Cypress County council meets Tuesday afternoon at the county office in Dunmore. Coun. Robin Kurpjuweit has been approved to make a bid for a seat on the Federation of Canadian Municipalities board.--NEWS PHOTO ANNA SMITH
Cypress county councillor Robin Kurpjuweit will make his bid to be on the Federation of Canadian Municipalities board, as to better represent the region at the federal level.
The agenda item came in as a notice of motion at the previous regular council meeting, with intent to be discussed on Tuesday. The motion asked for council to endorse Kurpjuweit in the endeavour to attend the FCM conference and to run for the board.
The item garnered some discussion as to the value of the potential appointment, marking that there have not been reports following the conferences in the past, as well as concerns regarding the potential cost to the county, as recent changes from the Rural Municipalities of Alberta state that it will not cover per diem costs for its chosen FCM representatives.
Regardless, stressed Kurpjuweit, he believes it is worth attempting to secure the seat.
“FCM is one of the most influential federal voices on behalf of municipal government. It’s an important role and an important position for us to be at the table with not only that, but we would have access to a little bit of insight on what’s coming,” said Kurpjuweit.
He continued to say while in the past the conference has been considered similar to RMA conferences, where “nobody’s doing a two-page report on our advanced RMA. We go, we network, we meet people.” However, new conditions for the FCM would require a written update, which he said he would be happy to also provide in person on the advocacy work being done at the conference.
“It’s a great opportunity for us to sit at that table and speak up and advocate for the needs of rural … I will fight hard for the needs of rural Alberta at that federal table,” said Kurpjuweit.
The motion ultimately passed, endorsing the upcoming run for the board.
