County of St. Paul No 19

Council Meeting

AGENDA

Meeting #:
Date:	Tuesday, January 13, 2015
Time:	10:00 A.m. - 10:00 A.m.
Location:	5015- 49 Avenue, St. Paul, AB T0A 3A4

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1.

Call to Order

2.

Minutes

3.

Bank Reconciliation

4.

Additions to Agenda and Acceptance of Agenda

5.

Business Arising from Minutes

5.1

Demolition Request - Elk Point Seniors

At the December, 2014 Meeting, Councillor Dach informed Council that the Seniors Citizen Centre in Elk Point purchased a lot west of their centre and they want to demolish the house on it and turn it into a parking lot.  They received one quote of $33,880 from a private company and are now asking if the County could provide a quote.  Council made a motion to that the Superintendent of Public Works look at this project and determine if any work can be done in kind to reduce the costs for the Seniors Centre.

 

Leo went out to the site on January 5 and discussed the demolition of the house and cleaning up the lot to turn it into a parking lot.  He has estimated the actual costs for the cleanup will be $11,450.

6.

Delegation

6.1

10:30 a.m. - Public Hearing - Bylaw No. 2014-40 - Amend Land Use Bylaw

At the December Meeting, Council gave first reading to Bylaw No. 2014-40, which is a bylaw to amend Parts 2, 5, 7 and 9 of Land Use Bylaw No. 2013-50.

 

Bylaw No. 2014-40 was advertised in the St. Paul Journal and Elk Point Review on December 30, 2014 and January 6, 2015.  Planning and Development has not received any responses to the advertisements.

 

Crystal St. Arnault will attend this Public Hearing.

6.2

11:00 a.m. - Staff Sgt. Lee Brachmann

S/Sgt. Lee Brachmann will be in to introduce himself to Council and will also provide a Statistical Update.

6.3

1:30 p.m. - Jeff Dechaine, PC Candidate

Jeff Dechaine has an appointment with Council to introduce himself as a candidate seeking the PC Nomination for Lac La Biche-St. Paul-Two Hills.

7.

New Business

7.1

2014 Strategic Plan - 4th Quarter

The final update for the 2014 Strategic Plan is attached.

7.2

2015 Strategic Plan

The 2015 Strategic Plan, as updated after the Planning Sessions is being presented for Council approval.  Following approval of the plan, administration will proceed with the 2015 budget process.

7.3

2015 Land Leases

The following land lease is being presented for renewal for the year 2015:

SE 4-56-3-W4	Kent Boyd
PNE 8-56-4-W4	Craig Lorenson
PNW 34-56-5-W4	Lionel Romanchuk
PNW 20-56-10-W4	St. Paul Grazing Reserve Association
PNE 6-60-10-W4	William Barefoot & Sylvia Slowski
N 1/2 SW 34-58-11-W4	Starosielski Cattle Inc.

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

7.4

ARMAA Zone Meeting - January 7

The ARMAA Zone meeting was held on Wednesday, January 7, 2015 in Fort Saskatchewan.

 

7.5

Alberta Sand and Gravel AGM - Jan. 14 & 15

The Alberta Sand and Gravel AGM will be held January 14 & 15, 2015 in Edmonton.  Registration for the AGM is $275.

7.6

2015 Joint Nothern/Southern Alberta Safety Council - Jan. 21

The County of Red Deer will be holding the 2015 Joint Northern/Southern Alberta Safety Council Meeting on January 21, 2015.  The meeting will provide valuable networking opportunities.  Members are encouraged to share information on their health & safety trends, audits, significant incidents and innovation.

7.7

Roadata Services Ltd. Conference - Jan. 22

Roadata Services Ltd. will be holding their 8th Annual Infrastructure Protection Conference on January 22, 2015 in Red Deer.  There is no registration fee for this one day conference.

7.8

Growing Rural Tourism Conference - Feb. 22-25

The 15th Annual Growing Rural Tourism Conference will be held February 22-25, 2015 in Camrose.  Rural communities in Alberta and across Canada have begun looking towards tourism as a viable industry to diversify their local economies. The Growing Rural Tourism Conference brings together groups who have embraced innovative Tourism strategies and partnerships, and those looking at how they might bring new sources of revenue and employment to their own communities.

 

The Agenda for the Conference can be viewed online at www.growingruraltourism.ca.  Early Bird registration for the Conference is $285 (before January 23rd).

 

7.9

2015 ASCHA Convention & Tradeshow - Apr. 15-17

The 2015 Alberta Senior Citizen' Housing Association (ASCHA) Conference will be held April 15 to 17, 2015 in Edmonton.  Registration for the conference is $580.

 

Additional information can be viewed at www.ascha.com/events.

7.10

Alberta Library Conference - Apr. 30-May 3

The 2015 Alberta Library Conference will be held April 30 to May 3, 2015 in Jasper.  Registration for the conference is $275.

 

More information is available at http://www.albertalibraryconference.com/.

7.11

2015 Salary Approval

Further to the January 8th Salary Negotiations meeting, we require a motion from Council to approve the recommendations of the Salary Negotiations Committee.

7.12

Statutory and Other Declared Holidays

Further to Policy Per-30, Statutory and Other Declared Holidays, April 6th, Easter Monday and August 3rd, Civic Holiday will be observed as holidays for 2015.

 

Policy Per-30 will be revised to amend the Christmas Holidays as discussed at the Planning Sessions.  The policy will then be brought to the Policy Committee.

7.13

U of A - Executive Program Course

During discussions with CAO Sheila Kitz during her annual performance review, she requested Council's permission to take The Executive Program offered through the U of A and Alberta School of Business from March to June, 2015 at the County's expense.  Registration for the Course is $9,900.  Council agreed to her request on the condition that she sign an agreement stating that the County will pay the cost of the training providing she continues employment with the County, after commencement of the training, for an additional three years.  The details have been outlined in an Educational Reimbursement Agreement which will be provided to Council at the meeting.

7.14

Purchase of Equipment for Public Works

Following the Strategic Planning sessions, the Public Works Department has been working on quotes for the new equipment.  In order to have the new equipment for the 2015 construction season and to secure the prices as quoted, it will have to be ordered soon.

New Equipment	Equipment being Replaced	Purchase Price
Kenworth with Box	T-48 Kenworth with gravel Box	$   187,000
Kenworth with Box	T-52 Western Star gravel box	$   187,000
Cat Motor Grader	09 Volvo Grader 538,000-106,000 (Trade)	$   432,000
Cat Motor Grader	09 Volvo Grader 538,000-99,000 (Trade)	$   439,000
D6T Crawler	CT-06 D7E Crawler lease - returned	$   481,000
Service Truck & Box	T-17 1993 Ford	$   140,000
2 Half Ton Trucks @ $34,000		$     68,000
	Total	$1,934,000

7.15

Road Construction Easements

Easements for road construction purposes.  Backsloping and County to fence or pay compensation for fencing.

All are standards easements.

West of SW 7-58-8-W4, Project - - - - - -, 1/2 Mile
S 1/2 SW 7-58-8-W4	Clement & Diane Fontaine
N 1/2 SW 7-58-8-W4	Steven & Diane Wychopen
PSW 7-58-8-W4	Carmen Brodziak
PSE 12-58-9-W4	1562043 Alberta Ltd.
PSE 12-58-9-W4	Jason & Corinne Morris
PSE 12-58-9-W4	Michel & Marguerite Fontaine

7.16

Bylaw No. 2015-01 Aggregate Levy Bylaw

Bylaw No. 2015-01 is being presented to Council to impose a Community Aggregate Payment Levy Bylaw.  Changes made to the Bylaw since the bylaw was originally presented in 2013 are in red.

 

As discussed at the planning sessions, if the Community Aggregate Payment Levy Bylaw is imposed, the money collected would not go into general revenues, it will be held in a reserve account to secure future gravel purchases.

7.17

NSWA Funding Request

At the December 19th Strategic Planning Session, Council agreed to pay $.50 per capita to the North Saskatchewan Watershed Alliance for the 2014 Calendar Year.  After the planning sessions, the payment was made to the NSWA as it was paid from the 2014 budget.  We now require a motion to ratify the payment.

 

We have also received a letter from the NSWA requesting financial support for the 2015 calendar year, based on $0.50 per capita.  In the letter from the NSWA, they indicated that nine counties and 17 urban municipalities provided financial support in 2014.

7.18

Funding for Mallaig Ag Society

At the Strategic Planning Sessions, Council approved the request from the Mallaig Ag Society for financial assistance with their new playground ($50,000) and the arena ($15,000), which both required an immediate response.  In order to get $20,000 off the cost of their playground structure, they had to order the structure before the end of the year and the arena requires upgrades immediately due to issues with the plant that operates the arena.

7.19

St. Paul & District Hospital Foundation Fundraiser

The St. Paul & District Hospital Foundation will be holding their annual fundraising event on March 7, 2015.  This year they are raising funds for two surgical tables valued at $55,000 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 $400.

 

Since 2012 Council purchased a table of 8 and donated a silent auction item for the Hospital Foundation Fundraiser.

7.20

Request for Funding - St. Paul Education re FSLW Program

St. Paul Education Regional Division is thanking Council for their $30,000 contribution to the Family School Liaison Worker program for the 2013/14 school year and requesting that council consider continuing with their $30,000 contribution for the 2015/16 school year.

 

The operating cost of the FSLW program was $888,000.  Last year, 1187 students participated in the program, 319 of whom were identified as residents from the County of St. Paul.

7.21

2014 Planning and Development in Review

Attached is a breakdown of permits issues by Planning and Development in 2014, in comparison to other years.

 

Crystal St. Arnault will attend the Council meeting to answer questions.

7.22

Recreational Vehicles - Lot 49, Block 2, Plan 0827350

The County received a complaint in early 2014 about the owner of Lot 49, Block 2, Plan 0827350 having too many recreational vehicles on his property, so the development officer issued a letter advising that he was permitted to have more than two recreational vehicles on his lot but not for more than five consecutive days (see letter attached).  After the letter, Mr. Findlay removed the red camper leaving three recreational vehicles on the property.  One RV is her personal, one his son uses and the third one belongs to his brother.

 

The County received another complaint regarding recreational vehicles in excess of 2.  A reminder letter was sent to area residents on November 20, 2014.

 

Mr. Findlay is now requesting that Council consider allowing the additional recreational vehicle to remain on his property.

7.23

Business Plan Update for Elk Point/St. Paul Water Commission

At the Strategic Planning Sessions, Council reviewed and discussed the proposed updates to the Elk Point/St. Paul Regional Water System Business Plan, a copy of which is attached.

 

7.24

Request for Letter of Support - CCI Wireless and MCSNet

As discussed at the Strategic Planning Sessions, we have been contacted by CCI Wireless and MCSNet for letters of support to accompany their grant application for funding through the Connecting Canadians Federal grant program.  The deadline to apply is January 12, 2015.  CCI Wireless is an Internet Service provider providing enhanced internet service across Alberta. They have installed over 150 carrier grade towers and are in partnership with 20 gas Coops, municipalities, MDs and REAs serving 14,000 rural Albertans.

 

Through the Connecting Canadians grant, the Government will work with provincial governments and Internet Service Providers to extend internet services to a targeted 280,000 rural households.  The program will also provide incentives to the private sector for improved internet services in areas of the country that currently do not have high speed internet service.

 

The letters of support are attached.

7.25

Request to Cancel Penalties

The owner of SE 26-58-7-W4 mailed their payment for their property taxes on November 26th however we did not receive the payment in the office until December 9th.  Penalties in the amount of $194.16 were applied to the account on December 1st.

 

By Council resolution dated 2002, Administration has the authority to cancel penalties up to $50.  Anything over $50 requires a resolution of Council.

 

Administration will be working on a policy to deal with cancelling penalties on property taxes for situations like this.

 

Section 347 of the M.G.A. allows a Council to cancel or refund all or part of a tax.

7.26

Date for Public Auction of Lands

Section 418 of the M.G.A. requires Council to offer for sale at a public auction any parcel of land shown on its tax arrears list if the tax arrears are not paid.

 

Section 421(1)(a) of the M.G.A. states that the properties must be advertised for sale in the Alberta Gazette not less than 40 days and not more than 90 days prior to the date on which the public auction is to be held.

 

The date for the Public Auction of Lands for 2013 should be set for May 12, 2015 at 11:00 a.m.

7.27

In Camera

Items to be presented at the Council Meeting.

Items to be presented at the Council Meeting.

7.28

Reynolds Mirth

8.

Correspondence

9.

Reports

9.1

CAO Report

9.2

NSWA

9.3

St. Paul Library - Councillor M. Fodness

10.

Upcoming Meetings

10.1

Jan. 20-23 - ASB Convention

10.2

Jan. 27 @ 10:00 a.m. - Public Works

10.3

Feb. 12 - Brownlee Law Conference

11.

Financial

11.1

Listing of Accounts Payable

11.2

Budget to Actual

12.

Adjournment