Council Notes
Drumheller Town Council
Regular Council Meeting
Tuesday, November 13, 2018
Council held second and third reading of Bylaw 09.18, a bylaw to close approximately one foot of a public street on 6th Street West. A deck was built on town property by mistake. The portion of road is not required for public travel. The readings were passed. Councillor Tom Zariski said he wishes there was a policy, or bylaw, or some provision to deter mistakes like this. Councillor Jay Garbutt agreed and said the amount of time and effort placed into the mistake.
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Council held first reading of a bylaw to close a portion of another street on Newcastle Trail. A corner of a house was built onto town property years ago.
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Council approved the 2018/2019 Strategic Business Plan which identifies the priorities, deadlines, and means of accomplishing strategies and goals for the town in the remainder of 2018 and 2019. Councillor Garbutt said there are many objectives set for 2018 and just a handful of 2019 as a result of many changes in administration over the last year. A media release will be provided by the town to advertise the goals
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Council approved a request for decision to revive a staff appreciation program for town staff after the town had not been following the existing long term service/recognition program. The recommended program involves gift card incentives to local businesses as well as days-off incentives
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Council approved the appointment of Caleb Brown of the Royal Tyrrell Museum to the Drumheller Public Library Board for a three year term.
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CAO Darryl Drohomerski presented council with a draft bylaw of a tax incentive for non-residential party, which would waive municipal property taxes for the first year for new construction of a commercial business. The bylaw will be brought back in two weeks for first reading. There will be a public hearing held as well.
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CAO Darryl Drohomerski presented council with with a draft bylaw of the purpose to waive fees for new businesses in existing vacant, nonresidential buildings. Fees would include any development and business license fees fees and would be at the discretion of the town CAO. Businesses
would have to be vacant for a minimum of three months. Council discussed the differences between renting a previously vacant building and a new business buying a vacant building, and said if a new business moves into a vacant building may be they should be given a tax incentive
as well. CAO Darryl Drohomerski said he would bring the bylaw back with those recommendations at the next council meeting.
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Council approved a request for decision to increase rebates given in the existing policy of Derelict Building Removal and Redevelopment Program. Amounts were increased to $2,000 for resident assessed properties and $5,000 for commercial properties for tipping fees to use the landfill to dispose of material from the property, both with submission of receipts. The changes incentivises property owners to affect town cleanliness and visual appearance.
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Council heard a request to amend the Storefront Grant Program, which offers a matching grant to business owners upgrading their storefronts. The amendment increases the program funding in 2019 to $25,000 as $10,000 of that will be allocated towards funding new blade signs and allowing for $15,000 for other special projects. Recommendations were made by the Economic Development Advisory Committee. Councillor Garbutt said the motion is a budgetary consideration and asked it be tabled until after the budget is complete. The motion was made and carried.
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Council heard a request from corporate service director Barb Miller to waive 2018 property tax penalties after a banking issue on a holiday caused the business to pay two late payment fees. Councillor Garbutt said he did not support the motion, as did Councillor Kristyne DeMott. Councillor Zariski defended the motion and said the business has existed in the community for years and made a mistake. Councillor Lisa Hansen-Zacharuk said the onus is on the business to pay on time. The motion was defeated after all councillors voted opposed.
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Council approved an extension to the Remuneration Task Force deadline to provide a review of compensation for elected officials. The deadline was moved from November 13 to December 17.
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Council went in camera for a legal matter regarding the Visitor Information Centre.