ECA Review 2024-03-28

More documents

Recommendations

Info

2 M arch 28'24 HANNA/CORONATION/STETTLER, AB. ECA REVIEW BASHAW COUNCIL Council wants draft 2024 operating budget smaller Stu Salkeld Local Journalism Initiative reporter ECA Review Bashaw town council wants to whittle down their draft 2024 operating budget after a detailed presentation at the March 20 regular council meeting. Town Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) Theresa Fuller presented the draft operating budget to councillors, noting in her report that the town’s 2023 financial statement is still being prepared. “Once the audit is complete, the actuals within the budget will be updated and may impact the overall budget,” stated Fuller in her memo to council. As Fuller and other staff reviewed all sections of the draft budget, she noted a few key areas. She began by saying there appeared to be a sight increase in staff functions and this was likely due to the policy of providing turkeys or hams to staff at Christmas, while the price of these items has increased noticeably; she noted councillors may wish to revisit that policy. Under general administration, Fuller stated the budget remains fairly stable, noting that the previous grant program quite important to municipalities, the Municipal Sustainability Initiative (MSI), has been replaced by a new program, the Local Government Fiscal Framework (LGFF) and Bashaw’s grant appears to be the same amount at $118,190. It was noted that a public auction generated additional revenue for this department. Fuller stated that provincial requisitions such as education tax are tricky: the rate based on property assessment stayed much the same for education tax, but property values increased, so taxpayers will see an increase described as nine per cent. Coun. Cindy Orom asked if the Town of Bashaw’s switch to monthly water billing affected this department. Fuller responded no, that would be part of the water budget. The fire department was briefly discussed; the draft budget proposed stable funding and Fuller noted the department expects more calls in 2024. She also noted the Bashaw Fire Department has been successful in finding grant money. Coun. Kyle McIntosh asked if the proposed wildland fire truck is listed in this budget; the CAO responded that the truck will be included in the capital rather than the operating budget. The community services department, stated Fuller, can be tricky to budget as it’s difficult to predict, for example, how many building permits will be sought. She noted FCSS costs are a bit higher. Discussing the Public Works department Fuller stated dust control and insurance costs have climbed. A bit more money has been earmarked for the airport as Fuller stated it’s unclear if a door being left open and a tap left running was an accident or intentional vandalism. It was noted tipping fees at the landfill have gone down substantially, and the CAO noted that’s because Bashaw residents are strong recyclers. Councillors also discussed maintenance and other costs associated with the community hall, with the CAO noting this building costs substantial money. “It’s an expensive building,” said Fuller. In the recreation department staff mentioned unused ice time at the arena; it was noted users groups may want that ice time but aren’t aware of it. Councillors discussed the draft operating budget; Mayor Rob McDonald noted that if about $66,500 were cut from this draft, town council would only have to consider a five per cent property tax increase or less if more savings can be found. Coun. Bryan Gust stated he felt that there are places to find savings in the draft budget, plus suggested using reserves to get any possible tax Small town business can easily be target of fraud through calls, email, social media Stu Salkeld Local Journalism Initiative reporter ECA Review Rural Alberta communities aren’t immune from fraud, and small business is often the target of sophisticated fraudsters, whether they be provincial, national or international in nature. As March is Fraud Awareness Month, business owners can benefit from some advice that may very well save them some money. Local businessman Gord Lawlor, who has owned and operated jewelry stores in multiple communities, shared some of his experiences with fraud in an effort to help other business owners avoid being ripped off by con-men. In a phone interview March 19 Lawlor stated local business owners may be wary of someone contacting them by phone, email, text or social media with interest in something expensive or extravagant. He cited as an example someone contacting him by phone from another province asking about a rather expensive piece of jewelry, even something up to $15,000. As the call proceeded the caller had excuses for everything, including a credit card that was declined; the scammer claimed they just booked an expensive vacation on that card and must have maxed it out. Lawlor noted eventually staff decided not to proceed with a proposal that big over the phone; this is an effective strategy, as requesting the buyer appear in person may in effect call their bluff. If, as suspected, the caller is actually a scammer in another province or country, obviously they will not appear in person at your Stettler-area business. Lawlor stated that an acquaintance of his called describing a phone call like this. The friend stated they were quite excited about the prospective large purchase which can mean a lot to a small business’ bottom line, but the friend had an uneasy feeling that “something was wrong.” As it turned out, Gord spoke to his staff and they suspected the original phone call was a scammer attempting to rip them off. Lawlor noted that these fraud lures dangled by scammers may be very tempting to a small business owner who is struggling to make ends meet. Lawlor also related an incident he’d heard about locally where a woman was targeted in a romance scam; apparently, this lady had a “fiancé” overseas who was directing her to essentially send her life savings to him through gift cards. Red flags were being thrown up when this lady was regularly purchasing $1,000 to $1,500 worth of gift cards. Technically, it’s not illegal for someone to buy that many gift cards over that short period a time but friends and family may note that it’s out of character for a person to do so, a signal that something may be wrong. These are some of the pitfalls that rural Alberta business owners face through modern fraud. The RCMP provided a wealth of information and good advice for Fraud Awareness Month. Federal campaign RCMP Federal Policing Strategist Christina Zoernig shared a treasure trove of information about the bewildering array of fraud facing not just business owners but Canadians in general. “This March, the Alberta RCMP will be sharing information and resources in support of the Alberta Community Crime Prevention Association’s (ACCPA) Fraud Prevention Month campaign,” stated a press release to the ECA Review newspaper March 6. “The campaign, which will include a weekly theme, seeks to educate Albertans on the many ways that fraudulent activity impacts their communities.” She noted some scams getting a light shone on them included romance scams (partner is interested in you and asks you to send them money), phishing emails (email is fake and clicking it exposes your computer to theft), job scams (job doesn’t exist), buy and sell fraud (item doesn’t exist), lottery and/or prize scams (you are asked to pay a fee to claim your prize), tech repair scams (problem they describe doesn’t exist); and impersonation scams (sometimes called the grandparents scam). “How can you protect yourself from these types of scams?” mused Zoernig. “Here are some helpful resources: Use strong and unique passwords for your online accounts; Learn the seven major red flags of phishing emails; and learn how to better protect your money from cyber criminals.” The seven red flags include threats, request for private information, sounds too good to be true, email shows up out of the blue, information mismatch such as obvious spelling errors, suspicious attachments and amateurish design. Another area of focus in the campaign is business fraud such as investment fraud via social media; Ponzi or pyramid schemes; cryptocurrency scams; real estate investment scams; and offshore investment schemes. Cpl. Sean Milne of the Alberta RCMP Provincial Financial Crime Team added, “As technology continues to evolve, scammers are finding new and innovative ways to convince a target that they are legitimate. Canadians can better protect themselves from these online tactics by learning how to secure your accounts, devices and digital connections.” Elvis is alive! Elvis is alive! RCMP advised that if you believe you may be a victim of fraud, or are currently being targeted by fraud, please report it to your local law enforcement and the Canadian Anti- Fraud Centre (CAFC) at 1-888-495-8501. Instances of compromised personal and/or financial information should be reported to your bank and credit card company. CONCERT SPONSOR Battle River Railway For Information and Tickets e-mail: info@daysarts.ca or phone Sharon 780-374-2403 increase down to a reasonable level. Coun. McIntosh stated he felt councillors should have a talk about the dog/cat bylaw and mentioned a recent incident where dogs running at large cost the Town of Bashaw a substantial amount of money. Councillors unanimously passed a resolution instructing town staff to cut at least $66,500 from the draft operating budget and bring the issue back to a future meeting. Beaver Rural Electrification Association ANNUAL General Meeting Thurs., April 11, 7:30 p.m. Legion Hall, Castor Please plan on attending and join us in the operation of your association. the Daysland Palace Theatre presents THURSDAY APRIL 4 at 7:30 The Daysland Palace Theatre presents Concert Sponsor: Battle River Railway Reception Sponsor: Mad Platter Catering Tickets available at the Door for $35 palacetheatre-daysarts.ca Find us on Facebook/ DayslandPalaceTheatre JEFFERY STRAKER Thursday, April 4 www.palacetheatre-daysarts.ca Find us on f Facebook/DayslandPalaceTheatre Elvis is alive! CRISTIA DE LA LU at 7:30 pm RECEPTION SPONSOR Mad Platter Catering Lifting People’s Spirits Lifting People’s Spirits Tickets available at the door $35 Info/tickets: Sharon 780-374-2403 / info@daysarts.ca BELIEVE IT or NOT? BELIEVE IT or NOT? Four out of five people in Canada turn Four to out print of five or digital people newspapers in Canada as their turn to trusted print or source digital newspapers for and information. as their trusted And source research for news finds and they trust information. the ads And too research – more finds than they any trust the other ads too medium. – more than any other medium. Be where Canadians are looking for credible Be where news, Canadians written are by looking humans, for credible news, written by humans, for humans. for humans. T Feb BEL F tu as inf tr Be cr
# ECA REVIEW HANNA/CORONATION/STETTLER, AB March 28'24 3 HANNA COUNCIL Discount rent for farmers market continued Stu Salkeld Local Journalism Initiative reporter ECA Review Hanna town council continued to subsidize rent for the local farmers market after a presentation from that nonprofit organization at the March 12 regular meeting of council. Councillors heard a presentation by Peggy Rehill on behalf of the Hanna Farmers Market requesting a reduced rental rate for space in the curling rink. The Farmers Market also provided a letter from Farmers Market Manager Melissa Ray providing more information for the request, acknowledging the Town of Hanna has provided a rental subsidy in the past for the farmers market. The letter outlined a number of challenges facing the market, including pandemic recovery. Rehill, who also provided councillors with a financial statement on the non-profit farmers market, noted those involved wth the farmers market wish to serve the community. “We didn’t make a lot of money but we’re not in it for money,” said Rehill. “We’re in it for service.” Rehill stated the organization regularly hears from people who appreciate this service and those involved, including vendors, organizers and visitors, feel the service is worthwhile. Rehill noted last year the farmers market had 35 different vendors from Hanna, with another 30 vendors from out of the community. Rehill noted that non-profit societies are offered free tables at the farmers market, and it was noted five such organizations took advantage of that opportunity; two of them were at the market every week. Coun. Sandra Murphy stated that after visiting the farmers market herself she was disappointed by the huge space and few tables plus the dark atmosphere of the venue. Murphy asked if the curling rink is the best place to hold the farmers market. Rehill responded the organization has looked around at other venues, but considering things like vendor and visitor access, the curling rink is the only facility that meets all needs; plus, the curling rink isn’t heavily used during the summer so it’s available when the farmers market wishes. It was noted the farmers market doesn’t do fundraising and the Hanna Ag Society is its sponsor, a requirement for farmers markets in Alberta. Coun. Sandra Beaudoin noted that farmers market vendors and visitors, especially out-oftowners, probably support local businesses when they visit Hanna. Rehill agreed, noting the farmers market doesn’t usually offer a concession so vendors will likely visit Hanna’s eating establishments. The farmers market representative noted the organization actually posted a loss in 2023, their biggest ever, stating the non-profit was very grateful that the Hanna Ag Society has helped them in the past. After the presentation Council balks at invoice for bridge replacement Stu Salkeld Local Journalism Initiative reporter ECA Review Big Valley village council wants to meet with their County of Stettler counterparts to discuss a $30,000 invoice the smaller municipality says it has no record it ever committed to paying. The resolution to request a meeting was passed at Big Valley’s March 18 regular council meeting. This was the first regular council meeting following the Feb. 20 by-election and featured newly elected Mayor Chantel Janke and Coun. Tim Fields along with current Coun. Dan Houle. Village Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) Colleen Mayne provided councillors with an update on an invoice the village received from the County of Stettler for $32,206.91 described as “BF 07577 Bridge Replacement” on the document. At a previous council meeting it was noted the invoice represented what the County of Stettler claimed was the village’s share of construction on the bridge located on Twp. Rd. #355 which connects Big Valley’s Railway Ave. to Hwy. 56. The construction work was completed in summer of 2023. When the invoice was last discussed the Village of Big Valley was without council quorum and still under the guidance of the provincial government’s Official Administrator (OA) Gene Sobolewski; at that time the OA decided the issue should be tabled for the newly elected council to decide. BIG VALLEY COUNCIL The CAO previously reported Mayne added that the Village while she found a resolution on of Big Valley works closely with file of the Village of Big Valley the County of Stettler on many sending a letter of support for projects and suggested that if the County of Stettler’s grant this invoice was not paid the applications for this bridge relationship between the two project, Mayne couldn’t find municipalities may be any record of a resolution committing damaged. money to the project. Coun. Houle noted there was Mayne provided a copy of the no resolution passed to help pay support letter to councillors for the bridge construction, and which was approved by resolution questioned whether the bridge Nov. 26, 2020. was necessary; Houle pointed “Upon receipt of the invoice, out the Village of Big Valley has the village CAO had requested three other accesses. the county provide a copy of the Houle also pointed out STIP grant application to which because of the village’s permanent the letter of support related to; a road bans, that bridge copy has yet to be provided,” plays little role in commercial stated Mayne’s report to Innovation Strategy traffic entering Big Valley. council. in order to Houle meet the also needs of stated those we serve. he was concerned “Upon review of the Village of Catholic Leadership about Strategy paying over We will leverage the legacy and strength of Catholic healthcare Big Valley 2023 budget no funds nationally $30,000 and internationally because to be that of greater is service. a huge could be identified for that portion of the village’s annual Strategic Objectives project, nor did council authorize budget, adding that if the village the transfer of funds to the does pay this bill more docu- ATB operating account in anticipation mentation is needed. of paying. The OA was in attendance Without an agreement or resolution and confirmed MISSION he too spoke to in place the invoice is County We are of called Stettler to continue representa- being tabled to the first regular tives the healing about ministry the invoice, of Jesus by serving with compassion, council meeting following the including Reeve Larry Clarke, upholding the sacredness of restoration of quorum, for their CAO life Cassidy in all stages, and caring one other consideration.” councillor for the whole and person Sobolewski – Mayne presented councillors noted body, the mind County and soul. of Stettler was with three options for the adamant a verbal or handshake invoice: pay the bill; request a agreement was made that Big meeting with the County of Valley would help pay for the Stettler to talk about the Strategic bridge Objectives replacement. invoice; or table the issue again Sobolewski stated his opinion Acute Care Optimization and Expansion Strategy in order to gather more We will was transform that and meeting expand care and directly service in acute with care to information. respond the to growing County populations of Stettler and changing to demographics. talk Community Care Integration and Expansion Strategy Mayne noted she spent about about this issue was a good idea. We will expand our community care capacity to transform care two hours discussing this issue delivery, and Councillors address gaps in service, unanimously growing populations and changing demographics. with County of Stettler CAO passed a resolution that village Yvette Cassidy who gave Mayne staff will contact the County of the impression the Village of Stettler and request a meeting Big Valley had made a commitment to discuss the bridge replace- to chip in on the bridge ment invoice. project. We will be leaders and partners acting as catalysts for transformation councillors discussed the request for rent subsidy. Town Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) Kim Neill told councillors that since 2021 the municipality has charged the farmers market a discounted rate for the curling rink: $324 per day if the concession is used, $232 without the concession. Neill noted later in the discussion this is about a 20 per cent discount over normal rates. Coun. Kyle Olsen moved that the Town of Hanna offer the farmers market the Consort Gun & Hobby Show Sat. & Sun. April 6 & 7 Consort Sportex (4602 - 50 Ave.) Show Doors Open: Sat., April 6, 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Sun., April 7, 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES IN THE HALL Sponsored by Consort Lions Club Lion’s Club 47th Annual Saturday Country & Western Music 11:00am - 5:30pm Daycare Supper 5:30pm - 7:00pm $20.00 Tickets at the door. ~ EVERYONE INVITED ~ Entries to: consortlions@hotmail.com or contact: Jack Dempsey (403) 575-1268; Ashley Dempsey (403) 854-1935 WEEKEND ON-CALL HOURS same reduced rate. Coun. Angie Warwick asked if the farmers market has a paid staff member; Neill responded yes, they do have a paid manager. Councillors briefly discussed whether the farmers market organization could survive depending solely on volunteers. Councillors unanimously passed the resolution to offer the Hanna Farmers Market the same reduced rental rate as in 2023. For medical emergencies and life-threatening conditions, call 911. April 2024 March 29, 30, 31 & April 1 ............Castor April 6 & 7 ...........................Coronation For Urgent Medical Problems call: VISION • 811 for health advice from a registered Inspired by our mission of nurse 24/7 service, we will be leaders CONTRIBUTE and partners in transforming For We Routine will leverage our or Ongoing health care Medical and creating Issues: legacy to maximize the vibrant communities • Schedule an appointment of health and with your strategic contribution of Catholic health care. family physician healing. Important: Patients are We advised will transform the health to system and grow through telephone the hospital on-call prior to integration, innovation, and shared learnings to respond to going there. the strengths and needs of our communities, especially those Coronation (403) 578-3803 most vulnerable. Castor (403) 882-3434 Visit ahs.ca/knowyouroptions Sept 2019 Sunday Gospel Music & Jam Session 10:30am - Noon More Music to Follow Noon - 4:00pm Admission: $ 10 (youth 12 & under $ 5) TRANSFORM AND GROW # April 13 & 14 ...............................Castor SERVE We will strengthen our mission and live our April 20 & 21 ...............................Castor values meet the needs of those we serve through excellence in care, an engaged team, and wise use of our resources. April 27 & 28 ........................Coronation Addictions and Mental Health Services are available Monday to Friday at a facility near you. Phone: Access AMH 1-888-594-0211 Pe We em in d Qu We acr Re We and St St Se We to the Ad We me con Pa We of
Page 1: NEW Business Tack, Feed, Vet Suppli
Page 5 and 6: ECA REVIEW HANNA/CORONATION/STETTLE

ECA Review 2024-03-28

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?