ECA Review - 2019-06-27

ECA REVIEW HANNA/CORONATION/STETTLER, AB JuNE 27'19 3
FORESTBURG COUNCIL
Greenhouse project being explored further
Jody Pettigrew
ECA Review
Amanda Davis from 2052900 Alberta
Ltd. presented a commercial greenhouse
report to council at their regular
meeting on June 20.
The report examined the readiness
of attracting a commercial greenhouse
to the area.
“In general, we found that you have
the basic assets to attract commercial
investors, such as affordability and
labour force,” Davis summarized. “But
first we need to have all of the plans
and dedicated resources in place while
defining your unique assets.”
The Greenhouse Committee is
looking at building the greenhouse on
the old airport land west of Forestburg
although serviced land in the village
could also be an option as the average
Budget approved
J. Webster
ECA Review
Morrin council approved the 2019
Budget at their regular council
meeting on Wed. June 19. with total
operating expenditures of $501,800.
Revenues, other than taxation,
including transfers from unrestricted
surplus is budgeted at $282,000 leaving
$219,800 to be raised by municipal
taxes.
Taxes increased to $15.44 for residential/farmland,
up from 14.66 in 2018;
$16.64 for non-residential up from
$15.86 and linear 16, up from 15.
Additional expenses budgeted over
last year includes increases of $21,355
for water supply and distribution
system; $18,500 increase for sewer
system; $10,251 increase in garbage collection
and disposal; and
administration, a $40,000 increase for
an assistant CAO.
The current CAO has expressed a
desire to retire.
An operating contingency last year
was set at $15,000 with no contingency
in this year’s budget.
Operating revenue estimate totals
$542,800, up from $483,937 do to the
$40,000 from Unrestricted Surplus into
operating for the assistant CAO.
The estimated funded capital from
government that includes the Federal
Gas Tax funding, MSI Capital and
Operating shows MSI Capital grant up
$27,622 over last year and the MSI
Operating grant up $6648.
Monies transferred from the
General Capital Reserve shows
$142,000 for a total of $417,000, up from
$240,731.
No monies were transferred out of
the General Capital Reserve in 2018.
Estimated capital fund expenditures
approved in the budget included
parcel size needed for a commercial
greenhouse is two acres.
Coun. Devon McNabb stated that
“the airport land is good because we
need room for expansion in the
future.”
The village is exploring ways to
become a leader in renewables and to
diversify and develop a self-sustaining
local economy.
Davis will amend the report with
some additional research on the
demand for power required by a commercial
greenhouse and will send the
revised report to administration later
on.
Lands to be annexed
Flagstaff County has approved the
proposed annexation of 326.39 acres
located at the south side of Highway 53
and west of 53 Street.
Brownfield Baptist Church held a ‘Castor Music in the Park’ on Sunday afternoon, Jun. 23
next to Theresetta School. The band, from the left: Tyler Smith on the keyboard, vocals by
Radka Bursikova and Becky Webber, lead guitarist Don McKim, bassist Jordan Webber and
Ben Akindipe on drums.
ECA Review/Submitted
MORRIN COUNCIL
$142,000 for the CAO Package, $75,000
for paving repairs, $50,000 Federal
Gas, $40,000 for standby electric
engine, $50,000 for the generator, and
$40,000 for the green space for a total of
$399,000.
By-election
Council motioned that the by-election
to fill the seat left by Coun. Bob
Graham will be held on Fri. Aug. 16,
2019.
Green space
A suggestion to form a committee for
the green space was made by resident
Wanda Hampton at the Special Morrin
meeting on Tues. June 11 and accepted
by council, as that was the intent from
the beginning, noted Mayor Howard
Helton.
Ideas were discussed, however, still
no quotes were provided for landscaping
the lots.
Council instructed Chief
Administrative Officer Annette
Plachner to have public works arrange
for the removal of the recycling bins
and the gravel pad to the new location,
and proceed with new soil, grass seed
and fencing quotes for the next council
meeting.
Council had penciled in $40,000 for a
green space initiative at the June 11
meeting.
“The idea is to get something started
and from the outset the understanding
always has been to get participation
from clubs, interested persons, and private
persons,” explained Helton.
“We are just trying to get some
funding going so, like I say, to get some
groundwork done.”
“Apparently the landscaper was contacted,”
said Helton, “but I guess we
didn’t keep following up and making
sure they were going to come.”
The lands in this annexation are all
adjacent to the village and can be serviced
by the village’s road, water and
sewer system.
There is only one landowner, other
than the village, included in the annexation
area who has not been in contact
with administration as of yet, despite
an effort to communicate.
Council approved the annexation of
the airport lands.
With the annexation, the village will
have sufficient highway commercial
and light industrial land to accommodate
growth for the next 20 years.
Moving recycling bins
Council tabled the motion to move
the recycle bins from their current
location across from the public works
shop to east of 50th Avenue near the
indoor riding arena.
Chief Administrative Officer (CAO)
Debra Moffatt and Coun. Elaine Fossen
inspected the area and found that this
new location would work well.
Moving the recycling bins to this site
would still cost about $15,000 as they
need to add gravel and level the site.
Funds will be taken from the garbage
reserve.
“I am here to tell you we use that
area for a lot of things,” said Michelle,
Hiebert, a board member of the riding
arena, “for horses to be on the grass
and when we have a large event we use
it for parking.”
Coun. Fossen replied, “There is still
a lot of space. How often do you use the
space?”
“When you have a rodeo of 50 or
more horses, we only have a small
area. We host about three rodeos in
the spring, and six will be happening
there this fall.
“Other people also use it for other
events with 25 to 50 horses at a time.
We get squished enough as it is. In
winter you fill it with snow, and then
with campers in the summer,” she
said.
“People will want the grass there,
especially if they are tenting overnight
for a rodeo. The panels to set up for
horses also take up a lot of space and
they would need the grass,” concluded
Hiebert.
“We can try to accommodate that
somehow but it [the recycling bins] has
to be moved,” Coun. Fossen stated.
“Maybe what we can do is clear some
of those trees if that means giving
them more space. Well, maybe we need
to sell that land then. How do we
accommodate all these things?”
Coun. Dwayne Giroux reminded
council, “We need to accommodate
because we are trying to encourage
them to use the space and now we are
limiting it. Are we dead set against putting
a nice fence around where the
recycling bins already are?”
”Many residents have came up to me
who have told me that they want it
moved.” replied Coun. Fossen.
“I am dead set against leaving it
where it is. I just think that at the back
[near the riding arena] we are not disturbing
anyone. There is a lot of space
in behind.”
“I really think it’s not a big deal,”
said Mayor Blaise Young adding that
“they deserve our consideration.”
Fossen will take a site plan to
Flagstaff Waste Regional Landfill as
suggested by Deputy Mayor Bob
Coutts.
Join Us
at our Open House
ATCO is hosting open houses for the
Central East Transfer Out Transmission Project
This project is planning to add two staged 240 kV
transmission lines between the existing Tinchebray
substation near the Village of Halkirk and the service
territory boundary near the Village of Alix and the
Village of Nevis. Also there are planned alterations to
the existing Tinchebray substation.
Your feedback on the project is important to us. We
encourage you to learn more or provide your input
by attending one of our open houses, visiting our
website or by contacting us.
Please join us at one of the drop in style open
houses listed below between 4 pm and 8 pm.
Halkirk — Tuesday, July 9, 2019
Halkirk Community Hall – 111 Main Street, Halkirk
Stettler — Wednesday, July 10, 2019
Stettler Community Hall – 5101 - 46 Avenue, Stettler
1 855 420 5775 | consultation@ATCOelectric.com
www.ATCOelectric.com (click on “Projects”)