Fort McMurray Minute: Promotion Backlash, Proposed Resort, and EMS Dispatch Returns

Fort McMurray Minute - Your weekly one-minute summary of Fort McMurray politics

This Week In Fort McMurray:

• On Tuesday, at 4:00 pm, there will be a Council meeting. The meeting begins with a closed session, in which Council will discuss one agenda item labeled “Advice from Officials”. When the meeting opens up to the public, around 6:00 pm, Council will hold a public hearing to consider a proposal for a small family resort ten minutes from downtown, on 120 acres of privately owned land along the Clearwater River. According to the property owners, there is demand in the community for an additional venue in the region to host weddings and family events. Councillor Kendrick Cardinal will also bring forward a Notice of Motion to have Indigenous and Rural Relations do a place maker that has Murdered or Missing and Exploited Indigenous Peoples statues or steel structures at every municipal border coming into Fort McMurray.
  
  
• On Thursday, at 6:00 pm, there will be a Communities in Bloom Committee meeting. The Committee will discuss the 2024 Communities in Bloom Symposium and Awards, a volunteer recognition event, and the Summer and Winter Nominate your Neighbour Program.
  
  
• The Fort McMurray Giants will play home games on Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday. The Giants play in the Western Canadian Baseball League, and games take place at Legacy Dodge Field. Tickets start at $20.50 for adults, with discounts for kids. Game times vary and you can see the schedule and get tickets online.

Last Week In Fort McMurray:

• Councillor Funky Banjoko has urged Council to reverse a decision made to bypass public feedback and promote themselves to full-time Councillors. A special public meeting on July 3rd will be held to discuss this issue, at Banjoko’s request. Initially supporting the idea, Banjoko changed her stance after public backlash and criticisms from other Council members, acknowledging the need for proper procedure and public input. The original decision led to significant public outrage.
  
  
• Fort McMurray Wood Buffalo's local EMS dispatch center has reopened, ending a three-and-a-half-year dispute with the Alberta government. The conflict began in 2020 when Alberta Health Services centralized EMS dispatch to Edmonton, Calgary, and Peace River, causing delays and errors due to dispatchers' unfamiliarity with the region. Mayor Sandy Bowman and Regional Fire Chief Jody Butz praised the return of local dispatchers, highlighting their critical regional knowledge for timely emergency responses. The new dispatch center is part of a five-year agreement and aims to improve response times and support other dispatch hubs during crises.
  
  
• The saga regarding “illegitimate bonuses” continued when the media received a copy of the document outlining the bonuses. Recall that the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo (RMWB) has alleged that these bonuses, mostly given to senior directors, were concealed by the Municipality’s former Human Resources Director. The bonuses, worth more than $1 million, were reportedly approved by the Director in question in 2021 and 2022, though the accusations are unproven in court, where the RMWB is suing said Director. The Canadian Union of Public Employees said that the bonuses were not disclosed to the union and is calling for the termination and repayment of the bonuses by the recipients.