February 3, 2025 • 28 mins
Reeve King joins the podcast to talk about all things Kneehill County--from Council and governance to current projects, infrastructure and roads, economic development, and the beauty of rural living.
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All news & announcements are current as of January 30, 2025.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Christine (00:24):
Hello and welcome to Kneehill Scoop, Kneehill
County's very first officialpodcast.
My name is Christine.
I'm a communicationscoordinator by day and podcast
host by one afternoon a month.
We have a very special guestwith us today to help kick this
podcast off.
But before we begin, I justwant to quickly share some
announcements and some news thatare coming from the county.
(00:45):
So here's what's happening asof January 30th, 2025.
Kneehill County crews have beenbusy clearing the roads.
I don't know if you've noticed,but we've had some wild
nor'westers lately and they arecreating lots of fun.
Lots of visibility issues whenyou're trying to drive at night
and, of course, a lot ofdrifting on our roads.
So if you ever spot a problemout there, if you're on the
(01:10):
gravel and you see some deepdrifts, make sure you give us a
call 403-443-5541, or you canuse our handy dandy form on our
website-- the Report a Concernform.
You'll find it right there onthe home page.
You know, while we're talkingabout snow clearing, there's
often some confusion out there,kind of who's responsible for
what.
So, Kneehill County takes careof the local gravel roads.
(01:30):
We do the snow plowing in ourhamlets.
We do have some pavement andchip seal roads that we also
take care of and I think maybethat lends to the confusion.
The list is actually on ourwebsite If you go to the road
ban page.
They're all listed there.
It's the same.
It's like the Airport Road,Allingham Road, Buffalo Jump
Road, they call it the HastieHighway, the Gorr Road, the
(01:51):
Linden Home Road, there's LindenEast, Linden West and then the
PBI Road.
So those ones we all maintain.
But any double-digit, anytriple-digit highways that you
see out there 805, 806, 27, 21,you get the drift.
Those are all provinciallymaintained so we have nothing to
(02:13):
do with those and Emcon has thecurrent contract, I do believe.
So if you do see problems onthose highways, make sure that
you give them a call.
You may have seen this on socialmedia or in the newspaper, but
Kneehill County is taking partin the BREWD Initiative.
So BREWD is not a delicious cupof coffee, it is the Business
Retention and Expansion andWorkforce Development Survey.
(02:34):
So we want to hear from localbusinesses, our farmers and our
entrepreneurs.
This project is aimed atstrengthening our local
businesses, supporting jobcreation and attracting
investment to our community.
If you want to take part inthat survey, there are prizes to
be won.
You can either check out pagetwo of the Three Hills Capital,
which is where the KneehillCounty Corner is, or you can
(02:54):
visit our website to take partin that survey and provide us
with some sweet, sweet data.
You may also have seen this inthe paper, but Kneehill County
is now hiring for our seasonalsummer positions.
So we're looking fortransportation labor, utility
labor-- that's working with ourwater guys, mowing technician,
parks technician and vegetationmanagement.
So if you want to learn moreabout those positions and how to
(03:16):
apply, just visit our website.
Elsewhere in the County, whatelse is going on?
Oh, 2025 is a municipalelection year, so the next
general municipal election willbe held on Oc tober 20th,, 2025
.
And there's quite a bit newwhen it comes to the Local
Authorities Election Act and theMunicipal Government Act.
(03:36):
If you want to head over to ourwebpage, it explains more.
It explains the changes thatimpact the voters and that
impact the candidates, so makesure you head over there to find
out more.
Our community grantapplications are open now, those
are for nonprofits that areoperating in Kneehill County.
They have to have societystatus for at least two years
and they can apply to receivesome grant funding from the
(03:59):
county.
So again, I know I sound like abroken record, but all of this
and more information isavailable on our website.
You may have heard this from thelast Council meeting, but the
Master Rates Bylaw has beenpassed.
This bylaw is the one thatestablishes rates and fees and
it aligns with the 2025 budget,which was passed in December of
2024.
(04:19):
So with that Master Rates Bylaw, there are a few changes to
fees, a few minor increases.
Residential garbage pickup hasgone up from $50 to $55 every
two months.
Huxley and Wimborne, the waterrates are up by 20 cents, and
(04:52):
then for our water distributionsystem rurally, those rates have
gone up by 20 cents as well.
So it's now $4.05 per cubicmeter.
And if you do get water in thecounty or you receive these
services, there are insertscoming in your next bill that
will explain more about thesechanges.
And speaking of water, so wemeasure our water in cubic
meters, which to me does notmake any sense, but that's fine.
A cubic meter of water is athousand liters, which is
(05:16):
approximately 12 bathtubs full--fun fact.
Or it is 3,334 cups of tea,which, coincidentally, is the
same amount of tea that ReeveKing and I are about to spill in
this podcast.
So please welcome our veryfirst and special guest, reeve
Kenneth King.
Reeve Kenneth King (05:34):
Thank you for welcoming me here, and I
look forward to our conversation.
Christine (05:39):
Me too.
Thank you so much for joiningus today, so for listeners and
for those who might not know,can you tell us what a Reeve
does and kind of what your roleentails in Kneehill County?
Reeve Kenneth King (05:55):
The Reeve is chosen by council to act as the
chair for all council meetingsand to be the official
representative and spokespersonfor council and Kneehill County.
Also, the Reeve has the samerole as the other councillors,
which, of course, is torepresent the residents of
Kneehill County, to seek for theresidents' input on various
matters that affect the county,to budget county resources
(06:17):
carefully, to preserve theservices that our residents
expect and to maintain andimprove our roads, other
infrastructure and, of course,to the best of their ability,
develop policy that will guidethe county's day-to-day
operations and provide a roadmapfor staff as they plan toward
the future of the county.
Planning for the future is akey role for council.
Christine (06:40):
So just a Kneehill few then.
Yeah, there's a small list,yeah, not much.
So how would you describeKneehill County to someone who
has never been here?
Reeve Kenneth King (06:51):
Well, for me , Kneehill County is an
amazingly beautiful mix oflandscapes, from gently rolling
open farmland to the hills andtrees of our parkland on the
north, the breaks of the creeksand the coolies throughout the
county, plus the Red Deer RiverValley and the Canadian Badlands
on the east.
We have a variety ofrecreational opportunities, like
(07:13):
our parks, the campgrounds, thepools, rinks, ball diamonds and
playing fields.
Within our urban neighbors, ourdiverse, enterprising and
innovative farmers andbusinesses, our friendly and
helpful residents and innovativefarmers and businesses, our
friendly and helpful residents,all of which combine to make
Neal County and area one of thebest places in all of Alberta.
Christine (07:34):
I 100% agree with that.
And then, so what would you saymakes it unique compared to
other municipalities?
Reeve Kenneth King (07:41):
It's the sense of community and the
Kneehill and care for each otherthat we see lived out every day
here in Kneehill County.
Christine (07:50):
Proactive so.
What are some of the biggestpriorities for Neal County
Council right now?
Reeve Kenneth King (07:59):
Proactive fiscal management.
Council is constantly workingto balance and the need to
preserve and enhance our roads,water systems, buildings and
equipment going forward into thefuture.
Working together with our staff, our management team, council
sees financial management as itsfirst priority.
(08:21):
Secondly, council is planningtoward the future for our
present businesses and farms, aswell as how we can attract and
retain new business ventureswithin the county.
Economic diversification isextremely important to provide
stability for the county, formany residents and the Council.
The green energy rush, if wewant to call it that, and the
(08:44):
many proposals to developcommercial scale wind and solar
energy generation within NeohillCounty has consumed much time.
The current municipaldevelopment plan review that
Council hopes to finalize verysoon has also taken much of
Council's time in the last year.
I am sure that I speak for allof council and for staff when I
(09:08):
say I think we'll all be gladwhen the municipal development
plan is completed.
Christine (09:14):
Yes, it's been quite the process,.
hasn't it?
So, with all those in mind,what do you think the biggest
challenge facing ruralmunicipalities like ours is
today?
N
Reeve Kenneth King (09:24):
I think financial pressures are always
huge Trying to balanceexpenditures and preservation of
infrastructure in anenvironment of declining
revenues due to pressure onassessment from the oil and gas
lobby that's always in front ofour provincial government.
Increasing amounts of costdownloads from the province,
(09:45):
things like policing costs fromthe province, the massive effect
of inflation on the cost ofequipment and the everyday cost
of doing business, costs tomaintain our roads, our bridges,
water lines, wastewater systems, solid waste disposal, things
like the limited space that wehave left in our Torrington
(10:06):
landfill, and many, many otherfinancial pressures probably too
numerous to mention.
Another big challenge facingthe county, of course, is the
ongoing battle to preserve ourmunicipal land management and
land use goals in the face ofprovincial bodies like AUC, aer,
nrcb, who have powers thatbasically can set aside any of
(10:28):
the county's bylaws andregulations in the interest of
what they see as the public good.
Christine (10:36):
Right.
It's a very eye-openingactually what you have to deal
with on a daily basis.
Reeve Kenneth King (10:40):
Very true.
Christine (10:41):
Yes, how does council work together to make decisions
that benefit the county?
Reeve Kenneth King (10:47):
With their unique perspective and life
experience, along with whatthey're hearing from their
residents.
That perspective, along withthe background and information
provided by our staff, theleadership team, that's what's
used to help us guide ourdecisions.
The value of the diversitywithin Council can never be
(11:08):
undervalued.
Any one of us could make thedecisions that are in front of
Council, but by working togethercarefully, considering all the
information and the differentviewpoints, collectively,
council will make a betterdecision than any one of us
could make on our own.
Council does not always agreeon direction, but the collective
(11:30):
will of the majority willultimately decide any of the
issues that are in front ofcouncil.
Christine (11:36):
So I mean, with the election kind of looming in 2025
, Council something you wishmore people understood about how
municipal government operates?
Reeve Kenneth King (11:45):
I think one of the biggest misunderstandings
that people have is how Councilis limited in many Councillor
ways by the Municipal GovernmentAct.
Often residents expect councilto have way more control than
what we actually do.
Councillors Additionally, thepace of decision making often
drives both myself as acouncillor and all of us as
(12:07):
councillors, and our residentsto distraction.
Allowing for carefullyconsidered and fully reviewed
decisions on the part of council, plus allowing each councillor
to be ready to proceed on adecision, is always worth taking
time for.
It's difficult for us ascouncillors at times to balance
(12:28):
the legislative responsibilitythat we have to act in the best
interest of the municipality asa whole and somehow still listen
to the expressed wishes ofthose who have elected us.
Christine (12:41):
Yeah, absolutely.
And with that in mind, howwould you explain how residents
can get involved in Councillocal government and have their
voices heard?
Reeve Kenneth King (12:50):
Well, since Councillors an election year,
all eligible people can submitthe necessary paperwork and run
for council if they so County.
Residents can always contactCouncillor their divisional
councillor or any othercouncillor for that matter, to
discuss their concerns andissues meeting and, as County
(13:15):
delegation, to provide councilwith information on matters of
concern to them.
Council also holds communityevents each year to allow
residents to see what'shappening within the county, to
discuss with council, theleadership team and County
senior staff the issues ofconcern to them or just to give
a thank you to a particularstaff, member or department
(13:38):
within our organization.
Additionally, most councillorshave started to have divisional
meetings, so that's where theirdivision residents or others who
live within the county can meetwith that councillor in
particular, and most often theCAO and other senior leadership
team members attend as wellCouncil and most often the CAO
and other accessible, leadershipteam members attend as well.
Also, the the most excitingprojects happening at the County
(14:41):
today?
exciting for residents toparticipate in working groups,
advisory events, public hearingsand to take membership on
different committees like theAgricultural Service Board and
the Municipal PlanningCommission.
At any time residents can callthe county office as well to
bring forward their concerns andsuggestions for our staff to
address.
Christine (14:23):
than?
(14:45):
?
encourage anyone listening whenyou do see these opportunities
throughout the year, pleaseBREWD BREWD meetings, come
and meet council, give them acall.
They are accessible and theyare always listening.
So what are some of the most?
I would say from my point ofview, the current economic
development survey, called BREWDor Business Retention,
Expansion and WorkforceDevelopment Survey, offers some
exciting possibilities todevelop a foundation and a
roadmap for fostering acompetitive and supportive
environment to maintain existingfarms and businesses, as well
as to welcome new businesses andother types of development.
(15:09):
There are some other excitinginitiatives that Council have
approved that will lay out thefuture for Horseshoe Canyon as
well, and I'm very much lookingforward to see what those plans
look like.
Also, the partnerships formedwith our urban partners to
assist in stabilizing medicalservices within our region and
(15:30):
the amazing ongoing work that'sbeing carried out by our Knee
Hill Family and CommunitySupport Services is always worth
celebrating.
Absolutely.
We are very, very lucky to havethe community we do and the
resources we have as well.
Reeve Kenneth King (15:44):
I agree.
Christine (15:46):
So kind of speaking of that infrastructure County
rural roads.
They are always a hot topichere at the county, so what's
our approach to maintaining andimproving them?
Reeve Kenneth King (15:57):
I don't think you could be a county or
rural municipality councilorwithout hearing the words roads,
roads and roads.
The county budget really doesindicate the level of focus the
council and the county place onour roads and infrastructure.
On our roads and infrastructure, the largest expenditures in
(16:19):
our budget go towards thingslike road maintenance and
improvements, as well as themaintenance of our other
infrastructure.
Gravel, road maintenance,bridge replacement and upgrades,
water and wastewater systemmaintenance and upgrades,
buildings and equipment areconstant focus for staff and
council.
As an example of this focus, Ithink of the gravel excavation
(16:40):
and stockpiling undertaken bythe county a few years ago, a
multi-million dollar projectthat stabilized the county's
gravel supply for perhaps thenext seven years, plus the Do
you have Gravel campaign that wemost recently ran, where the
county is looking to try andfind and secure gravel for the
(17:02):
longer term, and the focus thatcouncil has constantly on the
maintenance of our road system.
Christine (17:10):
Right, and it's always.
I remember it was eye-openingwhen you see like the price
attached to a lot of thisinfrastructure right.
Reeve Kenneth King (17:17):
Yes, we're talking millions and millions of
dollars every development, year.
Christine (17:20):
Yeah, Crazy.
So the subject subject ofeconomic development it's a key
to a thriving community, whichwe've discussed how is Neal
County working to attractbusinesses and create more
opportunities?
Reeve Kenneth King (17:32):
The recent expansion of the county's
economic development portfolio,the business retention and
expansion survey, the dedicationof funds and resources towards
developing an economicdevelopment plan.
Those things are beingsupported by council in order to
build the foundation for futurebusiness attraction and to
(17:56):
create opportunities fordevelopment, but also to help
preserve the existing businessthat we have here, the farms and
the businesses that are alreadycurrently here.
And I guess I would be remissif I didn't give a shout out to
our planning and developmentstaff who are daily working on
developments and permitting toallow those developments to take
(18:17):
place.
Their efforts facilitate theday-to-day work required for
residents, farms and otherbusinesses to build and expand.
Economic development islegislative responsibility for
us as a county and economicdevelopment and the
diversification within that iskey to the future well-being of
(18:39):
Neal County.
Christine (18:40):
And what are we doing County, I guess, to support our
local farmers, ranchers andsmall business owners?
Reeve Kenneth King (18:47):
So I would say the county has a number of
supports for local farmers andranchers and small business
owners through our municipaldevelopment plan and land use
bylaws that are developmentfriendly and through the support
provided through our economicdevelopment and again I have to
(19:09):
mention our planning anddevelopment staff.
Additionally, the county'sroads and infrastructure
maintenance makes it possiblefor people to travel easily
through the county for eitherfarm, ranch or other business
reasons.
Plus, we have an AgricultureService Board that provides many
programs to support and enhanceservices for our farms and
ranches.
And enhance services for ourfarms and ranches.
(19:30):
Services like the roadside weedcontrol program and the mowing
of roadsides are part of thatagricultural service program
that we're talking about?
Christine (19:39):
Yeah, absolutely, and they often throughout the year
the Ag Service will haveworkshops and educational
opportunities for farmers andsmall business owners as well.
Reeve Kenneth King (19:48):
That's Kneehill as also.
Christine (19:50):
So Kneehill County has some incredible natural
areas.
What efforts are being made tobalance this economic growth
with environmental stewardship?
.
Reeve Kenneth King (19:59):
I guess one of the most interesting things
about economic development is itdoes not happen in isolation
from all the other things thatmake a community, things like
schools, hospitals, recreationalfacilities, local shopping,
hospitality venues and, ofcourse, our beautiful natural
landscapes, places like BuffaloJump, Orkney Lookout, the
(20:20):
Bleriot Ferry, horseshoe Canyon,and then there's Tolman Bridge,
Keiver's Lake, Bracconier Dam,Bleriot Ferry, Swalwell, all
places of campgrounds and otherrecreational opportunities.
All of these, as well as theguidelines that we have for
development that strive tosteward the land and the
(20:40):
resources that we have, are thefocuses for all of council, for
the county as a whole and, ofcourse, for our urban neighbors.
Trying to find that balancedefinitely.
It's hard, but you have tostrive for a County.
Christine (20:57):
that more people should know about?
Reeve Kenneth King (21:01):
It's kind of funny when I thought about that
question.
I'm not sure how I shouldanswer this question, for if
it's truly a hidden gem, will IKneehill it for those who go
there and enjoy it, as it is nowRight, you know.
So you wonder well, should Ireally spill the beans or not?
However, I would have to sayfor me it's not really hidden as
(21:22):
a gem in Neal County.
I would say.
Horseshoe Canyon, yeah,absolutely, it's truly a novel
geographic feature, unique toNeal County.
It's amazingly diverse.
It's steeped in history all theway back to the dinosaurs Right
.
An additional note I would makeis in the last few years, since
2021, during the peak summerseason, horseshoe Canyon has
(21:44):
seen an average of 100,000visitors per year.
Christine (21:49):
Wow, that's a lot of visitors.
Reeve Kenneth King (21:52):
So I'm not so sure.
It's that hidden?
Christine (21:54):
Yeah, no, maybe not, and they've found a few
dinosaurs actually in the canyon, haven't?
They over the last few years.
That's so cool.
So what would you say is yourfavorite local event or
community tradition?
Reeve Kenneth King (22:05):
That one's easy.
For me.
I would say community sportsdays, it's the parades, it's the
agricultural society events,the things that happen
throughout the year.
I enjoy really the gathering ofcommunity.
Christine (22:19):
Yeah, there's lots of opportunity for that around
here and there.
Reeve Kenneth King (22:22):
Both within the County and with our urban
neighbors.
Christine (22:25):
So what inspired you to run for council and then
eventually serve as Reeve?
Reeve Kenneth King (22:30):
Well, I've always been interested and
involved in my community andserving as a councillor was one
way that I felt I couldcontribute in a positive way to
our community.
I enjoy my time as a counselor.
Some people would say I'm crazy, but I do enjoy it and I was
not really seeking the Reeverole, as I felt Councillor
(22:53):
Wittstock was doing an amazingjob.
However, it was at his requestand with Council's support that
I'm now serving both Council andthe community in the Reeves
role.
Christine (23:04):
And what's one thing you've learned in this role that
surprised you.
Reeve Kenneth King (23:08):
Well, I would have to say it's how
amazingly complex and difficultsome days it is to operate a
municipality, the diversityCouncil both known and unknown
factors that can impact anydecision that we make, and how
little control we have over thethings that affect the county
(23:29):
from outside, both provincial,federal and global influences.
You said one thing, but I alsowant to say I'm constantly
impressed with the effort anddedication, the work that the
council team puts in, that I'mprivileged to work with, and I
would like to thank them fortheir support for me.
(23:50):
I'm also very grateful to themany individuals who call to
encourage and support my effortsas both a councillor and now as
the leader.
Christine (24:00):
And if you weren't in municipal politics, what do you
think you'd be doing?
tell you, I would not besitting on my deck watching the
world go by?
No.
Reeve Kenneth King (24:10):
I'm very grateful to my community for
their support and so I'm sure Iwould be involved supporting
others and my community.
I still work part-time in theagriculture industry as a
consultant.
I'm blessed with an amazingfamily that I love and who love
me back my wife Ruth, whosupported and encouraged me for
(24:31):
the last 48 years, four marriedchildren living in the town of
Trochu and eight grandchildrenwho I could follow from rink to
rink or from gymnasium togymnasium, from dance studio to
dance studio, so I'm sure Icould find things to fill my
time, yeah that's wonderful.
Christine (24:49):
That's a very full, busy life.
(25:10):
Okay, wow.
Reeve Kenneth King (25:11):
So we roamed wild and free.
Let me put it that way I canimagine.
Yeah, with my five brothers wetraveled lots of places and saw
lots of things, and then, whenmy sister came along, we
included her in that as well, ohfun.
Christine (25:28):
So let's see.
What else do I have to ask youhere?
Oh, I missed this one.
If you could describe KneehillCounty in three words, what
would they be?
Reeve Kenneth King (25:37):
I think that the words I used were beautiful
, innovative and welcoming.
Christine (25:43):
Oh, those are good words.
I definitely agree with youthere, especially the beautiful
part.
Reeve Kenneth King (25:49):
And I find the sense of community and the
welcoming spirit of the peoplehere is also very encouraging to
me and we have farmers andbusiness people.
This community has always beenvery innovative and very willing
to take on new approaches andconsider different ways of doing
business.
Christine (26:09):
So for residents who want to stay informed and
engaged, where's the best placethat they can find updates from
the County?
Reeve Kenneth King (26:16):
Is there a best place?
I would say like the countywebsite, the county page.
In the Three Hills Capital wehave newsletters.
County newsletters, Countysocial media are all good
sources and of course thenthere's always your local
councillor.
Christine (26:33):
Yes, that is true.
It's always a challenge to tryto find one way to communicate
with everybody, so I think it'snice that we kind of diversify
and try to meet people wherethey're at.
So if you could leave residentswith one key message about the
future of Kneehill County, whatwould it be?
Reeve Kenneth King (26:47):
I would say that the future for Kneehill
County is filled with promiseand potential.
Yes, there are hurdles andobstacles, but with our location
in the province, with thewillingness that our residents
have to both innovate and tomove forward, with the amazing
staff and leadership that wehave here at the county, the
(27:07):
future is indeed bright.
Municipal government is aboutdesigning, building and
maintaining community.
It's very hard and veryrewarding work and I'm
privileged to be able to have apart in that effort.
Christine (27:22):
So for our listeners, what can they expect from
future episodes of KneehillScoop?
Reeve Kenneth King (27:28):
I can probably promise them that they
won't have to listen to menecessarily.
However, this podcast is reallydesigned to keep our residents
informed about what's happeningin Kneehill County, so what
projects, services or otherinitiatives are being delivered
and how our residents can accessthose.
And what matters to ourresidents most will be what's
(27:50):
discussed from the county'sperspective.
Christine (27:53):
Absolutely yes.
We look forward to bringing youmore episodes of the Kneeh ill
Scoop.
So I just want to really thankyou for joining me today, Reeve.
This has been a pleasure.
Reeve Kenneth King (28:02):
Well, it's been my pleasure as well.
Thank you, Christine.
Christine (28:06):
for For listeners, I just want to thank you for
tuning in as well.
Make sure you tune in to ournext episode, which will be
released in February, where weare chatting with the finance
(28:29):
team.
Reeve Kenneth King (28:37):
.
Thank you.
Hello and welcome to Kneehill Scoop, Kneehill
County's very first officialpodcast.
My name is Christine.
I'm a communicationscoordinator by day and podcast
host by one afternoon a month.
We have a very special guestwith us today to help kick this
podcast off.
But before we begin, I justwant to quickly share some
announcements and some news thatare coming from the county.
(00:45):
So here's what's happening asof January 30th, 2025.
Kneehill County crews have beenbusy clearing the roads.
I don't know if you've noticed,but we've had some wild
nor'westers lately and they arecreating lots of fun.
Lots of visibility issues whenyou're trying to drive at night
and, of course, a lot ofdrifting on our roads.
So if you ever spot a problemout there, if you're on the
(01:10):
gravel and you see some deepdrifts, make sure you give us a
call 403-443-5541, or you canuse our handy dandy form on our
website-- the Report a Concernform.
You'll find it right there onthe home page.
You know, while we're talkingabout snow clearing, there's
often some confusion out there,kind of who's responsible for
what.
So, Kneehill County takes careof the local gravel roads.
(01:30):
We do the snow plowing in ourhamlets.
We do have some pavement andchip seal roads that we also
take care of and I think maybethat lends to the confusion.
The list is actually on ourwebsite If you go to the road
ban page.
They're all listed there.
It's the same.
It's like the Airport Road,Allingham Road, Buffalo Jump
Road, they call it the HastieHighway, the Gorr Road, the
(01:51):
Linden Home Road, there's LindenEast, Linden West and then the
PBI Road.
So those ones we all maintain.
But any double-digit, anytriple-digit highways that you
see out there 805, 806, 27, 21,you get the drift.
Those are all provinciallymaintained so we have nothing to
(02:13):
do with those and Emcon has thecurrent contract, I do believe.
So if you do see problems onthose highways, make sure that
you give them a call.
You may have seen this on socialmedia or in the newspaper, but
Kneehill County is taking partin the BREWD Initiative.
So BREWD is not a delicious cupof coffee, it is the Business
Retention and Expansion andWorkforce Development Survey.
(02:34):
So we want to hear from localbusinesses, our farmers and our
entrepreneurs.
This project is aimed atstrengthening our local
businesses, supporting jobcreation and attracting
investment to our community.
If you want to take part inthat survey, there are prizes to
be won.
You can either check out pagetwo of the Three Hills Capital,
which is where the KneehillCounty Corner is, or you can
(02:54):
visit our website to take partin that survey and provide us
with some sweet, sweet data.
You may also have seen this inthe paper, but Kneehill County
is now hiring for our seasonalsummer positions.
So we're looking fortransportation labor, utility
labor-- that's working with ourwater guys, mowing technician,
parks technician and vegetationmanagement.
So if you want to learn moreabout those positions and how to
(03:16):
apply, just visit our website.
Elsewhere in the County, whatelse is going on?
Oh, 2025 is a municipalelection year, so the next
general municipal election willbe held on Oc tober 20th,, 2025
.
And there's quite a bit newwhen it comes to the Local
Authorities Election Act and theMunicipal Government Act.
(03:36):
If you want to head over to ourwebpage, it explains more.
It explains the changes thatimpact the voters and that
impact the candidates, so makesure you head over there to find
out more.
Our community grantapplications are open now, those
are for nonprofits that areoperating in Kneehill County.
They have to have societystatus for at least two years
and they can apply to receivesome grant funding from the
(03:59):
county.
So again, I know I sound like abroken record, but all of this
and more information isavailable on our website.
You may have heard this from thelast Council meeting, but the
Master Rates Bylaw has beenpassed.
This bylaw is the one thatestablishes rates and fees and
it aligns with the 2025 budget,which was passed in December of
2024.
(04:19):
So with that Master Rates Bylaw, there are a few changes to
fees, a few minor increases.
Residential garbage pickup hasgone up from $50 to $55 every
two months.
Huxley and Wimborne, the waterrates are up by 20 cents, and
(04:52):
then for our water distributionsystem rurally, those rates have
gone up by 20 cents as well.
So it's now $4.05 per cubicmeter.
And if you do get water in thecounty or you receive these
services, there are insertscoming in your next bill that
will explain more about thesechanges.
And speaking of water, so wemeasure our water in cubic
meters, which to me does notmake any sense, but that's fine.
A cubic meter of water is athousand liters, which is
(05:16):
approximately 12 bathtubs full--fun fact.
Or it is 3,334 cups of tea,which, coincidentally, is the
same amount of tea that ReeveKing and I are about to spill in
this podcast.
So please welcome our veryfirst and special guest, reeve
Kenneth King.
Reeve Kenneth King (05:34):
Thank you for welcoming me here, and I
look forward to our conversation.
Christine (05:39):
Me too.
Thank you so much for joiningus today, so for listeners and
for those who might not know,can you tell us what a Reeve
does and kind of what your roleentails in Kneehill County?
Reeve Kenneth King (05:55):
The Reeve is chosen by council to act as the
chair for all council meetingsand to be the official
representative and spokespersonfor council and Kneehill County.
Also, the Reeve has the samerole as the other councillors,
which, of course, is torepresent the residents of
Kneehill County, to seek for theresidents' input on various
matters that affect the county,to budget county resources
(06:17):
carefully, to preserve theservices that our residents
expect and to maintain andimprove our roads, other
infrastructure and, of course,to the best of their ability,
develop policy that will guidethe county's day-to-day
operations and provide a roadmapfor staff as they plan toward
the future of the county.
Planning for the future is akey role for council.
Christine (06:40):
So just a Kneehill few then.
Yeah, there's a small list,yeah, not much.
So how would you describeKneehill County to someone who
has never been here?
Reeve Kenneth King (06:51):
Well, for me , Kneehill County is an
amazingly beautiful mix oflandscapes, from gently rolling
open farmland to the hills andtrees of our parkland on the
north, the breaks of the creeksand the coolies throughout the
county, plus the Red Deer RiverValley and the Canadian Badlands
on the east.
We have a variety ofrecreational opportunities, like
(07:13):
our parks, the campgrounds, thepools, rinks, ball diamonds and
playing fields.
Within our urban neighbors, ourdiverse, enterprising and
innovative farmers andbusinesses, our friendly and
helpful residents and innovativefarmers and businesses, our
friendly and helpful residents,all of which combine to make
Neal County and area one of thebest places in all of Alberta.
Christine (07:34):
I 100% agree with that.
And then, so what would you saymakes it unique compared to
other municipalities?
Reeve Kenneth King (07:41):
It's the sense of community and the
Kneehill and care for each otherthat we see lived out every day
here in Kneehill County.
Christine (07:50):
Proactive so.
What are some of the biggestpriorities for Neal County
Council right now?
Reeve Kenneth King (07:59):
Proactive fiscal management.
Council is constantly workingto balance and the need to
preserve and enhance our roads,water systems, buildings and
equipment going forward into thefuture.
Working together with our staff, our management team, council
sees financial management as itsfirst priority.
(08:21):
Secondly, council is planningtoward the future for our
present businesses and farms, aswell as how we can attract and
retain new business ventureswithin the county.
Economic diversification isextremely important to provide
stability for the county, formany residents and the Council.
The green energy rush, if wewant to call it that, and the
(08:44):
many proposals to developcommercial scale wind and solar
energy generation within NeohillCounty has consumed much time.
The current municipaldevelopment plan review that
Council hopes to finalize verysoon has also taken much of
Council's time in the last year.
I am sure that I speak for allof council and for staff when I
(09:08):
say I think we'll all be gladwhen the municipal development
plan is completed.
Christine (09:14):
Yes, it's been quite the process,.
hasn't it?
So, with all those in mind,what do you think the biggest
challenge facing ruralmunicipalities like ours is
today?
N
Reeve Kenneth King (09:24):
I think financial pressures are always
huge Trying to balanceexpenditures and preservation of
infrastructure in anenvironment of declining
revenues due to pressure onassessment from the oil and gas
lobby that's always in front ofour provincial government.
Increasing amounts of costdownloads from the province,
(09:45):
things like policing costs fromthe province, the massive effect
of inflation on the cost ofequipment and the everyday cost
of doing business, costs tomaintain our roads, our bridges,
water lines, wastewater systems, solid waste disposal, things
like the limited space that wehave left in our Torrington
(10:06):
landfill, and many, many otherfinancial pressures probably too
numerous to mention.
Another big challenge facingthe county, of course, is the
ongoing battle to preserve ourmunicipal land management and
land use goals in the face ofprovincial bodies like AUC, aer,
nrcb, who have powers thatbasically can set aside any of
(10:28):
the county's bylaws andregulations in the interest of
what they see as the public good.
Christine (10:36):
Right.
It's a very eye-openingactually what you have to deal
with on a daily basis.
Reeve Kenneth King (10:40):
Very true.
Christine (10:41):
Yes, how does council work together to make decisions
that benefit the county?
Reeve Kenneth King (10:47):
With their unique perspective and life
experience, along with whatthey're hearing from their
residents.
That perspective, along withthe background and information
provided by our staff, theleadership team, that's what's
used to help us guide ourdecisions.
The value of the diversitywithin Council can never be
(11:08):
undervalued.
Any one of us could make thedecisions that are in front of
Council, but by working togethercarefully, considering all the
information and the differentviewpoints, collectively,
council will make a betterdecision than any one of us
could make on our own.
Council does not always agreeon direction, but the collective
(11:30):
will of the majority willultimately decide any of the
issues that are in front ofcouncil.
Christine (11:36):
So I mean, with the election kind of looming in 2025
, Council something you wishmore people understood about how
municipal government operates?
Reeve Kenneth King (11:45):
I think one of the biggest misunderstandings
that people have is how Councilis limited in many Councillor
ways by the Municipal GovernmentAct.
Often residents expect councilto have way more control than
what we actually do.
Councillors Additionally, thepace of decision making often
drives both myself as acouncillor and all of us as
(12:07):
councillors, and our residentsto distraction.
Allowing for carefullyconsidered and fully reviewed
decisions on the part of council, plus allowing each councillor
to be ready to proceed on adecision, is always worth taking
time for.
It's difficult for us ascouncillors at times to balance
(12:28):
the legislative responsibilitythat we have to act in the best
interest of the municipality asa whole and somehow still listen
to the expressed wishes ofthose who have elected us.
Christine (12:41):
Yeah, absolutely.
And with that in mind, howwould you explain how residents
can get involved in Councillocal government and have their
voices heard?
Reeve Kenneth King (12:50):
Well, since Councillors an election year,
all eligible people can submitthe necessary paperwork and run
for council if they so County.
Residents can always contactCouncillor their divisional
councillor or any othercouncillor for that matter, to
discuss their concerns andissues meeting and, as County
(13:15):
delegation, to provide councilwith information on matters of
concern to them.
Council also holds communityevents each year to allow
residents to see what'shappening within the county, to
discuss with council, theleadership team and County
senior staff the issues ofconcern to them or just to give
a thank you to a particularstaff, member or department
(13:38):
within our organization.
Additionally, most councillorshave started to have divisional
meetings, so that's where theirdivision residents or others who
live within the county can meetwith that councillor in
particular, and most often theCAO and other senior leadership
team members attend as wellCouncil and most often the CAO
and other accessible, leadershipteam members attend as well.
Also, the the most excitingprojects happening at the County
(14:41):
today?
exciting for residents toparticipate in working groups,
advisory events, public hearingsand to take membership on
different committees like theAgricultural Service Board and
the Municipal PlanningCommission.
At any time residents can callthe county office as well to
bring forward their concerns andsuggestions for our staff to
address.
Christine (14:23):
than?
(14:45):
?
encourage anyone listening whenyou do see these opportunities
throughout the year, pleaseBREWD BREWD meetings, come
and meet council, give them acall.
They are accessible and theyare always listening.
So what are some of the most?
I would say from my point ofview, the current economic
development survey, called BREWDor Business Retention,
Expansion and WorkforceDevelopment Survey, offers some
exciting possibilities todevelop a foundation and a
roadmap for fostering acompetitive and supportive
environment to maintain existingfarms and businesses, as well
as to welcome new businesses andother types of development.
(15:09):
There are some other excitinginitiatives that Council have
approved that will lay out thefuture for Horseshoe Canyon as
well, and I'm very much lookingforward to see what those plans
look like.
Also, the partnerships formedwith our urban partners to
assist in stabilizing medicalservices within our region and
(15:30):
the amazing ongoing work that'sbeing carried out by our Knee
Hill Family and CommunitySupport Services is always worth
celebrating.
Absolutely.
We are very, very lucky to havethe community we do and the
resources we have as well.
Reeve Kenneth King (15:44):
I agree.
Christine (15:46):
So kind of speaking of that infrastructure County
rural roads.
They are always a hot topichere at the county, so what's
our approach to maintaining andimproving them?
Reeve Kenneth King (15:57):
I don't think you could be a county or
rural municipality councilorwithout hearing the words roads,
roads and roads.
The county budget really doesindicate the level of focus the
council and the county place onour roads and infrastructure.
On our roads and infrastructure, the largest expenditures in
(16:19):
our budget go towards thingslike road maintenance and
improvements, as well as themaintenance of our other
infrastructure.
Gravel, road maintenance,bridge replacement and upgrades,
water and wastewater systemmaintenance and upgrades,
buildings and equipment areconstant focus for staff and
council.
As an example of this focus, Ithink of the gravel excavation
(16:40):
and stockpiling undertaken bythe county a few years ago, a
multi-million dollar projectthat stabilized the county's
gravel supply for perhaps thenext seven years, plus the Do
you have Gravel campaign that wemost recently ran, where the
county is looking to try andfind and secure gravel for the
(17:02):
longer term, and the focus thatcouncil has constantly on the
maintenance of our road system.
Christine (17:10):
Right, and it's always.
I remember it was eye-openingwhen you see like the price
attached to a lot of thisinfrastructure right.
Reeve Kenneth King (17:17):
Yes, we're talking millions and millions of
dollars every development, year.
Christine (17:20):
Yeah, Crazy.
So the subject subject ofeconomic development it's a key
to a thriving community, whichwe've discussed how is Neal
County working to attractbusinesses and create more
opportunities?
Reeve Kenneth King (17:32):
The recent expansion of the county's
economic development portfolio,the business retention and
expansion survey, the dedicationof funds and resources towards
developing an economicdevelopment plan.
Those things are beingsupported by council in order to
build the foundation for futurebusiness attraction and to
(17:56):
create opportunities fordevelopment, but also to help
preserve the existing businessthat we have here, the farms and
the businesses that are alreadycurrently here.
And I guess I would be remissif I didn't give a shout out to
our planning and developmentstaff who are daily working on
developments and permitting toallow those developments to take
(18:17):
place.
Their efforts facilitate theday-to-day work required for
residents, farms and otherbusinesses to build and expand.
Economic development islegislative responsibility for
us as a county and economicdevelopment and the
diversification within that iskey to the future well-being of
(18:39):
Neal County.
Christine (18:40):
And what are we doing County, I guess, to support our
local farmers, ranchers andsmall business owners?
Reeve Kenneth King (18:47):
So I would say the county has a number of
supports for local farmers andranchers and small business
owners through our municipaldevelopment plan and land use
bylaws that are developmentfriendly and through the support
provided through our economicdevelopment and again I have to
(19:09):
mention our planning anddevelopment staff.
Additionally, the county'sroads and infrastructure
maintenance makes it possiblefor people to travel easily
through the county for eitherfarm, ranch or other business
reasons.
Plus, we have an AgricultureService Board that provides many
programs to support and enhanceservices for our farms and
ranches.
And enhance services for ourfarms and ranches.
(19:30):
Services like the roadside weedcontrol program and the mowing
of roadsides are part of thatagricultural service program
that we're talking about?
Christine (19:39):
Yeah, absolutely, and they often throughout the year
the Ag Service will haveworkshops and educational
opportunities for farmers andsmall business owners as well.
Reeve Kenneth King (19:48):
That's Kneehill as also.
Christine (19:50):
So Kneehill County has some incredible natural
areas.
What efforts are being made tobalance this economic growth
with environmental stewardship?
.
Reeve Kenneth King (19:59):
I guess one of the most interesting things
about economic development is itdoes not happen in isolation
from all the other things thatmake a community, things like
schools, hospitals, recreationalfacilities, local shopping,
hospitality venues and, ofcourse, our beautiful natural
landscapes, places like BuffaloJump, Orkney Lookout, the
(20:20):
Bleriot Ferry, horseshoe Canyon,and then there's Tolman Bridge,
Keiver's Lake, Bracconier Dam,Bleriot Ferry, Swalwell, all
places of campgrounds and otherrecreational opportunities.
All of these, as well as theguidelines that we have for
development that strive tosteward the land and the
(20:40):
resources that we have, are thefocuses for all of council, for
the county as a whole and, ofcourse, for our urban neighbors.
Trying to find that balancedefinitely.
It's hard, but you have tostrive for a County.
Christine (20:57):
that more people should know about?
Reeve Kenneth King (21:01):
It's kind of funny when I thought about that
question.
I'm not sure how I shouldanswer this question, for if
it's truly a hidden gem, will IKneehill it for those who go
there and enjoy it, as it is nowRight, you know.
So you wonder well, should Ireally spill the beans or not?
However, I would have to sayfor me it's not really hidden as
(21:22):
a gem in Neal County.
I would say.
Horseshoe Canyon, yeah,absolutely, it's truly a novel
geographic feature, unique toNeal County.
It's amazingly diverse.
It's steeped in history all theway back to the dinosaurs Right
.
An additional note I would makeis in the last few years, since
2021, during the peak summerseason, horseshoe Canyon has
(21:44):
seen an average of 100,000visitors per year.
Christine (21:49):
Wow, that's a lot of visitors.
Reeve Kenneth King (21:52):
So I'm not so sure.
It's that hidden?
Christine (21:54):
Yeah, no, maybe not, and they've found a few
dinosaurs actually in the canyon, haven't?
They over the last few years.
That's so cool.
So what would you say is yourfavorite local event or
community tradition?
Reeve Kenneth King (22:05):
That one's easy.
For me.
I would say community sportsdays, it's the parades, it's the
agricultural society events,the things that happen
throughout the year.
I enjoy really the gathering ofcommunity.
Christine (22:19):
Yeah, there's lots of opportunity for that around
here and there.
Reeve Kenneth King (22:22):
Both within the County and with our urban
neighbors.
Christine (22:25):
So what inspired you to run for council and then
eventually serve as Reeve?
Reeve Kenneth King (22:30):
Well, I've always been interested and
involved in my community andserving as a councillor was one
way that I felt I couldcontribute in a positive way to
our community.
I enjoy my time as a counselor.
Some people would say I'm crazy, but I do enjoy it and I was
not really seeking the Reeverole, as I felt Councillor
(22:53):
Wittstock was doing an amazingjob.
However, it was at his requestand with Council's support that
I'm now serving both Council andthe community in the Reeves
role.
Christine (23:04):
And what's one thing you've learned in this role that
surprised you.
Reeve Kenneth King (23:08):
Well, I would have to say it's how
amazingly complex and difficultsome days it is to operate a
municipality, the diversityCouncil both known and unknown
factors that can impact anydecision that we make, and how
little control we have over thethings that affect the county
(23:29):
from outside, both provincial,federal and global influences.
You said one thing, but I alsowant to say I'm constantly
impressed with the effort anddedication, the work that the
council team puts in, that I'mprivileged to work with, and I
would like to thank them fortheir support for me.
(23:50):
I'm also very grateful to themany individuals who call to
encourage and support my effortsas both a councillor and now as
the leader.
Christine (24:00):
And if you weren't in municipal politics, what do you
think you'd be doing?
tell you, I would not besitting on my deck watching the
world go by?
No.
Reeve Kenneth King (24:10):
I'm very grateful to my community for
their support and so I'm sure Iwould be involved supporting
others and my community.
I still work part-time in theagriculture industry as a
consultant.
I'm blessed with an amazingfamily that I love and who love
me back my wife Ruth, whosupported and encouraged me for
(24:31):
the last 48 years, four marriedchildren living in the town of
Trochu and eight grandchildrenwho I could follow from rink to
rink or from gymnasium togymnasium, from dance studio to
dance studio, so I'm sure Icould find things to fill my
time, yeah that's wonderful.
Christine (24:49):
That's a very full, busy life.
(25:10):
Okay, wow.
Reeve Kenneth King (25:11):
So we roamed wild and free.
Let me put it that way I canimagine.
Yeah, with my five brothers wetraveled lots of places and saw
lots of things, and then, whenmy sister came along, we
included her in that as well, ohfun.
Christine (25:28):
So let's see.
What else do I have to ask youhere?
Oh, I missed this one.
If you could describe KneehillCounty in three words, what
would they be?
Reeve Kenneth King (25:37):
I think that the words I used were beautiful
, innovative and welcoming.
Christine (25:43):
Oh, those are good words.
I definitely agree with youthere, especially the beautiful
part.
Reeve Kenneth King (25:49):
And I find the sense of community and the
welcoming spirit of the peoplehere is also very encouraging to
me and we have farmers andbusiness people.
This community has always beenvery innovative and very willing
to take on new approaches andconsider different ways of doing
business.
Christine (26:09):
So for residents who want to stay informed and
engaged, where's the best placethat they can find updates from
the County?
Reeve Kenneth King (26:16):
Is there a best place?
I would say like the countywebsite, the county page.
In the Three Hills Capital wehave newsletters.
County newsletters, Countysocial media are all good
sources and of course thenthere's always your local
councillor.
Christine (26:33):
Yes, that is true.
It's always a challenge to tryto find one way to communicate
with everybody, so I think it'snice that we kind of diversify
and try to meet people wherethey're at.
So if you could leave residentswith one key message about the
future of Kneehill County, whatwould it be?
Reeve Kenneth King (26:47):
I would say that the future for Kneehill
County is filled with promiseand potential.
Yes, there are hurdles andobstacles, but with our location
in the province, with thewillingness that our residents
have to both innovate and tomove forward, with the amazing
staff and leadership that wehave here at the county, the
(27:07):
future is indeed bright.
Municipal government is aboutdesigning, building and
maintaining community.
It's very hard and veryrewarding work and I'm
privileged to be able to have apart in that effort.
Christine (27:22):
So for our listeners, what can they expect from
future episodes of KneehillScoop?
Reeve Kenneth King (27:28):
I can probably promise them that they
won't have to listen to menecessarily.
However, this podcast is reallydesigned to keep our residents
informed about what's happeningin Kneehill County, so what
projects, services or otherinitiatives are being delivered
and how our residents can accessthose.
And what matters to ourresidents most will be what's
(27:50):
discussed from the county'sperspective.
Christine (27:53):
Absolutely yes.
We look forward to bringing youmore episodes of the Kneeh ill
Scoop.
So I just want to really thankyou for joining me today, Reeve.
This has been a pleasure.
Reeve Kenneth King (28:02):
Well, it's been my pleasure as well.
Thank you, Christine.
Christine (28:06):
for For listeners, I just want to thank you for
tuning in as well.
Make sure you tune in to ournext episode, which will be
released in February, where weare chatting with the finance
(28:29):
team.
Reeve Kenneth King (28:37):
.
Thank you.
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