Red Deer County has rejoined the Sylvan Lake Management Committee, although councillors questioned how big a financial role the municipality will be expected to play.
In 2011, the county dropped out of the committee, which is comprised of Lacombe County, the Town of Sylvan Lake and five summer villages.
However, on Alberta Environment’s recommendation the county later rejoined the committee, which oversees issues related to the lake. As part of that return, council was required to approve terms of reference.
Those terms include a cost-sharing formula for meeting and administrative costs that would see the town and two counties fund 25 per cent each and the summer villages the rest.
Coun. Don Nesbitt expressed concern that costs weren’t being shared equally among all eight municipalities.
“The summer villages are right next to (the lake). I think they’re well-heeled.
“I think equal participation is fair.”
Nesbitt said if the county accepts that funding formula for the minimal meeting costs, it may lead to an expectation that the same financial share will apply to more expensive commitments.
Coun. Dave Hoar suggested it be made clear that the county — which only has a very small amount of lake frontage — will not automatically put in 25 per cent of the cost of future studies or other initiatives.
County manager Curtis Herzberg said future project funding decisions all come back to each council for approval. Past practice has been that costs are shared based on the benefit to individual municipalities and are not tied to the funding formula.
Council voted to approve the terms of reference with Nesbitt opposed.