Drumheller Mayor Heather Colberg informed residents that, due to the ongoing postal strike, November utility invoices can be picked up in-person at the Town’s Administrative Office, and encouraged residents to sign up for e-billing to avoid potential delays.
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Council gave third and final reading to the Family and Community Support Services (FCSS) Committee Bylaw. The bylaw would establish a subcommittee of council which will be responsible for the approval and overseeing of programs funded through the FCSS program.
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Council gave first and second reading to Bylaw 38.24 - Assessment of Manufactured Home Communities, which would designate the manufactured home park owner as the assessed person for all improvements within the manufactured home park.
Council previously provided direction during the September 9 regular council meeting regarding the introduction of a minimum tax on municipal property taxes, which would see a minimum cost of $500 for municipal taxes in 2025.
Through feedback, council heard the minimum tax may unfairly target those who own manufactured or mobile homes in mobile home communities, where the homeowner owns the structure, but not the land.
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Council gave all three readings to pass Bylaw 37.24 - Taxation of Exempted Properties.
This item is a housekeeping item stemming from a change to the Municipal Affairs Statutes Amendment Act, which came into effect in May 2024 which provides property tax exemptions for affordable housing accommodations.
Seniors lodges are already exempted in the MGA and this would affect affordable housing property Sandstone Manor.
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Council gave first and second reading to Bylaw 38.24 - Fees, Rates, and Charges Bylaw.
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Council approved a moratorium for administration to review Policy CS-A-01 - Memorial Bench Program in 2025.
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Council gave third and final reading to Bylaw 25.24 - Fire Bylaw.
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Ms. Chan presented council with the proposed 2025 Operating Budget, 4-year Financial Plan, 2025 General Capital Budget and 10-year Capital Plan.
The 2025 Operating and Capital Budget will be brought back before council for deliberation and discussion during the December 16 council meeting.

Deputy Mayor Stephanie Price chaired the meeting as Mayor Heather Colberg was absent due to a meeting with Alberta Premier Danielle Smith.
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Council gave second and third reading to revised Proposed Nacmine 8 Street Road Closure Revised Bylaw 04.24.
Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) Darryl Drohomerski explained this road closure underwent first reading in January 2024, followed by a public hearing, as part of the Town’s Flood Mitigation Project, and will close the right of way of 8 Street in Nacmine between the Red Deer River and 2 Avenue to facilitate berm placement at the north end of the right of way.
There was a typographical error in the original Bylaw which council approved a correction in a revised bylaw in October 2024.
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Council gave second and third reading of the Proposed Nacmine Hunter Drive Road Closure Bylaw 05.24.
Similar to the previous item, this proposed road closure is due to the Town’s Flood Mitigation Project and will close the public road right of way of Hunter Drive east of the Nacmine sanitary lift station to facilitate berm placement.
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Council gave first and second reading to Bylaw 39.24 - Revision of Bylaw 21.24, and gave unanimous consent to hold third and final reading.
CAO Darryl Drohomerski explained the Town had converted three lots owned by the Town into a single Environmental Reserve (ER) lot under Bylaw 21.24 in July 2024. However, it was determined a portion of the neighbouring property had been encroached upon and has since been purchased by the Town, and it was determined the ER should be expanded to include this and a portion of land from a Gas Regulator site which is now occupied by the berm.
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Council received an update on the Urban Forest Implementation and Management Report from project engineer Spencer Roberton and Mike Leung of Green Drop Ltd (see story Page 2).
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Council approved writing off a total of $7,109.34 in outstanding property taxes which resulted from the Town’s expropriation of floodway buyout properties.
Flood Resiliency Program project engineer Graham Waugh explained there are a total of eight property tax accounts requiring reconciliation as the ownership has transferred to the Town’s title in recent years due to the floodway buyout process. A portion of these amounts may be recoverable through the Land Tribunal process and includes six properties in Lehigh, and one each in Nacmine and East Coulee.
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Mr. Waugh presented council with a request for the Flood Resiliency Program to pursue funding from the Alberta Drought and Flood Protection Program (DFPP) for adaptive flood protection measures.
Adaptive flood protection will be used at several locations where permanent earth-filled berms cannot be used due to space constraints, access roads, or other issues, and can be deployed ahead of forecast flood events. Grant funding would be pursued for adaptive earthen berms in Midland and Newcastle, as well as a stop-log gate at the Rosedale Star Mine Suspension Bridge.
If successful, funding from DFPP would cover up to 70 per cent of eligible construction and engineering costs, leaving the Town responsible for a 30 per cent matching contribution estimated at $134,000; this would require additional capital funds beyond the original $5 million commitment.
Council approved the additional capital funding contingent on the success of the grant funding application to the DFPP.
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Flood Resiliency Program project director Deighen Blakely presented council with a request for decision to change the alignment of the Nacmine Berm.
She explained there has been some controversy over the natural boundary of private landowners located at the upstream end of the berm, and given these complications and potential for project delays, it was recommended to shorten the Nacmine Berm and use temporary measures for this area rather than building the originally planned 150 metres of the permanent berm.
Council directed administration to take the appropriate steps to reduce the original alignment of the Nacmine Berm to shorten it by the recommended length of 150 metres and use temporary measures for flood mitigation in this area. Council also approved the abandonment and discharge of the Notice of Intention to Expropriate on properties which will no longer be affected by the original berm alignment.