January 2016

Do you know what natural gas smells like?  If you think you smell it, do you know how to shut it off?

This week, the Okotoks Fire Department is currently conducting a campaign to educate home owners on the maintenance of gas appliances and prevention of leaks.

Ken Thevenot, the chief of the department for the Town of Okotoks, says that appliances in the home that use natural gas are the primary culprits when it comes to residential gas leaks.

The largest appliances are usually the furnace or boiler and the hot water tank.  Both require regular servicing to work efficiently and for the prevention of gas leaks.

Natural gas actually has no smell.  Gas producers add a minute amount of mercaptan, a naturally-occurring chemical which gives off that

Okotoks businessman and current vice-president of the Chamber of Commerce Andrew Gustafson is set to take the reins on Jan. 20.

Gustafson, owner of Natural High Fitness in Okotoks, says he has several goals when he takes over the two-year position in the town.  He plans on being a voice for business and he’d like to increase membership by at least 5%.

In looking at membership stats, Gustafson says that just one quarter of businesses in Okotoks belong to the Chamber of Commerce.  By increasing that to 30%, he’ll have to convince 100 more businesses to become members.

Gustafson will take over from Amber Chapman during the Chamber’s annual general meeting on Jan. 20. Sara Noyes will be appointed president elect and Joelle Guzzo will become

There were a few challenges in 2015 in Okotoks.  Name one place in Alberta that didn’t have any last year.

But there were many highlights in the Town last year on which to build a prosperous 2016.

Those high points include the development of a much needed regional water pipeline, the proposed construction of a recreation/education campus on the north end of town and continued annexation and growth.

Water for Life

As the town continues to update its water supply with the regional pipeline from Calgary, the biggest challenge has been in working with the provincial government and the continued administration turnover as the party in charge keeps changing.

Since 2013, there have been seven municipal affairs ministers, a revolving door of