The Community
Press Over 115 Years of Telling YOUR Story
Volume 116 Issue 36
www.thecommunitypress.com
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500 Flagstaff Bucks!
Wednesday, March 13, 2024 s
RCMP Detachment welcomes new Constable Logan Ryder Leslie Cholowsky Editor
There’s a new member at the Killam RCMP Detachment, with the arrival of Constable Logan Ryder, fresh from the RCMP Depot Academy this past December. Ryder has been super busy since coming to Killam. He was raised in Toronto, and says he’s finding that rural life can be very busy, just in a different way than he is used to. “It can get super busy in an instant, then very quiet.” Ryder, who is 25, has a degree in Criminal Justice from Carlton University, and says he worked his way through postsecondary schooling by working at Cargill during the summers, and various customer service jobs. He says that working customer service is where he discovered that he genuinely likes helping people. Ryder says that’s part of the reason he applied to the RCMP. “A few of my friends were working with the Ontario Provincial Police and the city force, but I wanted to do something different.” So far he’s loving it. “It’s something new or different every day. I like solving problems and working with people.” He’s finding all the detachment members and staff very friendly, which has been a big help settling in. For his first
six months at the Killam Detachment, he will be paired with Cst. Kirk Rafuse. Before arriving in Killam before Christmas, Ryder had never been to Alberta at all, but says he chose the province as his first choice for posting after training. He was hoping to be a little closer to Edmonton or Calgary initially, but is finding that he’s adapting to life in the rural area really well, better than he expected. “I really don’t miss the city, here things are slowed down a bit, and you can actually enjoy life. It’s a different experience here, where everyone knows everyone else. “It was a bit of a transition for me at first; I learned that you have to time when you are going to get your groceries, because stores close a little earlier than what I’m used to.” Ryder says he’s a career learner, and a big reader, and has lots to occupy himself during his time away from work. He’s had a bit of an opportunity to check out the region so far, and says he recently discovered the Valley Ski Hill, and is really looking forward to getting on one of the region’s many golf courses come this summer. “So far I am enjoying my time here. I’m looking forward to travelling more in the province, and of course, seeing the mountains.”
Cst. Logan Ryder is the Killam RCMP Detachment’s newest member. He hails from Toronto, and arrived in the region before Christmas. He asked for a posting in Alberta and so far is enjoying working in the rural area.
County residents get opportunity to provide feedback Leslie Cholowsky Editor
Sometimes being an elected official of a municipality can be a relatively thankless job. It was described recently as something like: “Trying to plan the municipality’s growth and direction over the next 10 to 20 years, while dealing with the minutiae that takes up 90 per cent of your time, like complaints about dogs barking.” And while that may be true, it’s also true that ratepayers may feel a step removed from the future planning process for their community, and may also have a vision for their community’s future, but don’t have the time or resources to
sit on Council to provide their direct input. It’s often difficult to know how to relay that information to elected officials, so often good ideas are lost, or only discussed at “coffee time.” Flagstaff County is hoping to tap into the thoughts and views of its ratepayers, not only on existing programs, but also on new ideas, this month by hosting a three-part opinion-sharing project, which includes a public survey, Brainstorm Board for new ideas, and then a face-to-face meeting with councillors. The survey is in this week’s paper, and online is where you’ll find the ‘Brainstorm Board,’ where County residents
are encouraged to share ideas for new programs or services in the region. A glance through this year’s board reveals some innovative ideas being shared, not just for Councils, but for the region as a whole. Finally, county residents will also have the opportunity to talk to councillors one-on-one, at an event the County is calling ‘Coffee with your Councillor,” on Tuesday, April 2. At that time, tours of the County Shop will also be available to those who are interested. As incentive, Flagstaff County is offering up a draw for $500 in Flagstaff Bucks, a program that supports local small business by issuing special vouch-
ers than can be used as cash at any of the participating vendors. Flagstaff County Reeve Don Kroetch talked about the importance of public participation in a recent Flagstaff County podcast, where he says, “Public engagement plays a crucial role in fostering good governance. “Strong public engagement and participation ensures that Council’s actions, decisions, and policies are transparent and open for scrutiny. “By involving the public in the decision-making process, Council can build trust and confidence among the stakeholders as they can see and understand the rationale behind Council’s decisions.”