In a speech, light on specifics, St. Albert’s mayor painted a rosy picture for city residents in her State of the City address at the Enjoy Centre on Wednesday.
Cathy Heron, a two-term councillor just about to complete her first year in the mayor’s chair, used her talk to proclaim that everything is great.
Which should come as no surprise, really. As a mayor in her first term, it’s imperative she tout a sense of optimism. An unbiased, candid assessment of the past 11 months is not realistic.
“Not only are we OK, but the state of our city is one that is thriving and prospering,” Heron told over 300 attendees, which included numerous politicians from around the region, at the St. Albert and District Chamber of Commerce monthly luncheon.
This type of gathering is a public-relations dream for the mayor. She gets to promote her agenda – and that of council – and share the positive aspects of being the leader of a city of more than 66,000 people to a captive audience.
She was quick to emphasize the increased level of co-operation that now exists between the mayor and councillors.
“The unhealthy negativity has dissipated, making room for confidence and pride in our great city,” Heron said.
It’s a definite change given the rancour that was evident during the previous administration.
Leadership was among the six key planks in Heron's mayoral campaign platform, so of course she’s going to play up her efforts. The others were affordable living, traffic/safety, regional collaboration, economic development and community pride.
The luncheon also offered the mayor the chance to outline council’s priorities including the planned revamping of St. Albert’s municipal development plan, which she said is “a huge project that needs to happen in order to bring us into the modern era.”
Without getting into the details, Heron’s speech also touched on annexation talks with Sturgeon County, proposed upgrades to Ray Gibbon Drive, the birth of a regional transit system, the possibility of an education/recreation campus and housing the homeless.
She said that to spur growth, the city has to bring down the cost of development and continue reducing red tape for prospective developers and business owners. That statement failed to draw any reaction from the business crowd, but chamber members have likely heard that message before. They want action.
The mayor is particularly keen for St. Albert to have representation on the Edmonton International Airport Authority board, which oversees the operation of Villeneuve Airport.
The first year of a newly elected council is typically a period of learning – so the mayor is given some leeway here. But the mayor likely shouldn’t anticipate the same reception when she gives her second State of the City address in 2019.
Business leaders and residents will expect progress on these issues, plus the nuts and bolts of her plan for a municipal utility corporation, how she will be dealing with the $341-million deficit in the 10-year capital plan and high taxes. They won't be satisfied with a rah-rah speech.
Next time St. Albertans will be looking for more substance. Hopefully, Mayor Heron will not disappoint.
