Ireland and West to Lead Lacombe County; Council Sets 2026 Meeting Schedule
Ireland and West Take Leadership Roles
John Ireland will lead Lacombe County for another year as Reeve following a unanimous vote at the Oct. 29 organizational meeting. Councillor Barb Knight nominated Ireland, and with no other candidates coming forward, he was declared Reeve for a term ending in October 2026.
Councillor Dwayne West was elected Deputy Reeve for a one-year term. West was nominated by Councillor A. Wilson and also saw a unanimous vote. Both men completed their oaths of office immediately following the selections to assume their chairs for the 2025-2026 session.
Why It Matters
The organizational meeting is a mandatory annual event where council sets its internal structure. These appointments determine who represents Lacombe County on regional boards—including waste management, water services, and emergency planning—and who makes final decisions on local development and agricultural policy.
Committee Appointments and Secret Ballots
While most leadership positions were decided by acclamation, the council used secret ballots to finalize several citizen-heavy boards.
Terry Engen, Anita Gillard, Wayne Gustafson, Wade Martens, Linda McLevin, and Julie Schille were appointed to two-year terms on the Subdivision and Development Appeal Board (SDAB) and the Assessment Review Boards (LARB/CARB). Council named Terry Engen as the Chair for both assessment boards.
For the Municipal Planning Commission (MPC), which handles discretionary development permits, council appointed all seven sitting councillors. Barb Knight will serve as Chair, with Dwayne West as Vice-Chair. West had initially been nominated for the Chair position by Councillor Van Haren but declined the role.
Citizen Attendance
Local resident Nicole Plewis attended the first 25 minutes of the meeting. Her presence coincided with the oaths of office for the councillors and the elections of the Reeve and Deputy Reeve. No formal public comments were recorded during this procedural meeting.
Regional Board Representation
Council distributed several key regional assignments to ensure county representation in surrounding jurisdictions:
* Lacombe Regional Waste Services: Dwayne West and A. Wilson.
* Sylvan Lake Regional Water/Wastewater: D. Kreil (Representative) and A. Wilson (Alternate).
* North Red Deer River Water Services: John Ireland (Representative) and M. Visscher (Alternate).
* Fire Station Committee (New Lacombe Station): Dwayne West and M. Visscher.
Financial and Policy Updates
Council formalized its banking and signing authorities with Servus Credit Union. County Manager Timothy Timmons and Director of Corporate Services Michael Minchin remain the primary authorized negotiators. The county will continue using digital signatures for Reeve Ireland and Manager Timmons, stored on secure software vendor servers.
Council also reviewed Policy CC(9) regarding tablet and email use. The policy requires councillors to use county-provided, cellular-enabled tablets for all official business to ensure security and transparency. Councillors are responsible for software updates and must return or buy out the devices at the end of their terms.
2026 Calendar and Meeting Changes
Council finalized the 2026 meeting schedule, including several date shifts and cancellations:
* January Change: The Jan. 22 regular meeting is rescheduled to Jan. 29.
* Summer Break: Council meetings on July 23 and Aug. 13 are cancelled.
* Winter Break: The Dec. 24 meeting is cancelled.
* Key Dates: The 2026 Council Tour is set for June 9-10. The Pre-Budget meeting will occur on Aug. 28, and the annual Salary and Wage meeting is scheduled for Nov. 12.
The meeting adjourned at 1:39 p.m. The next regular council meeting is scheduled for Oct. 30.