Drumheller RCMP Staff Sergeant Art Hopkins says he supports more stringent penalties for distracted driving

Despite a $172 fine, distracted driving continues to be a concern locally and provincially.
    In the last session of the Legislature, MLA Moe Emery brought the issue back into the light by proposing tougher distracted driving legislation. His proposal would see the fine bumped up to $250 as well as three demerit points.
    Staff Sergeant Art Hopkins says they are losing the battle combating distracted driving.
    “Not just in our detachment, it is province wide, it is across the country. It is very noticeable the amount of distracted driving. It is just getting more and more prominent with the use of cell phones with texting abilities,” said Hopkins. “There is not a day goes by that as I drive my own vehicle around, I see people texting and talking on the phone all the time.”
    He is aware of Emery’s private members bill and feels this could be a tool that would help enforcement.
    “We have tried enforcement, we have written a million of these tickets and it has had little to no effect,” he said.
    He said at first people were cognizant of the new law when introduced in 2011.
    “Initially when the law was announced, it dropped drastically, but now it is running rampant. We don’t have enough members to police that.”
    “For using a cell phone, texting on these devices, or distracted driving as a whole, we have to make them personally more responsible for it. That means if the fine is heavier or there are demerit points, it would mean people losing their driver’s license.”
    He said it is not difficult for drivers to comply with the law.
    “There are many ways to get around it, you can go and buy an earpiece that communicates with your cell phone so you are hands free. It’s cheaper than what the fine is right now, there is no reason not to comply with this,” he said.
    This approach has worked well with other traffic issues.
    “If you look at impaired driving, it used to be a $300 fine and six month suspension. In order to show some reduction in it, they had to continually increase the penalty because there just aren’t enough policemen to do everything. You have to make the deterrent heavy enough that it will actually work. The present fine for distracted driving is not a big enough deterrent.”

For 2015, Drumheller Mayor Terry Yemen is looking forward to answers on provincial flood mitigation funding and hearing the Travel Drumheller presentation to Council on a tourism levy.

    Mayor Terry Yemen lists keeping taxes low as one of the highlights of 2014 for Drumheller’s Town Council.
    “Last year it was a three per cent increase, but we were able to reduce taxes - that’s something that municipalities haven’t been able to do, that I know of,” said Yemen.
    Drumheller’s Town Council  passed a tax increase of two percent in 2014, without any service interruptions to residents, said the Mayor.
    “Anything lower is when you’re going to have to start looking at service cuts.”
    And Yemen said the number one topic of concern he’s heard from residents: flood mitigation.
    “The biggest concern is the unknown of flood mitigation. That’s the biggest concern that I hear.”
    Yemen said the Town is expecting to hear back on flood mitigation project approval and funding from the province in December.
    The Mayor said he’s also heard a lot of positive feedback from valley residents on the number of different services available to them in town. “We have an incredible amount of things for people to do,” said the Mayor, “and all the service clubs, service groups - all the things that are available to people.”
    And for the new year, Mayor Yemen said flood mitigation funding is at the top of his list.     “What I’m looking forward to is a mitigation plan with 100 per cent funding as in 1985. I’m looking for the province to follow through with their 1985 promise.”
    Another 2015 focus for Town Council will be the tourism levy for accommodations and campgrounds. The Mayor said all indications are Town Council will pass the levy, which will be used to both grow a marketing fund to benefit Drumheller and enhance or expand the Town’s infrastructure.

Town of Drumheller’s Top Ten     
1)    Major Paving Projects including overlaying Pen Road, paving 12th Street SW (paid for by ATCO) as this road will provide access to their new office and warehouse, paving 2nd Street W (Hwy 9) and miscellaneous roads throughout Drumheller.
2)    Maintained A 2014 Tax Increase Below The Rate Of Inflation
3)    South Entrance Median was enhanced with rock work, flower pots and banners.
4)    Community Projects where the Town provided in-kind material, equipment and/or labour - in partnership with the Rotary Club, Lions Club, Friends of DVSS and the Tennis Club, Tennis Courts At The Drumheller Valley Secondary School; in partnership with Drumheller Kinsmen, Greentree Playground; and in partnership with the Drumheller Festival Society, Tough Mudder.
5)    Hiring Of A Corporate Services Director, A New Protective Services Director, Economic Development Officer And A Fire Chief with the retirement of Bill Bachynski.
6)    Badlands Community Facility Activities - 12 weddings, 9 memorials, 79 birthday parties, 3 conferences, 71 meetings, 3 major fundraising events, 2 graduations, and 46 holiday/special events in 2014.
7)    Flood Damage Repairs – ball diamonds, roads, dyking, general clean up of damaged areas including the Spray Park
8)     Walmart Wall was reconstructed
9)    Set A New Total Record For Construction Values And 26 New Business Licenses Issued In 2014. A New Drumheller Community And Business Profile was published to attract more businesses.
10)    A New  Dinosaurvalley.Com Website that is more functional and responsive to everyone.

2015 Town of Drumheller’s Top Ten
Corporate Priorities
1)    Implementation of a Tourism Levy  
2)    Badlands Community Facility  Fund raising  Strategy
3)    Economic  Development Strategy
4)    Downtown Revitalization
5)    Arts and Culture Policy

Operational Priorities
6)    Flood Mitigation
7)    New Waterslide
8)    Skateboard Park Project
9)    Beautification Scheme
10)    Elgin Hill Residential Subdivision