Both the Village of Donalda and the Village of Gadsby will remain as municipalities after the dissolution study process was concluded by Municipal Affairs Minister Hector Goudreau.
“I considered the input from the County of Stettler and village councils, the vote results, public comments and the dissolution study report,” Goudreau said in a letter to county council, dated May 12.
“Based on this information, I do not intend to recommend the dissolution study to cabinet and there will be no further work on the dissolution study process for the Village of Gadsby and Village of Donalda.”
Residents in both villages decisively defeated dissolution in non-binding votes in late March with Donalda voting 85-29 against and Gadsby opposed dissolving into the County of Stettler by a 18-5 margin.
“The vote result indicates that the residents of Donalda and Gadsby do not support dissolution of the villages at this time,” said Goudreau.
Donalda council has expressed satisfaction with the final decision about dissolution, which was originally initiated by a petition of some residents in the community.
“Donalda village council welcomes the minister’s decision and is particularly pleased that the minister has decided to uphold the unequivocal desire of local residents to maintain their own municipality,” said a letter signed by Mayor Terry Nordahl and Councillors Marty Larson and Paul McKay.
“Council and village administration look forward to having the ministry review the village’s affairs and operations.”
Minister Goudreau has ordered a municipal inspection under the Municipal Government Act to address any concerns that may have been raised by the petition or during the public input phase of the dissolution process, states the letter from Donalda council.
An inspector will be appointed by the minister in the next few months.
Minister Goudreau expressed that he appreciated the cooperation and assistance of village and county officials in the dissolution study process.
