Business View - December 2014 129
They’re knee-deep in planning mode these days in Lac
La Biche County.
In fact, Jeff Lawrence, the county’s general manager
of operations until a change to manager of recreation
and community enhancement, said population projec-
tions show as much as a 30-percent spike over the
next decade. That potential boost has already has-
tened revisions on an existing 10-year capital plan,
along with prompting creation of an overarching mu-
nicipal development framework.
That blueprint contains sub-plans (called area struc-
ture plans) specific to each region of the county.
Those are already being generated for the southern
and western regions, and resources for a structure
plan for the eastern section are earmarked within the
2015 county budget. Additionally, a deal has been
struck with Urban Systems, a Canadian consulting
firm, to put together water and sewer master plans
that are expected to arrive in early 2015, and a trans-
portation master plan last updated in 2013 could be
redone by new departmental leadership as well.
“These are very high priorities throughout the organi-
zation, from the council right down to senior adminis-
tration,” Lawrence said. “What we build, we want to
make sure we build for the next 20- or 30-plus years,
not just for the next five. It’s energizing, and it’s head-
aches.
“There are pressures because you’re dealing with con-
stant change, but if you like a challenge and if you are
prepared to work as a team and meet those challeng-
es, it’s a great place to be right now.”
Still, while much of the focus is forward, it’s not as if
PUBLIC SECTOR
