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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2016-12-22 Council (Regular) MinutesCOUNTY OF NEWELL MINUTES OF REGULAR COUNCIL December 22, 2016 The regular Council Meeting of the County of Newell was held in the County Office on Thursday, December 22, 2016 commencing at 10:14 a.m. MEMBERS PRESENT: COUNCILLORS: Molly Douglass, Reeve C. Amulung G. Simpson A.M. Philipsen W. Hammergren T. Fyfe K. Christman E. Unruh B. de Jong L. Juss STAFF: K. Stephenson, Chief Administrative Officer L. Johnson, Director of Corporate Services T. Green, Director of Agricultural Services J. Nesbitt, Municipal Enforcement Supervisor J. Smyth, Human Resources Coordinator K. Martin, Manager of Fire & Emergency Services A. Nielsen, Executive Assistant OTHERS IN S. Stanway, Brooks Bulletin ATTENDANCE: R. Ferris, Careers the Next Generation S. McKay, Careers the Next Generation 1. 2. 3 C-411/16 CALL TO ORDER Reeve M. Douglass called the meeting to order at 10:14 a.m. EXCUSED FROM MEETING All members were in attendance at this meeting. ADOPTION OF MINUTES 3.1 Minutes - Council (December 8, 2016) MOVED BY COUNCILLOR CLARENCE AMULUNG that the December 8, 2016 Council Meeting minutes be adopted as presented. MOTION CARRIED Regular Council December 22, 2016 4. CALL FOR POST AGENDA ITEMS Reeve M. Douglass called for post agenda items. 5. ADOPTION OF AGENDA C-412/16 MOVED BY COUNCILLOR ELLEN UNRUH that the agenda be adopted as amended. MOTION CARRIED 8. AGRICULTURAL SERVICES BUSINESS 8.1 ASB Update The Director of Agricultural Services presented an update on the recent activities of the Agricultural Services Department. Council was given the opportunity to ask questions. The Director of Agricultural Services provided an update on the bovine tuberculosis outbreak and an overview of the process. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CF/A) has shared more information. Councillor B. de Jong suggested that the letter sent by the County expressing concerns with the lack of communication be shared publicly as ratepayers have expressed interest in the County's position on the matter. Discussion followed. The letter will be distributed to Council and further discussion will occur during the January 5, 2017 Council meeting regarding releasing it to the public. The Director of Agricultural Services responded to further questions from Council. 8.2 Resolutions for Provincial ASB Conference The Director of Agricultural Services presented the resolutions being brought forward at the 2017 Provincial ASB Conference to Council. Council decided to vote on the resolutions in the following manner: Resolution 1 - Vegetation Management - Yes. Resolution 2 - Ensuring Competition for Seed & Crop Protection Products — More information required. Resolution 3 - Agriculture Education - Yes. C-413/16 MOVED BY COUNCILLOR GORDON SIMPSON that Councillor A.M. Philipsen and Councillor C. Amulung vote as representatives for the County of Newell Agricultural Services Board at the Provincial Agricultural Services Board Conference in January 2017. MOTION CARRIED ARRIVED AT MEETING J. Nesbitt arrived at 10:40 a.m. 8.3 Calgary Stampede Farm Family Award The Director of Agricultural Services provided background information on this item and responded to questions from Council. Councillor A.M. Philipsen suggested two possible families from Division 3 and responded to questions from Page 2 of 10 Regular Council December 22, 2016 Council. Discussion followed and the Director of Agricultural Services was directed to contact the Torkelson Family or the Neely Family from Division 3 or the Skanderup family from Division 2 to determine if they will accept the nomination. C-414/16 MOVED BY COUNCILLOR GORDON SIMPSON that, on behalf of the County of Newell Agricultural Services Board, we nominate the Ray Torkelson family for the 2017 BMO Bank of Montreal Farm Family Award; further, that Councillor A.M. Philipsen attend the Awards banquet on behalf of the County of Newell ASB. MOTION CARRIED LEFT THE MEETING T. Green left at 10:47 a.m. 9. ADMINISTRATIVE BUSINESS 9.1 Policy Review - 2016 -CPO -006 Emergency Response/Pursuit The Municipal Enforcement Supervisor provided background information on this item. He outlined the amendments made to the policy, indicating that they reflect changes made to the Peace Officer Manual by the Solicitor General's Office. The Municipal Enforcement Supervisor responded to questions from Council. C-415/16 MOVED BY COUNCILLOR TRACY FYFE that Policy 2016 -CPO -006 (Emergency Response/Pursuit) be adopted as presented. MOTION CARRIED LEFT THE MEETING J. Nesbitt left the meeting at 10:51 a.m. 6. BYLAWS 6.1 Bylaw 1870-16 - Schedule of Fees The Director of Corporate Services provided background information on this item and responded to questions from Council. C-416/16 MOVED BY COUNCILLOR GORDON SIMPSON that Bylaw 1870-16, being a bylaw for the purpose of establishing a schedule of fees, be given FIRST reading. MOTION CARRIED 9. ADMINISTRATIVE BUSINESS — continued 9.2 Resolutions for Foothills Little Bow Municipal Association Meeting (January 20, 2017) Reeve M. Douglass provided background information on the resolution 90prnitted by the City of Brooks to AUMA regarding Oil & Gas Awareness Day, in i' a ing that Page 3 of 10 Regular Council December 22, 2016 it was discussed during a Joint Services Committee meeting. Discussion followed. This item was accepted as information. Councillor B. de Jong asked if a resolution regarding bovine tuberculosis could address issues related to lack of information. Councillor A.M. Philipsen reported that the County sent a letter to the appropriate people. Councillor W. Hammergren suggested encouraging Alberta Agriculture to ensure municipalities receive the information from the CF/A. ARRIVED AT MEETING J. Smyth, R. Ferris, and S. McKay arrived at 11:01 a.m. Discussion followed regarding whether different results are received from submitting a resolution versus writing a letter. ARRIVED AT MEETING T. Green arrived at 11:08 a.m. Councillor W. Hammergren suggested the purpose of the resolution would be to encourage Alberta Agriculture to follow the CF/A protocol for providing information to municipalities. 7. DELEGATIONS 7.1 Careers - The Next Generation S. McKay provided background information on Careers the Next Generation, a program that engages high school students and provides exposure to work in various trades. The end goal of the program is job placement and hours worked count towards high school credits and can be applied to apprenticeship. S. McKay explained his role, which is matching students to trades. He provided an overview of the benefits to employers. R. Ferris indicated that she works with the schools in the County of Newell and is directly involved with the students. She noted that there are currently more students than placements. Work experience coordinators in the schools are available to create flexible work schedules for the students. S. McKay provided an overview of the partnership with the City of Lethbridge that has been in place for three years. He noted that grant funding for subsidizing wages for summer placement is available to municipalities. He provided an overview of the proposed partnership. R. Ferris asked the County to consider participating in this program. Council was given the opportunity to ask questions. R. Ferris and S. McKay responded to questions from Council. R. Ferris indicated that the students to be placed are eligible to continue in their chosen trade according to Alberta Apprenticeship guidelines. Other factors are considered, including attendance, work ethic, interest in the trade, and basic education requirements. Councillor B. de Jong asked about challenges associated with the summer timeline, indicating that the County's seasonal staff start in the spring. He also asked about opportunities for water treatment plant operators. R. Ferris replied that some Page 4 of 10 Regular Council December 22, 2016 grade 11-12 students can organize spare periods to accommodate an earlier start date. S. McKay provided information on a pilot program for water/wastewater operators that started in Grand Prairie and is expanding to smaller municipalities. R. Ferris indicated work placement opportunities must be secured before students can be found. S. McKay and R. Ferris responded to further questions about the program. J. Smyth indicated that the Agricultural Services Department usually hires one high school student for the summer. The Municipal Services Department is open to participating in the program but there are some concerns related to the collective bargaining agreement that must be addressed. J. Smyth indicated that the purpose of the presentation was to introduce Careers the Next Generation and provide information on the programs available. LEFT THE MEETING J. Smyth, R. Ferris, and S. McKay left the meeting at 11:50 a.m. 8. AGRICULTURAL SERVICES BUSINESS — continued 8.4 Tender Award - Storage Building The Director of Agricultural Services provided background information on this item and responded to questions from Council. The proposed building will be used to store snow removal and other equipment out of the weather. Currently, this equipment is stored in the shop. Heated storage is required for this equipment to be ready to go in a snow event. The Director of Agricultural Services indicated that one of the goals for designing the County facilities was to keep everything together. He indicated that the proposed building design is required to meet code. The Director of Agricultural Services responded to questions regarding the bidding process. Councillor E. Unruh expressed concerns regarding the bids being significantly higher than the budget for the project and the complexity of the building. The Director of Agricultural Services provided further information regarding the proposed building and responded to further questions from Council. The budget adjustment required would come from a reserve. The Chief Administrative Officer provided further information regarding the County facilities, indicating that future expansion was considered in the design. The Director of Agricultural Services and the Chief Administrative Officer responded to further questions regarding the expected life span of the building. LUNCH Council RECESSED for lunch at 12:15 p.m. and RECONVENED at 1:03 p.m. 8. AGRICULTURAL SERVICES BUSINESS — continued 8.4 Tender Award - Storage Building — continued Discussion continued. Page 5 of 10 ~ Regular Council December 22, 2016 C-417/16 MOVED BY COUNCILLOR B. DE JONG that Council accepts the low tender as submitted and awards the County of Newell Storage Facility Tender to Scott Builders for the tendered price of $1,665,600.00/ further, that a budget adjustment be made with additional funding up to $1,915,440.00 to come from the Future Projects Fund Reserve. The Chief Administrative Officer responded to questions regarding the tender process. He recommended that changes be made to the scope of the project if Council decides to retender to try and obtain a lower cost facility. The Director of Agricultural Services provided information regarding the price per square foot. Reeve M. Douglass indicated that the storage facility had been included in the original design of the County facilities but was removed to reduce construction costs. She also noted that the proceeds from the sale of the old Public Works buildings and yard was placed in a reserve for the construction of this facility. The Chief Administrative Officer responded to further questions from Council. VOTE ON MOTION C-417/16 Councillor E. Unruh requested a recorded vote. In Favour — Division 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10 Opposed — Division 7 MOTION CARRIED 9. ADMINISTRATIVE BUSINESS — continued 9.3 FCM Canada 150 Community Leaders Network Reeve M. Douglass provided background information on this item. This item was accepted as information. Councillor K. Christman asked if the County would be submitting an application for funding from the Canada 150 Fund. The Director of Corporate Services indicated that he would look into the program. 9.4 Councillor Payment Sheets (November 2016) C-418/16 MOVED BY COUNCILLOR KELLY CHRISTMAN that the November 2016 Councillor Payment Sheets be accepted with the amendments recommended by the Councillor Compensation Review Committee. MOTION CARRIED 9.5 Cheques for Payment There were no Cheques for Payment to approve at this meeting. 9.6 Payment Register The Director of Corporate Services and the Chief Administrative Officer responded to questions from Council. C-419/16 MOVED BY COUNCILLOR LIONEL JUSS that the Payment Register be accepted. MOTION CARRIED �n Page 6 of 10 Regular Council December 22, 2016 9.7 Requests for Functions of Council There were no functions of Council to discuss at this meeting. 10. COMMITTEE REPORTS 10.1 Bow River Basin Council Councillor B. de Jong submitted a written report. 10.2 Newell Regional Services Corporation Councillor B. de Jong submitted a written report. 10.3 Newell 9-1-1 Dispatch Association Councillor B. de Jong submitted a written report. 10.4 Grasslands Regional FCSS Councillor C. Amulung reported that he attended the annual meeting in Edmonton where the theme was prevention and the importance of maintaining a positive attitude. He indicated that he attended a session regarding mental health and the differing levels of mental health services available to rural and urban residents. 10.5 Oldman River Regional Services Commission Councillor C. Amulung reported that the budget was discussed during the December 1, 2016 meeting and there is an overall increase of 1.39%. ARRIVED AT MEETING K. Martin arrived at 1:35 p.m. Councillor C. Amulung also reported that there was a presentation from Ventus Geospatial regarding drones and selecting the right one for a specific purpose. 10.6 Rural Crime Watch Councillor T. Fyfe reported that the annual general meeting will be held on January 18, 2017 at the Heritage Inn beginning at 7:00 p.m. There will be speakers from the Fire Department and the RCMP. Page 7of10 J v Regular Council December 22, 2016 10.7 Newell Foundation Councillor G. Simpson reported that work on the first life lease duplex has begun and construction is expected to be complete in late spring or early summer. The 2017 budget is complete. Alberta Seniors Communities & Housing Association (ASCHA) will be preparing a report in January that will show how the carbon tax will affect housing management bodies. 10.8 Tourism Representative Councillor E. Unruh reported that the Newell Regional Tourism Association will be hiring a Marketing Specialist to work as their Executive Director. She provided further details regarding the position. Advertising is currently underway. 10.9 Reeve's Report Reeve M. Douglass attended the Joint Services Committee meeting on December 13, 2016. The third round of union negotiations for the County was held on December 14, 2016 and additional dates have been set for January. The Christmas Open House and Joint Municipal Meeting was held on December 20, 2016. Also on December 20, Reeve M. Douglass attended a meeting regarding the Palliser Economic Partnership Rural Broadband Project and a lunch with MLA D. Fildebrandt. The Global Village television program was filming in Council Chambers on December 21, 2016. Councillor G. Simpson asked how the recent announcement by the Canadian Radio -television & Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) regarding the legislation of internet access would affect broadband in our area. Reeve M. Douglass reported that funding was announced, but currently only Gem and Patricia qualify. The Chief Administrative Officer provided further information regarding the Palliser Economic Partnership Rural Broadband Project. 11. POST AGENDA ITEMS 11.1 Duchess Fire & Emergency Services Agreement The Manager of Fire & Emergency Services provided background information on this item, indicating that the Village of Duchess has proposed several amendments to the agreement. He provided an overview of the amendments, which include a request for a capital reserve held by the village, apparatus replacement as recommended by the local committee, one annual payment rather than quarterly installments, the village being responsible for invoicing fire calls with revenues applied to offset operating costs. He also noted that they are not prepared to acknowledge the Patricia Fire Department as a separate department or provide a breakdown of costs allocated to Patricia. Council was given the opportunity to ask questions. The Manager of Fire & Emergency Services outlined the options available. Discussion followed. Councillor B. de Jong suggested that the Village of Duchess Council be invited to discuss this further. The Manager of Fire & Emergency Services and the Chief Ad inistrative Officer responded to further questions from Council. The Page 8 of 10 Regular Council December 22, 2016 Manager of Fire & Emergency Services provided information regarding apparatus replacement, indicating that he and the Director of Corporate Services have been working with the Fire Chiefs to establish minimum standards for various types of apparatus. Discussion followed and it was agreed that the local committee should be allowed input into equipment purchases but not distribute funding. The Manager of Fire & Emergency Services and the Director of Corporate Services will arrange a meeting between the County and Village of Duchess Councils for further discussion. LEFT THE MEETING K. Martin left the meeting at 2:29 p.m. ARRIVED AT MEETING T. Green arrived at 2:33 p.m. 12. INFORMATION ITEMS 12.1 Mini Bus Monthly Report (November 2016) This item was accepted as information. 12.2 Strategic Priorities Chart This item was accepted as information. 12.3 Brooks & District Seniors Outreach Valentine's Ball Fundraiser (February 11, 2017) This item was accepted as information. 13. QUESTION PERIOD/NOTICE OF MOTION A question period and notice of motion was held. 14. IN CAMERA C-420/16 MOVED BY COUNCILLOR ELLEN UNRUH that we move in camera at 2:34 p.m. to discuss a land and a legal issue. MOTION CARRIED C-421/16 MOVED BY COUNCILLOR KELLY CHRISTMAN that we move out of camera at 3:30 p.m. MOTION CARRIED Page 9 of 10 �� Regular Council December 22, 2016 C-422/16 MOVED BY COUNCILLOR BRIAN DE JONG that the Council of the County of Newell approves in principle the Draft Letter of Intent agreement with the property owners of the North Headgates Area Redevelopment Plan. MOTION CARRIED 15. ADJOURN Being that the agenda matters have been concluded, the meeting adjourned at 3:31 p.m. Signed this Zi day of , 2017 Page 10 of 10