ECA Review 2020-10-01

ECA REVIEW HANNA/CORONATION/STETTLER, AB OCTOBER 1'20 3
Council moves forward with $100,000 spend
Deputy Mayor of the Village of
Morrin, M’Liss Edwards called a special
meeting for the purpose of
approving the Municipal Stimulus
Program (MSP).
The meeting was held by conference
call on Fri. Sept. 25 at 7 p.m.
Mayor Howard Helton did not
attend.
In an interview with the ECA Review
reporter as to his absence in the
meeting, Mayor Howard Helton stated
the meeting was non-compliant
according to the Municipal
Government Act (MGA), Section 194
(1), and (5), and he did not cast a vote to
hold the meeting.
The section states the “chief elected
official” can call a special council
meeting, stating the purpose, from a
request by a majority of council.
It goes on to state that “no matter
other than that stated in the notice
calling the special council meeting
may be transacted at the meeting”.
The meeting notice stated that the
item of business would be to “discuss
the Municipal Sustainability Initiative
(MSI) grant but later corrected it to
state it was the Municipal Stimulus
Program (MSP) Capital Project.
However, when the agenda arrived,
said Helton, it had other items of business
not listed in the notice of the
meeting.
In a follow-up interview, Deputy
Mayor Edwards stated Sec. 194 (4) in
the MGA states that a special meeting
can be held in less than 24 hours with
no public notice, if at least 2/3rds vote
in favour. Edwards stated the vote was
held by email but did not provide the
emailed vote to the media.
Edwards and Coun. Wilton were in
attendance at the village office for the
Special Meeting with Chief
Administrative Officer (CAO) Annette
Plachner while the public was on
teleconference.
A motion was made to forward the
Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) to
spend the Municipal Stimulus
Program (MSP) amounting to $50,000
for Morrin to be put towards the village
water plant upgrade.
The plan showed upgrading the duty
pumps, installing
a new regulator
valve with new
piping and a bulk
water truckfill.
Helton
explained to the
ECA Review in an
emailed response
that he was of the
opinion the MSP
Grant Application
he received from
CAO Plachner on
Sept. 22 was
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MORRIN COUNCIL
lacking in information required by the
government.
He stated the application was
missing actual quotes (2 - 3 required)
with an itemized list in detail, drawings
and technical specifications for
the upgrade.
He also felt that the MSP wasn’t for
replacement of equipment.
“There are just too many anomalies
on this project to allow me to approve
this application as currently presented,”
said Helton.
As far as the bulk water truckfill
included in the application, Helton
noted several anomalies including the
quote was not detailed and was outdated.
There were no costs quoted for
installation and commissioning.
The only estimate council has
received was an outdated quote for the
truckfill for $19,492 from JC Industries
provided by the village’s former
Certified Water Manager, Glen Riep.
Helton expressed his concern that
Riep’s cistern cleaning estimate provided
by Riep was $10,200 which ended
up costing the village $21,700.
Nor did the numbers quoted match
what Riep had previously provided to
council.
Main street water/sewer
Helton concluded that he was of the
opinion the MSP application should
include the deferred revenue from the
MSI Capital in the amount of $790,045
plus the $50,000 to total $840,045 and
make up the application to go toward
the $840,000 main street water/sewer
project.
Helton stated this was a project
known to be in an emergency stage due
to confirmed blockage of the main
sewer which will continue to be an
ongoing cost for emergency services.
Helton was also of the opinion if construction
on the water upgrades in the
current MSP proceeded as of Oct. 31,
2020 (which was part of the application
in front of council at the special
meeting) without council discussion
and the appropriate cost estimates in
place and funds available, the village
would be committing to costs that
would not be funded.
“My goal is to see that the village
receives funding that will be most efficiently
utilized,” concluded Mayor
Helton in his correspondence to the
ECA Review.
$50,00 support for new school
Deputy Mayor and Coun. Wilton also
approved a motion for $50,000 to the
Friends of the Morrin School to be paid
over a period of three years from the
MSI funding.
Julie Robison, representative for the
Friends of the Morrin School had previously
told council they had three
priorities, to include the community,
inspire learning and literacy and promote
inclusivity.
Another motion at the special
meeting was made to donate $200 to the
Morrin School for an award and this
was also approved.
According to the MGA only what is
advertised to the public 24 hours prior
to a special meeting can be addressed
at that special meeting.
Only the MSP was to be discussed at
this special meeting.
Helton stated “To date, to my knowledge,
council has neither received a
has no knowledge of finances for the
village because “we have never
received a bank reconciliation statement
in 2020, actuals-budget (2020)
statement nor the Audited Financial
Statement for 2019. These are resources
that council need to be aware of before
any financial commitments are
determined.”
Municipal Affairs requires that the
2019 Financial Statements must be
approved by council and sent to
Municipal Affairs by Oct. 1, 2020.
“It is sad when administration and
members of council decide to act with
such disregard for the MGA regulations
and without knowledge of the
village’s financial position,” stated
Helton in his response.
“How can we spend money when we
don’t know what money we have to
spend,” said Helton.
Prairie Prairie Land Public Land School Public Division School Division
Prairie Land Public School Division
wishes
wishes wishes to
to
acknowledge
acknowledge to acknowledge the
the the
Divisional Scholarship Winners for 2019-2020
Divisional Divisional Scholarship Scholarship Winners Winners for for 2019-2020 2019-2020
Scholarship Winner School School
Eugene Eugene and and Gladys Gladys Scholarship Stephanie Marie
Winner School
Kush Breanna Storch
J.C. J.C. Charyk, Hanna Hanna
Kush Memorial Scholarship
Eugene and Gladys Stephanie Marie
Samantha Harris
Breanna Storch J.C. J.C. Charyk, Hanna Hanna
Ida
J.C. Charyk, Hann
Kush Ida Fielding Memorial Bursary Scholarship
Dixon Tattrie
Youngstown
Norman Norman Alexander Duff Duff Memorial Shaelynn Graumann Samantha Harris J.C. J.C. Charyk, Hanna Hanna J.C. Charyk, Hann
Ida Fielding Bursary
Pioneer Pioneer Homestead Bursary Haley Nelson Dixon Tattrie J.C. J.C. Charyk, Charyk, Hanna Hanna Youngstown
Norman Alexander Duff Memorial Shaelynn Graumann J.C. Charyk, Hann
Megan
Megan Coulton
Coulton
Consort
Consort
PLRD Pioneer PLRD Achievement
Achievement Homestead Bursary Tessa Reed
Tessa Reed Haley Nelson Delia
Delia J.C. Charyk, Hann
Rebecca Maron
Consort
Rebecca Maron
Consort
Megan Coulton
Consort
PLRD Distinction Breanna Storch J.C. Charyk, Hanna
PLRD Distinction Achievement
Breanna Storch Tessa Reed J.C. Charyk, Hanna Delia
PLRD Education Haley Nelson
Rebecca Maron
J.C. Charyk, Hanna
Consort
PLRD Education Haley Nelson J.C. Charyk, Hanna
Special Areas #2 Education Bursary
Reegan Hutton
J.C. Charyk, Hanna
Special (Estate Areas of Orlin #2 Education Graham Pearce) Bursary
Reegan Hutton
J.C. Charyk, Hanna
(Estate PLRD of Distinction Orlin Graham Pearce)
Breanna Storch J.C. Charyk, Hann
The Board of Trustees of Prairie Land Public School Division would
PLRD
The
Education
Board of Trustees of Prairie Land
Haley
Public
Nelson
School Division would
J.C. Charyk, Hann
like to congratulate and send best wishes to all the successful
Special like candidates. Areas to congratulate #2 Education We wish and you Bursary send all the best best wishes
Reegan
in your to
Hutton
future all the endeavors. successful
J.C. Charyk, Hann
(Estate candidates. of Orlin Graham We wish Pearce) you all the best in your future endeavors.
Village of Donalda
The Board of Trustees of Prairie Land Public School Division would
like to congratulate and send best wishes to all the successful
Franchise Fee Increase Notice
candidates. We wish you all the best in your future endeavors.
Please be advised the Village of Donalda is proposing to increase the local
franchise fee, which is charged to ATCO Electric for use of the municipal lands for
its power lines effective January 1, 2021 as per Council Resolution 195-20. The fee
is recovered by ATCO Electric from its customers that receive electric service in the
Village of Donalda.
The franchise fee will be increased from 5% to 9% on the delivery charge of ATCO Electric excluding energy
related riders. The average residential increase has been estimated at $4.91 per month based on the
average consumption N:\Accounting\Scholarships\2020 of 625kWh. Scholarships\Successful Applicants Ad 2019-2020.docx
Residents of the Village of Donalda will have until October 19, 2020 at 4:00 p.m., to make their concerns
N:\Accounting\Scholarships\2020 Scholarships\Successful Applicants Ad 2019-2020.docx
known to the Village of Donalda. Please contact Kristie Vallet, Chief Administrative Officer at:
Village of Donalda
PO Box 160 Donalda, AB T0B 1H0
Ph: 403 883 2345 Email: cao@village.donalda.ab.ca
Village of Donalda
Franchise Fee Increase Notice
Please be advised the Village of Donalda is proposing to increase the local franchise
fee, which is charged to AltaGas Utilities Inc. effective January 1, 2021 as per
Council Resolution 196-20. The Village of Donalda can revise the franchise fee on
an annual basis pursuant to Clause 5(b) of the Standard Natural Gas Distribution
N:\Accounting\Scholarships\2020 Scholarships\Successful Applicants Ad 2019-2020.docx
System Franchise Agreement as per Alberta Utilities Commission Decision 2476-D01-2019. The fee is
recovered by AltaGas from its customers that receive natural gas service in the Village of Donalda.
The franchise fee will be increased from 13.5% to 15% on the delivery charge of AltaGas. The average
residential increase has been estimated at $1.06 per month.
Residents of the Village of Donalda will have until October 19, 2020 at 4:00 p.m., to make their concerns
known to the Village of Donalda. Please contact Kristie Vallet, Chief Administrative Officer at:
Village of Donalda
PO Box 160 Donalda, AB T0B 1H0 Ph: 403-883-2345 Email: cao@village.donalda.ab.ca