Beaver communities have spent $233,000 extra on policing since 2020. Where has the money gone? Minister answers Mercury questions about rural policing SEE PAGE 15
Your LOCAL Media since 1918! Volume 105 Issue 23
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Wednesday, February 8, 2023 s
NEED FOR FOOD EXPLODES AT FOOD BANK Tofield-Ryley and Area Food Bank has hungriest year ever JANA SEMENIUK The Tofield-Ryley and Area Food Bank experienced its hungriest year ever with over 1,000 people being served with over 400 food hampers last year. Board Chair Dawn Arnold said she has never seen such a demand. “(It was) absolutely epic. We have never, ever given away (this much), not even in 2016 when we sent stuff up to Fort McMurray for the fire. We have never, ever had this much need,” she reported at a recent Tofield Chamber of Commerce meeting. “And it's increasing.” Arnold presented statistics to the Chamber on Feb. 1 indicating that the number of people in need of the food Bank increased by 60 percent since 2018 with the majority between the ages of 18 and 59 years old. Arnold also said that there are more recipients from Ryley then ever before. “We have more from Ryley now than we've ever had,” she said. “They can't afford the food at the food store there. It's just too much.” She pointed to a display where the number of clients broken up by area
Tofield-Ryley Food Bank Chair Dawn Arnold points to a display showing surprising statistics collected from the food bank while giving a presentation at a recent Tofield Chamber of Commerce meeting. The number of people served by the food bank has gone up 60 percent since 2018. Photo: Jana Semeniuk served showed 52 percent of recipients are from Tofield, 23 percent from Ryley and 25 percent from Beaver County. Arnold had nothing but praise for the communities and local organizations who stepped up to assist the Food Bank with cash donations, food and volunteers who have donated their time. She said local churches in the community take turns doing food drives each month, in addition to residents donating fresh vegetables from their gardens from Aug. to Oct. “We have two people who have
loaned us root cellars. We get meat from Irving farms, (and) we get donations from all sorts of people,” said Arnold. She added that one item the food bank gets a lot of but they cannot distribute is home canned items. “We would love to give out home canned stuff. I know our people would love it, but we can't,” she said, citing health concerns. Additionally, one more source of donated food they utilize is Loop Farmers; Farmers with an arrangement between themselves and a participating grocery
store where once the food is unsellable, a famer will come to pick it up to be used as feed for his livestock, or donated to a charity. “Save On is the only one who does it (and) they can give it to a food bank. Nobody can charge for it, but we can give it out,” Arnold said. “So, we have a loop farmer that brings in meat and bread. And that's where all our goodies come from.” Arnold said the list of different items adorning the food hampers has also changed with dog food and hygiene products now helping to round it out. “We've been able to provide our clients with food for their animals, which is like their family. (For) some of them that is their family,” she said. Meanwhile, Arnold added that a community garden started by volunteers at the Food Bank needs some TLC hopefully by new volunteers. “(We have) eight raised beds, and that is our community garden. We're always looking for help with that because none of us are gardeners so we do the best we can (but) last year was a bit of a bomb,” she said. “We're looking for someone who really knows what they're doing.”
Municipal Affairs has Village of Ryley on its radar BY JOHN MATHER The issues occurring with Ryley Council, village administration and the residents of the village have not escaped the attention of Alberta Municipal Affairs. “The Minister is aware of concerns related to the governance and administration in the Village of Ryley. The Minister is intending to meet with council to discuss these concerns and share information on possible ministry supports,” said Alberta Municipal Affairs Director of Communications Graeme McElheran in an email sent to the Mercury last week. Many residents have been complaining about the way the Village is being run and a special council meeting was slated for Feb. 7 (after deadline), was to appoint a Chief Administrative Officer, hold a organizational meeting for the purpose of appointing a mayor and is-
suing the oath of office for the appointed mayor; and introducing an amendment for the village’s procedural bylaw. Many are upset with current Mayor Nik Lee and want him replaced. At a raucous council meeting on Jan. 20, newly elected Councillor Lyndie Nickel introduced a motion to have Councillor Brian Ducherer appointed as the mayor. Lee refused to allow the motion to be voted on stating since the special council meeting wasn’t an organizational meeting the motion was out of order. After about 45 minutes of demands and counter demands between councillors, the Mayor, and members of the crowd in attendance, the meeting broke up. The Village has been without a Chief Administrative Officer since early January when Julie Ulmer stayed in the position for just a couple of days. Ulmer
had been preceded in December by Wendy Wildman who only spent a couple of weeks in the position. She had replaced former CAO Ron Cust who left earlier in December. But in the Municipal Affairs email McElheran said, “Concerning the special council meeting you mentioned, villages generally appoint their chief elector official (mayor) from within council rather than being elected at large (unless provided for by bylaw). “Municipalities who appoint from within council must appoint their chief elected official at an annual organizational meeting. The Municipal Government Act stipulates that the annual organizational meeting must occur no later than two weeks after the third Monday in October. “Councils have the discretion, within the timelines in the legislation, to have an organizational meeting earlier in the
year to appoint a chief elected official – although the meetings are typically held in the fall. “In a municipal election year, an organizational meeting must occur no later than two weeks after election day.” A citizen’s petition for the recall of Lee is also getting organized in the village. “Regarding the recall petition being circulated among residents: Starting April 18, 2023, electors may gather signatures to remove a councillor who they feel is not upholding their duties. A valid petition requires signatures from electors equivalent to 40 per cent of the population of the municipality or ward,” stated McElheran. The Mercury reached out to get comments from both Nickel and the petition organizer but were unable to hear back prior to the press deadline.