WHEREAS rural municipalities have welcomed the Government of Albertas decision to provide funding to hamlets through the Streets Assistance Program;AND WHEREAS the current program requirements state that all construction and related services funded under the Streets Improvement Program must be obtained from the private sector;AND WHEREAS the availability of private contractors is often very limited in rural communities outside of major urban centers, leading to a lack of competitive bids for infrastructure projects;AND WHEREAS the amount of grant funding available to smaller hamlets in particular is normally quite small in comparison to the cost of projects desired by hamlet residents;AND WHEREAS the net result of these factors is often an increase in costs for municipalities forced to contract with the private sector for projects which could be provided more efficiently by municipal forces;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Alberta Association of Municipal Districts and Counties urge the Government of Alberta to allow municipal Councils full discretion to determine the most cost-effective method of carrying out projects funded under the Streets Improvement Program, by utilizing either municipal equipment and personnel, private contractors, or some combination of both.