County of St. Paul No 19

Council Meeting

AGENDA

Meeting #:
Date:
Time:
-
Location:
5015- 49 Avenue, St. Paul, AB T0A 3A4

The County tendered the Ashmont Water Treatment Plant in June 2013.  The tenders were opened and based on the lowest compliant bid a letter was sent to Alberta Transportation requesting the additional funding required to complete the project (attached).  At the Public Works meeting on July 23, 2013 Council discussed the letter that was received back from the Province (attached).  This letter did not provide Council certainty that the project would be funded should the County go ahead with the project.  Council asked Administration to set up a meeting with the Minister of Transportation to see if we could clarify the Province's intent of the letter.  We have since received a second letter which refers to the Ashmont WTP as well as Murphy Road (attached).

Steve Upham, Frank Sloan, Maxine Fodness, Sheila Kitz, and Kyle Attanasio along with Matt Brassard from Urban Systems met with the Minister of Transportation on August 7, 2013.  At that meeting the Minister indicated that this was an approved project that the Province will be funding.  He indicated that the Province will finish projects that are already started before funding new Water for Life Projects.  That said he is unable to provide more "certain" wording in the letter that the County has received.  The Minister did commit to providing a letter to the County should the County wish to hold off the project until the Province can upfront the money for the WTP indicating that the County will still be eligible and not fall out of the "queue" for approval if they delay the project.  We have received a letter from the Province today, but it does not explicitly say that either (attached).

Following the meeting with the Minister, I have provided the Province's letters to our Auditor for an opinion on whether the County is able to set up a receivable in the Audited Financial Statement for the Province's unfunded portion.  He has committed to provide comments to the County on Monday.  In addition, I have spoken to Servus Credit Union to see if they would be able to provide short term borrowing for the Province's unfunded portion of the project whereby the County pays only the interest on the loan for a period up to 5 years.

Additionally I will be meeting with Mike Yakemchuk from Alberta Transportation and Matt Brassard from Urban Systems on Monday, August 12, 2013 to review the project to date.

It is important to note that according to the Engineering News Record Construction Cost Index, the average annual construction escalation is 3.7% since 2003 (10 years).  The overall increase 43.4%.

 

Bylaw No. 2013-19 is being presented to Council to set guidelines for the use of off-highway vehicles in the County. This bylaw was brought before the Policy Committee on May 30, 2013. 

 

This bylaw was tabled at the Council meeting on July 16, 2013 in order to properly flesh out the appropriate designated trails to be included in the Bylaw.

Bylaw 2013-26 is being presented before Council to approve provisions for the management of unsightly properties in the County. This Bylaw was brought before the the Policy Committee on July 4, 2013. 

This Bylaw was also brought forward to the July 16, 2013 Council meeting where Council tabled it in order to ensure that Administration dealt with the issue of Agriculturally zoned land.  Administration is bringing forward an amended bylaw today where in item 8. Exemptions Administration has introduced wording that will exempt Agricultural parcels in excess of 20 acres.

 

Section 187 of the M.G.A. states that all bylaws must have three distinct and separate readings. 

Policy PER-8 is being presented to Council to include amendments for the purpose of streamlining the process by which Council approves conference, seminar and other educational training opportunities for council members and employees. Any conference, seminar or training opportunities remaining outside this Policy will continue to be brought to Council on a case-by-case basis. 

 

This Policy was brought before the Policy Committee on July 4, 2013 and tabled at the July 16, 2013 Council meeting for better clarification.

At the July Meeting, Council passed a motion to apply for a grant to explore the possibility of a joint lagoon at Lac Sante with the County of Two Hills.  The County of Two Hills made a motion to partner with us to make an application for a Regional Collaboration Grant with St. Paul as the managing partner.

 

I have been in contact with with Sally at the County of Two Hills and I have started working on the grant application.  We now require a specific motion so that it fits the requirements of the grant application.

At the July Meeting, Council gave 1st reading to Bylaw No. 2013-28, which is a bylaw to Amend the St. Paul IDP No. 1563 as it relates to rezoning PSW 17-58-9-W4 from Urban Reserve to Country Residential.

 

Bylaw No. 2013-28 was advertised in the St. Paul Journal the weeks of July 30th and August 6th, the adjacent landowners were notified via letter post and the Town of St. Paul was notified. 

 

Town has given their Bylaw first reading. It is slated for public hearing and 2nd and potentially 3rd reading on Monday August 12th. 

 

Krystle Fedoretz will attend this Public Hearing.

At the July Meeting, Council gave 1st reading to Bylaw No. 2013-29, which is a bylaw to Amend the Land Use Bylaw No. 2013-11 as it relates to rezoning PSW 17-58-9-W4 from Agricultural to Country Residential (1).

 

Bylaw No. 2013-29 was advertised in the St. Paul Journal the weeks of July 30th and August 6th and the adjacent landowners were notified via letter post.

 

Krystle Fedoretz will attend this Public Hearing.

Ken Denega, resident of Division 2, will be in to speak with Council about the following items:

1.  Request to name road North of Lake Eliza School - Denega Road or Denega Way

2.  Easement - NE 4-56-8-W4

3.  Road Improvements on TWP RD 560 - Is it still on the books to be rebuilt and when can they expect it to be done?

The Chamber of Commerce is requesting if Council wants to purchase a table of 8 at $300 for the Rodeo Week Kick-off Supper scheduled for August 26th.   

The AAMD&C MGA Review Advisory Committee is playing a significant role in helping Municipal Affairs provide an efficient and informative consultation process for the MGA Review.  They will be hosting a series of consultation workshops to gather input on elements of the MGA that could be improved and those that are beneficial and should be retained. 

 

The consultations will be an opportunity for the AAMD&C members to discuss the functionality of the MGA and provide the AAMD&C with further direction to ensure the association is well positioned to contribute to the government-led consultations moving forward.  A workshop will be held from 9:45 to 3:00 p.m. on August 22, at the Hay Lakes Agriplex. 

The Western Canada Water (WCW) Annual Conference and Exhibition will be held September 17-20, 2013 in Edmonton.  This conference only comes to Edmonton every four to five years.

The 2013 Alberta Assessors' Association Fall Education Symposium will be held September 19-20 in High River.

Jubilee Insurance is hosting Jubilee RiskPro Module 6 - "Roads to Success" which will assist members in managing and identifying the Liability Risks associated with their Road Liability issues.  It will also address the importance of regular property inspections and maintenance for both municipal facilities and those owned by Additional Named Insureds. 

Alberta Environment Appeals Board has provided the following dates for a hearing in St. Paul:  November 6, 7, 8, 13, 14, and 15 and we must advise them by tomorrow, August 14th which dates are suitable.

 

I am away for a Intern Supervisor meeting on November 8 and the week of November 13-15 conflicts with the AAMD&C Convention.  I have checked with Ray Makowecki, Daina Young and Doug Lunde and they are all available on November 6th and 7th.

Municipal Affairs is offering Video Conference Broadcast on Monday, September 16.  The session from 1:00 - 4:30 p.m. is a Municipal Election Officials Refresher and 6:00 - 9:00 is a Prospective Candidates Workshop.  We are wondering if this is something Council would like to host - we can host one, both or no sessions.  We could also ask the Town of St. Paul and Town of Elk Point if they would be interested.

 

There is no charge to host the video conference, however we are checking at different organizations to see if we can find a location to hold the video conference, for free, if Council so chooses to go that route

 

Bylaw No. 2013-35 is being presented to Council to amend Land Use Bylaw No. 2013-11 as it relates to rezoning S 1/2 SW 35-56-7-W4 from Agricultural to Country Residential (1).  The applicant wishes to subdivide the property into country residential parcels.

 

After first reading, the Bylaw must be advertised according to Section 606 of the M.G.A. and a public hearing held according to section 230 of the M.G.A.

 

The adjacent landowners will be notified of the proposed rezoning.

 

On April 8, 2013 Alan Kotowich submitted an application to subdivide the N 1/2 SE 26-57-9-W4 into 2 40 acre parcels, along with a $700 application fee.  When he submitted his application, he was told that it would not be approved as it did not fit within the County's Land Use Bylaw, and that there were no means to appeal the decision however he still wanted to proceed with the application.  After the application was denied, he submitted another application to subdivide out a 10 acre parcel and he paid another $700 application fee. 

 

The landowner is now requesting that Council consider refunding the $700 application fee.

 

Krystle Fedoretz will be in to speak with Council about the application. 

Attached is an agreement with Pipeline Management Inc. for a minimum contribution of $100,000 to be used for the overlay of the Murphy Road which will take place in 2014 or 2105.  This is for the Inter Pipeline Fund, as discussed at the July 23rd Public Works Meeting.  

Attached is an agreement with E-Construction for a minimum contribution of $20,000 to be used for the overlay of the Murphy Road which will take place in 2014 or 2105. 

The St. Paul Pathfinders (Girl Guides) are requesting to use the Westcove Campsite for the September 6 weekend.  There will be 9 girls between the ages of 12-15 and 3 supervisors.   

We have received a letter from the landowner of NW 14-62-12-W4 expressing concerns with the invoice she received for a fire call to her property on May 3, 2013. 

The County has been renting a lot of bins this year - more than usual due to the increased activity in the area.  There are only 4 - 4 yard bins available to be rented out, due to the high activity in our area.  The capital budget for bins is already expended, therefore we require a motion from Council to purchase additional bins.  Cost per bin is $872.  While the total of each bin is under the capitalization threshold, these bins are pooled assets which are capitalized, therefore Administration is looking for approval of these bins as a capital item.

Further to the meeting with Urban systems on June 19, 2013 we require a motion to ratify that the County hire Urban Systems to conduct the Ashmont Lagoon Feasibility Study at a cost of $35,000.  Please note that based on the direction provided to Urban Systems at that meeting, work has already commenced on this project.

Further to the July 23 Public Works Meting, attached is letter to the Elk Point/St. Paul Regional Water Commission which states that the County supports the commission with borrowing funds for the unfunded portion of the Water Transmission Line and the County will pay 20% of the debenture cost each year. 

Attached is the spending plan for the 2013 conditional operating funding component of the MSI Grant, which has been accepted by Municipal Affairs.  As part of the funding approval, Municipal Affairs is requesting that the list of of MSI-funded projects be published.  They will be included in the August highlights.

Property tax collection as of August 7, 2013 is 95%.  Tax Collection as of June 30, 2012 was 94%.

At the June 25th Public Works Meeting, Council discussed the request to build an access to the SW 30-56-4-W4 along the undeveloped road allowance on TWP Rd 564 which runs parallel to Secondary Highway 646.  Council agreed that it would be unsafe to have a road in such close proximity to the provincial highway and there is already access to the quarter of land.  This item should have been on the July Council Agenda, however it was inadvertently missed therefore we are bringing it back now to be ratified.

The Elk Point Minor Ball hosted the Tier V peewee provincial championship on July 19-21, 2013.  They are requesting a donation to help offset their costs.

To be presented at the meeting.

7.25

Attached are letters from Camp Whitney thanking Council for their financial contribution towards the construction of the new dorms, the MD of Bonnyville thanking Council for their sponsorship for the 2013 Provincial Ag Service Board Tour and from the Municipal Seed Plant thanking Council for the grant to assist with property taxes.

To be presented at the meeting.