(Girouxville) – With municipal elections completed in Alberta, the Village of Girouxville is gearing up for big things in the next four years.
Former Mayor Joseph Zdeb, who has secured an acclaimed position on council, says the community has plans to continue to work toward bettering the village for all residents and visitors.
“We will maintain existing service levels while keeping taxes stable,” says Zdeb.
“We will also continue to work with and improve our programs delivered in conjunction with our regional municipal partners and continue improvements on our infrastructure through capital projects,” he adds.
Returning to council will be Councillor Alain Dion and Councillor Danielle Laflamme, while two new councillors will join the team, including Luke Darby and Alison Vollmer. All five councillors were acclaimed.
Zdeb says he thinks the top priorities for the term include housing and community vibrancy.
“Lack of housing supply has been indicated as a major problem for our region, and Girouxville does have vacant lots and undeveloped/unserviced lots that we are looking into developing,” Zdeb explains.
“I’d like to see more work done on improving Girouxville through initiatives such as community cleanups or events that show both our heritage and culture but also the current ways that our businesses and residents thrive.”
Zdeb says council’s successes are evaluated through completion of projects.
“My priorities will, of course, need to be brought forward to council for us to decide whether we wish to pursue them in any tangible ways,” says Zdeb.
“We try to take a long-term approach to any changes or projects we bring forward, in order to keep taxes stable we need to be fiscally responsible, and I believe we have done quite well to maintain the quality of life in the village. Cost and benefit analysis is always considered before making changes.”
Zdeb says the Village was able to not raise the tax rate in the 2025 budget and their mission is to keep the tax rates stable. He does explain that municipalities are facing outside pressures, such as inflation, and those pressures will dictate if extra funding is needed to deliver the various services provided.
“We will continue to improve our communications with residents through our website and utility mailouts,” he says.
“The possibility of holding community events to get more feedback would be great, of course everyone is welcome at our council meetings.”
Zdeb says he is excited to see two new councillors this term, who he says will provide a new perspective that may provide ideas on ways to improve services or bring awareness of how other communities have succeeded.
“I think the first thing that we need to work on is regional collaboration,” says Zdeb.
“The M.D. of Smoky River’s announcement to reconsider their involvement with regional programs has been top of my mind, I hope we can find a way to ensure that our residents have continued access to these valuable programs.”
Zdeb says the Village just completed two paving projects on two roads and also some sewer work in the community.
“We will continue with our capital plan and when funds allow, we will tackle the large areas such as paving the remaining gravel roads or developing lots for sale,” he says.
“I’m looking forward to continuing to serve the residents of Girouxville over the next term. Council has worked hard to maintain our quality of life and continues to work towards making improvements to our community while balancing affordability with enhancement,” he adds.
The organizational meeting will be held later this week to determine who will hold various roles with the Village, including the mayor.
Emily Plihal
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter