EDMONTON – Beaumont’s surprise proposal to annex 24 quarter-sections of land feels like a hostile land grab, says Leduc County’s mayor.
Mayor John Whaley said Monday he is concerned that he only learned of Beaumont’s ambitions at a breakfast meeting last Wednesday – the morning after Beaumont town council passed a resolution to begin negotiations with Leduc County about the annexation.
County residents who would be affected by the annexation learned about it first from Beaumont officials, and Beaumont posted its detailed proposal on its website before discussing the issue with Leduc County officials, Whaley said.
“To me, that’s a hostile scenario to start working in,” Whaley said Monday.
In a statement, Leduc County said its officials were unable to properly respond to residents’ concerns “and felt blindsided by what amounts to a hostile land grab.” Whaley said he agrees with that characterization of Beaumont’s move.
Whaley said he learned about the plan in a breakfast meeting Wednesday with Beaumont Mayor Camille Berube and another Beaumont official.
When Whaley arrived at a county budget meeting that same morning, two councillors told him they had already fielded phone calls from residents concerned about Beaumont’s proposal.
In the statement, Whaley questioned why “proper protocol” wasn’t followed or why “simple courtesy” didn’t prevail.
“This is not how to treat neighbours, especially when so much is at stake.”
Beaumont wants to annex 24 quarter-sections of county land to the north, west and south of town to help it keep up with projected growth over the next 50 years.
Whaley said Beaumont’s proposal doesn’t fit with the spirit of the Capital Region Board, which encourages a co-operative approach to planning growth and sharing municipal resources. Leduc County and Beaumont are both part of the board.
Before any discussion of a land transfer can occur, Leduc County taxpayers and residents need to be heard, Whaley said. The issue is on the agenda for Leduc County’s Tuesday council meeting.
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