MD of Taber April 14 Council Meeting highlights 

Posted on April 23, 2026 by Vauxhall Advance

By Nerissa McNaughton
Southern Alberta Newspapers
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

The Municipal District of Taber (MD of Taber) council covered significant ground during its April 14 meeting.

First came the adoption of the March 24 minutes, where it was noted that Reeve Tamara Miyanaga encouraged residents to lace up for the upcoming PlayOn! Street Hockey Tournament.

Hosted by the Town of Taber, the event aims to bring the community together while raising funds for the Arena Rebuild Project. Councillor John Turcato also highlighted the “Raise the Roof” benefit concert featuring The Road Hammers, set for March 28 at the Agriplex.

Council passed a motion directing the RCMP to focus on traffic safety, community relations, and crime reduction within the municipality for the 2026 calendar year.

Council also demonstrated support for local organizations through a series of approved grants and donations. The Barnwell Plus 55 Club and the Vauxhall Golf & Country Club each received $5,000 for operating expenses. The Vauxhall Agricultural Society secured $5,000 to support the HALO Fundraiser Jackpot Roping event. The Taber and District Handi Bus Association received a $12,000 in-kind donation toward leasing the old MD shop compound welding bay, complete with a new one-year lease agreement. The Taber Disc Golf Association secured approval to use MD park space to develop two new holes, along with a formal letter of support for their grant application to the Community Foundation of Lethbridge and Southwestern Alberta. Additionally, the Taber Charity Auction will receive $,1600 in value, equivalent to four delivered loads of gravel.

On the administrative side, council granted property tax exemptions for 2026 through 2028 to qualifying local organizations. They also gave the first reading to Bylaw 2034, which outlines the 2026 Special Tax for the West Highway 3 Business Park.

Agricultural land policies saw some fine-tuning as well. Council clarified the Draft Grazing Lease Policy, specifically defining “approved upgrades and infrastructure” to mean fences, water systems, and cattle handling systems. Further discussions regarding compensation for leaseholders based on unamortized lease values will continue at an upcoming Committee of the Whole meeting.

In a significant move,  Council passed a motion requesting the Minister of Municipal Affairs initiate an inspection related to the MDT Land Management Plan.

The meeting moved on to new business on the 14th.

Provided by correspondence, the Alberta government introduced Bill 28, the Municipal Affairs and Housing Statutes Amendment Act of 2026, to modernize local rules and better support communities across the province. This comprehensive update focuses on speeding up housing construction, improving property tax fairness, and strengthening essential public services. To boost transparency, the bill requires municipalities to publicly disclose staff salaries and clearly list policing costs on property tax notices. It also creates a new provincial accountability framework for local councillors to ensure fair and ethical governance.

Also provided by correspondence, resident Sharon Hagen expressed strong disappointment with Deputy Reeve Layne Johnson’s reaction to a recent vote requesting a provincial investigation into municipal land leases. Hagen criticized Johnson for his vocal disapproval of the vote and his immediate move to adjourn the March 24 meeting. Responding to Johnson’s remark that “leases are things and people are what should be considered,” she argued he unfairly prioritizes current leaseholders over the “7,000+ plus rate payers” of the municipality. She also raised conflict-of-interest concerns, suggesting the current system allows individuals to manipulate agreements so their “friends and family” can maintain leases. Furthermore, Hagen challenged Johnson’s complaint that the council will have to “twiddle their thumbs” during the provincial investigation, questioning his focus on this single land management issue. She concluded her letter by asking other councillors to share their rebuttals openly so the community can hear a fair discussion on the record.

During the March 24 meeting, Deputy Reeve Layne Johnson had introduced a Notice of Motion to be brought forward for the April 14 meeting. The notice features two motions centred on the ongoing Land Management Policies review. The first motion asks for full transparency by requiring the Reeve to send all related documents, legal correspondence, and meeting recordings from October 2025 to March 2026 directly to the Minister of Municipal Affairs. It also asks that provincial reviewers receive full access to interview council members and municipal staff. The second motion tackles the financial impact of this provincial review and requests Administration to estimate all associated costs, including staff time, direct expenses, and potential project delays. To keep residents fully informed, the municipality must clearly display this added cost as a separate line item on all 2026 property tax notices and budget communications.

These highlights cover only a small fraction of a deeply packed agenda from the April 14 council meeting. Local decisions shape our daily lives, and the council tackled several other critical issues that directly affect you. You are encouraged to visit the MD of Taber’s website to review the full meeting agenda and minutes. By checking out the details online, you can stay informed, learn more about ongoing projects, and find meaningful ways to get involved in the conversations that impact our community.