The Cypress County Reeve has received the title of Mayor during the latest council meeting

The presentation also stated that the change brings its chief elected official in line with neighbouring urban municipalities.

There is no change to the authority or duties of the Chief Elected Official with the shift from reeve to mayor, and the council will continue to appoint the role at its annual organizational meeting.

A statement from the County on Tuesday said that the update modernizes Cypress County’s governance terminology and aligns the county with commonly used municipal titles across Alberta and Canada.

It continued that the change reflects a commitment to clarity in communication and consistency in intermunicipal, provincial, and federal interactions.

“While the titles have changed, the roles, responsibilities, and strong commitment to our residents remain exactly the same,” said Mayor Dan Hamilton.

“This shift simply brings our terminology in line with what most people are familiar with across the province.”

The County said in a statement that the updated titles present a more consistent and approachable image to industry, developers, and government partners, supporting Cypress County’s ongoing efforts to grow the local economy and strengthen regional collaboration.

It continued that residents, partner municipalities, government agencies, and external partners are encouraged to update their records and future correspondence to reflect the new titles.

Council had discussed the motion before proceeding to vote.

Councillor Dustin Vossler said that to hold the title of mayor, an individual must be elected at large; otherwise, the position is considered a reeve.

Vossler said the title should remain reeve unless the council chooses to move to an at-large system, which he said he would support.

Councillor Robin Kurpjuweit said the reeve is the voice and representative of the council, but there are not a lot of additional authority that comes with the role of reeve compared to the role of mayor.

Therefore, Kurpjuweit didn’t think it’s necessary to change the title if the responsibilities and authority are staying the same.

Councillor Garry Procter said he is fine with the title change as long as the election system stays the same in the future, and if the responsibilities remain the same as the role of reeve.

With a large agenda, many items were discussed in the meeting.

Council held a public hearing on a land-use bylaw amendment that would shift subdivision and development authority from the Municipal Planning Commission to council.

The amendment aims to make the approval process more efficient for proposals that don’t automatically meet zoning rules, helping landowners get quicker answers while maintaining oversight.

Following the hearing, council voted to give the item a third reading at a future meeting.

The council has also set the terms and conditions of the 2026 Property Tax Recovery Auction in the meeting.

Under Alberta’s Municipal Government Act, municipalities must auction properties that remain in tax arrears after required notifications.

Tax arrears are defined as taxes that remain unpaid after Dec. 31 of the year in which they are imposed.

Properties typically reach auction after three or more years of non-payment.

This year, 12 properties are scheduled for sale on March 23, 2026.

Council approved auction terms requiring payment by cash, certified cheque or bank draft, with full payment due within 21 days.

All properties will be sold “as is.”

Council said it continues to work with owners to resolve arrears ahead of the auction.

The council approved a request to give $5,000 to the Kaleidoscope of the Arts event.

The event is hosted annually by the Prairie Rose Public School Division, which showcases student talent from Grades 1 to 12 across all schools within Prairie Rose.

The council’s payment is coming out of the 2026 REC 4 Sponsorship budget.

Council directs Administration to revise the REC 4 Sponsorship policy to allow for year-over-year approval of the Kaleidoscope of the Arts event.

Including any other annual events that similarly align with the REC 4 Sponsorship policy that Council wishes to sponsor ongoing.

—

Cypress County Council meeting Dec. 2, 2025

The meeting is available to review through the Cypress County YouTube channel.

by Jett Schwaier

The Cypress County Reeve has received the title of Mayor during the latest council meeting

Our Community