LAC LA BICHE - There was nothing crypt-ic in the omission of Halloween 2020 discussions at Lac La Biche County Council's most recent meeting last Tuesday — it was ghosted from the agenda accidentally, says the mayor.
"We forgot to put it on the agenda," said Omer Moghrabi when asked if councillors were planning to halt door-to-door trick-or-treaters in the wake of COVID-19 transmission fears.
Two weeks earlier, as Alberta's Chief Medical Officer of Health was being asked the same question, the mayor said his council would have to address it as well.
For now, said Moghrabi, council will watch what provincial officials put forward on the issue.
"We'll follow the provincial guidelines," said the mayor, but adding that if the situation calls for it, he and council will have to look seriously at creating a municipality-wide bylaw to halt Halloween on the streets. "If we do have to make a bylaw ... well — I'd like to add the discussion to the next council agenda."
At a Sept. 17 news conference, the most recent provincial coronavirus update with a mention of Halloween plans, Hinshaw said there were no plans to cancel the night.
"Halloween is certainly not cancelled — it will look different this year," said Hinshaw. "We don't have final guidance available, but we are working on it."
The province's health boss says the top priority is reducing the spread of the respiratory virus, no matter what activity is taking place. She says provincial officials will make a determination on guidelines for Halloween soon.
"We are working on it, and we will have that released in the coming weeks," she said.
Lac La Biche County is advertising a community Halloween Spooktacular event at the Bold Center on Oct. 25. The free event is set to run from 1:30 to 4 pm with pre-registration "due to COVID-19 safety measures."
The next regular meeting for Lac La Biche County councillors is Oct. 6.