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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2008-02-21 Council (Regular) MinutesCOUNTY OF NEWELL NO.4 .- MINUTES OF COUNCIL MEETING FEBRUARY 21, 2008 The regular Council Meeting of the County of Newell No. 4 was held in the County Office at Brooks, AB on Thursday, February 21, 2008 commencing at 10:02 a.m. MEMBERS PRESENT: M. Douglass, Reeve COUNCILLORS: W. Daniels I. Schroeder R. Andrews J. Harbinson S. Evans A. Eastman H. W utzke ABSENT: A.M. Philipsen B. de Jong STAFF: K. Stephenson, County Administrator A. Clapton, Executive Assistant OTHERS IN A. McCuaig, Brooks Bulletin ATTENDANCE: S. Stanway, Brooks & County Chronicle M. Fitzgerald, Q-13 Fox Radio Sgt. G. Ericson, Brooks RCMP S. Sgt. J. Haley, Brooks RCMP Corp. D. Fisher, Bassano RCMP 7. DELEGATIONS a. RCMP Quarterly Reports Introductions were made between Council and Corporal D. Fisher of the Bassano RCMP. Corporal D. Fisher presented the Occurrence Stats report for the 2007 year to Council, explaining that the most frequent complaints involve breaking and entering, mischief, and traffic. He also explained that they are hoping to replace a retiring member in the summer of 2008. Council was given the opportunity to ask questions. LEFT THE MEETING Corp. D. Fisher left the meeting at 10:17 a.m. ;~~~~ Regular Council Minutes Page 2 February 21, 2008 1. EXCUSED FROM MEETING C-53/08 MOVED BY COUNCILLOR J. HARBINSON that Councillor A.M. Philipsen and Councillor B. de Jong be excused from the meeting. MOTION CARRIED 2. MINUTES C-54/08 MOVED BY COUNCILLOR S. EVANS that the February 7th, 2008 Council minutes be adopted as presented. MOTION CARRIED 3. CALL FOR POST AGENDA ITEMS The Reeve called for post agenda items. 4. ADOPTION OF AGENDA C-55/08 MOVED BY COUNCILLOR R. ANDREWS that the agenda be adopted as amended. MOTION CARRIED 5. CHEQUES FOR PAYMENT C-56/08 MOVED BY COUNCILLOR R. ANDREWS that cheque 161749 in the amount of $8,786.25 and Direct Debit Batch 12979 in the amount of $41,205.46 be approved. MOTION CARRIED 6. BUSINESS FROM MINUTES There was no business from the minutes to discuss. 10. OTHER BUSINESS There was no ofher business to discuss. ARRIVED AT MEETING ~~ ,,~~:~.y S. Shlgehiro, Manager of Finance, arrived at 10.21 a.m. ~~~ ....~...-.......: 1: Regular Council Minutes Page 3 February 21, 2008 11. POST AGENDA ITEMS a. 2007 Year End Surplus Allocation S. Shigehiro presented her recommendation to Council for the allocation of the 2007 Year End Surplus, addressing the large increases and explaining the reasons for the allocation. Council was given the opportunity to ask questions. Councillor W. Daniels inquired about the current amount in the Water/Wastewater reserve. C-57/08 MOVED BY COUNCILLOR H. WUTZKE that we allocate from the 2007 Year End Surplus $51,004.95 to the ASB Capital Reserve for Future Machinery and Equipment, $51,004.94 to the ASB Capital Reserve For Future Vehicle Replacement, and $2,202,387.29 to the Water/Wastewater Reserve. MOTION CARRIED LEFT THE MEETING S. Shigehiro left the meeting at 10:28 a.m. -- ARRIVED AT MEETING Sgt. G. Ericson, S. Sgt. J. Haley, and Corp. D. Fisher arrived at 10:30 a.m. 7. DELEGATIONS -continued a. RCMP Quarterly Reports S. Sgt. J. Haley of the Brooks RCMP presented the quarterly report for October to December 2007 and informed Council of some recent staffing changes, which included the departure of two Corporals, and the addition of three new Constables and two new support staff. He also indicated that the Brooks RCMP had been approved for two additional constables, and these positions would be filled in 2008. S. Sgt. J. Haley invited Council to participate in a community consultation on Saturday, March 8, 2008 starting at 9:00 a.m. at the Heritage Inn. The purpose of this workshop is to gather input from various businesses and organizations to determine specific areas to focus on with regards to policing in the County of Newell No. 4. .- Council was given the opportunity to ask questions. Councillor W. Daniels inquired about crime reduction, and S. Sgt. J. Haley replied that they were currently working on strategies that would reduce crime in certain areas. Regular Council Minutes February 21, 2008 LEFT THE MEETING Page 4 Sgt. G. Ericson, S. Sgt. J. Haley, and Corp. D. Fisher left the meeting at 10:52 a.m. 11. POST AGENDA ITEMS -continued b. Water Treatment Plant Upgrade K. Stephenson indicated MPE Engineering Ltd. had tendered and found a supplier for the membrane filtration equipment for the water treatment plant upgrades, and that the Regional Services Committee had passed a resolution at their last meeting recommending that Council approve this purchase. C-58/08 MOVED BY COUNCILLOR I. SCHROEDER that the County of Newell No. 4 accept the recommendation from the Regional Services Committee and MPE and approve the purchase of the membrane filtration equipment in the amount of $2,045,000.00, and that this be funded out of the Alberta Water for Life Grant approved in November 2007. MOTION CARRIED c. Shortgrass Library System - 2008 Budget Request Councillor W. Daniels inquired about whether or not the 2.5 % budget increase for 2008 that had been requested by the Shortgrass Library System had been approved. C-59/08 MOVED BY COUNCILLOR W. DANIELS that the 2.5% budget increase for the Shortgrass Library System be approved for 2008. C-60/08 MOVED BY COUNCILLOR W. DANIELS that Motion C-59/08 be tabled. MOTION CARRIED LEFT THE MEETING M. Fitzgerald left the meeting at 10:58 a.m. d. 2007 Awards Night Councillor S. Evans thanked A. Clayton and the Councillors on the 2007 Awards Night Committee for their assistance in planning the 2007 ~ County of Newell Awards Night. Regular Council Minutes February 21, 2008 e. Brooks RCMP Community Consultation Page 5 C-61/07 MOVED BY COUNCILLOR I. SCHROEDER that the attendance of two Councillors at the Brooks RCMP Community Consultation workshop on Saturday, March 8, 2008 at the Heritage Inn be approved as a function of Council. MOTION CARRIED 12. COMMITTEE REPORTS a. Agricultural Service Board Councillor A. Eastman reported to Council on the meeting he had attended with T. Green, Agricultural Fieldman, and P. Dirk, Assistant Agricultural Fieldman, where updates to the Agricultural Pest and Agricultural Service Board Acts were discussed. 8. PUBLIC HEARINGS a. Bylaw 1631-08 (Rescinding Referral Area Structure Plans) Reeve M. Douglass called the public hearing to order at 11:03 a.m. D. Horvath indicated that the reason for recessing this public hearing was due to the deadline for public input being set for 4:00 p.m, on February 7, 2008. She presented a letter that had been received on February 20, 2008, which expressed opposition to Bylaw 1631-08, and gave Council time to read through this correspondence. Council was given the opportunity to ask questions. Councillor A. Eastman asked D. Horvath for her reaction to the letter. D. Horvath replied that, though there is valuable information in the Area Structure Plans, there are clauses within them that say they should be reviewed every five years or so. She also indicated that it is necessary to look at new ideas to create a vision for the future of a very large area of land. C-62/08 MOVED BY COUNCILLOR A. EASTMAN that the public hearing adjourn at 11:08 a.m. MOTION CARRIED 9. BYLAWS a. Bylaw 1631-08 Rescinding Referral Area Structure Plans (2"d & 3rd Reading) Council continued discussion on B law 1631-08. ~~' Regular Council Minutes February 21, 2008 Page 6 C-63/08 MOVED BY COUNCILLOR H. WUTZKE that Bylaw 1631-08, being a bylaw to rescind Bylaws 1378-02, 1379-02, 1449-04, 1450-04, 1451-04, and 1452- 04, which are bylaws adopting the Referral Area Structure Plans, receive second reading. Councillor J. Harbinson requested a recorded vote. In Favor: Divisions 1, 2, 4, 6, 7, 9, 10 Opposed: Division 5 MOTION CARRIED C-64/08 MOVED BY COUNCILLOR A. EASTMAN that Bylaw 1631-08 receive third and final reading. Councillor J. Harbinson requested a recorded vote. In Favor: Divisions 1, 2, 4, 6, 7, 9, 10 Opposed: Division 5 MOTION CARRIED b. Bylaw 1634-08 Establishment of Off-Site & Development Levies (1St Reading) K. Stephenson presented background information on this item, indicating that the bylaw suggests different rates for different line sizes as an off-site levy, rather than setting rates for commercial, residential, and industrial uses in the Hamlet of Lake Newell Resort. He also indicated that a copy of this draft bylaw had been sent to the developer, but that no reply has been received. Council was given the opportunity to ask questions. Council discussed amendments to the attached policy, and these will be discussed further prior to 2"d and 3rd reading. C-65/08 MOVED BY COUNCILLOR I. SCHROEDER that Bylaw 1634-08, being a bylaw to establish off-site and development levies, be given first reading. MOTION CARRIED 12. COMMITTEE REPORTS -continued b. Joint Services Committee Councillor H. Wutzke reported on the progress being made with the Inter Municipal Development Plan discussions, indicating that a ~ questionnaire had been sent to the ratepayers within the existing IMDP boundaries in an effort to obtain public input. e ~.` , Regular Council Minutes Page 7 February 21, 2008 LEFT THE MEETING D. Horvath left the meeting at 11:29 a.m. c. Grasslands Regional FCSS Councillor H. Wutzke presented this report to Council, which included increased provincial funding for FCSS and the Citizen of the Year Awards Night that is scheduled for Friday, March 7, 2008. d. Shortgrass Library Board Councillor W. Daniels presented this report to Council, indicating that the Gem Jubilee Library had recently joined the Shortgrass Library System and that they were working on creating wireless Internet hotspots within each library. Also, he indicated that the Municipal Library Board had become an Intermunicipal Library Board, and Councillor 1. Schroeder suggested that Intermunicipal libraries could be funded out of the Municipal Sustainability Initiative funding. e. Regional Services Committee ~- Councillor 1. Schroeder reported on the meeting in Bassano on February 20, 2008, indicating that the future costs of not joining the regional water system at the beginning were effectively communicated to those present. K. Stephenson presented Council with the minutes of the previous meeting, the Unanimous Shareholders Agreement, and the Water/Wastewater Franchise and Asset Purchase Agreement, indicating that a meeting had been scheduled to go over these on March 10, 2008 at 12:00 p.m. He also mentioned that B. Austrom was working on the business plan for the Newell Regional Services Corporation. f. Newell Foundation Councillor H. Wutzke reported that a water line had recently froze and burst in the Newell Lodge, causing a flood. Some people had to be evacuated, but the lodge staff and emergency responders handled the situation very well. He also indicated that there were 21 people on the waiting list and that the 2008 budget had been approved. g. Palliser Airshed Society K. Stephenson reported that he had attended the annual meeting in Brooks. The Palliser Airshed Society is anon-profit organization funded primarily through emission levies, and they are looking at increasing the number of air quality monitoring devices they have in the area. ~~~ ~~ -_- .- Regular Council Minutes February 21, 2008 13. QUESTION PERIOD/NOTICE OF MOTION A question period was held. 14. INFORMATION ITEMS a. Epcor -Water Brochure This item was accepted as information. Page 8 15. IN CAMERA C-66/08 MOVED BY COUNCILLOR J. HARBINSON that we move in camera at 12:00 p.m. MOTION CARRIED C-67/08 MOVED BY COUNCILLOR A. EASTMAN that we move out of camera at 12:15 p.m. MOTION CARRIED 16. ADJOURN C-68/08 MOVED BY COUNCILLOR S. EVANS that the meeting adjourn at 12:16 p.m. MOTION CARRIED Reeve