Special Areas welcomes Ratepayers at Annual Meetings

2025 annual ratepayer meetings are well underway after kicking off in Buffalo, AB on May 22. A total of six meetings have been planned throughout the Special Areas, a tour that translates to over 1,200 kilometres traveled. These public meetings allow residents to meet with their Advisory Councillors and Administration right in their communities.

PHOTO CREDIT: SPECIAL AREAS

Annual ratepayer meetings are an important part of Special Areas decision-making as residents can make motions to provide direction to Advisory Council. Ratepayer motions can be remarkably diverse, ranging from individual concerns on specific projects, to nominations for road committee members, to larger policy considerations. Motions made at ratepayer meetings help communicate local concerns and priorities and are a key part of Advisory Council’s fall meeting.

New this year is a Resident Satisfaction Survey. The survey takes about 10 minutes to complete and is completely anonymous. The survey will be open throughout the summer, closing on September 2. It can be accessed by visiting https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/2025RPSurvey.The survey asks community members to share their thoughts on municipal services and initiatives, feedback on what is working well, and what needs more attention. By better understanding residents’ needs, concerns and suggestions, Special Areas aims to better serve communities through the provision of high quality and efficient services. Feedback collected through this survey will be summarized and shared with Advisory Council this fall. A summary report is expected to be available early 2026 and will be shared on the Special Areas Board website, social media and at local district offices.

If ratepayers are not able to attend their local ratepayer meeting, more information is available on the Special Areas website at https://specialareas.ab.ca/about/ratepayer-meetings-and-reporting/. Information includes audited financial statements, newsletters, and presentations from Administration. Ratepayers are encouraged to reach out to their Advisory Council member if not able to attend their local ratepayer meetings and have an issue or concern.

The next meeting of the Special Areas Advisory Council is planned for early fall. More information on Advisory Council members is available at https://specialareas.ab.ca/about/board-and-advisory-council/.