County of St. Paul No 19

Council Meeting

AGENDA

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

Items to be presented at the meeting.

5.1
In Camera

At the December Council Meeting, Council was presented with a request from a contractor to permit the installation of fiberglass sewage holding tanks on lake front properties.  Council made a motion to amend Section 7.30(1) of Land Use Bylaw No. 2015-30 to allow CSA approved holding tanks on lakefront properties.

 

The proposed amendment to Land Use Bylaw No. 2013-50 is as follows:

 

7.30        SEWAGE HOLDING TANKS

(1)     On all parcels fronting onto named lakes, only self-contained sewage systems will be permitted to be installed or replaced. Self-contained Sewage Systems include, connection to a municipal system, municipal/private co-op systems and private sewage holding tanks that are constructed of reinforced pre-cast concrete and meet applicable/relevant CAN/CSA standards, but do not include non-concrete self contained sewage holding tanks, disposal fields, treatment mounds, pit privies, or any other approved system for the disposal of sewage or waste water on a parcel of land which results in the disposal of sewage and/or waste water into the ground.

At the December Council Meeting, Council was presented with a request from the Ashmont & District Ag Society for $37,125 to help offset the costs of  replacing the siding, soffits and tin and repair structural defects and water damaged areas on the roof of their community hall.

 

Council approved $4,000 to be paid from the 2015 budget and tabled the balance of the funding request ($33,125) to the 2016 budget deliberations

 

The $33,125 has been included in the budget so we would be looking for a motion from Council to approve the funding request to be paid from the 2016 budget.

S/Sgt. Lee Brachmann will be in to provide a Statistical Update.

John Holley has an appointment to speak with Council about a rezoning alternative to the plan he submitted to Council at the December Council Meeting (Bylaw No. 2015-31).

 

Bylaw No. 2014-40, which is an amendment to LUB 2013-50, states that

5.1(7)  When an application for amendment has been defeated by Council, re-application shall not occur for the parcel of land for at least 6 months.  Council may waive this waiting period by resolution.

David Inscho with the Mallaig Legion will be in to speak with Council about the renovations to the Legion Hall.  They will be asking for assistance to help fund their current shortfall.  They are asking for a $50,000 grant or an interest free loan which they will pay back when they receive their CFEP grant.

The following land leases are being presented for renewal for the year 2016:

SE 4-56-3-W4Kent Boyd
NW 31-55-4-W4Larry Bazian
PNE 8-56-4-W4Craig Lorenson
SW 16-58-5-W4Glen Ockerman
PNW 27-57-8-W4Jean Fontaine
PNW 20-56-10-W4St. Paul Grazing Reserve
    Lot A, Plan 7620846 

Section 61 of the M.G.A. allows a municipality to grant rights with respect to its property.

The final update for the 2015 Strategic Plan is attached.

Policy ADM-24 states that the County will review its Policy Manual periodically to ensure all policies remain accurate and relevant over time.

Administration has carried out a review during 2015 and has also reformatted the Manual to enhance ease of use. 

Policy Manuals were distributed to all Councillors in mid-December 2015 for review. 

Administration has identified two small word changes that require correcting prior to passing the Policy Manual. 

Western Canada Water along with the provincial government will be hosting a one-day seminar that focuses on new and upcoming regulatory changes that impact municipal water, wastewater and stormwater.  The seminar will be held February 4, in Edmonton.

The Reynolds Mirth Richards Farmer Law Seminar will be held Friday, February 19, 2016 in Edmonton.  This law seminar is the day after the Brownlee Law Seminar.

 

Topics offered at the Seminar can be viewed on the website at www.rmrf.com/news.

The Economic Developers Association Conference will be held April 6-8, 2016 in Kananaskis.  The Theme for the conference is Resilience, Renewal and Reinvention.

 

Councillor Dach has expressed interest in attending.  Registration for the conference, if registered by January 15 is $495.

 

More information is available at:  http://www.edaalberta.ca/

The U of A Executive Education is offering the Indigenous Partnership Development three-day program designed to accomplish two key objectives - to build a common language and understanding of Indigenous worldviews and current realities from an economic, legal and social standpoints and to provide a tool-kit to reach positive outcome.

 

Wahkohtowin, which is the governance of relationships, will be the foundation in carrying out the program's vision aiming to establish and strengthen  transformative collaborations built on solid knowledge and innovative practice in a respectful and dynamic learning space.

 

Sheila Kitz would like to register for this course as she feels it will be beneficial as the County begins working more closely with our neighbors.

 

Registration for the course is $2,500 and it will be held on February 26, March 21 and April 18.  There would be no cost for accommodations, only mileage.

We have received $3,151.13 for the county's share of the profits through the AAMD&C Trade Division and Jubilee Insurance Agencies.

The St. Paul & District Hospital Foundation will be holding their annual fundraising event on March 5, 2016.  This year they are raising funds for two Panda Warmers valued at $36,000 each.

 

They are looking for support for their fundraiser by way of a donation for their live/silent auction and/or purchase a table of eight for $480.

 

Since 2012 Council purchased a table of 8 or made a cash donation equal to the price of the table and donated a silent auction item for the Hospital Foundation Fundraiser.

The owner of Lot 7, Block 7, Plan 8023151 is requesting that Council cancel the portion of 2014 property taxes that were added to his account as a result of cabins that were assessed on his property.  In 2014 two cabins were added to the assessment on Lot 7 however the cabins are actually on the property to the north (Lot 5).

 

The landowner did not pay his property taxes in 2014 and did not notice the increase in property taxes.  In December 2015, he started the process to sell this property and he noticed that his taxes had almost doubled from 2013.  He contacted Krystle Fedoretz in December and she informed him that the tax increase was due to the cabins that he built on his property.  He informed Krystle that he didn't build any cabins.  Krystle then contacted Accurate Assessment and after looking into it, they realized that they had made an error and the cabins were actually added to the wrong property, that they should have been added to the property to the north of Lot 7.

 

Linda Meger was able to adjust the 2015 property taxes as per section 305 of the M.G.A. which states that If it is discovered that there is an error, omission or misdescription in any of the information shown on the assessment roll, the assessor may correct the assessment for the current year only. 

 

The landowner is now requesting that Council cancel the property taxes that were applied to his tax roll for the cabins for the 2014 taxation year in the amount of $327.45.

Bylaw No. 2016-02 is being presented to Council to amend Land Use Bylaw No. 2013-50 as it relates to rezoning 10 acres in NE 12-58-9-W4 from Agricultural to Industrial Commercial. 

 

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.

 

The applicant will also be required to hold a public consultation prior to the public hearing being held.

David Thomson is applying for a licence agreement for the undeveloped road allowance located between NE 22-57-10-W4 and NW 23-57-10-W4 for agricultural purposes. The adjacent landowner signed the consent on the application form.  David Thomson rents his land to Ron Jean who would like to brush part of the road allowance so he can cultivate and farm it.  He is already farming part of the road allowance

 

The attached picture shows bales placed on the road allowance.  Administration is recommending that the bales be removed as a condition of the licence agreement.  Also, does Council want to give him permission to remove the trees - this would also be written into the licence agreement.

 

The County, under Section 18 of the M.G.A. has the direction, control and management of all roads within the municipality. Under Section 16 of the Highway Traffic Act, a municipality may grant a licence for the use of a road allowance.

 

After first reading the bylaw must be advertised.

Rob Duffy has requested a county credit card to book training courses, to pay for instructors, to order materials/supplies, and to book hotels and conferences.

 

As per Credit Card policy ADM-77, we require a motion to authorize staff to have a County credit card with their name on it.

Bylaw No. 2016-04, Borrowing Bylaw, is being presented to Council to authorize borrowings of up to Thirty Thousand Dollars ($30,000) from the Servus Credit Union to finance the Master Card Account for the financial year commencing January, 2016.

 

In December, Council approved the borrowing Bylaw for the Master Card for $20,000 however we are looking to increase the limit to $30,000 to accommodate the additional card for Rob Duffy and to increase Janice and Phyllis' limits as they are short during certain times of the year.

The 10 year lease agreement with Riverland Recreation Trail for 12.14 acres for the Station Grounds located in Section 27-59-11-W4 (Ashmont) expired in June, 2015.  Riverland would like to renew the lease for another 10 years.

 

The lease agreement is attached.  The leased area is outlined in green.

Township Road 554, South of 28-55-6-W4 was approved for brushing only for the 2016 construction season.  Administration would like to amend the construction schedule to brush and build it in 2016 due to the new power line for Enbridge going through this fall.

 

Leo deMoissac will speak to this proposed amendment.

The ACP Grants were announced on December 18, 2015 with a February 5, 2016 deadline. Council has previously passed resolutions to proceed with ACP applications to enhance radio communications and infrastructure and to establish a regional occupational health and safety program with the Town of St. Paul, Town of Elk Point, and Summer Village of Horseshoe Bay. 

Administration with the County and Town of Elk Point have been in discussions regarding two other potential ACP Grant applications over the last several months including:

- The construction of a salt shed facility located at the Elk Point Transfer Station

- The construction of a bulk water truck fill station located at the Elk Point Water Treatment Plant and Reservoir. 

Administration with the County and the Town of St. Paul have been in discussions regarding one other potential ACP Grant application over the last several months:

- The resurfacing of a track surface for track and field athletics at the Regional High School in the Town of St. Paul

Criteria for the grant program has changed with points awarded for different areas.  One of the significant changes was points awarded for municipal financial contributions.  You get the most points if the municipalities fund 50% of the project.  Consequently, we are writing up the grant applications to show 50% of the contribution so that we can best present our case for grant award.  This changes the monies required for each municipality from what we previously thought:

Enhanced  Regional Radio Communication (Radio upgrade) - $350,000 (still waiting for final numbers)

MunicipalityCurrent BudgetProposed BudgetNet Increase
County of St. Paul 44%55,00077,00022,000
Town of St. Paul 43%53,75075,25021,500
Town of Elk Point 12%15,00021,0006,000
SV of Horseshoe Bay 1%1,2501,750500

Regional OH&S - $156,000 (does not include any clerical assistance)

MunicipalityCurrent BudgetProposed BudgetNet Increase
County of St. Paul 44%11,00034,32023,320
Town of St. Paul 43%10,75033,54022790
Town of Elk Point 12%3,0009,3606,360
SV of Horseshoe Bay 1%250780530

Salt Shed - Elk Point $300,000 

MunicipalityCurrent BudgetProposed BudgetNet Increase
County of St. Paul 50% 75,000 
Town of Elk Point 50% 75,000 

Bulk Water Station - Elk Point - $561,262 

MunicipalityCurrent BudgetProposed BudgetNet Increase
County of St. Paul 50% 140,316 
Town of Elk Point 50% 140,316

 St. Paul Regional High School Running Track - $130,000 (either request funding for remaining 62% or additional partners or grants for balance to get 50% funding - ie CIP, ARMA, Co-op Grant, NEAT, SPAA, Other)

MunicipalityCurrent BudgetProposed BudgetNet Increase
County of St. Paul 20,000 
Town of St. Paul 20,000 
SPERD 10,000 

Finally the new criteria has points for projects being on individual municipality's strategic plans.  There are full points for the same items to be included on a Regional Strategic Plan.  Administration is proposing the development of a Regional Strategic Plan to include these projects as well as other Regional and joint initiatives that could be included on the plan.  We would like to work on this plan over the next week and have the municipalities consider before the end of the month or in early February. 

The Co-op Community Spaces Grant Program will be open from January 18th to February 12th, 2016. The Program was developed to help protect, beautify, and improve spaces across Western Canada. Applicants are eligible to apply for funding in the range of $25,000 to $100,000.

In 2015, the County submitted an application for two new baseball diamonds at the Westcove Municipal Recreation Area and was unsuccessful.

Discussions with the Co-Op have indicated that a joint project would strengthen our application. The Town of St. Paul has expressed interest in applying for a project jointly.