Council Overview
Information from Drumheller Town Council Regular Council Meeting
Monday, August 23, 2021
CAO Darryl Drohomerski presented 6.1.1 Referendum and Senate Proclamation. The provincial government officially added nominations for the Senate election to the municipal elections ballot; nominations for Senate election are open until Monday, September 20 at noon. The ballot will also include two referendum questions:
1. Should section 36(2) of the Constitution Act, 1982 - Parliament and the government of Canada’s commitment to the principle of making equalization payments - be removed from the constitution?
2. Do you want Alberta to adopt year-round Daylight Saving Time, which is summer hours, eliminating the need to change our clocks twice a year?
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CAO Drohomerski presented Bylaw 15.21 to amend Bylaw 02-17, known as the Water and Wastewater Bylaw. The amendments including adding the definition of “Process water,” or water completely consumed in the manufacture or production of goods, and makes changes to multi-meter large residential properties, such as apartments, which have multiple properties on a single title rather than individual titles for each property.
Councillor Garbutt moved second reading of Bylaw 15.21 and explained, with the amendment, there will be a nominal increase of approximately less than $2.00/month for affected account holders.
Second and third reading were carried unanimously.
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CAO Drohomerski presented a Request for Decision to grant a subdivision extension request from Bill Hunter from Hunter Wallace Surveys. The file originally came before council in 2020 as part of a consolidation of lands for the East Coulee Waterline. Due to land negotiation delays and the COVID-19 pandemic, the original timeline of January 7, 2021 has lapsed and Mr. Hunter has requested an extension to finalize by October 15, 2021.
Councillor Garbutt moved for Council to approve the subdivision extension request to allow registration of land titles before October 15, 2021. Carried unanimously.
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Manager of Protective Services Greg Peters presented council with a resolution to increase the on-call wage for volunteer firefighters on the Drumheller, Rosedale, and East Coulee departments. Drumheller’s firefighters are currently paid $16.95/hour which is in the lower range of municipal wages outside of large municipalities, such as Calgary. Mr. Peters explained the department averages some 195 calls per year and consumes some 218 hours of service per member, as well as approximately 48 hours per year which accounts for two practices per month at some two hours each. There are 44 volunteer members, excluding Fire Chief Bruce Wade, between the three departments, and an increase of $2.00/hr was recommended by Mr. Peters, to take effect October 1, 2021; additional increases will come into effect January 2023 and January 2024.
Council thanked the volunteer firefighters for their contribution to public and community safety. Councillor Garbutt moved to approve the wage increase and Mayor Colberg directed Mr. Peters to put wages back on the radar in 2025.
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Mr. Peters presented council with a recommendation to repeal the Policing Committee Bylaw 16.09, which was established in June 2009, and direct administration and the RCMP to create a new Police Advisory Committee before December 2021. Mr. Peters has been in discussion with Drumheller RCMP Staff Sergeant Ed Bourque, and Councillors Makowacki and Zariski to allow more public transparency, greater diversity representation from the community, and participation in local policing matters by creating more community involvement.
Councillor Makowacki moved council give first reading to repeal the Policing Committee Bylaw 16.09 and direct administration and RCMP to create a new police advisory committee before December 2021. Carried unanimously.
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Mayor Colberg recessed the meeting at 5:10 p.m. ahead of a public hearing at 5:30 p.m.
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Mayor Colberg called the public hearing to amend Land Use Bylaw (LUB) 16.20, amending LUB 18.21 to order at 5:30 p.m.
CAO Drohomerski explained, in amending LUB 16.20, administration encountered a number of additions, omissions, and changes within the bylaw which were realized upon working on the amendments, including better descriptions around home occupations and requirements and descriptions around portable structures.
No written submissions were received.
Nacmine resident Jim McCabe virtually presented council with his concern over the amendments, in particular regarding the amended flow rates for Flood Mitigation in the Municipal Development Plan. Mr. McCabe explained his home is along the river and he is unsure whether his property will be affected by the Protected Zones outlined in Section 2.5.4(4), regarding restrictions on building new developments related to the elevation of the flood construction level.
Mayor Colberg thanked Mr. McCabe for his participation and said his input will be taken into consideration at the next review.
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Mayor Colberg closed the public hearing at 5:40 p.m. Councillor Lacher moved to adjourn to a closed camera session to discuss 8.1.1. Infrastructure Maintenance - Advice from Officials. Carried unanimously.
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The next council meeting will be held on Tuesday, September 7 and is anticipated to be held in council chambers at Town Hall.
Complete minutes from council meetings can be found on www.drumheller.ca once they have been adopted.