There's now two sessions today to allow for public input on town council's strategic priorities.

In a new initiative, residents will have the opportunity to review and provide input on town council's strategic priorities that will help set the direction for their term.

There are two public meetings today, Mar. 6, at the Spray Lake Sawmills Family Sports Centre: one from 1 to 3 p.m.; the other from 7 to 9 p.m. The content will be identical. There will be an overview presentation of what council considers its overarching priorities followed by break out topic-based roundtable discussions.

With the new council taking office last October, they have only begun their work and are now faced with defining goals, direction and the strategic priorities. 

Cochrane Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) Dave Devana explains council has prepared a draft list broken into four categories: community engagement, community development and planning, community connectivity and community facilities. Council is asking the public to rank them or submit their town ideas. The decisions reached will have a real-life impact upon how the town prepares its annual budget for the next three years to meet these priorities.

"As far as I know, we've never done this before, where we've actually taken the draft priorities and are asking for input on them," says CAO Devana, who took over the administrative reins in October. "This is really going to drive our 2019-21 budget."

The reboot of public consultation was based upon what was heard during the fall municipal election.

"Council heard from the election that people want to have more input," says Devana. "So we're providing them opportunities for Smart Cities, we're providing them opportunities on the council priorities and we're going to provide them more opportunities during the council budget development cycle. We actually have a number of workshops integrated into that cycle this year so that if you're interested in these subjects, you're getting to get a say on them."

Input isn't limited to attending the meeting. You can also provide feedback here.

The strategic priorities review has a short timeline. After reviewing input and making adjustments it will be brought back to council for discussion and approval at its Mar. 26 meeting.

On Feb. 9, council reviewed an extensive list of action items and priorities in a strategic planning session prior to the public consultation.