Ponoka Council Rejects Depression Proclamation, Commits $30K to Municipal Intern

Council Rejects Mental Health Proclamation

Ponoka Town Council unanimously defeated a request to proclaim October 9, 2025, as National Depression Screening Day. The motion was voted down 6-0, with Mayor Kevin Ferguson and all five present councillors opposed.

While the specific reasons for the opposition were not detailed in the minutes, the move was immediately followed by a notice of motion from Councillor Carla Lloyd. Lloyd has asked administration to instead look into proclaiming the week of October 5-11 as “Mental Illness Awareness Week.” This suggests a shift toward broader mental health awareness rather than a specific screening day.

$30,000 Allocated for Municipal Intern

Council voted to spend up to $30,000 in 2026 to bring a municipal intern to Ponoka. The town will apply to the provincial Municipal Affairs department for the program.

If the application is successful, the $30,000 will cover the town's portion of salary and overhead costs. The intern would focus on administrative duties, providing a pipeline for new municipal management talent in the region.

Residential Tax Sub-Class Bylaw Moves Forward

Property owners may soon see changes in how residential assessments are handled. Council passed the first reading of Bylaw 05-2025, the Residential Assessment Sub-Class Bylaw.

This bylaw allows the town to further categorize residential properties for taxation purposes. While the first reading passed, the bylaw requires two more readings and potential public discussion before it becomes law.

RCMP Reports Q1 Statistics

S/Sgt. St-Cyr and Cpl. Fortin presented the first-quarter crime statistics and community report to Council. The presentation was accepted as information without immediate action taken.

No residents spoke during the public forum portion of the meeting, which remained empty.

Policy Cleanup: Clothing and Wellness

Council rescinded several old human resources and finance policies, moving those regulations from Council’s direct oversight to Administrative Policies managed by town staff.

This includes the Employee Health and Wellness Policy, the Clothing Allowance Policy, and the Election and Census Officials Remuneration Policy. These are now replaced by internal administrative policies (AP-25, AP-07, and AP-16), a move intended to streamline routine internal town operations.

CAO Report and Tributes

Chief Administrative Officer Sandra Lund informed Council that a plaque honoring the late Councillor Ted Dillon has been placed on the Fallen Fire Fighters memorial in Ottawa. Dillon served the community as both a councillor and fire chief.

In other administrative news, Parks, Recreation & Facilities Manager Andrew Jones reported that the town’s recent “Fall Fest” was a success. Council members also noted the official opening of the new skatepark on September 8.

What’s Next

Administration will now prepare the application for the provincial intern program and return to Council for the second and third readings of the Residential Assessment Sub-Class Bylaw at a future meeting. The next regular council meeting is scheduled for October.