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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2018-03-22 Council (Regular) MinutesCOUNTY OF NEWELL MINUTES OF REGULAR COUNCIL March 22, 2018 The regular Council Meeting of the County of Newell was held in the County Office on Thursday, March 22, 2018 commencing at 10:18 a.m. MEMBERS Molly Douglass, Reeve PRESENT: COUNCILLORS: C. Amulung H. Kallen W. Hammergren T. Fyfe K. Christman E. Unruh B. de Jong L. Juss ABSENT: A.M. Philipsen STAFF: K. Stephenson, Chief Administrative Officer L. Johnson, Director of Corporate Services A. Wickert, Manager of Planning & Development D. Horvath, County Planner - ORRSC T. Green, Director of Agricultural Services R. Fernell, Manager of Information & Technology S. Kipta, IT Project Manager J. Scherger, Information System Technician A. Nielsen, Executive Assistant OTHERS IN S. Stanway, Brooks Bulletin ATTENDANCE: 1. CALL TO ORDER 2. C-84/18 3 45/18 Reeve M. Douglass called the meeting to order at 10:18 a.m. EXCUSED FROM MEETING MOVED BY COUNCILLOR LIONEL JUSS that Councillor A.M. Philipsen be excused from the meeting. MOTION CARRIED ADOPTION OF MINUTES 3.1 Minutes - Council (March 8, 2018) MOVED BY COUNCILLOR BRIAN DE JONG that the March 8, 2018 Council Meet` minutes be adopted as presented. I MOTION CIE Regular Council March 22, 2018 4. CALL FOR POST AGENDA ITEMS Reeve M. Douglass called for post agenda items. 5. ADOPTION OF AGENDA C-86/18 MOVED BY COUNCILLOR CLARENCE AMULUNG that the agenda be adopted as presented. MOTION CARRIED 8. AGRICULTURAL SERVICES BUSINESS 8.1 Agricultural Fieldman's Report (March 2018) The Director of Agricultural Services presented the Agricultural Fieldman's Report to Council. Council was given the opportunity to ask questions. The Director of Agricultural Services responded to questions regarding magpie traps and phragmites control in Alberta. He also explained the Environmental Farm Plan process, indicating that plans older than ten years must be renewed in order to be eligible for any provincial funding. C-87/18 MOVED BY COUNCILLOR HUBY KALLEN that the Agricultural Fieldman's Report for March 2018 be accepted as presented. MOTION CARRIED 8.2 Appointment of Weed & Pest Inspectors The Director of Agricultural Services provided background information on this item and responded to questions from Council. An agreement for Weed Inspector Services is in place with the City of Brooks and a meeting is scheduled for next week regarding drafting a similar agreement for Bassano. County staff monitor Rosemary and Duchess and can enforce on their behalf, if needed. C-88/18 MOVED BY COUNCILLOR CLARENCE AMULUNG that we appoint Nicole Skanderup, Emma Van Steekelenburg, Chelsea Krause, and Scott Stimson as Inspectors for the County of Newell pursuant to Section 7 of the Weed Control Act and pursuant to Section 10 of the Agricultural Pest Act until such time as their employment with the County ceases. MOTION CARRIED LEFT THE MEETING T. Green left the meeting at 10:32 a.m. 6. BYLAWS 6.1 Bylaw 1905-18 Special Tax Bylaw (Eastern Irrigation District) The Director of Corporate Services provided background information on this item and responded to questions from Council. Page 2 of 9 Regular Council March 22, 2018 C-89/18 MOVED BY COUNCILLOR KELLY CHRISTMAN that Bylaw 1905-18, being a bylaw for the purpose of imposing a special tax on lots within subdivisions that are receiving waterworks from the Eastern Irrigation District, be given FIRST reading. MOTION CARRIED C-90/18 MOVED BY COUNCILLOR LIONEL JUSS that Bylaw 1905-18 be given SECOND reading. MOTION CARRIED C-91/18 MOVED BY COUNCILLOR CLARENCE AMULUNG that consent be given for Bylaw 1905-18 to receive third reading this 22nd day of March, 2018. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY C-92/18 MOVED BY COUNCILLOR ELLEN UNRUH that Bylaw 1905-18 be given THIRD and FINAL reading. MOTION CARRIED 6.2 Bylaw 1906-18 Special Tax (Rolling Hills Irrigation System) The Director of Corporate Services provided background information on this item and responded to questions from Council. C-93/18 MOVED BY COUNCILLOR WAYNE HAMMERGREN that Bylaw 1906-18, being a bylaw for the purpose of imposing a special tax on residential lots within the Hamlet of Rolling Hills that are serviced by the Rolling Hills Communal Raw Water Irrigation System, be given FIRST reading. MOTION CARRIED C-94/18 MOVED BY COUNCILLOR TRACY FYFE that Bylaw 1906-18 be given SECOND reading. MOTION CARRIED C-95/18 MOVED BY COUNCILLOR BRIAN DE JONG that consent be given for Bylaw 1906-18 to receive third reading this 22nd day of March, 2018. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY C-96/18 MOVED BY COUNCILLOR ELLEN UNRUH that Bylaw 1906-18 be given THIRD and FINAL reading. MOTION CARRIED Page 3 of 9 Regular Council March 22, 2018 6.3 Bylaw 1907-18 Special Tax Bylaw (Scandia Irrigation System) The Director of Corporate Services provided background information on this item and responded to questions from Council. C-97/18 MOVED BY COUNCILLOR LIONEL JUSS that Bylaw 1907-18, being a bylaw for the purpose of imposing a special tax on lots within the Hamlet of Scandia that are serviced by the Scandia Communal Raw Water Irrigation System, be given FIRST reading. MOTION CARRIED C-98/18 MOVED BY COUNCILLOR HUBY KALLEN that Bylaw 1907-18 be given SECOND reading. MOTION CARRIED C-99/18 MOVED BY COUNCILLOR TRACY FYFE that consent be given for Bylaw 1907-18 to receive third reading this 22nd day of March, 2018. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY C-100/18 MOVED BY COUNCILLOR WAYNE HAMMERGREN that Bylaw 1907-18 be given THIRD and FINAL reading. MOTION CARRIED 9. ADMINISTRATIVE BUSINESS 9.1 Fire Protection Agreement - Duchess & County (Division 8) The Director of Corporate Services provided background information on this item and responded to questions from Council C-101/18 MOVED BY COUNCILLOR BRIAN DE JONG that Council APPROVES the Fire Protection Agreement between the County of Newell and the Village of Duchess as presented. MOTION CARRIED The Director of Corporate Services responded to questions regarding the appointment of an additional Councillor to the Duchess & Rural Fire Area Committee. Councillor W. Hammergren nominated Councillor E. Unruh. Reeve M. Douglass called two more times for nominations. No further nominations were received. Reeve M. Douglass declared Councillor E. Unruh appointed to the Duchess & Rural Fire Area Committee. Councillor B. de Jong was appointed during the October 26, 2017 Organizational Meeting. Page 4 of 9 Regular Council March 22, 2018 9.2 Library System Funding The Director of Corporate Services provided background information on this item and responded to questions from Council. This item was accepted as information. 9.3 2018 Citizen & Junior Citizen of the Year Awards - Request for Gift Basket Council was presented with background information on this item. C-102/18 MOVED BY COUNCILLOR TRACY FYFE that Council supports the Grasslands Regional FCSS Citizen & Junior Citizen of the Year Awards, and that a gift basket in the amount of $100.00 be donated on behalf of the County of Newell. MOTION CARRIED 9.4 Cheques for Payment There were no cheques for payment to discuss at this meeting. 9.5 Payment Register The Director of Corporate Services responded to questions from Council. C-103/18 MOVED BY COUNCILLOR CLARENCE AMULUNG that the Payment Register be accepted. MOTION CARRIED 9.6 Requests for Functions of Council 9.6.1 Community Planning Association of Alberta Conference (April 30 - May 2, 2018) C-104/18 MOVED BY COUNCILLOR BRIAN DE JONG that Councillor C. Amulung be permitted to attend the Community Planning Association of Alberta conference in Red Deer, AB on April 30 - May 2, 2018 as a function of Council. MOTION CARRIED 9.6.2 Rural Health Professions Action Plan (RhPAP) 2018 Community Conference (April 11-12, 2018) Reeve M. Douglass provided background information on this item, indicating that she would be attending on behalf of the Joint Services Committee and Councillor K. Christman would be attending on behalf of the Bassano Health Attraction & Retention Committee. The County and City will be receiving an award. C-105/18 MOVED BY COUNCILLOR WAYNE HAMMERGREN that Reeve M. Douglass and Councillor K. Christman be permitted to attend the Rural Health Professions Action Plan 2018 Community Conference in Brooks, AB on April 11-12, 2018 as a function of Council. MOTION CARRIED Page 5 of 9 Regular Council March 22, 2018 10. COMMITTEE REPORTS 10.1 Rural Crime Watch Councillor T. Fyfe provided an overview of the Rural Crime Prevention town hall meetings that have been held in Rolling Hills, Bassano, and Duchess, indicating that the turnout has been good. Councillor B. de Jong provided further information regarding the meeting held in Duchess. Topics discussed included the rights of the homeowner if someone enters their home, the role of fish and game, and trespassing. 10.2 Newell Recycling Association Councillor L. Juss reported that the Newell Recycling Association's Annual General Meeting will be held at the recycling depot on March 28, 2018. A pancake breakfast and free confidential shredding event will be held on April 28, 2018. Councillor L. Juss responded to questions from Council. 10.3 Alberta CARE Conference (February 28 - March 2, 2018) Councillor E. Unruh reported on her attendance at the Alberta CARE Conference and highlights from the presentations, including the recycling and re -use centre in Pincher Creek, facts about the Newell Regional Landfill, and the importance of recycling cardboard. 10.4 Tourism Representative Councillor E. Unruh reported on her attendance at the Growing Rural Tourism Conference. The keynote speaker focused on the importance of doing "small things. " The General Manager of Blackfoot Crossing Historical Park provided an update on their recovery from the flood, work to recover artifacts, and new plans for the park, including weekend hours and new workshops. Councillor E. Unruh responded to questions from Council. 10.5 Shortgrass Library System Councillor K. Christman reported that the audit review is complete. The Shortgrass Library Board has approved a technology grant to be used for upgrading library computers to Windows 10. A three-year proposed budget has been passed. The Alberta Library Conference will be held in Jasper, AB on April 26-29, 2018. Councillor K. Christman responded to questions from Council. 10.6 Elected Officials Education Program Course - Regional Partnerships & Collaboration Councillor E. Unruh and Councillor B. de Jong provided an overview of the Regional Partnerships & Collaboration course they attended during the AAMDC Spring 2018 Convention. A workbook is available online. Councillor B. de Jong Page 6 of 9 Regular Council March 22, 2018 provided further information, indicating that it is important to establish accountability for services and respect and be cautious about pushing too hard. All parties should feel like they are getting a return on their investment. Goals should be established at the beginning and evaluated at the end of the process. It is also important to communicate with the public and make sure they understand the intentions. The Chief Administrative Officer provided information regarding the ICF/IDP Workshop facilitated by Municipal Affairs on Friday, March 16, 2018. The County has nine ICFs and nine IDPs to complete and/or update. The Chief Administrative Officer indicated that ICFs be completed once unified and ratified by all the urban partners and he suggested that they be handled through the JointlRegional Services Committee for the Urban to Rural ones as everyone attends those meetings. He suggested the Rural to Rural ones be completed from a template plus any special considerations as required. Reeve M. Douglass indicated that the Mayors and Chief Administrative Officers from all the municipalities within the County of Newell had attended the session on March 16, 2018. 10.7 Reeve's Report Reeve M. Douglass reported on several events she attended recently. The Eastern Irrigation District's Annual General Meeting included an update on the Bassano Dam Project. A ribbon -cutting ceremony was held for the Academy of Learning Career College's new location. Reeve M. Douglass provided highlights from the Canadian Badlands Conference and Annual General Meeting. ARRIVED AT MEETING R. Fernell and S. Kipta arrived at 11:29 a.m. The Brooks MakerSpace had an official soft opening that included a Minecraft Tournament. More information about the MakerSpace is available online at brooksmaker.space. Division 9 Recreation Funding has been allocated. 7. DELEGATIONS 7.1 Security Audit Results & Training The IT Project Manager provided statistics on the amount of data created and data loss associated with viruses and the loss of portable hard drives. Hackers target the end users, so security needs to focus on technology, processes, and the people using the systems. He explained the various types of social engineering attacks and how a successful attack can affect an organization. The County hires security firms that are not affiliated with our systems to carry out annual security audits. The IT Project Manager provided background information and an overview of the results from the social engineering test conducted recently. Recommendations for improvement include checking links before clicking them, strengthening and protecting passwords, and reducing or protecting your social media presence. The IT Project Manager provided a list of steps to Page 7 of 9 Regular Council March 22, 2018 take if you suspect you've been hacked. Council was given the opportunity to ask questions. LEFT THE MEETING S. Kipta left the meeting at 12:05 p.m. LUNCH Council RECESSED for lunch at 12:05 p.m. and RECONVENED at 12:49 p.m. ARRIVED AT MEETING J. Scherger arrived at 12:49 p.m. 7.1 Security Audit Results & Training — continued The Information System Technician displayed a live map showing cyber attacks that are currently underway all over the world. He provided an overview of attacks that the Information & Technology Department handles and outlined the measures taken to prevent and counteract these attacks. The Information System Technician provided information regarding spam attacks, indicating that spammers do their research when targeting people. He displayed a report showing targeted e-mails over a week and spam filter statistics, noting that 50% of the e-mails received were suspicious. He also provided an overview of recent network -based attacks that entered the system via viruses, websites, or cookies that were blocked by antivirus software. The Information System Technician outlined steps users can take to prevent viruses, including using strong passwords, updating applications and antivirus software, and checking web links before clicking on them. Tips for creating and managing strong, unique passwords were also presented. The Information System Technician displayed statistics for the top -clicked email subjects used in phishing attacks and outlined what to do if you receive a suspicious e-mail or find a USB drive. Other computer safety tips were discussed. The Information System Technician responded to questions from Council. LEFT THE MEETING R. Fernell and J. Scherger left the meeting at 1:54 p.m. 11. POST AGENDA ITEMS There were no post agenda items to discuss at this meeting. Page 8 of 9 Regular Council March 22, 2018 12. INFORMATION ITEMS 12.1 Strategic Priorities Chart This item was accepted as information. 12.2 Upcoming Community Events The Director of Corporate Services provided background information on this item. The City and County are developing a pilot project to determine whether there is interest in mini bus service outside of regular business hours. A schedule of upcoming events is being compiled for this purpose. He asked each Councillor to forward information regarding upcoming events in their Communities to the IT Administrative Assistant. 13. QUESTION PERIOD/NOTICE OF MOTION A question period and notice of motion was held. 14. IN CAMERA C-106/18 MOVED BY COUNCILLOR LIONEL JUSS that we move in camera at 1:56 p.m. to discuss the following matters: • Land —FO/PP Act Section 27; • Legal —FO/PP Act Section 27; • Legal —FO/PP Act Section 27. MOTION CARRIED C-107/18 MOVED BY COUNCILLOR KELLY CHRISTMAN that we move out of camera at 4:05 p.m. MOTION CARRIED 15. ADJOURN Being that the agenda matters have been concluded, the meeting adjourned at 4:05 p.m. Signed this 5 day of( 2018 Page 9 of 9