Council Overview
Information from Drumheller
Regular Council Meeting
Monday, November 23, 2020

Deputy Mayor Jay Garbutt announced the November 30 Committee of the Whole meeting is cancelled. This is part of its strategic plan to limit the number of meetings it has from four down to three a month.
Garbutt stated Council and administration are monitoring the COIVD-19 situation and are deeply concerned by the rising numbers and the subsequent ripple effect it has had with the schools and the service level changes at the Drumheller Health Centre.
Council began the meeting by discussing whether the Town of Drumheller ought to declare a State of Local Emergency (SOLE). CAO Darryl Drohomerski outlined the reasons that a SOLE should be declared. He said the decision is not taken lightly, and a SOLE would be helpful for the town to demonstrate to residents, visitors, as well as the province it is taking the pandemic very seriously. A declaration of a SOLE would demonstrate Drumheller is mobilized to deal with the rise of numbers. Council passed a motion to declare a State of Local Emergency, with Drohomerski as the director of Emergency Management. The SOLE will be reviewed every 14 days.
Council passed three readings of the Drumheller COVID-19 Mask Bylaw. The bylaw would make masks mandatory in indoor public spaces, including eating establishments, public vehicles, theatres, retail stores, places of worship and community and recreation facilities, common areas of hotels, motels, and offices to which the public have public access. The goal is to provide support and warnings. Not complying with the mask bylaw could lead to a $100 fine for a first offence. There are exemptions, and the bylaw would be in effect when the town and surrounding areas are in an enhanced status. See story on page 2.
***
Council adopted the minutes from the October 26 Organizational Meeting, the October 26 Regular Meeting, and the November 9 Regular Meeting.
***
Chief Resiliency and Flood Mitigation Officer Darwin Durnie, Devin Diano, CEO of Palliser Regional Muncipal Services, and Matt Knapik of 02 Planning and Design gave a brief report of feedback it received at community information sessions regarding the Municipal Development Plan Bylaw and Land Use Bylaw. They outlined some of the changes to the bylaws that came as a result of the public consultations. Many of the changes clarified the language used and permitted land uses.
Diano said the changes were not material enough to require a second Public Hearing and recommend council give second reading to the Municipal Development Plan Bylaw and Land Use Bylaw.
Council passed second reading of the amended Bylaw 17.20, the Municipal Development Plan Bylaw, and second reading to the amended Bylaw 16.20, the Land Use Bylaw.
***
Council passed a motion to extend the Leave of Absence with pay for eight weeks for Councillor Lisa Hansen-Zacharuk for medical reasons.
***
Council appointed James Foster to the Drumheller Public Library for a three-year term. Mr. Foster is an English teacher at Drumheller Valley Secondary school.
Council approved a Request for Decision to purchase a new truck-mounted combination sewer cleaner (hydrovac truck) from FST Canada Inc, for a total cost of $412,500, excluding GST. This is a demo unit. The current unit the town uses was purchased as a demo unit in 2010. In the last two years, the vacuum component has required significant repairs, and the town has been advised the next repair would cost in the area of $30,000-$40,000. The town received four bids from two companies. This purchase comes in about $73,950 under the budget allotted for the unit.
Council passed first reading of Bylaw 19.20, to regulate and control the sale and setting off of fireworks within the municipality of Drumheller. Director of Protective Services Greg Peters explained the bylaw is in line with federal regulations. This bylaw would regulate consumer fireworks and display fireworks as well as regulate permits to act as a fireworks vendor.
***
Town of Drumheller Human Resource manager Nicole Skiftun updated council on an innovation program for Town of Drumheller employees and volunteers. Its mission is to unleash the power of innovation in all Town of Drumheller team members and volunteers by offering peer coaching, recognition, and tools to empower staff to collaborate for positive change. Recognition would come through the Dino Innovation Award program as well as Dino Safety and Service Excellence recognition cards.
Deputy Mayor Garbutt, who sits on the Drumheller Housing Authority, presented the Sandstone Manor annual budget. This year he says Sandstone Manor is under financial pressure because of additional expenses due to COVID-19 cleaning, keeping a suite vacant for a domestic violence shelter and an explosion in its water costs. Typically its water bill would be around $1,000 a month. However, this summer they saw the costs three times higher. They have been busy investigating change. He asked council to consider the first increase in rent since 2015. Sandstone Manor provides affordable housing, and it is mandated rent has to be at least 10 per cent below market values. With these increases, it will still be within that range.
Council approved a motion to adopt the budget for Sandstone Manor with the rental increase.

Complete minutes from council meetings can be found at www.drumheller.ca once they have been adopted.

Council Overview
Information from Drumheller
Committee of the Whole Council Meeting
Monday, November 16, 2020

Councillor Tom Zarski chaired Monday night’s Committee of the Whole Meeting. On behalf of council, he wished condolences to Mayor Heather Colberg and her entire family for the loss of her father, John Kohut.
***
Bill Wulff presented on the Valley Bus Society. It is a not for profit society and offers a dial a bus service and medical charter, which are subsidized by the town of Drumheller. Senior outing charter and retail charter are not subsidized and charged at a cost-plus rate. The Town of Drumheller subsidy makes up about 40 per cent of its operations budget. Neighbouring municipalities have assisted in capital purchases, but not with operations, and it also receives funding from casinos, contributing about $14,000 annually. The Valley Bus Society was awarded the Premier’s Council Award in 2018. Valley Bus transports about 10,000-13,000 passengers annually, and there are about 100-150 charters per year. Salaries make up about 64 percent of their budget, and 32 per cent are vehicle-related costs. Only about 4 per cent of its budget is for office expense. COVID-19 has hit the service hard as its riders are part of the hardest hit segment of the population.
***
CAO Darryl Drohomerski provided an update on the proposed scatter garden at the cemetery. They are updating the bylaw to allow for its creation, and to provide guidelines and rates. It is planned to be placed adjacent to the columbarium, with a gazebo area, and a wall for memorial plaques. They are expecting construction to begin in the spring.
***
Director of Protective Services, Greg Peters, provided an update on COVID-19. Numbers are continuing to rise. As of Monday evening, there are 25 active cases in Drumheller and one death. Drumheller continues to be classified as an enhanced status. The province is not keeping up to contact tracing, and they are planning on hiring more people to provide that service. Councillor Kristyne DeMott expressed that the council should be considering making masks mandatory. Community Development and Social Planning manager, April Harrison, says the group planning holiday events are in contact with public health and following guidelines.
***
CAO Drohomerski presented his quarterly report. It includes work on access and other agreements for its civic solar project. Intermunicipal Collaboration Frameworks have been submitted to Municipal Affairs. The town is working with its solicitors to develop a plan using existing bylaws to deal with derelict buildings. They have been reviewing service levels and will be bringing forward those measurements in the near future. A considerable amount of time has been taken working on reopening facilities. They hired a development officer in training, and have engaged a recruitment agency to work on recruiting for a couple of difficult to fill positions.
***
Communications officer Erica Crocker provided her quarterly update. The town completed its rebranding and launch. A new website is being developed and BoxClever of Edmonton was awarded the project. They are working on developing new Town App guidelines and is expected to be presented in the fourth quarter of this year.
***
April Harrison provided the quarterly update for the Community and Social Planning Department. The community counselling program has a waitlist and grant applications have been submitted requesting funding to supports the increased demand. A community events coordinator has been hired. The Good Food Box Food program has been reinstituted. The Hot Meals Program has distributed 691 meals.
***
Manager of Recreation Art and Culture, Darren Goldlthorpe, presented his quarterly report. Administration will be monitoring usage at the town’s facilities for trends and opportunities. COVID layoffs and staff tasks being reassigned have delayed the facility condition assessment, however, they have received a grant to conduct an energy audit. This has been completed and has the potential for more grant funding for engineering and implementation. The Heritage Arts and Culture Board has been halted, however, it continues to have funds to distribute through the Arts and Culture Grant. This department has also been busy with facility relaunch. The main goal is to operate facilities in a safe fashion for employees and patrons.
***
Council went into a closed session to discuss flood mitigation projects.

Complete minutes from council meetings can be found at
www.drumheller.ca once they have been adopted.