Town or hamlet? Gibbons residents begin voting today

Voters in Gibbons will decide over the next two days if the community stays a town or dissolves into a hamlet in Sturgeon County.

Voting begins Wednesday in a Sturgeon County town that is debating whether to stay a town or dissolve into a hamlet.

A review of Gibbons’ status was ordered earlier this year because of a $13-million debt.

If residents vote to keep Gibbons a town, Municipal Affairs Minister Dan Williams will direct town council on how to address the debt.

If residents vote to dissolve and the decision is approved by the government’s cabinet, Gibbons would become a hamlet within months.

Voting will take place over Wednesday and Thursday.

Council believes Gibbons is still viable as a town and says it has found nearly $3 million in savings.

Gibbons has a population of about 3,200 and is located 30 kilometres north of Edmonton.