Sherwood Park Minute: Issue 96

Sherwood Park Minute - Your weekly one-minute summary of Sherwood Park politics

📅 This Week In Sherwood Park: 📅

• On Tuesday, at 9:30 am, there will be a Council Meeting. Council will review a motion to continue a County-wide corporate review as part of preparations for the 2027 budget, with a focus on keeping both operating and capital spending fiscally responsible and sustainable. The review aims to ensure any tax rate increase is guided by factors such as inflation, average weekly earnings, and population growth, while using tools like zero-based budgeting and priority-based budgeting. Administration is also directed to keep examining ways to optimize revenue sources, including grants, investments, user fees, and franchise fees. A report outlining progress on these efforts is to be brought back to Council by March 31st, 2026.
  
  
• Council will also receive a report on alternate funding options for Volunteer Strathcona outside of the Social Framework Community Grants program, which has supported the organization for over 30 years. The report outlines three options: first, transferring the 2026 grant allocation to a dedicated municipal budget line for annual approval; second, using the Social Services funding stream to procure volunteer services through a County-directed process; and third, continuing funding through the existing Social Framework Community Grants program. Each option would maintain the same funding level as the 2026 allocation, with Options 1 and 2 requiring budget adjustments from the Community Grants program. Administration is seeking Council’s direction on which approach to adopt for 2027, with no additional budget requested. The next step includes informing Volunteer Strathcona’s Executive Director of Council’s decision.
  
  
• Council will also look to approve the 2026 Social Framework Community Grants, providing $1,195,093 to local social and non-profit organizations to support prevention, early intervention, and community collaboration. Core grants will be awarded to twelve organizations, including Volunteer Strathcona ($274,327), Strathcona County Big Brothers Big Sisters ($124,000), Saffron Centre ($125,000), Strathcona Foodbank Association ($91,420), Strathcona Shelter Society: A Safe Place ($72,600), Hope in Strathcona ($70,000), Parents Empowering Parents ($60,000), BriarPatch Family Life Education Centre ($25,000), ElderCare Edmonton Society ($20,000), Drive Happiness Seniors Association ($20,246), Sherwood Care ($10,000), and Winder Inclusive Communities Service ($7,500). Multi-year commitments were approved for several organizations, including Big Brothers Big Sisters, Saffron Centre, Parents Empowering Parents, and Hope in Strathcona, ensuring continuity of programs through 2027 and 2028.
  
  
• Strathcona County says it is prepared for cyber threats following a December 25th ransomware attack on Leduc County, which prompted that municipality to shut down IT systems and alert RCMP. County CFO Jennifer Cannon said Strathcona is focused on proactive cybersecurity to protect resident privacy and maintain uninterrupted services. With transaction volumes rising, the County has increased its security focus. In 2025, Strathcona also became Payment Card Industry (PCI) compliant, strengthening protections for credit card data. As part of Budget 2026, Council approved a $300,000 increase to security operations to fund staff training, system upgrades, and improved threat detection and privacy practices.
  
  
• Strathcona County has launched its 2025 Public Satisfaction Survey, inviting residents and those who work in the County to share feedback on quality of life and local services. The annual survey asks about topics such as safety, utilities, law enforcement, recreation and parks, emergency services, transportation, and County communications, along with broader views on community well-being and engagement. Mayor Rod Frank said the results help guide Council decision-making and support planning that reflects local priorities. Responses will be reviewed by Council and Administration to assess service levels, identify improvements, and inform future resource allocation. The survey is being conducted through telephone interviews by an independent market research firm and an online questionnaire via County Voice. The online survey is open until Friday, February 20th.

🚨 This Week’s Action Item: 🚨

🪙 This Week’s Sponsor: 🪙

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