Ponoka Council Approves 5-Year RCMP Budget Despite Opposition

Ponoka Town Council approved the RCMP's five-year financial plan for 2026 through 2031 on Tuesday night, with Councillors Carla Lloyd and Cal David voting against the measure.

Why It Matters

This gives an "agreement in principle" to the policing budget proposed by the Ponoka Municipal Detachment. While not a final spending commitment, the plan will be the foundation for the town's policing costs during annual budget deliberations for the next five years, directly impacting future property taxes.

The plan was presented to council by Sgt. Epp before the vote.

The Debate

The approval was not unanimous. Two motions related to the plan—one to acknowledge support and another to authorize the mayor's signature—both passed, but with Councillors Lloyd and David recorded in opposition. The meeting minutes did not include their stated reasons for voting against the financial plan.

Citizen Input

No residents spoke during the public forum section of the meeting.

Other Business

Council handled several other items during the 77-minute meeting:

* Park Lighting: A draft assessment on lighting for town parks and trails was sent to the Community Enhancement Committee for review. No decisions have been made.

* Snow and Speeding: In response to resident concerns, council asked administration for a report on the town's snow removal plan and whether the Transportation Master Plan allows for adding speed humps to slow traffic.

* Christmas Lights: Councillor Sandra Lyon filed a notice of motion to have the town light the tree in front of the Ponoka Drop In Centre as part of its official Christmas program.

What's Next

The RCMP financial plan will now be incorporated into the town's annual budget process starting with the 2026 fiscal year. The Community Enhancement Committee will review the park lighting proposal and provide its feedback to council at a later date. Councillor Lyon's motion on the Christmas tree will be debated at a future meeting.