ECA Review 2021-03-11

ECA REVIEW HANNA/CORONATION/STETTLER, AB March 11'21 3
BASHAW COUNCIL
Bashaw says residents must
monitor certain water lines
Stu Salkeld
Local Journalism
Initiative reporter
ECA Review
Bashaw council will uphold a
$220.50 bill sent to a resident
over a frozen water line after
the resident objected to being
charged for the situation.
The decision was made at the
March 4 regular meeting of
council which was streamed via
Zoom to meet pandemic rules.
Town Chief Administrative
Officer (CAO) Theresa Fuller
presented council with a letter
from a resident who had a water
line freeze during the recent
cold snap, and was unhappy the
Town of Bashaw billed the resident
for the staff time involved.
“On the morning of Feb. 12 I
had no water,” stated the handwritten
letter which had the
name and address removed.
“There was water at 1:30 a.m.
“I called the town and alerted
them of problem at approximately
9 a.m. I removed the
Terri Huxley
ECA Review
In part of an eight-year program to
convert oil lease roads to gravel within
Flagstaff County, intent to perform
sub grade preparation on Range Road
152, south of Forestburg for 3.5 miles to
Township Road 412 is set to take place
shortly.
On Feb. 26, the village received a
letter from Flagstaff County Public
Works Superintendent Darrell Szott
formally notifying the village of the
county’s project.
This process involves removing the
oil surface currently in place, re-compacting
the sub-grade and
re-establishing the crown on the road
surface and finally surfacing the
roadbed with gravel.
Upon learning this, village administration
conveyed concern with this as
they and council both felt the road was
in good condition aside from one small
portion.
In speaking with the Chief
Administrative Officer (CAO) of
Flagstaff, CAO Dwight Dibben told
council this would not be their
door to access the water meter,
the water meter was solid with
ice. I checked the trickle flow,
no water.
“The town did not have equipment
to melt the ice in a short
period of time, period.’
The letter stated the resident
then hired Dennick Enterprises
to thaw ice in three hours at
$100 per hour which was paid by
the resident. The meter was
changed by the town staff.
The resident stated the heat
tape on the water meter was
working and the last time the
water meter was replaced was
2001.
The resident claimed the
problem was caused by the
town’s placement of the water
meter.
“The grievance I have is the
town installed meter at a ridiculous
place initially,” stated the
resident, “which should never
be installed under the trailer.”
The resident was unhappy
with the $220.50 bill received
from the Town of Bashaw.
FORESTBURG COUNCIL
The CAO noted the resident
was not billed for a new water
meter as the meter in question
was scheduled for replacement
anyway, but the resident was
billed for the public works staff
time.
Fuller stated in her report the
meter was leaking but the water
meter was located on the resident’s
property, in the crawl
space underneath a mobile
home and according to provincial
legislation and the town
bylaw residents are responsible
for monitoring water meters on
private property, including
underneath mobile homes.
Coun. Lynn Schultz stated
homeowners should be
checking their meters in cold
weather.
“To me it seems pretty clear
cut,” said agreed Coun. Rosella
Peterman. “I have no problem
with the rescue, but there is a
cost.”
Public Works Foreman
Murray Holroyd said that there
are a few more water meters
Flagstaff road recovery program
affects southern Forestburg road
recommendation to county council to
keep the road as is.
He did, however, mention the neighbouring
community of Sedgewick has
made a deal with the county over one
road north of town that connects
Sedgewick Lake Park Campground
and the local cemetery.
Council passed a motion to write to
the county asking for a similar deal as
Sedgewick to keep this oil surface road
south of the village intact.
School support
In response to a conversation that
took place last meeting about school
success, administration followed up
with Forestburg’s principal to find out
how the municipality and community
itself could support the school.
Recent years have seen a downturn
in enrollment which has been a cause
for concern for many.
Chief Administrative Officer (CAO)
Dwight Dibben in his report to council
shared he spoke with Forestburg
School Principal Gordon Thompson
on Feb. 25, gaining valuable insight as
to how they can support.
Turn to Forestburg, Pg 5
installed in a similar
manner
around Bashaw.
Councillors
elected to accept
the request for
information purposes
only.
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