Ponoka residents are being invited to give their input and ideas on the 2023 Town of Ponoka Budget.

Coffee with Council

The Town is hosting a Coffee with Council event on Monday, September 12 from 3 – 7 p.m. at the Ponoka Community Market (5110 48 Avenue) where citizens are invited to ask questions and share their ideas on the Budget with members of Town Council. A previous Coffee with Council event was held earlier this month at the Ponoka Farmers Market where citizens also had an opportunity to provide input on the 2023 Budget.

Citizen Input Survey and Online Budget Open House

Citizens are encouraged to fill out a Citizen Input Survey that asks questions and invites residents to share their thoughts and suggestions on matters such as the top priorities they think are important for Town Council to consider in the upcoming budget.

The Citizen Input Survey is available online at www.LetsTalkPonoka.ca as part of a virtual Budget Open House being hosted by the Town. The online Budget Open House gives residents the opportunity to learn more about the budget planning process, how property taxes are determined and how funds are allocated.

Let’s Talk Ponoka is the Town of Ponoka’s new online public engagement site where you can find updates and share your ideas on various Town projects and initiatives to help guide decision making. To participate in the online Citizen Input Survey, citizens will be asked to register for the site by providing their email and postal code.

Paper Copies of Survey Available

Paper copies of the online Citizen Input Survey and Budget Open House will be available at the Coffee with Council event on September 12. Surveys are also available for both pick up and drop off at:

• Ponoka Town Office (200, 5604-50 Street, second floor or in the drop-off box just inside the west doors);

• Ponoka Aquaplex (5315 46 Avenue); and

• Ponoka Arena Complex (4410 54 Street).

Completed surveys can also be mailed to the Town of Ponoka at #200, 5604-50 St, Ponoka, AB, T4J 1G5. The Citizen Input Survey will remain available at these locations and online until 9 a.m. on September 19.

Statistically Valid Citizen Satisfaction Survey

Beginning on August 31, the Town will also gather public input through a statistically valid Citizen Satisfaction Survey. A representative sample of Ponoka citizens will be contacted for this telephone survey to determine their views on topics, such as quality of life in the community, satisfaction levels with municipal services, and priorities that citizens would like Council to consider as it prepares to deliberate the 2023 Budget.

The Citizen Satisfaction Survey will be an important part of the Town’s public consultation process on the 2023 Budget. It will be conducted by a professional research firm using a careful survey design process and methodology to achieve survey results that are statistically valid and accurately represent the views of the community as a whole. This process includes randomly selecting citizens to participate in the survey.

Citizens who receive a phone call from the professional research firm, Advanis, with the caller ID ‘Town of Ponoka’ (depending on your phone settings) are encouraged to participate in the survey and provide their input to add their voice to the Town’s decision-making processes.

Public Consultation is a Key Part of the Budget Planning Process

“The annual public consultation process on the Town Budget is an important part of the Town’s ongoing commitment to inviting public participation in Council decision-making processes. Inviting public input allows Town Council to make more informed and thoughtful decisions that reflect what residents value most,” said Ponoka Mayor Kevin Ferguson.

Citizen input on the Budget will be collected and presented to Town Council for careful review and consideration during the 2023 Budget deliberation process. Town Council budget deliberations will be held on November 1 and 2 in Council Chambers on the third floor of the Ponoka Civic Centre. Budget deliberations are open to the public.

A summary of the citizen input received will also be shared with the public.