Town of Raymond Council Meeting Sept. 14 highlights

Posted on October 22, 2026 by admin

By Heather Cameron
Westwind Weekly News

The Town of Raymond Council Meeting on Sept. 14 addressed many prominent issues.

After an amended version of the agenda was adopted, Councillor Eakett made a motion to open a Public Hearing for Bylaw 1169-25: R2 to R1 Land Use Bylaw Amendment.

Town of Raymond Chief Administrative Officer Kurtis Pratt explained to Council that Bylaw 1169-25 is being brought forth to assist in the development of a property that is located immediately to the west of Northside School. The property, Pratt explained, is zoned R2 in conjunction with the zoning of the town’s mobile park, Parkland Estates. The property in question, Pratt explained, extends outside of Parkland Estates and includes five lots just south of Parkland Estates.

“The owner of the lot has expressed a desire to build a single detached dwelling on this lot,” stated Pratt.

Bylaw 1169-25 already received first reading, Pratt explained, and there was no verbal feedback from neighbours regarding it, nor have there been concerns expressed by the development office or the planner or referral agencies. There was, however, an email sent in that asked about the ability for multi-units to go on the property if it was zoned R1, Pratt stated, and that is a possibility, but in this particular case, that would be a separate application and discretionary.

Following discussion of that email, Council asked those in attendance if they had feedback and there was none. Councilor Sieben then offered a motion to close the public hearing and the motion was carried.

After that, Council welcomed Sergeant Brad Noss of the Raymond/Magrath R.C.M.P. Detachment and listened as Sergeant Noss presented a RCMP Community Policing Priorities Update for Quarter 1, which runs from April to June. 

During that time period, Sergeant Noss stated, the detachment had 562 files with 209 of those being specific to Raymond. Sergeant Noss stated the detachment had 562 files with 209 of those being specific to Raymond, and those files included 10 breach of peace issues, eight mental health calls, 10 mischief calls, six persons offenses that are instrumenting moderate threats to any degree of assault, and seven welfare checks.

In April, Sergeant Noss added, the detachment assisted the Alberta Law Enforcement Team, specifically the Internet Child Exploitation Unit, in conducting a search warrant in town related to child pornography and during that search, several firearms were recovered from someone who was not supposed to have them, thus the search resulted in several charges being laid. Grandparent scams, Sergeant Noss explained, are also trending upward again and that is resulting in a significant amount of money being lost. One of the positive points Sergeant Noss brought up is that all six of the detachment’s position are full, and the newest member, Constable Rodriguez, joined the detachment from the military police. One of the detachment’s longtime public servants, Shannon Wall, retired at the end of June, however, Sergeant Noss stated, but there is a new person lined up for the job. 

Now that school is back in session, Sergeant Noss explained, Corporal Norton is already making the inroads to the schools and to the communities.

Council wanted more information on how they could help the community become more aware of grandparent scams and asked if the RCMP had any information that the Town could pass on to the community. Sergeant Noss stated that Corporal Norton is going to work on finding a different way to branch out to the community and also go to the Good Sams facility to educate people and their families about the issue. Sergeant Noss also agreed to forward information to the Town that they could put on their social media channels.

Following Sergeant Noss’s presentation, Council heard from Greg Ranger regarding his concerns around Bylaw No. 1105-21 and his feelings on how the Town’s current bylaw regarding backyard hens and application process are both heavily overregulated, legally problematic, and ultimately set the pilot program up for failure.

Local resident Mary-Ann Kiddle then spoke to Council and expressed upset about the closing of the Southern Alberta Community Food Pantry and Thrift Store in August 2026, which was announced via the organization’s social media. In her presentation, Kiddle expressed grief over the loss of a service that many benefitted from and expressed outrage about the amount of useable food wasted when Alberta Health Services ordered the closure and disposal of associated products.

“The Raymond Southern Alberta Community Thrift Store and the Southern Alberta Community Food Pantry may be at rest, but it will never be forgotten,” stated Kiddle. “It is regarded as a registered charity that provides low-cost clothing and household items as well as free food to people in need. It is run entirely by volunteers with no paid employees and that doesn’t happen too often. Hundreds of people are helped and receive food. This is a very needed community service, so here we’ve lost something here in Raymond that could have been useful. It provides a place for community members to help each other and serve together regardless of religious affiliation or social status. It’s an important part of Southern Alberta. Raymond is home to more than those who identify as champions. And we all know that we’re so proud of our athletes, but we have to remember the needy and the poor.”

The next delegation to speak to Council was Stuart Gorner. Gorner proposed in both writing and speaking that the Raymond Cemetery Bylaw be amended to allow a 36-inch marker in single plots to have a base underneath it. Gomer described how the amendment would affect the markers, but also added that it had aesthetic advantages and even added that he had measured markers and included the information in the data he submitted to Council.

“A marker that is able to have a base presents itself in a more prominent and pleasant way,” said Gorner.

Gorner and Council then engaged in discussion about the current bylaw associated with the request, which was last amended in 2009, and determined it was old enough that it was on the list of bylaws that are up for review, so they were open to seeking public feedback and feedback from committee about the proposal, but the process would take significant time. Council then thanked Gorner for his presentation.

From there, Council moved on to considering second and third reading for Bylaw No. 1169-26 R2 to R1 LUB Amendment. Ultimately, Councillor Johnson made a motion to give Bylaw No. 1169-26 R2 to R1 LUB Amendment second reading and the motion was carried. Councillor Sieben then made a motion that Council hold third reading for Bylaw No. 1169-26 R2 to R1 LUB Amendment and the motion was carried.

Following that, Administration presented Bylaw No. 1170-26 Roof Mounted Solar Development Permit Change, stating that the Town was looking to amend a section of the Land Use Bylaw pertaining to roof mounted solar collectors. Administration explained to Council that over the last five years, a number of municipalities have eliminated the need for solar panel permits and simply allow them without a development permit, but Raymond is currently averaging 50 per year. Administration further explained that some municipalities originally did it to keep track of who had roof mounted solar panels and then they were relaying that information to fire chiefs of the communities, but Raymond is accredited and gets that information back via reports associated with building codes.

Ultimately, following discussion about why the permits were initially a need, Council agreed on giving Bylaw No. 1170-26 Roof Mounted Solar Development Permit Change first reading following a motion. A public hearing was also set for October 13, 2026.

Then, Administration presented Council with a proposal to give Bylaw 1186-26 – The Community Standards Bylaw third reading, saying that it is taking time to work through making changes to make it what it is and gather feedback and Administration even expressed that there should be a discussion regarding specific points prior to third reading, those points including truck size, size variation, and other points. Ultimately, Council elected to table the bylaw via a motion that was made and carried.