Altona Council reorganizes committees to focus on strategic goals

Altona Town Council has re-organized its internal committee structure and updated their areas of focus. 

The changes were prompted after new priorities were hammered out in their strategic planning process, explained Mayor Harv Schroeder. Those priorities being economic development, environmental stewardship, recreation and culture, infrastructure and organizational strength.

"So, what we did is under each of those headings, we put our goals, and we attached three council members to each," he said, adding the intent is better move those priorities forward. "Having three members on each committee seems to be better around the table and then if we need any outside information, we definitely bring in administration."

So far, Schroeder says the new system seems to be working.

"I think everybody knows the role that they have on these committees, and it just clarifies everything a little bit more," he explained. "The administration feels like things seem to be more on track and when we report at Council meeting, everyone is accountable to something."

With this change, the Town will no longer be leading the charge with the Altona and Area Immigration Committee. 

"That group would get together and share ideas, and those are all good things. But we felt like we needed to maybe shift a little bit," explained Schroeder. "PV-LIP and Regional Connections are the main hub for immigration, along with RNIP, and we felt that it was probably more important that they take on those meetings and we send a representative there."

As well, the Town has representatives on each of those three boards of directors.
 
"We definitely want to continue working with our immigration programs and know what's going on and when we need to do our part," said Schroeder.