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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2012-01-05 Council (Regular) Minutes COUNTY OF NEWELL MINUTES OF Regular Council January 5, 2012 The regular Council Meeting of the County of Newell was held in the County Office at Brooks, AB on Thursday, January 5, 2012 commencing at 10:02 a.m. MEMBERS M. Douglass, Reeve PRESENT: COUNCILLORS: C. Amulung A.M. Phillipsen R. Andrews M. Nesbitt J. Bulger A. Eastman B. de Jong L. Juss ABSENT: I. Schroeder STAFF: K. Stephenson, Chief Administrative Officer L. Johnson, Assistant Administrator K. Martin, Fire & Emergency Services Coordinator M. Harbicht, Superintendent of Public works A. Nielsen, Executive Assistant OTHERS IN S. Stanway, Brooks Bulletin ATTENDANCE: 1. CALL TO ORDER Reeve M. Douglass called the meeting to order at 10:02 a.m. 2. EXCUSED FROM MEETING C-01112 MOVED BY COUNCILLOR A. EASTMAN that Councillor I. Schroeder be excused from the meeting. MOTION CARRIED Regular Council January 5,2012 3. ADOPTION OF MINUTES Ntool a. Minutes - Council (December 22, 2011) The following changes were made to the December 22, 2011 Council Meeting minutes: Page 8 - Motion C-461/11 - should read "...APPROVED in the amount of $23,606.95 with funding through the Regional Enhancement Reserve Allocation for Division 8." C-02/12 MOVED BY COUNCILLOR A.M. PHILIPSEN that the December 22, 2011 Council Meeting minutes be adopted as amended. MOTION CARRIED 4. CALL FOR POST AGENDA ITEMS Reeve M. Douglass called for post agenda items. 5. ADOPTION OF AGENDA C-03/12 MOVED BY COUNCILLOR C. AMULUNG that the agenda be adopted as presented. MOTION CARRIED 6. BYLAWS a. Bylaw 1745-11 - Noise (Hamlets) (3rd Reading) The Assistant Administrator presented background information on this item and responded to questions from Council C-04/12 MOVED BY COUNCILLOR L. JUSS that Bylaw 1745-11, being a bylaw to prohibit certain activities creating noise and to abate the incidence of noise and restrict the hours when certain sounds may be made, be given THIRD and FINAL reading as amended. MOTION CARRIED Page 2 of 7 Regular Council January 5,2012 LEFT THE MEETING Councillor M. Nesbitt declared a pecuniary interest due to her association with the Brooks Bulletin and left the meeting at 10:06 a.m. 8. ADMINISTRATIVE BUSINESS a. Newspaper Subscriptions for Rural Residents The Chief Administrative Officer presented background information on this item and responded to questions from Council. Councillor C. Amulung noted that the agreement was for a two-year term and the Chief Administrative Officer indicated that the Brooks Bulletin had requested a two-year contract due to the amount of work required to set up the program. Discussion followed regarding whether or not most ratepayers want this service. The Chief Administrative Officer reiterated the benefits to both the County and the Brooks Bulletin. He acknowledged that there could be issues in the future if the service is not renewed and ratepayers are suddenly not receiving newspapers, but the County will continue the practice of advertising in local newspapers as well as on the radio and the internet. C-05/12 MOVED BY COUNCILLOR B. DE JONG that Council APPROVES the Memorandum of Understanding dated January 5, 2012 with the Brooks Bulletin for a County-wide subscription of the weekly newspaper. MOTION DEFEATED ARRIVED AT MEETING Councillor M. Nesbitt returned at 10:17 a.m. b. Land Use Bylaw Review - Preliminary Review/Discussion The Assistant Administrator presented background information on this item and responded to questions from Council. Council selected Tuesday, February 8, 2011 beginning at 10:00 a.m. in Council Chambers. Councillor I. Schroeder, A. Eastman, and B. de Jong will not be attending. ARRIVED AT MEETING K. Martin arrived at 10:19 a.m. Page 3 of 7 Regular Council January 5,2012 7. DELEGATIONS a. K. Martin (Fire & Emergency Services Coordinator) 10:30 a.m. County Fire Services Recognition & Benefits The Fire & Emergency Services Coordinator presented background information on this item and responded to questions from Council. He provided a spreadsheet of estimated costs for various benefits to Council, indicating that health care and dental coverage made up the largest portion of the costs. Discussion followed regarding standardizing the services provided by the divisional fire departments and it was determined that the most important benefits that should be standardized are WCB coverage, accident and life insurance, and firefighting equipment purchases. The Fire & Emergency Services Coordinator requested direction on how to proceed, asking whether he should distribute the information for feedback from individual departments or whether the decision would be made by Council and a funding source determined. The Assistant Administrator indicated that discussions have occurred at the quarterly meetings of the Fire Chiefs regarding the varied nature of the arrangements that exist between the different fire departments and they are open to the idea of standardization. The Fire & Emergency Services Coordinator reported that he will be meeting with representatives from a neighbouring County who are working towards the same goal to find out what their Council decided. LEFT THE MEETING Councillor R. Andrews left the meeting at 10:39 a.m. The Fire & Emergency Services Coordinator indicated that the estimates were based on a fire department with an average of 20 members. Council agreed that WCB and accident/life insurance should be required coverage but not health care and dental coverage. Councillor A.M. Philipsen asked if 'wages'could be renamed, as these are volunteer fire fighters. ARRIVED AT MEETING Councillor R. Andrews returned at 10:44 a.m. The Fire & Emergency Services Coordinator provided an explanation of rates associated with responding to emergency calls and indicated that currently up to $1,000.00 in honorarium can be claimed as tax-free income. The Fire & Emergency Services Coordinator responded to further questions from Council. Council provided direction to the Fire & Emergency Services Coordinator to present the proposed information, removing the health care and dental coverage costs, to the next meeting of the Fire Chiefs. Page 4 of 7 Regular Council January 5,2012 LEFT THE MEETING K. Martin left the meeting at 11:01 a.m. 8. ADMINISTRATIVE BUSINESS- CONTINUED c. Councillor Payment Sheets (November 2011) Council discussed further amendments to the Councillor Payment Sheets for November 2011. C-06/12 MOVED BY COUNCILLOR A.M. PHILIPSEN that the November 2011 Councillor Payment Sheets be accepted with the amendments recommended by the Councillor Compensation Review Committee and as follows: - Councillor B. de Jong - Remembrance Day - should be 0 hours - Reeve M. Douglass - Computer Training (November 29 & 30) - should be 10 hours. MOTION CARRIED d. Cheque Register `416.• The Assistant Administrator responded to questions from Council. C-07/12 MOVED BY COUNCILLOR R. ANDREWS that the Cheque Register be accepted. MOTION CARRIED ARRIVED AT MEETING M. Harbicht arrived at 11:08 a.m. 9. PUBLIC WORKS BUSINESS a. Superintendent of Public Works Report The Superintendent of Public Works Report presented his report and responded to questions from Council. Councillor R. Andrews expressed concerns with the transmission line tower being constructed near the intersection of Highway 36 and Silver Sage Road and asked if a guardrail should be installed. The Chief Administrative Officer suggested that Alberta Transportation and the utility service provider be notified of the concern. The Superintendent of Public Works responded to further questions from Council. 41611001 Page5of7 Regular Council January 5,2012 b. Utilities - NRSC Report The Utilities - NRSC Report was presented to Council. C-08/12 MOVED BY COUNCILLOR M. NESBITT that the Superintendent of Public Works report and the Utilities - NRSC Report for December 2011 be APPROVED as presented. MOTION CARRIED 10. POST AGENDA ITEMS a. Appointment of Bylaw Enforcement Officer/Animal Control Officer The Assistant Administrator presented background information and responded to questions from Council. LEFT THE MEETING Reeve M. Douglass left the meeting at 11:15 a.m. Deputy Reeve B. de Jong assumed the Chair. C-09/12 MOVED BY COUNCILLOR A.M. PHILIPSEN that Payman Parseyan be appointed as a Bylaw Enforcement Officer and Animal Control Officer for the County of Newell. MOTION CARRIED Councillor B. de Jong inquired about the status of the Community Peace Officer status appointments by the Solicitor General. The Chief Administrative Officer replied that the Memorandum of Agreement must be signed by the RCMP "K" Division and that he has been unable to obtain updated information on the status of the application. Currently, the CPOs are able to enforce County bylaws but not provincial statutes. ARRIVED AT MEETING Reeve M. Douglass returned to the meeting at 11:19 a.m. and assumed the Chair. The Chief Administrative Officer indicated that he would contact MP LaVar Payne's office to see if they can obtain further information. The Superintendent of Public Works provided an overview of the CPOs duties. The Superintendent of Public Works provided Council with an overview of a meeting with Alberta Transportation staff prior to the Council meeting. Items discussed included Bridge File 75926, Fisher Bridge, Range Road 18-2, Highway 525, Highway 876, Highway 873, Highway 535, and paved versus Page 6 of 7 Regular Council January 5,2012 kr gravel road maintenance. He also indicated that they will work towards Noise obtaining a written agreement with Volker Stevin regarding maintenance of the Kinbrook Island access road and the paved roads around Scandia. The Superintendent of Public Works responded to further questions from Council. LEFT THE MEETING M. Harbicht left the meeting at 11:33 a.m. 11. QUESTION PERIOD/NOTICE OF MOTION A question period and notice of motion was held. Reeve M. Douglass asked to revisit the reorganization of the 10 divisional boundaries for a more even population distribution. This item will be discussed further during a future Council meeting. Councillor B. de Jong presented information on the Alberta CARE (Coordinated Action for Recycling Enterprises) Alberta Recycling Spring Seminar. C-10/12 MOVED BY COUNCILLOR J. BULGER that Councillor B. de Jong be permitted to attend the Alberta Recycling Spring Seminar in Banff, AB on February 29 - March 2, 2012 as a function of Council. MOTION CARRIED 12. IN CAMERA There were no in camera items to discuss at this meeting. 13. ADJOURN Being that the agenda matters have been concluded, the meeting adjourned at 11:40 a.m. Signed this [7 day of , 2012 ___. Ai 4 1 � � .........: eeve r Co "Ao ministrator Page 7 of 7