The size of Rocky View County council could be reduced to seven members from nine if a proposed electoral boundaries and composition bylaw is passed on Oct. 27. 

It would also see the reeve referred to in the future as mayor and deputy reeve as deputy mayor. Both would continue to be appointed on an annual basis.

The proposed radical departure from current boundaries is the result of an extensive electoral boundaries and governance review that began last July when RVC council passed an electoral boundary review policy.

In November, ISL Engineering and Land Services Inc. was hired to conduct the independent review.

In reconfiguring the boundaries, population was a main priority but it also took into account future growth, easily identifiable boundaries, communities of interest and diversity.

The last major redrawing of divisional boundaries occurred in 2000 and since then it's population has increased to 42,000 from 28,000, approximately a 43 per cent increase. A minor electoral boundary adjustment was made to divisions 7 and 8 in accordance with the Bearspaw Area Structure Plan in 2010.

The overall size of the county has also been impacted by annexation of their land by other municipal jurisdictions, like Cochrane.

The decrease means some current sitting members could be campaigning against each other should they seek re-election.

Parts of the existing division 2 and 3 have been combined in the proposed new divisions.

Other potential changes would see Division 8 (Bearspaw), Division 9, north of Cochrane, and portions of Division 7, east and south of Airdrie, be amalgamated into two electoral divisions, while a portion of Division 5,, north of Chestermere, and Division 6, east and north of Airdrie, would be combined into one division.

The other portion of Division 5 and Division 4,  land south of Chestermere, would also be combined. The rapidly growing Hamlet of Langdon would become its own division.

In April, an online survey was conducted. It drew 379 responses, with residents in Bearspaw, Springbank, Langdon, Bragg Creek, and Cochrane Lake representing over 60 per cent of those participating. Over 67 per cent of those responding believed the boundaries should be changed. Population was viewed as the most important criteria.

The council wants to make a decision this fall, well in advance of the next county election in October 2021.