Rocky Mountain House council has scrapped its monthly Governance and Priorities Committee (GPC) meetings, saying it created unnecessary red tape.

The committee, which met on the second Tuesday of each month, typically handled items that would later “rise and report” to regular council meetings for formal decisions.

Coun. Ken Moesker said the two meetings could be combined.

“I think the GPC is an unnecessary level of bureaucracy at this point,” he said. “I found it challenging to be stalled at a GPC meeting — having to rise and report it — when we’re all prepared to make a decision.”

Moesker added that council could reinstate the committee in the future if needed.

Administration said eliminating the GPC would reduce duplication, as staff would have to prepare two agenda packages every month instead of three. However, officials warned regular council meetings may run longer, as more request for decision (RFD) items will now be presented there.

With the change, council will meet twice a month instead of three times. Meetings are scheduled for the first and third Tuesday of most months at 9 a.m.

Changes to Land Acknowledgment

As part of amendments to the town’s procedural bylaw, council also revised the land acknowledgment presented at the start of each meeting.

The new version reads: “The Town of Rocky Mountain House acknowledges the people who came before us on this land.”

The revised wording removes specific references to Treaty 6 and to Indigenous groups including the Blackfoot, Cree, Saulteaux, Stoney and Métis.

Moesker said the change is intended to be more inclusive.

Council approved the changes unanimously.