For 2015, Drumheller Mayor Terry Yemen is looking forward to answers on provincial flood mitigation funding and hearing the Travel Drumheller presentation to Council on a tourism levy.

    Mayor Terry Yemen lists keeping taxes low as one of the highlights of 2014 for Drumheller’s Town Council.
    “Last year it was a three per cent increase, but we were able to reduce taxes - that’s something that municipalities haven’t been able to do, that I know of,” said Yemen.
    Drumheller’s Town Council  passed a tax increase of two percent in 2014, without any service interruptions to residents, said the Mayor.
    “Anything lower is when you’re going to have to start looking at service cuts.”
    And Yemen said the number one topic of concern he’s heard from residents: flood mitigation.
    “The biggest concern is the unknown of flood mitigation. That’s the biggest concern that I hear.”
    Yemen said the Town is expecting to hear back on flood mitigation project approval and funding from the province in December.
    The Mayor said he’s also heard a lot of positive feedback from valley residents on the number of different services available to them in town. “We have an incredible amount of things for people to do,” said the Mayor, “and all the service clubs, service groups - all the things that are available to people.”
    And for the new year, Mayor Yemen said flood mitigation funding is at the top of his list.     “What I’m looking forward to is a mitigation plan with 100 per cent funding as in 1985. I’m looking for the province to follow through with their 1985 promise.”
    Another 2015 focus for Town Council will be the tourism levy for accommodations and campgrounds. The Mayor said all indications are Town Council will pass the levy, which will be used to both grow a marketing fund to benefit Drumheller and enhance or expand the Town’s infrastructure.

Town of Drumheller’s Top Ten     
1)    Major Paving Projects including overlaying Pen Road, paving 12th Street SW (paid for by ATCO) as this road will provide access to their new office and warehouse, paving 2nd Street W (Hwy 9) and miscellaneous roads throughout Drumheller.
2)    Maintained A 2014 Tax Increase Below The Rate Of Inflation
3)    South Entrance Median was enhanced with rock work, flower pots and banners.
4)    Community Projects where the Town provided in-kind material, equipment and/or labour - in partnership with the Rotary Club, Lions Club, Friends of DVSS and the Tennis Club, Tennis Courts At The Drumheller Valley Secondary School; in partnership with Drumheller Kinsmen, Greentree Playground; and in partnership with the Drumheller Festival Society, Tough Mudder.
5)    Hiring Of A Corporate Services Director, A New Protective Services Director, Economic Development Officer And A Fire Chief with the retirement of Bill Bachynski.
6)    Badlands Community Facility Activities - 12 weddings, 9 memorials, 79 birthday parties, 3 conferences, 71 meetings, 3 major fundraising events, 2 graduations, and 46 holiday/special events in 2014.
7)    Flood Damage Repairs – ball diamonds, roads, dyking, general clean up of damaged areas including the Spray Park
8)     Walmart Wall was reconstructed
9)    Set A New Total Record For Construction Values And 26 New Business Licenses Issued In 2014. A New Drumheller Community And Business Profile was published to attract more businesses.
10)    A New  Dinosaurvalley.Com Website that is more functional and responsive to everyone.

2015 Town of Drumheller’s Top Ten
Corporate Priorities
1)    Implementation of a Tourism Levy  
2)    Badlands Community Facility  Fund raising  Strategy
3)    Economic  Development Strategy
4)    Downtown Revitalization
5)    Arts and Culture Policy

Operational Priorities
6)    Flood Mitigation
7)    New Waterslide
8)    Skateboard Park Project
9)    Beautification Scheme
10)    Elgin Hill Residential Subdivision

Drumheller's water treatment reserve fund benefits from the Town's increase in water rates for 2015.

Drumheller Town Council has approved new water and sewer rates for its customers in 2015 during the regular meeting of Council on Monday, December 22.
    “2014 was $1.47, now it’s going up to $1.54 - that’s per cubic metre. A cubic metre is 1,000 litres,” said Mayor Terry Yemen of Drumheller’s new water rate.
    The average Drumheller homeowner should only see  a few dollars increase per month on their total utility bill.
    “It’s not a big hit, that’s for sure,” said Mayor Terry Yemen.
    “It’s the cost of doing business. Wages go up, the chemicals go up, the electricity, the gas goes up, it’s just a cost of doing business. It’s unfortunate, but that’s the reality of it.”
    Yemen said the five per cent increase will allow the Town to shore up its water reserve fund for a rainy day -  “Future projects will deal with fresh water. It’s a self-funded utility, so any money we make over and above goes into that specific reserve.”

    The Mayor said having a reserved fund allows the Town to react to any repair issues that may come up at the water treatment plant, as well as allow the Town to be prepared to meet any new provincial government water treatment regulations that may come down the pipe.
    He notes that shoring up the water reserve fund is also just smart business planning for the Town of Drumheller.
    Cleaning the Town’s water reservoirs will eat up about $25,000 of that reserve fund. The Mayor said the work planned for 2015 will see the Town’s reservoirs drained, the sludge dredged out of the bottom, and the algae and plant life removed.
    The Town expects these measures will help improve the water after odour and taste problems, all-too frequently reported in 2014.
    The Town of Drumheller has provided a rates cost comparison between Drumheller and similar municipalities.
    Drumheller’s rates seem to be in the middle average range on the comparison,with Olds at the high end and Brooks the lowest.
    Drumheller’s sewer rates increase from $1.94 to $1.98 per cubic metre for 2015.