Council Overview
Information from Drumheller
Town Council Regular Meeting
Monday, August 31, 2020
Mayor Heather Colberg swore in Councillor Jay Garbutt as Deputy Mayor for the months of September and October.
***
Council heard from Devin Dekeyser of Dinosaur Trail RV Park regarding a water leak at the commercial site dating back to the spring and summer of 2019. He said none of the leaked water entered the Drumheller wastewater system and asked for relief for the wastewater side.
***
Council adopted the minutes of the August 4 Regular Council Meeting.
***
Council approved a Request for Decision from the Flood Mitigation and Resiliency Office to engage SweetTech Engineering Consultants to undertake engineering design services for initially assigned flood mitigation projects up to a value of $300,000 and awarded the contact of geotechnical coordination services to Parkland Geotechnical Consulting LTD for a value of up to $300,000.
***
Director of Infrastructure Services David Brett and utility manager Bill Adams presented on water/wastewater utility bill forgiveness, comparing other community’s policies surroundings water and wastewater billing issues. It found that typically these policies reflected the practice that “if it goes through the meter, they are charged.”
It recommends:
- The Town continues to follow the industry-standard practice of billing for all water that goes through the meter and flagging potential leaks through the water billing software.
- The Town continues to follow the industry-standard practice of billing sanitary sewer at a set percentage of volume through the water meter (for Drumheller this is 80% ).
- Provide the public with access to a “high water consumption checklist”.
- For those customers that cannot find the leak, they can provide a meter read history report. In some cases, they could provide assistance to find the leak, but not to repair the leak.
- A Customer Assistance Program (CAP) payment plan system be implemented for customers who receive a high consumption bill to give the consumer time to pay prior to implementing any penalties. Councillor Jay Garbutt made a motion to table the decision. It was carried.
***
Council held a public meeting for Bylaw 16.19, a lane closure in East Coulee. A home has existed on the laneway for many years. The bylaw is to close the road and this would allow the land to be turned over to the homeowner so they are able to sell the property. There were no written submissions and Sharleen Douglas spoke in favor of the bylaw.
***
Council also held a public meeting for Bylaw 17.19 to close a portion of the undeveloped 3rd Avenue SW to public travel and acquiring title to this land in the name of the Town of Drumheller for retention. There was no one there to speak on the bylaw. The public hearings were closed.
***
Council returned to its regular meeting and Council passed second and third reading of Bylaw 16.19 and second and third reading of Bylaw 17.19.
***
Council approved the implementation of the Kick it to the Curb program as an adjunct to the annual Community Clean-up This program would encourage residents to place unwanted belongings on the boulevard with a free sign. This would occur prior to the annual clean up on September 11, 12, and 13.
***
Manager of Recreation, Arts and Culture Darren Goldthorpe issued a report on the reopening of the Badlands Community Facility and the Aquaplex under AHS guidelines. The target date is Wednesday, September 9. He noted they are excited but the opening also comes with some caution. Some of the precautions taken include assessment of symptoms upon entry, maintain traffic flow for social distancing and capacity limitations and equipment use. Locker use will be minimized and extra cleaning will take place throughout the open hours. Registration for activities and programs will have to be booked online, with residents booking timeslots to use the facilities. Seating areas will remain closed to minimize gathering. Swim lessons will be on hold for the time being. The library is looking at opening in the near future.
***
Council passed a motion to direct administration to continue to suspend the collection of monthly membership fees and extend memberships by the length of time the member was unable to use the facility, up until January 2021. Goldthorpe says this allows members to return to use the facilities when they feel comfortable. Further, Council passed a motion to permit and promote general public and member use of the Aquaplex and Badlands Community Facility free of charge for the month of September 2020.