Council Notes
From the regular meeting of Monday, June 13, 2016
Councillor Sharel Shoff was sworn in as deputy mayor for the months of July and August.
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Director of Community Services Paul Salvatore officially introduced to council, Julia Fielding as the new economic development officer, saying she brought varied experience to town when she took the position three weeks ago.
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Council proposed a change in the summer calendar for council meetings for the months of July and August, and to only hold two meetings, scheduled on July 25 and August 22. Committee of the Whole meetings will be held as required at the call of the mayor.
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Council received a letter from Minister of Municipal Affairs Daniel Larivee reiterating the 2016 Municipal Sustainability Initiative grant allocation for the Town of Drumheller to be $1,917,179, which includes $1,850,529 in capital funding and $66,650 in operating funding. The letter was in response to a query letter sent by the town regarding funding.
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Council received a letter from Minister of Culture and Tourism Ricardo Miranda regarding the Royal Tyrrell Museum sewage system and odour problems which have occurred there, saying that Alberta Infrastructure is investigating the cause and is working to take measures to address the problem. Mayor Yemen said this response from Ricardo was a miscommunication and that the town had sought to discuss responsibility for work done at the town's expense on the issue, even though, as a provincial museum, it should be the province's responsibility. A response will be sent, he said.
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Council moved unanimously to give first reading to Bylaw 13.16 to close a portion of undeveloped road beside the East Coulee Hotel. Renovations are underway at the hotel and the owners are requesting the road be closed to allow for a sidewalk and other improvements to the building. Road closures require council to enter into public consultation, which will be advertised in inSide Drumheller for two weeks prior once scheduled.
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CAO Romanetz introduced a request for direction regarding applying for the Canada 150 Community Infrastructure Program grant. The grant, with an application deadline of Wednesday, June 26, offers up to $500,000 for an existing community infrastructure project that will add to the legacy of the community. There are two potential projects the CAO had identified as applicable to the grant: the Aquaplex lining improvement project already initiated by the town or upgrading and reconfiguring the refrigeration system and lighting at the Drumheller Arena. Although more expensive than the lining project, the estimated $2.2 million upgrade (not budgeted) to the arena would provide long term savings, CAO Romanetz said. He said both projects could be applied for, although they are required to be ranked by priority, and asked council for guidance.
Councillor Lisa Hansen-Zacharuk started by saying she was in favour of the Aquaplex because it's closer to completion. Coun. Tara McMillan agreed. Coun. Sharel Shoff disagreed, saying the arena project would provide better energy savings and therefore more likely to be granted. Coun. Patrick Kolafa said both projects are needed, but asked CAO Romanetz what project was more likely to be approved. Romanetz said the one that is closer to completion would be more likely approved. Both Coun. Kolafa and Tom Zariski voted in favour of the Aquaplex upgrade, as did Mayor Yemen. Coun. Jay Garbutt said the Aquaplex upgrade would offer a greater legacy, but disliked applying for either project and suggested his interest in upgrades to the fitness trail near Partici Park, and ultimately chose the pool upgrade. Council then unanimously moved to submit two applications to the Canada 150 grant, with the Aquaplex package being prioritized.
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Council unanimously moved to transfer town owned land in front of two residences owned by D.A.R.T.S. in Newcastle for $1 to the non-profit organization. The area, in front of 910 and 914 Newcastle Trail, involves five parcels of land and the required survey and registration work, which has already been completed, was estimated to cost at least $30,000. Along with the request to transfer the land, the question of whether the town should pay the registration and survey costs or to require D.A.R.T.S. pay. Coun. Garbutt said he was in support of transfering the land but not in favour of the town paying the fees. He then made the motion which was unanimously carried by council.
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Coun. Garbutt presented a request for decision from the Drumheller Housing Administration, which he is a board member, to cancel Sandstone Manor's annual taxes as allowed under the Municipal Government Act. DHA advised that current rents cover DHA's expenses but the tax cancellation would allow for more certainty covering reserve allocations. The town budget assumed no taxes would be paid. The motion was unanimously carried.
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Director of Community Services Paul Salvatore updated on the Canada Day events, saying it's more or less the same as last year except they moved the inflatable entertainment to the other side of the park to better protect against potential weather.
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Coun. Garbutt presented the DHA budget to council, which had already been approved, saying it should have been brought to council in March. Council unanimously moved to adopt the budget.
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