Minutes of the Cypress County Council Meeting held February 16th, 2010

 

PRESENT:                           Darcy Geigle, Reeve

                                                Floyd Haas

                                                LeRay Pahl

                                                Garry Lentz

                                                George Russill

                                                Herb Scott

                                                Jerry Clark

                                                Peter Konosky

                                                Doug Henderson, Assistant Manager

                                                Francis Dumonceau, Public Works Foreman

                                                Jeffrey Dowling, Planning Advisor

                                                Roxanne Risk, Treasurer/Recording Secretary

 

ABSENT:                              Brad Betcker, Deputy Reeve

                                                Lutz Perschon, Manager

                                                Rick Bleau, Public Works Supervisor

 

CALL TO ORDER:              12:40 P.M.

 

AGENDA:                              Resolution No. 2010/27

 

                                                George Russill moved to accept the agenda with the addition of 7(k) Elkwater Community Association to New Business.

 

                                                                                                Carried.

 

DELEGATIONS:                 

Semi-Annual Report,

Enhanced Policing Project,

Cst. Mark McCarthy,

RCMP                                    Cst. Mark McCarthy from the RCMP appeared before Council to present the Semi-Annual County Report.  Within this report was a summary of the number of tickets, warnings, seatbelt infractions, etc. issued to the end of December 2009.  A breakdown was given of how Cst. McCarthy was spending his time as the County Mountie and completing work at the detachment. 

 

Peace Officer

Annual Report,

Anna Mast                            Anna Mast, the Peace Officer for Cypress County, appeared before Council to present the Annual Peace Officer Report.   The report indicated what type of incidents/enforcements she attended and how many.  She further broke down the incidents by hamlet and acreage owners.  She also indicated the type and number of violation tickets issued. 

 

Medic Air

Helicopter,

Hugh English                      Hugh English & Jerry Gaede were in attendance to update Council on the Helicopter Air Lift Operation (H.A.L.O) project.  H.A.L.O commenced operations in July 2007 and the need was indicated since air rescue service was nonexistent in the southeast corner of Alberta.  H.A.L.O. services over 40,000 square kilometres, 52 communities, and a population of approximately 100,000 people.   This past year, H.A.L.O. was dispatched to the Cypress County area 16 times.  They gave a brief summary of their fundraising efforts, their rescue missions, and their constraints.  In conclusion, they thanked Council for their continued support. 

 

MINUTES:                            Resolution No. 2010/28

 

                                                Herb Scott moved to approve the minutes of the January 19th, 2010, Public Hearing and Council Meeting.

 

                                                                                                Carried.

 

ACCOUNTS FOR              

PAYMENT:                           Resolution No. 2010/29

 

Herb Scott moved to approve the Accounts for Payment in the amount of $ 1,386,541.37.

 

                                                                                                Carried.

 

BUSINESS ARISING:

 

Bylaw 2009/32 – Land

Use Amendment

(TWP 9-4 to 10-5)               An application has been received from NaturEner Wild Rose 2 Energy Inc. for an Overlay District in the areas of Township 9 Range 4 to Township 10 Range 5 to establish a Wind Energy Facility District “WEF”.  A public hearing on the proposed bylaw was held prior to the meeting.

 

                                               Resolution No. 2010/30

 

                                               Jerry Clark moved second reading of Bylaw 2009/32.

 

                                                                                                Carried.

 

                                               Resolution No. 2010/31

 

                                               Floyd Haas moved third reading of Bylaw 2009/32.

 

                                                                                                Carried.

 

Bylaw 2010/01 – Land

Use Amendment

(PN NE 33-13-6-W4)          An application has been received from Robert Scory to reclassify a portion of the NE 33-13-6-W4 (Plan 0311070, Block 1, Lot 1) from Agricultural District 1 “A-1 Urban Fringe” to Country Residential District “CR”.  A public hearing on the proposed bylaw was held prior to the meeting.

 

                                               Resolution No. 2010/32

 

                                               Jerry Clark moved second reading of Bylaw 2010/01.

 

                                                                                                 Carried.

 

                                               Resolution No. 2010/33

 

                                               George Russill moved third reading of Bylaw 2010/01.

 

                                                                                                Carried.

 

Bylaw 2010/02 – Water

& Sewer Bylaw

Amendments                       In 2007, Council passed a Water & Sewer Bylaw with a five year plan aimed at proceeding towards greater cost recovery of the water and sewer systems.  As a result of the recent rate increases from the City of Medicine Hat, increases in County rates are needed to continue in that direction.  A new bylaw is required to recognize the increase in water rate, by amending the levying and collection of water and sewer service charges.

 

                                                Resolution No. 2010/34

 

                                                LeRay Pahl moved third reading of Bylaw 2010/02.

 

Carried.

 

NEW BUSINESS:

 

Bylaw 2010/05 – Land

Use Amendment

(Pt NW 32-10-7-W4)             An application has been received from Patrick Doyle to

reclassify a portion of the NW 32-10-7-W4, Plan 0611103, Block 1, Lot 1, from Agricultural District 2 “A-2 General Agriculture” to Light Industrial District “LI”.

 

                                                 Resolution No. 2010/35

 

                                                 Jerry Clark moved first reading of Bylaw 2010/05.

 

                                                                                                Carried.

 

Fire Guardian

Appointments                      The Forest and Prairie Protection Act (FPPA) requires rural municipalities to appoint a sufficient number of fire guardians annually prior to April 1st. 

 

                                                Staff recommended a number of personnel to be appointed. 

 

                                               

 

                                                Resolution No. 2010/36

 

                                                George Russill moved to appoint Dennis Mann,  Ray Gradwell, Ammy Blenner-Hassett, Candida Spackman, Lutz Perschon, Doug Henderson, Pam Pirsch, Penny Suddaby, Roxanne Risk, Angela Gazdag, Anna Mast, Kendra Perrior, Vickie Perrior, O’Brien Tarnasky (Elkwater), Lyle Freimark (Walsh), Lynette Riedlinger (Irvine), Marcel Levesque (Seven Persons), Ross Straub (Hilda) and Andrew McLean (Schuler) as fire guardians.

 

                                                                                                Carried.

Bylaw 2010/03 –

Special Tax Doyle              A bylaw to authorize the County to impose a Special Tax for the purpose of providing a supply of water to certain properties in the Hamlet of Seven Persons.

 

                                                Resolution No. 2010/37

 

George Russill moved first reading of Bylaw 2010/03.

 

                                                                                                Carried.

 

                                                Resolution No. 2010/38

 

LeRay Pahl moved second reading of Bylaw 2010/03.

 

                                                                                                Carried.

 

                                                Resolution No. 2010/39

 

Jerry Clark moved by unanimous consent to have third reading of Bylaw 2010/03.

 

                                                                                                Carried.

 

                                                Resolution No. 2010/40

 

Herb Scott moved third reading of Bylaw 2010/03.

 

                                                                                                Carried.

 

Bylaw 2010/04 - Special

Tax Seven Persons

Church                                  A bylaw to authorize the County to impose a Special Tax for the purpose of providing a supply of water to certain properties in the Hamlet of Seven Persons.

 

                                                Resolution No. 2010/41

 

Jerry Clark moved first reading of Bylaw 2010/04.

 

                                                                                                Carried.

 

                                                Resolution No. 2010/42

 

George Russill moved second reading of Bylaw 2010/04.

 

                                                                                                Carried.

 

                                                Resolution No. 2010/43

 

Garry Lentz moved by unanimous consent to have third reading of Bylaw 2010/04.

 

                                                                                                Carried.

 

                                                Resolution No. 2010/44

 

Herb Scott moved third reading of Bylaw 2010/04.

 

                                                                                                Carried.

 

Replacement

Reserves Transfers           The 2009 budget did not include our transfers to replacement reserves because it had not been determined if the reserve transfers should be reflective of the depreciation amounts.  This is an issue we will be bringing to Council later in 2010.

 

                                                Staff recommends the following transfers:

                                                Gen Admin Equip Replace Reserve                    $  54,221.00

                                                Fire Vehicle/Equip Replace Reserve                   $271,871.00

                                                Common Services Veh Replace Reserve           $278,169.00

                                                Common Services Equip Replace Reserve       $677,730.00

                                                Buildings Capital Reserve                                     $245,337.00

                                                Waste Sites Land Capital Reserve                       $  18,450.00

                                                Water & Sewer Capital Reserve                            $303,875.00

 

                                                Resolution No. 2010/45

 

Floyd Haas moved to accept the replacement reserve transfers.

 

                                                                                                Carried.         

 

Local Improvement

Plan – Paving

Subdivision Road              The residents of 12303 Highway 41 have submitted a petition requesting pavement on their subdivision road.  Six out of nine property owners signed the petition, representing greater than ˝ of the assessment.  The subdivision road to be improved is located in the SE 19-12-4-W4 and is about 500 metres in length.  Based on Policy R13, the owners of the nine benefitting parcels in the subdivision would pay an annual fixed price of $500 each for 25 years for a total contribution of $112,500.00 and the remaining costs would be covered be the County from reserves.  If a sufficient petition against the project is not received within the deadline, Council will undertake the road upgrade within the next three years and preferably within 2010.  The local improvement tax will be imposed in 2011.

 

                                                Resolution No. 2010/46

 

                                                George Russill moved to approve the Local Improvement Plan for paving of Subdivision Access Road at 12303 Highway 41.

 

                                                                                                Carried.

Local Improvement

Plan – Paving  of Second

Avenue in Dunmore          The portion of Second Avenue to be improved is located in NE 3-12-5-W4, in the Hamlet of Dunmore.  The project would begin where the pavement ends at the southeast end of the Monarch subdivision, and continue southeastward up to the approach leading onto Highway 1 at the Sterling Trailers entrance and is about 176 metres in length.  The two abutting properties would share the cost of the project based on length of frontage.  957411 Alberta Ltd (Sterling Trailers) would be responsible for 68 metres (38.6%) and MLS Holdings Inc/946119 Alberta Ltd would be responsible for 108 metres (61.4%).  If a sufficient petition against the project is not received within the deadline, Council will undertake the road upgrade within the next three years and preferably within 2010.  The local improvement tax will be imposed in 2011.

 

                                                Resolution No. 2010/47

 

                                                Jerry Clark moved to approve the Local Improvement Plan for paving of Second Avenue in Dunmore.

 

                                                                                                Carried.

 

Local Improvement

Plan –Co-op Raw

Water System in

Seven Persons                   Residents of Seven Persons have submitted a petition requesting financing of 75% of the cost of a raw water delivery system for the purpose of irrigation.  Twenty-four property owners signed the petition.  The pipeline to be constructed will be located in S ˝ 4-11-7-W4, in the Hamlet of Seven Persons.  The project will connect a 6” PVC water line onto the existing deep infrastructure installed in 2009 on Drinnan Street, near Fourth Avenue.  A residential service line of 2” will typically be installed to the property line between every second lot.  As of December 16th, 2009, 16 members have committed to the project and paid deposits to the Co-op.  The project has been tendered and the value determined to be $100,000.00 plus GST.  Based on a total financed cost of $75,000.00 at ACFA interest rates, currently at 4.139%, the owners of the 16 benefitting parcels in Seven Persons would each pay $426.00 annually for 15 years.  The actual payments will be based on ACFA rates in effect on the date the County provides the funding.  If a sufficient petition against the project is not received within the deadline, Council will undertake the financing when requested by the Co-op, preferably within 2010.  The local improvement tax will be imposed in 2011.

 

                                                Resolution No. 2010/48

 

                                                Jerry Clark moved to approve the Local Improvement Plan for a Community Water Conservation Co-op Raw Water System in Seven Persons.

 

                                                                                                Carried.

 

Council Meeting

Schedule                              The Council meeting scheduled for March 16th is during the AAMDC Spring Convention.  A number of councilors typically attend this convention.

 

                                                Resolution No. 2010/49

 

                                                Garry Lentz moved to change the March 16th Regular Council meeting to March 23rd, 2010.

 

                                                                                                Carried.

 

Elkwater Community

Association                          The Elkwater Community Association has received their funding from CFEP and CAF.   At the January 19th, 2010 Council Meeting, Council advanced $125,000.00 of their $250,000.00 grant. The Association is requesting that Council pay out the balance of their grant.

 

                                                Resolution No. 2010/50

 

                                                Garry Lentz moved to pay the Elkwater Community Association the remaining $125,000.00 of their $250,000.00 grant.

 

                                                                                                Carried.

 

CAO Performance

Appraisal                              Discussed in Committee Session.

 

REPORTS:

 

Public Work’s Report        The Public Work’s Report was presented and accepted for information.

 

                                                Dave Carter of St. Margaret’s Church, is asking for the County’s assistance to move the fence to the property line on the access road into the church, off the Eagle Butte Road. The distance of the fence that needs to be moved is approximately 200 metres.  The estimated total cost is $1200.00.  Due to the survey needed by the power company it has been realized the fence was built incorrectly.

 

                                                Resolution No. 2010/51

 

                                                LeRay Pahl moved no action.

 

                                                                                                Carried.

 

Assistant Manager’s

Report                                   The Assistant Manager’s Report was presented and accepted for information.

 

Reeve’s/Councillors’

Reports                                 Updates were provided on meetings/conferences attended and upcoming meetings.

 

COMMITTEE

SESSION:                             Resolution No. 2010/52

 

                                                Peter Konosky moved to go into committee of the whole.

 

                                                                                                Carried.

 

                                                Resolution No. 2010/53

 

Peter Konosky moved to come out of committee of the whole.

                                   

                                                                                                Carried.         

                                                

ADJOURN:                           4:00 P.M.