Red Deer County Moves Draft Budget to Final Council Vote
Budget Recommendation
Red Deer County’s Governance & Priorities Committee cleared the path for the upcoming fiscal year on Tuesday, unanimously voting to send the draft operating budget and capital plan to the full council for final consideration.
The decision follows a presentation by Director of Corporate Services Jeremy Graves. While the committee did not disclose specific tax rate adjustments or project totals during the public session, the referral indicates the draft is ready for formal adoption.
Why It Matters
This budget determines how much residents will pay in property taxes and which infrastructure projects—such as road repairs and water services—will be funded in the next year. By moving the draft forward, the committee has signaled that the financial roadmap is nearly complete.
Resident Concerns and Inquiries
Councillor Dana Depalme (Division 3) brought forward repetitive inquiries from residents regarding an active investigation. Administration declined to provide public status updates, stating that doing so would compromise the integrity of the ongoing work.
Depalme also raised concerns on behalf of a resident regarding smoke from a burn pile. Administration reported that Fire Services responded to the site and determined the heavy smoke was a direct result of weather conditions rather than a violation of fire protocols.
In Division 5, Councillor Carly Hansen followed up on the status of services for Glennifer Lake. Administration confirmed that the infrastructure in that area is privately owned, clarifying that the county is not responsible for its maintenance or operation.
Transparency and Boundaries
Mayor Brent Ramsay requested that administration begin providing monthly expense updates for members of Council. This move aims to provide residents with regular oversight of how elected officials are spending taxpayer funds.
Additionally, the Mayor announced that Red Deer County will issue a formal letter regarding proposed electoral boundary adjustments. These changes could potentially alter which representative serves specific areas of the county.
Closed-Door Sessions
The committee spent nearly four hours in a closed-door session to discuss two sensitive items:
* CAO Performance Review: A confidential evaluation of Chief Administrative Officer Curtis Herzberg.
* Rural Connect: A project involving third-party business interests and economic strategies for the county.
Because these discussions involved personal privacy and proprietary business information, the public and media were excluded from this portion of the meeting under the Access to Information Act.
Other Business
* The committee reviewed and approved the minutes from the November 12, 2025, meeting.
* Council members provided updates on required RSVPs for upcoming municipal events.
What’s Next
The draft operating budget and capital plan will now move to a regular Council meeting for a final vote and formal adoption. Residents can expect the finalized budget details to be made public once that vote occurs.