Peacetime has come to Redwood Meadows after the battle over control of the Townsite’s council that raged over the past few months ended with the installation of a new mayor and slate of councillors.
The Townsite of Redwood Meadows, normally a quiet little village nestled in the woods just a few minutes away from Bragg Creek, was the site of a noisy and sometimes bitter conflict between the sitting council and some residents calling themselves the concerned citizens group, that started simmering last fall and boiled over in January.
The conflict came to a head at a Jan. 3 council meeting at Redwood House, where a disgruntled resident disrupted the meeting with allegations aimed at Mayor George Allen, who adjourned the meeting temporarily. Tsuut’ina First Nation police were called in to restore order, but confusion reigned as they attempted to get back to business.
On Jan. 31, a total of 228 residents holding an additional 245 proxies attended a special general meeting of the administration society, which operates the community through a municipal style town council. Those numbers represent nearly 75 per cent of all eligible voters in the community.
Technically, Redwood Meadows is governed by Townsite of Redwood Meadows Administration Society, so it is not a municipality, but it operates as one.
The community voted for restructuring of the governing town council. All but one previous councillor that was elected and/or acclaimed in October 2021 were replaced by five other residents, including former councillors and a former mayor.
Paul Sawler, who was voted in as new mayor on Feb. 11, was instrumental in forming the citizens group. He said this week that residents are relieved it’s all over and people in the community are looking forward to getting things back to normal.
“We’ve got community input again, and it feels like a community again,” Sawler said.
“It’s all good.”
One of the things he points to as an encouraging sign is people have come forward to volunteer for committees like never before. He said more than 30 volunteers have stepped forward, many for the first time.
“The silver lining of this whole thing is the community’s become engaged again, volunteers are stepping up, and it’s going to make this a better place to be,” he said.
The Jan. 31 meeting was opened with a statement and prayer by Tsuut’ina Nation Elder Bruce Starlight.
Redwood Meadows is located on Tsuut’ina land. In 2021, Sawler was instrumental in securing the long-term lease extension for the Tsuut'ina leased lots, which now lasts all the way until the year 2095.
One of the outstanding issues on the new council’s plate was a letter sent from the Tsuut'ina’s lawyer in January (before the meeting) containing a strongly-worded rebuke to sitting council and the Society as a whole.
“…my clients are deeply concerned over the dispute that has now been reported in the media,” the letter states in part.
The band also says in the letter they must see a credible plan to move forward and address issues surrounding Redwood Meadows water treatment plant – one of the issues of contention that led to the political conflict – by Feb. 28.
Sawler said the Townsite has met with the Tsuut’ina and they have mutually agreed to work together to address the band’s concerns. The Feb. 28 deadline is no longer an issue, he said.
“We’ve had lots of conversations and they have decided, with us, that the best thing to do is meet and resolve these issues together and not just throw a ‘plan’ against the wall,” Sawler said.
He said the issues in the letters have been addressed, and the relationship with Tsuut’ina First Nation is constructive and peaceful.
“It’s all quiet on the Redwood front,” he said.
