ECA Review - 2019-04-03

ECA REVIEW HANNA/CORONATION/STETTLER, AB ApRIL 4'19 3
BIG VALLEY COUNCIL
Modular home request denied
Terri Huxley
ECA Review
Due to safety concerns and
maintaining a relatively cohesive
community, council chose
to turn down a request to allow
for modular homes that are
10-years-old and over within the
village.
A Big Valley resident recently
requested the land use bylaw be
amended to allow for these older
style modular homes to be
allowed.
At their council meeting held
on Thurs. March 28, council felt
that safety was the number one
concern as older homes are
more likely to cause problems
down the road.
A written complaint was also
received, warning of the dangers
of allowing an older home
into the village as it could possibly
‘open a pandora’s box if
allowed’.
Former Chief Administrative
Officer (CAO) Michelle White
spoke with a building inspector
to determine if there was any
significance between a 10-yearold
home and a 12 or 15-year-old
home.
The inspector indicated he
was not in favour of relaxing
the bylaw because of energy and
fire codes which change fairly
often.
By having a fixed age, a
municipality is ensuring the
unit is not excessively outdated
for compliance with all areas of
the safety code.
Neighbouring municipalities
are also within the eight to 10
New sergeant in town
Killarney Scheffield
ECA Review
Coronation town council had
their first official meet and
greet with new Sgt. Jason Smith
at their regular meeting held on
Mon. March 25.
Sgt. Smith came to
Coronation with extensive experience
in a number of areas,
serving in Drumheller,
Hobbema and Maythorpe
detachments.
He is also currently overseeing
the Consort detachment
until a replacement arrives in
May.
Sgt. Smith approached
council to hear any concerns
they might have and spoke
about his commitment to tackling
elderly fraud within the
community.
Council suggested more
RCMP presence in and around
the school and recreation facilities
would be an area of interest.
Coronation Library
The annual Coronation
library report was delivered by
Chelsey Peacock, the new manager
as of the end of July 2018.
The library has seen a growth
in membership by 92 card
holders since 2016, as well as a
63 per cent increase in library
use, 26 per cent website interaction
and 11 per cent increase in
year range.
“I’m not inclined to change
the bylaw,” said Mayor Sandra
Schell. “I’m inclined to leave it
as the 10 years due to safety
codes, due to the discussion
from the building spector with
what he has put forward, and
the fact that we are not that out
of line with any other municipality
in doing what we do.”
Pump Track Park
With youth engagement
at the forefront of the last
municipal election, council
has found a pump track
park to be an excellent way
of achieving these requests
from youth in the area.
A pump track park is a
circuit of hills and banked
turns which can be used by
a wide variety of skill
levels.
It was originally created by
the professional biker scene but
these parks are known to be
cheaper than average and are
wheel chair, skateboard and
scooter accessible.
CAO Priscilla Brown asked
council how they wanted to
pursue this potential idea as
more clarification on direction
was needed.
Council felt it was important
that an outside group take the
lead on the project but would
support by way of finances,
grant help and possibly materials
and work.
Having a group that is not
attached to the village was said
to be beneficial as there are
grants the village can not apply
CORONATION COUNCIL
library materials accessed.
An addition of 32 more programs
in 2018, such as the
mobile library, summer reading
program, crafts and movie
nights has been well received by
the public.
Fundraising saw an additional
$3,606 and donations
made $5,681 available for program
use and development.
As well, 634 new books and
materials were purchased with
a focus on tween and teen
interaction.
Chief Administrative Officer
(CAO) Sandra Kulyk reviewed
the 2018/2019 library budget and
found all to be in order.
Coun. Jackie Brigley brought
up some concerns regarding the
community standards bylaws
for Coronation.
One of the issues being discussed
is the allotment of two
derelict vehicle enforcement
issues.
Keeping the town clean and
preserving land values is an
ongoing concern and more discussion
is expected to be
brought back up at the next
meeting to address the matter.
Free system
George Glazier attended the
council meeting to make a presentation
on the Alberta
Tourism Information System
(ATIS) to encourage more use of
for but another organization
can.
“The government wants more
collaboration for even getting
your grant,” said Deputy Mayor
Harry Nibourg. “So in order to
get your grant, you’ve got to
show that you are collaborating
with other entities just to make
it more viable.
“
The cost to construct
a park like this has a
potential price tag
between $125,000
and $150,000.
“They don’t want to be giving
individual grants to everybody.
They would rather give more to
a bigger group,” he concluded.
Council agreed that the partnership
should entail their
contributions of finding the
land and maintenance on top of
the previously mentioned duties
but the fundraising itself would
fall under the other organization
or multiple organizations.
The cost to construct a park
like this has a potential price
tag between $125,000 and
$150,000.
Under the direction of
council, village staff will
approach a number of local
groups with this idea of fundraising
and how the village
the system as it is free and
would benefit the town’s
tourism sector.
It was discussed that more
events rather than just the
rodeo and fair should be added
on a regular basis to help make
tourists and other communities
aware of what is happening in
Coronation year round,
including the library programs
and other local events.
Aerial photo
A new aerial photo showcasing
town growth was
discussed as the last one was
completed in 2013. Council
decided to wait until 2020 for a
new image.
Summer labor was also on
the agenda, specifically the
need for a third position.
The Summer Temporary
Employment Program (STEP)
covers up to $4,000 worth of
wages currently for two
summer student positions to
help maintain parks, walking
trails and street fronts.
Council agreed to hire a third
student to meet the town’s needs
in this area at the cost of
approximately $7,000.
The water pooling issue at
Thornton Park was another
concern addressed with possible
solutions to the problem to
be brought back to the next
meeting.
“
would like take on this
project.
Water credit discovered
In an attempt for the new
CAO to understand the
Shirley McClellan Regional
Water Services Commission
(SMRWSC) and Big Valley’s
financial relation to it,
Brown found $20,000 in
credit to the village.
Numerous conversations
between her and
the staff team led to the
discovery as “conversation
and some of the
reports that are produced
monthly just
didn’t seem to add up to
me,” said Brown in her
report to council.
Brown spoke with
County of Stettler CAO
Yvette Cassidy with her
theory. She put Brown in
touch with a member of
their water management
team and found the credit.
Since inception, water has
been incorrectly metered at
the SMRWSC reservoir and
billed to Big Valley but they
found it should be billed in
Big Valley.
The meter reading is
expected to be fixed in time
for the next cycle.
“There are still discrepancies
that I feel are out there
but we are working with the
people up in Stettler to
figure out if it’s a Big Valley
issue or if it’s a them issue,”
said CAO Brown.
All of council felt the discovery
was exceptional.
“That’s a great find – like
huge. Well done,” said
Mayor Schell.
Zero harassment
tolerance
With bylaw questions and
concerns on the rise, CAO
Brown asked council what
the village tolerates and how
bylaw concerns
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403-578-4111
HOME-BASED BUSINESS
Network Event
Wednesday, Apr 10, 2019
7pm - 9 pm HLC Upstairs Boardroom 401 Centre St., Hanna Ab.
Hear the results of the and take the opportunity to discuss with your peers, strategies for:
2018 Hanna
Marketing,
Educational
Exposure,
Seminars for HBB
Home Based
Co-operative
space, and
Business Survey
Mentorship,
Events, Business
should be carried out under
responsibilities of the CAO.
Brown mentioned there
had been a couple of cases in
which a resident came to the
office and verbally abused
her and other staff
members.
She drew a line in the
sand and asked the individuals
to leave in order to get
their bearings and calm
down before coming back
inside.
A zero tolerance harassment
policy notice has been
placed on the door as
warning.
Typically, a resident
would fill out a one page
bylaw complaint form but
CAO Brown has found that
many residents do not wish
to have their name on the
form.
Mayor Schell assured her
that this was not the case
and all that information was
kept private from the public
including councillors other
than if it reaches court.
“We’ve said it 100 times if
not a million times that yes,
they have to sign their name
to that form but that is not
public knowledge.
“That is straight up yours
and it does not go any further
unless it goes to court.
Honestly, I think in like 30 -
40 years here, there has only
ever been one case that has
ever gone to court.”
Mayor Schell had called
Municipal Affairs about the
CAO’s responsibilities and it
was determined when she
was sworn in, she was
immediately granted bylaw
officer under the Municipal
Government Act.
Council made a resolution
that reinforces the power of
bylaw officer to the CAO
which is either complaint
driven or under her
discretion.
Big Valley United Church
Ham Supper & Silent Auction
Big Valley Community Hall
Sunday, April 14 - 4:30 - 6:30 pm
Adults $12.00 Under 6 Free
taxation, licensing and
community involvement.
Please R.S.V.P craig.berke@hannalearining.com or calling 403-854-2099