event is several years old, and the ADC is thrilled to be able to make it a reality, because while many of its students come from rural backgrounds, they may not always follow current safety guidelines.

November 

As we delve into the second part of our Community Foundation of Southeastern Alberta (CFSEA) series, we continue to explore the opportunities for impactful giving through the Foundation. 

CFSEA connects donors with local charities to create lasting changes in the Southeastern Alberta community. With tailored plans to suit various philanthropic goals, CFSEA offers several fund types, each designed to address different community needs and donor preferences. Donors are provided with resources and guidance to create personalized giving plans, ensuring their contributions make a significant impact.

County residents can now apply for free fire permits, valid for three days, beginning now until March 31, 2025 following a spring/summer fire restriction.

The county graduated to a fire restriction in June, not unusual during dry, warm summers, that set restrictions on the kinds of fires allowed, including recreational fires and fireworks, until Oct. 31.

Fire permits are required for all open burns and are subject to the discretion of the emergency service co-ordinator. In addition to any Forest and Prairie Protection Act permit required, a county permit is also required.

Parkside School was overflowing with Redcliff and area residents as they gathered to honour the fallen and those who still fight on for freedom.

This year’s Remembrance Day Ceremony began as it has for many years prior, with veterans, RCMP, dignitaries, cadets and scouts gathering outside the Redcliff Legion. After forming up, the march, followed by a large crowd of family members and other attendees, made its way up to Parkside School, which quickly ran out of even standing room as service-goers spilled out into the foyer.

A recent Redcliff council meeting was packed with important community updates, including some alarming stats from the RCMP and robust support for the local library – among other agenda items.

An overview of policing activities from April to June 2024 notes that the Redcliff Municipal RCMP report highlighted a 12 per cent increase in assault investigations compared to 2023, and a staggering 111 per cent rise over the last five years. Property crime also saw significant spikes with a 200 per cent increase in vehicle theft and a 300 per cent surge in stolen property cases. In response, the RCMP is emphasizing community vigilance and encouraging residents to lock their vehicles. Mental health-related calls also rose by 333 per cent, underscoring the need for enhanced community support and resources. The RCMP remains committed to addressing these challenges with proactive policing and community engagement.

December

The Town of Redcliff’s council met on November 25, and the meeting included first readings for a number of Bylaws.

Bylaw No. 1974/2024, the Temporary Borrowing Bylaw 2025, was reviewed. This Bylaw serves as a financial tool, functioning as a revolving line of credit to support the municipality’s operating expenditures. Under this legislation, the municipality can borrow up to $1,000,000 at any given time for operating needs and $35,000 for credit card expenses. These borrowing limits must comply with Section 256 of the Municipal Government Act, ensuring that amounts borrowed do not exceed the estimated tax revenue for the year. The regular review and renewal of the Temporary Borrowing Bylaw align with Goal #4 of the Municipality’s Strategic Plan, focusing on governance, service delivery, and ensuring policies are up-to-date with current legislation. 

Cypress County welcomed its new permanent chief administrator on Nov. 29, as they announced Al Hoggan is taking over the role.

Following CAO Tarolyn Aaserud’s departure in August, Mike Koziol was hired to be the interim CAO while council searched for a permanent replacement. This is the only role at the municipality chosen by council, and serves as the link between county staff and elected officials, in charge of the county’s operations.