Woodlands County council recently received multiple reports for information, outlining challenges and wins from Q4 of 2025 and priorities for this year.
According to the infrastructure services report, the fourth quarter was marked by sustained snowfall, high winds and significant drifting across the county, putting pressure on snow-clearing staff and equipment.
In multiple locations, officials say snow drifts reached 10-11 feet, requiring repeated plowing and continuous monitoring. Despite the challenges, however, the county says priority routes remained accessible and overall service levels were maintained thanks to the efforts of public works and infrastructure personnel. Reportedly, public feedback was minimal, and concerns were addressed as quickly as operationally possible.
To address potential continued challenges, the county will review several level-of-service programs ahead of the next winter season. This quarter, it intends to prioritize improving winter service performance monitoring, including response times, equipment utilization and operational pressures during peak events. It will also review the Snow Clearing Policy to clarify service levels and feasibility relating to residential driveways.
The report also noted that the scale and scale-house replacement project at the Whitecourt/Woodlands Regional Landfill is almost complete.
The Chief Administrative Officer’s (CAO) Q4 report highlighted four hires that were completed or finalized by the end of the year, including:
- Utilities technician: supports water and wastewater operations, regulatory compliance and response capacity across utility systems.
- Fire services administrative assistant (replacement): ensures continuity of administrative support for fire operations, training coordination and records management within protective services.
- Seasonal airport equipment operator (re-hire): supports winter airport operations, including snow and ice control, airside safety and equipment operation during peak conditions.
- HR coordinator: recruited late in Q4 with a start date in early 2026, to strengthen recruitment, onboarding, training coordination and support as the organization updates HR frameworks and systems.
This quarter, the Office of the CAO will be focusing on the launch of a Public Map Portal, implementing a pre-pay system at bulk water stations, presenting the Land Use Plan to the Airport Committee and hiring seasonal and summer staff.
Woodlands County council received these reports for information during its regular meeting on Jan. 29.
