Council Overview
Information from Drumheller Town Council
Regular Council Meeting
Monday, May 17, 2021

Mayor Colberg opened the meeting by recognizing AHS Health Philanthropy Month, a time to recognize foundations such as the Drumheller and Area Health Foundation that help to fund projects to enhance health care.
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Mayor Colberg recognized May 16-22 as the 61st National Public Works Week. She also noted the May 25 Committee of the Whole Meeting is cancelled.
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Council approved the minutes of the May 10, 2021, Regular Council Meeting.
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Council welcomed Koren McDougald, president of the Friends of DVSS Society. This is a group that raises funds to enhance the DVSS school community. It is requesting a Community Assistance Grant of $17,000 for the resurfacing of outdoor courts at DVSS. This is well used for basketball, tennis, and pickleball. The group has applied for a Community Facility Enhancement Grant and the Friends of DVSS is also contributing funds.
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Chief Resiliency and Flood Mitigation Officer Darwin Durnie provided an update. They continue to work with the province to have the Red Deer River as a mitigated flow. The design work is nearing completion and they have been field-checking some of the designs. Flood season is upon the valley, and they continue to monitor the conditions. They are working on a small dike in Rosedale, as well as Dike D from Schumacher’s Corner to the Aquaplex. They have been removing trees, and have completed additional bird and other animal sweeps to make sure if there is disturbance, it is done within the regulations. They continued to engage with affected and adjacent landowners.
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Director of Infrastructure Services David Brett and Utility manager Bill Adams reported on the Town’s Lead Management Plan. The Town is coming up with a plan to deal with potential lead in drinking water. Health Canada changed lead limits in municipal drinking water in March 2019, and Alberta Environment implemented a lead management program requirement for distribution system testing. Now testing has to be done at the point of use rather than at the treatment plant. The Town and utility department is to have a plan created by the end of 2021, and initial testing will be to establish a baseline assessment of the situation.
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Director of Protective Services Greg Peters gave a brief COVID-19 update. As of Monday, there were 19 local cases below the threshold of 30 for further restrictions. Premier Jason Kenney and Chief Medical Officer of Health Deena Hinshaw provided an update to Albertans on Monday, May 17. There were 721 new cases in the province, the lowest in a few weeks, but the positivity rate was still 10.7 percent. Kenney said today there are more people in Alberta Hospital ICU than ever in recorded history. Dr. Hinshaw noted the risk in rural areas is the same as in metropolitan areas.
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Council held a Public Hearing for Bylaw 09.21, a revised Fireworks Bylaw. There were no in-person submissions. There was one written submission from Perry Logan, president of the Canadian National Fireworks Association. The revised bylaw takes into account suggestions from the public and council including putting more onus on the fireworks consumer than the retailer or the Town, and remove permit fees for consumer fireworks.

Council Overview
Information from Drumheller Town Council
Regular Council Meeting
Monday, May 10, 2021

Council adopted the minutes from the May 3, 2021, Regular Council Meeting.
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Staff Sergeant Ed Bourque presented the RCMP quarterly report. He said crime statistics showed the January to February year–over–year increase in crime against a person was primarily driven by assault and uttering threats. It also showed a decrease in property crime with a drop in break and enters and theft under $5,000. He outlined the policing priorities and their current status and results. Crime reduction is a priority, and it includes substance abuse, traffic offenses including impaired driving, and property crime. Another priority is community engagement, providing accountability to stakeholders, and community relations. Another priority is violence, domestic-related and other.
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CAO Darryl Drohomerski provided council an update on Strategic Priorities.
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Council passed second and third reading to Bylaw 08.21, to amend the previous St. Anthony’s School Site, East Drumheller District. This is to subdivide three lots into four, to develop two duplexes.
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Mr. Drohomerski provided a report to council on the Raymond Hill Road Public Submission. The Town received a petition to reopen the road on April 5. Administration scrutinized the petition under the stipulations of the Municipal Government Act and deemed it did not meet the requirements. He added The Town and Wheatland County are working together to reopen and maintain the road.
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Chief Flood Mitigation and Resiliency officer Darwin Durnie provided an update. They are still working with the province to recognize regulated flow on the Red Deer River for the level of mitigation. The office has contacted almost 170-200 landowners, of which 84 are properties they require buying land from and have told 87 landowners they would not require their land, but they would be building between their property and the river. The designs are nearing completion. There are a couple areas where the office is able to do some early work, including Schumacher’s Corner at the corner of Riverside Drive and 5 Street East, and near the Aquaplex. In Rosedale, there is a short portion of diking to be complete, and it will be used to prove their concept with regulators of their plan. This weekend is the traditional beginning of flood season which continues until the middle of July.
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Director of Protective Services Greg Peters presented an update on the traffic bylaw. This would address issues such, parking, RV parking, off-road vehicle usage, vehicle idling, and handicapped parking. This work will also include removing sections of the bylaw that are no longer applicable.
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Mr. Peters also provided a COVID update. Alberta still leads North America with the rate of COVID cases. This week the province opened up vaccinations to residents over the age of 12. Currently, there are 25 local active cases.
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Manager of Recreation, Arts and Culture, Darren Goldthorpe, provided the quarterly update on facilities. They are gathering data to do a comparison with other communities for cost recovery for community recreation facilities. They are looking to bring that report to council come July.
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Communications Officer Erica Crocker presented a report on the Customer Service Benchmark. Phase 1 is discovery and awareness. This is to engage the community with a survey on service provided in all of the town’s departments to identify strengths and weaknesses.
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David Brett, Director of Infrastructure Services provided his quarterly report. The first quarter saw a great deal of staff training. Work has been completed at the Aquaplex and the BCF during the shutdown. The demolition of the former Public Works building was completed. Branding on the fleet is ongoing. Asset management training has begun, and they have developed the scope of work for the Street Improvement Program.
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Corporate Serves Director Mauricio Reyes provided his quarterly report. Operating and Capital budgets were adopted. In 2020 the town submitted 30 grant applications, and the Town was successful in 19, worth about $5.29, million and four are still pending approval. They will be finalizing the 2020 year-end in Quarter 2.