[26:37] Okay, good morning everyone. We'll get the uh

[26:42] July 21st council meeting underway here. Uh any additions to the agenda,

[26:48] councelor Cunningham. So I will add under close session intergovernmental

[26:53] relations ATIa section 26 and I will also add under council

[26:58] committee ports division 5 update please.

[27:04] » Uh councelor Anderson

[27:07] » I'd like to add for division one u uh a thank you from the hesus uh community.

[27:18] » Okay. Uh, councelor Olsson. >> Yeah, I'd like to uh add under uh the

[27:24] council and committee reports division 4 report and also uh for the

[27:31] summer tour. >> Any other counselor or uh go ahead

[27:39] » um administration would like to add third party business um ATI section 19

[27:43] to the agenda. Okay.

[27:51] Everybody's okay with that?

[27:59] » Councelor Hopkins. >> That being said, I'll make a motion that

[28:03] we approve agenda as amended.

[28:10] » Any concerns or questions? All in favor? Carried.

[28:18] That takes care of the adoption of the minutes or the agenda. Uh approval of

[28:23] the council meeting minutes of the June 23rd. Anybody had a chance to go over

[28:28] them? I didn't see anything pressing myself.

[28:33] Any errors or omissions?

[28:38] Councelor Olsson, >> I'd make the motion that we adopt the

[28:44] minutes of uh June 23rd.

[28:49] Any uh questions or concerns on that? All in favor? Carried.

[29:02] Okay. Uh let's go to 4.1.

[29:13] Good morning. >> Good morning, Reef, members of council.

[29:19] This morning, I bring forth um a an RFD, but more for information and questions

[29:24] if council has has any on the EPR program. uh it's the phase two that is

[29:31] coming up and it's uh mostly involving the curbside recycling collection.

[29:37] So the extended producer responsibility regulation is underneath the

[29:40] environmental protection enhance enhancement act through the provincial

[29:44] government. Um it basically is a regulation that transfers the

[29:47] responsibility for managing uh designated recycled materials such as

[29:52] packaging paper products from the municipalities and onto the um design

[29:58] onto the uh producers. Um the middle person or the pro as they

[30:03] call them is circular materials. Uh it's a non national not for-profit producer

[30:08] uh responsibility organization which is the or the pro producer responsibility

[30:13] organization and they're responsible for implementing Alberta's residential

[30:18] recycling program. The EPR is uh being implemented in phases across Alberta.

[30:24] Phase one focused primarily on the depot's collection and not uh and did

[30:29] not materially change the level of service already available at at our

[30:33] Nehill County transfer sites. Phase two though represents uh the more visible

[30:38] service change for Neihill County residents as uh they will be eligible

[30:43] for curbside recycling collection within our hamlets. Um the new uh collection

[30:49] will start October 1st, 2026 and each resident within the hamlets will receive

[30:55] a recycling cart. Um for this the phase one of the program, it was

[31:01] implemented in 2025 and included Neihill County transfer sites as rural depots.

[31:06] Um there wasn't much change in this. Uh they pretty much kept what was there.

[31:10] So, at our transfer sites, we collect cardboard, paper products um at all of

[31:16] our sites except for at Three Hills, we do have a single stream recycling bin

[31:21] that can be used for plastics, um plastics, paper, and that sort of thing

[31:26] as well.

[31:30] Phase uh phase two of the CPR program, as I mentioned, begins October October

[31:35] 1st, 2026, and introduces that curbside collection services. Um

[31:46] so basically to be eligible for this we did have to provide uh curbside garbage

[31:51] collection in these urban facilities which we've been doing for many years.

[31:55] So they were um placed into this phase two.

[31:59] This phase two residents will be able to place a wider v variety of recycling

[32:03] into these bins. Um, not only will we be just be taking cardboard and paper and

[32:08] some plastics, but now um quite much quite uh oh man, I'm trying to lose my

[32:14] things here, but a broader range of recycling products. Uh like we weren't

[32:19] able to take a lot of the plastics, but now we'll be able to take the plastics.

[32:22] We'll be able to take glass containers, foam packaging, um cardboard, metal,

[32:27] metal containers, and everything else inside these carts as well as our single

[32:30] stream bin at the Three Hills transfer site will also be able to accept this um

[32:34] expanded material list. So, the Nihill County communities that

[32:39] are included in this phase 2 implementation of curbside recycling are

[32:43] are the hamlet of Huxley, Sunny Slope, Swallwell, Torington, and Wimbornne.

[32:49] These are selected because they were the communities that were receiving the

[32:52] curbside garbage collection. The EPR curbside recycling program

[32:58] applies only to eligible residential premises. Commercial, industrial,

[33:02] institutional and community use priorities properties um even if they

[33:06] are currently participating in the Hamlet Gurbside collection will not be

[33:10] uh part of this recycling. Um through the mandate through the Alberta

[33:14] government, it is residential only. um anything other than non-residentials,

[33:19] they'll be responsible for arranging their own recycling services such as

[33:23] using our transfer sites or one of the other depots around.

[33:28] Alternatively, um as I said, since non-residential properties are

[33:32] responsible for their own, alternatively, the county could consider

[33:35] providing a separate service. However, that service would fall outside of the

[33:39] EPR program and any cost associated it would be the county's cost.

[33:47] So specific for this new collection that's starting October 1st, um Circular

[33:53] Materials did issue out requests for proposals back in in uh 2025 for the

[33:58] services to begin. Um these agreements were finalized and they are now

[34:02] effective October 1st, 2026. And as I mentioned, the hamlets that were

[34:08] included were Huxley, Sunny Slope, Swallwell, Torington, Wimbornne. The

[34:11] collection contractor that won the RF RFP was Emperingham Disposal Corp.

[34:17] They're going to begin October 1st and the collection frequency is going to be

[34:21] bi-weekly on Mondays. And like I mentioned before, new um collector bins

[34:28] will be distributed to all residents.

[34:34] So ahead of time that EP Eham disposal corp, they will be doing a uh a roll out

[34:40] of the bins prior to October 1st. So residents should start seeing new bins

[34:45] arriving throughout September. Um they are asking that they don't put them out

[34:49] until October 1st because they won't be collected until that first scheduled

[34:53] thing. As I mentioned, um these bins will be

[34:57] considered single stream recycling. Um, this is so that you can put any of your

[35:01] materials in from glass to cardboard to paper products to tins all into one bin.

[35:07] They don't have to be sorted. This will now be done at the sorting centers when

[35:10] they are brought into the uh to the main hub.

[35:15] So, this is a little bit easier for residents because they don't have to

[35:18] worry. Like I said, it's it's just a one one drop bin and uh you can recycle.

[35:24] So some of the key milestones that have been going on and they've kind of

[35:27] basically started is July and August um circle materials has hosted introductory

[35:33] meetings with municipalities and their designated collection centers. So I did

[35:37] uh participate in this zoom and did meet Epingham and uh that sort of thing. So

[35:42] they are ready to go and uh this isn't the first this isn't their first RFP.

[35:48] They've been doing this around the communities um not within Nihill County

[35:53] but around Nih Hill County. They've been uh been doing this. So there is

[35:56] experience there. So it's not going to be a brand new companies doing this uh

[36:00] mid July. So basically now um we're coming up and we're going to start uh

[36:04] promoting this onto our social medias. I don't know if you're on social medias,

[36:08] but if uh Circle Materials has been uh putting out a lot of ads lately on um

[36:13] Facebook, Instagram, all that sort of stuff, targeting people and letting them

[36:18] know that, hey, this is all starting to come out. So, uh we'll also be doing the

[36:21] same thing on our on our social media channels just to make sure that people

[36:25] in the in the area know that this is this is going to begin.

[36:29] As I mentioned in September, the cart delivery is going to begin. Uh so the

[36:33] residents within the hamlets will will uh be will uh be receiving those. And

[36:38] October 1st, well I guess the the first Monday in October is when our collection

[36:42] will begin within our hamlets. As this curbside collection program is

[36:49] managed by Circular Materials, um residents will be be directed to them um

[36:53] or the contractor for any concerns that they may have. Um this isn't a program

[36:58] run by the county. It's run by these other individuals. So, we'll obviously

[37:02] take the the calls, but we will be redirecting them to Circular Materials

[37:06] or the contractor. So, for example, if uh their their recycling wasn't picked

[37:12] up, that call will be directed to the contractor to make amends, it won't be

[37:16] the county that makes amends and goes pick up the recycling. It'll be the

[37:20] contractor that does that. um if there's inquiry about why this program is

[37:24] running or that sort of thing or why isn't this collected or that collected

[37:29] that's going to be directed to circular materials and that'll be up to them to

[37:33] um get back to our our residents on. We're not going to ignore them obviously

[37:36] but we are going to direct them to those appropriate places and that information

[37:40] is going to be out there so they can actually call these people directly

[37:43] instead of going through the county because it is a separately run um

[37:47] program.

[37:52] So for uh this one, so like I mentioned, this is a program run by the provincial

[37:58] governments which push the financial responsibility onto the producers of

[38:02] this material. So there is no um direct cost to the county or the residents. Um

[38:09] indirect cost would be more staff time um putting it out on our social medias

[38:14] um maybe answering rateayer questions. So there is a cost to the time some of

[38:18] our staff but no direct purchasing of the bins, no direct uh paying of a

[38:23] contract or anything like that but there are some small indirect um costs to it.

[38:30] So that's uh a quick overview of it. Um it's I guess it is my understanding that

[38:37] maybe the counselor have also received some of this information. I was told on

[38:42] one of the Zoom meetings that uh counselors were going to get a

[38:45] information package by email. I don't know if that's been happened yet. If it

[38:48] hasn't, I'm sure it should be coming is what I've been told on some Zoom

[38:52] meetings. Um but anyways, if you have any questions or anything, then uh yeah,

[38:56] we can open that up. >> So, one question I have is uh we're

[39:01] providing these guys are providing another service that we didn't provide

[39:05] before. How can they do that for free?

[39:11] How much is this costing the right pairs >> through the reef? Directly nothing. It's

[39:15] costing the right pairs. Um the onus has been put back onto the producers of

[39:19] this. So a producer of this material is someone who basically sells products

[39:25] that have over a certain amount of tonnage of material waste would be

[39:30] considered a producer. For example, Nihill County could be considered a

[39:34] producer if we produce a certain threshold of material such as like when

[39:38] we um mail out taxes or utility bills or anything and we

[39:44] produce a certain threshold of paper products, we could become a producer. We

[39:48] don't meet that threshold, so we're not um but

[39:51] » so that that threshold is set by the Alberta government.

[39:53] » That's correct. >> So it's it's like a tire tax.

[39:58] » Not so much like a tire tax. um >> similar though they rather than tax you

[40:03] they're actually doing something with it.

[40:06] » It's not a tax on a product but I guess in a roundabout way I guess I mean if if

[40:11] you're getting charged you know to run a certain project maybe your price goes up

[40:18] right but there's not an actual direct cost or a tax on to these people to do

[40:23] this. Councelor Olsson, >> do we have I know this is a program run

[40:28] by the government or by Alberta government, but um do we have any idea

[40:31] what this is costing? Are we privy to what it costs? Because I'm just worried

[40:37] that the government may start these programs and then eventually

[40:43] turn them over to us. So if we have an I at least have an idea what we what we're

[40:49] seeing here. >> Yeah. through the reef that I don't have

[40:53] a answer to for the cost. Um that would probably be something maybe the uh

[40:59] provincial regulatory body that's running it is the uh Alberta Recycling

[41:03] Commission. Um so maybe that would be um you know something that they would be

[41:10] able to share, but I don't know. I don't know that.

[41:18] » Any other questions or concerns?

[41:25] Councelor Cunningham. Well, >> I was just going to say I I agree with

[41:27] councelor Olsson like we've seen so much provincial downloading. Is this going to

[41:31] be something that's going to come to us? So, do we maybe want to send an email to

[41:35] um the what you say it was count the recycling council and find out what the

[41:40] cost is like might not hurt. Hey, >> so through the reef, this isn't uh new.

[41:47] Alberta is actually one of the last provinces to uh to start doing this.

[41:51] This has been run through all different provinces throughout Canada. So, it's

[41:55] not a new uh type of a program. It's kind of a uh you know

[42:01] just just another part through all like the other provinces done it. So, we're

[42:05] not creating the wheel. They're basically uh just implementing here. So,

[42:09] and I I don't know if there's ever been any issues in other provinces where

[42:12] they've downloaded it on. Well, if we're uh you say we're going to

[42:18] get some information from these guys, maybe they'll have some of that

[42:22] » um through the re. It won't be information like that. It'll be

[42:24] information about um you know the collection of it, the the new products

[42:28] and stuff like that. I don't think there'll be any financials information

[42:32] in that. >> Yeah. Okay. We should look into it

[42:36] somehow because one way or the other we're paying for it.

[42:44] Okay. Any other questions, concerns?

[43:24] Uh let's go to 4.2 road committee update.

[43:42] Good morning, council. Uh on June 20 or June 17th, uh the Rome

[43:48] committee completed a tour. During that review, uh we looked at several sites

[43:53] throughout Neil County, including operation concerns, cap current capital

[43:58] projects, and potential future uh maintenance and capital projects. So

[44:04] through the road committee, there was a few things identified that we uh or the

[44:08] committee decided to bring back to council.

[44:11] So just starting at number one here, so we uh visited three hills yard. The

[44:15] stockpile location was was identified as a concern. uh why is that stockpile

[44:21] located in three hills? Uh we discussed the the concerns around the gravel

[44:24] trucks traveling through town. Uh the uh and considered recommended to council

[44:31] that the the removal of the three hill stockpile from our stockpile uh sites.

[44:38] Further discussion from that noted removing the stock piles would increase

[44:40] hall distances uh for county operations that could result in uh reduced

[44:45] operational efficiency. The committee discussed the possibility of completing

[44:48] a broader review of county stockpile locations and evaluate the oper

[44:54] operational requirements, hall distances, cost, and potential

[44:57] alternative locations of of stockpiles. uh excess equipment. Uh there was uh

[45:05] attachments looked at on the south fence uh committee uh is or the administration

[45:11] is going to review and see what what we currently are utilizing and what can be

[45:15] potentially sold. Um the other one that was brought up was

[45:20] the old shop. Uh the committee reviewed the old shop. Discussions uh were uh

[45:27] happened along the lines of uh subdividing and selling that. There's

[45:30] things and what we store in there. So, we store a number of graders, four

[45:34] graders, three plow trucks, and multiple other pieces of equipment, uh, water

[45:38] trucks, and multiple little pieces of equipment. Uh, potential things that we

[45:42] would have to look at if there was a subdivision and sale of that shop would

[45:46] be, uh, separation and relocation of all the power services currently shared with

[45:50] that building and water, installation of f fences along the boundaries,

[45:55] relocation of power to the south gate. uh what would the shop be worth versus

[46:00] what the cost of all that would cost? Uh and then another one that was not in

[46:04] there that got brought up afterwards is potential for our fuel tank being too

[46:07] close where we'd have to remove our move our fuel tank as well.

[46:13] So that was three's location. Our second location was the Gore Road culverts. Uh

[46:18] both bridge files have been completed. Uh committee reviewed both sites. There

[46:22] was no comments on that. Uh for 2026 capital projects uh we looked at the

[46:28] Lynden overlay site was viewed work was ongoing. There was no comments. Road

[46:32] stabilization uh program potential sites were visited if the project were to move

[46:38] forward about possibly doing Sharples Hill. Uh that project was then cancelled

[46:43] at the following uh council meeting there. Uh major bridge maintenance. Uh

[46:48] no sites reviewed as they it's still in uh determination what's what bridges

[46:53] we'll be completing. Uh the gravel purchase program we stopped by the

[46:56] Redlands uh stockpile site. Uh bridge file 2288. Uh the site was

[47:03] viewed admin or administration noted that that the current uh bridge file is

[47:08] current actually two culverts that are about 200 meters apart. After the

[47:12] construction uh or possible construction next year, uh each culvert will be

[47:18] registered as its own bridge file. Uh township 340 west 251. Uh that would

[47:25] be a tree removal project. Uh dirt road that needs some brushing. Site was

[47:30] viewed. Uh we'll administration is going to bring it back to council for uh

[47:34] potential operating project for consideration.

[47:38] Uh we looked at uh Torington gravel pit there with uh the water pumping that was

[47:43] going on there. There was no no recommendations from that.

[47:47] Sharpel Hills was viewed. Uh gravel general maintenance on the road was

[47:51] needed. It was bladed uh June 18th the next day actually the greater was in the

[47:55] area. Um committee discussed the possibility of moving the road

[47:59] stabilization. Once again uh project was cancelled.

[48:04] uh range road 242 south of highway 27 or 575. The site was viewed uh committee is

[48:10] recommended to council or committee is recommending to council to direct

[48:14] administration to install maximum 30 km an hour signs through the curves um and

[48:19] then back to 80 km an hour in the straight parts of that highway. Spot

[48:23] graveling may be required just as part of oper operational u maintenance.

[48:30] Uh the other program that we looked at was the edge of the road uh spraying

[48:34] that was happening north of highway 27. We reviewed many sites committee

[48:38] discussed the current edge of the road grass encroachment spraying program.

[48:43] Admin advised that the primary purpose of the program is to control vegetation

[48:47] along the edge of the roadway reducing the amount of vegetation that the

[48:51] graders can pull onto the road surface while maintaining the shoulder.

[48:55] Uh the committee discussed the concerns about sprain maybe contributing to

[48:59] shoulder deterioration because that sprain is making it past the edge of the

[49:03] road onto that shoulder and then the possibility of uh kosha being able to to

[49:09] sprout up easier easier in those areas that have been sprayed.

[49:14] uh committee recommended to or recommendation to council would be to

[49:17] direct a men to review the edge of road strain program uh including its

[49:21] effectiveness, benefits, potential impacts before determining whether the

[49:24] program should be continued or modified. Uh brushing once again range 230 south

[49:32] of Buffalo Jump site was viewed. Uh we'll bring that back, administration

[49:36] will bring that back as a operational project for council's consideration

[49:40] during budgeting. uh Heskith uh road we looked at a uh

[49:46] committee looked at a few sites. So a ditch wash out uh site was viewed uh

[49:51] it's going to be brought back for council during 2027 budget uh as a

[49:56] potential cap capital project. The valley next to the road is is failing

[50:00] and the ditch is falling into that valley. It keeps working closer and

[50:04] closer to the road. Um and the only way to fix that properly is to go to the

[50:08] base and work our way back up. So, there's some potential cheaper options

[50:12] of moving the roads. So, that'll come back as a future project

[50:16] for council's consideration. Uh ditching on the south hill. Uh

[50:20] there's a site that needed some uh dish maintenance to get the water off the

[50:24] road. Uh and then ditching in front of the old schoolhouse.

[50:33] So from from what we reviewed the financial and staffing implications, the

[50:38] recommended motions one, two, and one, two, four, and five will be funded

[50:41] through approved 2026 operating budget and are not uh anticipated to have any

[50:47] other financial impact. Everything else that would be coming forward as projects

[50:51] would be uh up to council's consideration.

[50:55] Uh so there's a few options uh we or recommendations to go through. uh we can

[51:00] uh and the council has a few options from those of whether they approve uh

[51:05] them as presented or or uh provide uh uh revised directions. So um first

[51:14] recommended motion would be that three hills shopyard

[51:17] that council direct administration to complete a review of county stockpile

[51:21] locations including operational requirements and potential alternative

[51:26] locations and report findings back to council.

[51:30] The second uh motion would be that council direct administration to install

[51:35] 30 km hour signs, advisory signs, speeds through the curves on range road 242

[51:41] south of highway 575 with speeds returning to 80 km an hour in the

[51:46] straight sections. The third recommended motion would be

[51:51] the council direct administration to review the edge of road spraying program

[51:55] including its effectiveness, benefits, potential impacts before determining

[51:59] whether the program should continue or be modified.

[52:04] Uh the fourth motion be the council direct administration to include

[52:07] township 34 uh z tree removal project and range 230 south

[52:14] of Buffalo Jump brushing project as potential uh projects for consideration

[52:18] during the 2027 budget deliberations. And then the next motions would be the

[52:25] council direct administration to include the range 222 220 at the valley slope

[52:31] failure as a potential capital project for consideration during the budget

[52:34] deliberations 2027 budget deliberations. Um

[52:41] the the next motion would be that council direct administration to

[52:44] investigate the feasibility of the drainage improvements on range road 22

[52:48] 220 two sorry Hesus road including the utility constraints. Um that one is

[52:54] already ongoing just through op uh daily operations. So,

[52:58] uh, the count the next last one would be that council direct administration to

[53:02] complete the ditch cleaning on range road 220 from the old schoolhouse appro

[53:07] approach eastward approximately 100 m.

[53:24] Yes, I believe that's it. Okay. Uh couple couple things I'd like to discuss

[53:29] on this uh road committee report. Um I'd like to see going forward the minutes

[53:34] come to the council to the committee prior to coming into council because it

[53:39] looks like there's been some liberties taken on what we've said or what we've

[53:43] discussed and I'll use an example. Um we talked about the edge of road spraying

[53:49] where we've killed the grass over the edge.

[53:53] uh their shoulders deteriorating and we we do have kosha growing. Uh we as road

[53:59] committee recommended that that pro if I remember correct me if I'm wrong what we

[54:04] discussed is we were going to recommend to council that this stops immediately

[54:09] that spraying program. >> Yeah.

[54:13] So I mean going forward if we can just get these minutes sent out to us prior

[54:19] to getting into council we can correct some of these. Uh that being said um

[54:25] we can carry on with this till the next road committee. I'm okay with that.

[54:29] Every any other concern >> from road committee.

[54:38] Um just another question the Okay, you do have it is never mind. It's 2027

[54:44] coming out of the 2027 budget. Yeah, correct. Okay.

[54:54] Councelor Olson. >> So, with regard to the spraying on the

[55:00] on the shoulder, um, do we need to have a motion to have

[55:06] that stopped because I think it was added, right? So, if it was added by

[55:09] administration, then it can be just deleted by administration. Is that not

[55:14] correct? >> Um, that being said, I don't we don't

[55:17] know where that came from. It came from prior to to Mike um going on. But I mean

[55:23] in order in in to get into a big discussion, we can do that right now.

[55:27] But to me, I mean, road building 101, we don't do that. You just destroyed our

[55:32] roads and and we've saw it. We we we saw it all throughout the county. And Kosha

[55:37] is growing in those areas big time. Now, um I I don't really want I I don't

[55:44] think we need to bring back that to council, but that's up to you guys if

[55:48] you want. There's motions on the floor there.

[55:54] » Yeah. No, I'm okay with that. We can just

[55:57] adopt it as read. >> Yeah.

[56:04] » Go ahead. >> Through the chair. So with the road edge

[56:07] spraying program, uh the reason like in the minutes there it's recommended or

[56:12] it's not recommended that it's canceled, but that's where it was going. Uh where

[56:17] administration came through in in the this RFD about that is there are

[56:21] benefits to it. I don't think the program uh has been executed to it what

[56:26] it's supposed to be. It needs to be refined. I I think there's still

[56:30] benefits to this program. The original intent was just to spray that very edge

[56:34] of the road where the graders drag in that that u saw and and we uh grass and

[56:39] have that encroachment. Uh the intent was never to spray the shoulder. This

[56:44] year obviously the shoulder got sprayed and we've seen that on the roads where

[56:47] where it was not executed correctly uh to what what we need the program to. So

[56:53] that's where administration was coming from with the the review on the program

[56:57] of refining it and actually laying out specific roads that may be having it. If

[57:02] we make a motion or if council makes a motion uh to cancel that program

[57:05] together, it kind of ties our hands on if we have a problem, we can't go spray

[57:10] four miles that we're having issues with that grass encroaching where the graders

[57:13] can't keep up to it. Uh so that that's where uh administration was coming from

[57:17] on the review on it and and maybe refining it, not such a broad program,

[57:22] but bringing it down to certain areas and making sure it's just that edge of

[57:27] the road, not the shoulder. Uh so that that's where administration was coming

[57:32] from on that one. So >> okay, if I remember right, and correct

[57:36] me if I'm wrong, guys, the motion was stop that procedure. We don't need to be

[57:41] spraying grass. We can't even spray the the kosha

[57:45] and now now we're out there spraying grass, killing grass on the edge of the

[57:49] road. That was a discussion that we had. Also,

[57:58] our motion was to or our our our thought was to bring this back to comm

[58:03] to uh council to recommend that that program stops. There's more ways to kill

[58:07] the grass or to get rid of grass on the road than what what we're doing there.

[58:11] That's just not even That's not even road building 101.

[58:19] Councelor Penner, I guess the comment that I would make though is that if

[58:24] council was to make a motion like that, we're getting dangerously close to

[58:30] dealing with the day-to-day operations of things. Administration has taken your

[58:36] information. They're going to refine their techniques

[58:42] and probably cut them back

[58:46] an extensive amount from what might have occurred this year.

[58:51] I don't think we want to get into the position where we're on a day-to-day

[58:56] basis guiding administration's

[59:01] duties. That would be my comment.

[59:06] That being said, that that's fine. I I I agree for we are uh number one, I don't

[59:11] think we are. This is a level of service I don't think we need to provide. And

[59:14] what it's doing is destroying the roads. And no one has a right here to destroy

[59:19] these roads. These shoulders are getting destroyed. They're they're falling

[59:23] apart. They're getting widened out. The graders are digging them down. We could

[59:27] we could spend days going through this and and we looked at it through real

[59:30] committee. Um it's this is this is a pro process that doesn't need to be even be

[59:36] done as far as I'm concerned. It's a level of service we don't even need to

[59:39] provide. That's my thought.

[59:44] » Council Olson. >> Yeah, I think we've seen it as a

[59:47] recommendation that it's something we didn't want to do. Not that we're um

[59:51] trying to, you know, steer

[59:56] administration, but we are making suggestions that we don't like this just

[1:00:01] because of what it is doing.

[1:00:06] » Council Pa, >> do we have a um delegation at nine or

[1:00:13] » I'm not here. Oh, there. Okay. I can ask my questions afterwards if you want to.

[1:00:17] » Do you want to go through this? We can just uh go through this approve whatever

[1:00:21] you want >> and then we can get into the

[1:00:24] » No, sure. >> Can I just I just have a question to ask

[1:00:27] first. >> So, did the road committee then not

[1:00:30] recommend the sale of the old shop at the

[1:00:35] » No, we did recommend the sale of the old shop, but that it's just the way it's

[1:00:40] wrote here. So, >> Okay. No, I mean I I think you explained

[1:00:42] it very well because that was in my head. I'm like I'm assuming just the

[1:00:46] location of that old shop it would complicate things a little bit to have

[1:00:49] to well we haven't saz here but we would have to subdivide that piece of property

[1:00:54] and then to me the access like it would change to me there would be quite a bit

[1:00:58] of cost to that to have to change the access into that property and like you

[1:01:02] said I mean what's the cost of that versus what the potential income of the

[1:01:06] sale would be so I just I I I just myself I just don't know if we would

[1:01:11] come out on top of that but I don't

[1:01:18] Councelor Olson. >> Yeah. No, that was again that was some

[1:01:23] of our discussion. I'm not in favor of that as well, but I mean some of our

[1:01:28] some of our uh committee is, but I mean, yeah, that was just that was some

[1:01:34] discussion that we had along the way. So it's nothing that uh yeah there's a

[1:01:40] broader absolutely thanks

[1:01:48] you guys want to carry on with this councelor Olson

[1:01:52] » I think we've beat this up enough I think we just uh acknowledges as as as

[1:01:57] read for now and we can uh bring maybe more specific things forward later.

[1:02:04] » Okay. Councelor Coney >> just one more for me. So number five,

[1:02:08] the water pumping concern. I know um there was a rate pair that felt that his

[1:02:13] um well had substantially changed and so I just want to clarify that we've

[1:02:17] confirmed that there was nothing on the county's end that was altering his water

[1:02:22] well um production >> through the chair. No, we did not test

[1:02:27] uh local land owners water wells. It's an artisian well from my understanding.

[1:02:31] Uh he's upstream from where we are. Uh the water levels are right back to where

[1:02:37] they are. So water levels on artisian wells are going to fluctuate. Uh

[1:02:42] we've never tested any of the other wells in the area and no one else has

[1:02:45] called us with any effects. So uh but the water levels are back up to

[1:02:50] pre-pumping levels. So >> just to confirm that we've followed up

[1:02:54] with him just because I was contacted as well. Okay. Thank you. Can can you just

[1:02:58] uh expl give uh uh councelor Cunningham a little more information on how quick

[1:03:02] that well or those springs fill that? >> Yeah, it's not as if we're we're drowned

[1:03:08] in things or taking things out. >> Yeah, I I don't have a specific uh cubic

[1:03:12] meters per minute. Uh um but it they pumped in April and it was full by mid

[1:03:18] June. Uh, and they pumped 300,000 cubes, just under 300,000 cubes, and it barely

[1:03:24] dropped that level of that uh that water body. I think it dropped at 3 ft

[1:03:29] roughly, 4 feet maybe. So, it was very minimal. So,

[1:03:32] » no, I appreciate that. I just wanted to make sure because I I had received a

[1:03:35] message from him as well. So, just wanted to make sure that he he uh had

[1:03:39] been followed up with. So, thank you, >> Dr. Rosson. You want to move that as

[1:03:42] information >> and then we can move on? Yes,

[1:03:45] » I need a motion. Uh I would make the motion that we receive uh this

[1:03:50] information as read. >> Okay. Any more discussion? All in favor?

[1:03:59] » Carried.

[1:04:06] » Yeah, we if that's okay. We'll take a quick break. Five minutes then we'll go

[1:04:10] with the delegation. >> We'll go with the delegation in five 10

[1:04:13] minutes.

[1:12:05] Okay, we're back. 9:15. Uh, let's go to 3.1.

[1:12:10] Uh,

[1:12:13] the Grant Prairie Christian Academy grant application.

[1:12:17] Good morning. Uh, we'll start with some introductions here. We'll start with my

[1:12:22] right.

[1:12:26] Good morning, Lorley Michelle Cunningham, division five.

[1:12:29] » Looney Mook, division seven. >> Good morning, Richard Hoppins, division

[1:12:34] six. >> L Olsen, division four.

[1:12:37] » Good morning, Darcy Penner, division two.

[1:12:41] » You got the floor.

[1:12:47] » Our project. Uh, also want to thank you guys for serving our county. Um,

[1:12:53] so there's probably a word in there that might not make much sense. Gaga pit, but

[1:12:57] I'll get I'll get to to it and why it's a valuable piece for our community and

[1:13:02] our our project we do see is going to enhance uh uh what we've already brought

[1:13:07] to our community. So, uh, if you want to go to the next slide,

[1:13:12] I want to officially thank this uh this uh council as well. In 2019, you granted

[1:13:18] us money towards our larger project. So, I go to the next slide. Uh this

[1:13:23] playground, which is the only playground in the north part of our town, and uh

[1:13:28] it's been used not only at school, but all through the summer, uh soccer games,

[1:13:33] people send their kids over there. It's it's well well used, well well loved.

[1:13:38] So, this is an a second or third thank you. Um but along with that, I want to

[1:13:44] just go to the next slide, please. It's a part of a bigger um activity area

[1:13:50] where our students in that community in that part of our town have access to it.

[1:13:54] And if you see on the on the right side and go further, yeah, we can go down.

[1:13:59] This is the Gaga pit. Okay. So, gaga means hit. And it's a Hebrew word. I

[1:14:06] just learned that today by googling. And uh you can see how well worn it is on

[1:14:09] the sides. It's been a very big part of our our community. Kids go out there.

[1:14:15] It's a game that is a tag game, uh, but it uses a ball and so it kind of has

[1:14:20] quick cycles. Uh, so you have young kids in there on one and and older kids on

[1:14:25] the other and they have to manage themselves and the kids kids love it.

[1:14:30] Like we've seen it being used over and over again. So, we had put this in as

[1:14:35] part of the project um near after the project and uh as you can see it has a a

[1:14:42] gravel pad and it's dirty and and muddy and so I just go down a little further.

[1:14:49] Um it's, you know, kids are wiping out and

[1:14:53] they're they're pulling uh pulling the dirt back into the school and back into

[1:14:57] their and their homes are in as they use it. And uh yeah, go on down. And so this

[1:15:04] is this is just a picture I took of the the Three Hills uh school location. And

[1:15:09] they have this rubber on the on the bottom. And we've had parents asking us,

[1:15:13] is there possibility for for this to uh this to be enhanced at our location. Um

[1:15:22] it it's cleaner, it's it's safer, uh it's durable, and it looks it presents

[1:15:27] well, and it would definitely kind of clean up our our whole playground. Um,

[1:15:34] and so this playground serves, and this is this

[1:15:39] is true, this playground serves the north end of of Three Hills. It uh it

[1:15:44] has a lot of activity heading into from that area. Um, the Gaga Pit is enjoyed

[1:15:51] and well used by kids of all ages and it teaches them how to how to win, how to

[1:15:55] lose, how to play together and start again and do it all over again. and we

[1:15:59] see them using it. Um, and then the present Gaga pit, the hit pit needs a

[1:16:05] base that is both clean and safe for kids. And then the next one, um, we have

[1:16:12] half the funds needed to complete this project and would love for you to

[1:16:16] partner with us to make this improvement a reality. Um,

[1:16:21] this this uh this year we have half the funds and we'd ideally love to be able

[1:16:26] to finish it this summer. so that September or even into October comes and

[1:16:31] it's it's ready to be used. Uh we we're committed to completing this. Um but it

[1:16:37] might not be this this summer if if we need to go into the next spring or

[1:16:43] summer. That wouldn't be ideal for us. But that's uh what we're committed to

[1:16:48] do. We want to do it and uh we're excited. Um I don't know. Again, it's

[1:16:54] been such a privilege to to be able to think this through and to add this value

[1:16:58] because uh I do think that it will

[1:17:03] be well welcomed and our hope is to to obviously communicate to people who who

[1:17:09] is uh part of the project and helping it be communicated and completed. So that's

[1:17:14] part of our strategy and plan. So thank you for listening to my presentation.

[1:17:20] any any questions about the details of that the um I guess I

[1:17:26] should add like through our getting quotes and stuff um the paving comm uh

[1:17:31] companies that I think that's they did on the side but they did that for the

[1:17:34] three hill school and the quote came to about 15 which is like putting all the

[1:17:38] rock and underneath the base making a solid base that it'll last a long time

[1:17:42] and then the UV protected rubber um product and then walking away and having

[1:17:48] it useful then we will complete it by painting it making it fresh and look

[1:17:53] brand new. >> Have you uh any other funding or looked

[1:17:56] for any other funding? >> Um we I mean we have our own funding uh

[1:18:01] process in our society. So that funding is part of what we've done. We uh just

[1:18:07] raised funds for it ourselves. I've looked into some of the larger projects

[1:18:12] and they're like looking at like 50,000 ones. And the way that I looked at I

[1:18:16] went through it locally and I was like um I don't think we being it's a smaller

[1:18:23] project uh and a big pool of people um I guess our our plan was if we could

[1:18:28] expedite the process and invite you guys into it. That's how I was processing

[1:18:33] because the other ones would have required like some like like ACO had one

[1:18:36] and >> I was basically thinking like the town

[1:18:38] of Three Hills. >> Oh, I haven't I haven't asked.

[1:18:43] Okay. council. >> Um, yeah, I don't know anything about a

[1:18:50] gaga pit or so. I haven't seen any kids playing do this, but obviously it's

[1:18:56] getting used. Um, I love kids things. I I you know,

[1:19:02] I'm glad to hear that the playground's being used,

[1:19:05] » but uh yeah, I I see this as a as a good thing, but uh

[1:19:12] yeah, I Jerry says to why that you haven't asked

[1:19:17] the the town as well, but uh there is a lot of

[1:19:21] » there is a lot of uh kneehill residents kids that that that go to the school.

[1:19:27] So, uh yeah, anything anything with kids I'm kind of a sucker for.

[1:19:32] » Thank you for the presentation. >> Thank you, C. So, this is interesting

[1:19:37] because I didn't know what a gaga pit was either until last week when I had my

[1:19:41] grandkids and we drove by the Three Hills School and they're like, "Hey,

[1:19:43] it's a gaga pit." And I'm like, "What?" So, yeah, I got educated on that last

[1:19:47] week. So, no, they apparently really enjoyed them. So, that's awesome. Could

[1:19:52] you just let me know um provincial wise, does the province provide your school or

[1:19:56] any schools for that matter any money for playground equipment?

[1:20:01] » Our last project, we as a society fundraised the whole thing. So there

[1:20:06] wasn't anything there for that. >> No, that's I I kind of figured that, but

[1:20:10] I just wanted to clarify that. Now, I think as councelor Olsen said or I know

[1:20:15] people from all over town and even me as a Nihill County resident, when I bring

[1:20:19] my grandkids, I go to different parks in town, right? So, we're certainly using

[1:20:21] them. But do you folks have it broken down at all for Prairie Christian

[1:20:25] Academy, how many children attending are Nehill County residents?

[1:20:30] » It's a good question. Uh I mean our busing system we I definitely know we

[1:20:36] have kids from Carbon and Lyndon and all around but percentage wise I don't have

[1:20:40] that on my head. Sorry. Yeah. We definitely do serve a wider community

[1:20:45] because we're we have people looking for our school. So

[1:20:50] any other questions?

[1:20:55] » Thank you. >> Thank you. Yeah. Appreciate your time.

[1:21:01] Yeah.

[1:21:26] » Let's go on to 5.1.

[1:21:38] Good morning. >> Good morning, Mr. Reed. Members of

[1:21:40] council, I'm coming back to you with the request for decision for further

[1:21:44] readings on three different bylaws. uh area structure plan amendment bylaw 1927

[1:21:50] which is for prairie view estates direct control district 9 which is bylaw 1928

[1:21:56] and direct control district 10 which is bylaw 1929 for second and third

[1:22:01] readings. So an application was received by the majority of the lot holder within

[1:22:06] saddleup estates to amend the bylaw 1586 which is the saddleup estates area

[1:22:12] structure plan. An amendment did require a new bylaw. It also required or the

[1:22:17] applicants also proposed a new name which is the Prairie View Estates. This

[1:22:22] application came to us also with two land use bylaw amendments for the

[1:22:26] creation of two new direct control districts and a homeowners association

[1:22:30] as well as some revised wording and clarification. This request for decision

[1:22:35] is for second and third readings for each bylaw. Each bylaw will require

[1:22:39] separate motions and we've tried to break them out by color in the uh

[1:22:43] recommendation. Council can approve, amend or deny any

[1:22:47] of these. If council's choosing to amend anything, then um if you want to tell us

[1:22:53] what you choose to amend, administration will make those changes and then we will

[1:22:56] bring it back for third reading. So you would have that amended copy at that

[1:23:00] point in time. So again, any applications to amend an area structure

[1:23:04] plan require a public hearing to be held prior to amending a statutory plan.

[1:23:10] Amendments to the land use bylaw also require a public hearing. Because they

[1:23:13] were all related, we did hold one public hearing to address all of them. Um and

[1:23:19] that public uh first reading was given to each of these bylaws on March 24th.

[1:23:25] All information information and questions regarding the applications

[1:23:29] were brought forward at the public hearing held on May 12th, 2026. Council

[1:23:34] moved to table this public hearing to resume on June 9th. This gave further

[1:23:38] opportunity for participation in the hearing. The public hearing process is

[1:23:43] legislated and as per the municipal government act, council must hear any

[1:23:46] person or group of people who claim to be affected by the proposed bylaws and

[1:23:51] also in this instance the amendment of the area structure plan. Any land owner

[1:23:55] who felt they were impacted by the proposal either positively or negatively

[1:24:00] had the opportunity to attend and speak to the matter directly at the public

[1:24:04] hearing. Affected parties could also submit their comments in writing and

[1:24:08] these comments were all included in the public hearing package for council

[1:24:11] consideration at the time. In your package, we've also included uh the uses

[1:24:17] of the recreation district as well as what would be the revised uses in direct

[1:24:23] control districts if they're successful in that. And again, council can change

[1:24:27] any of those uses as they see fit. Um an area structure plan does provide the

[1:24:34] framework for subsequent subdivision development within a certain area of

[1:24:37] land. So, it does give an extra layer of rules to that property. In this

[1:24:42] instance, Saddleup esta states the existing area structure plan encompasses

[1:24:46] the entire quarter section of the southwest of five 3326 west of four.

[1:24:53] This amendment would not be a permit to develop or subdivide, nor does the

[1:24:57] creation of the direct control districts give automatic permission to develop.

[1:25:01] The direct control districts encompass land which was previously zoned

[1:25:05] recreation. The recreation district allows multiple uses on the lands which

[1:25:10] can can now be better controlled through a direct control district.

[1:25:15] So again the direct control districts are unique that compared to other

[1:25:19] things. So the municipal planning commission reviews development proposals

[1:25:24] in a direct control district and they make a recommendation to council. We

[1:25:27] bring that back to council. Subdivisions are the exact opposite. We bring those

[1:25:31] to council. they make a recommendation to the planning commission and then we

[1:25:35] take it to the planning commission for approval. Um again there was no

[1:25:40] financial implications other than that and we do need motions on each separate

[1:25:45] bylaw number um separately.

[1:25:56] Okay. Any discussion

[1:26:08] motions

[1:26:26] Anderson? because it has to be done. I guess I

[1:26:30] will move that we give second reading of bylaw

[1:26:33] 1927 for the purpose of amending the area structure plan formerly known as

[1:26:38] saddle up estates as presented.

[1:26:43] » Any discussion or concerns?

[1:26:47] All in favor? Opposed?

[1:26:54] Motion defeated.

[1:27:06] » [clears throat]

[1:27:09] » Second motion.

[1:27:14] » Councelor Penner. I would move the

[1:27:18] I would make the motion that council move second reading of bylaw 1928 for

[1:27:24] the purpose of creating a deck control creating a direct control district 9

[1:27:29] within the southwest of 53326 west of the 4th

[1:27:34] formally zoned recreation encompassing approximately 48.66

[1:27:39] plus or minus acres as presented. Any questions or concerns on the motion?

[1:27:49] All in favor? Opposed?

[1:27:55] Motion defeated.

[1:28:03] » Councelor Hawkins. >> Yes. Make the third the council move

[1:28:08] second reading of bylaw 1928 for the purpose of creating direct control

[1:28:12] district 10 within southwest 53326 west of four formally zoned recreation

[1:28:20] encompassing approximately 19.44 plus or minus acres as presented.

[1:28:28] » Questions or concerns on the motion? All in favor?

[1:28:34] opposed. Motion defeated.

[1:28:44] Thank you.

[1:28:48] Uh let's go to back to 5.1.

[1:28:53] » Oh, wait a minute. Sorry. You want to do 4.3?

[1:28:59] » Oh, we can leave mic here for a bit. Let's [snorts] do five. Let's do that.

[1:29:02] 5.1.2.

[1:29:07] Have we got time? >> Yeah.

[1:29:16] » Um, this is regarding our redesignation. So, bylaw 1935, a redesignation from

[1:29:22] country residential to agriculture. So Jesse and Ashley Ryder, Timothy and

[1:29:27] Elizabeth Miller and Isaacam have recently purchased the country

[1:29:30] residential property north of the town of Three Hills and would like to

[1:29:33] redesate the 20 acres from a portion of the northwest of 63223 west of 4 from

[1:29:39] the country residential district to the agricultural district. The subject land

[1:29:44] is located around along range road 240 which is hard service. This parcel was

[1:29:49] redesated to the Country Residential District in January of 1998,

[1:29:54] which by bylaw 1385. The developer at the time intended to

[1:29:59] create multiple lots and sell them. The current land owners have no intention of

[1:30:03] doing this. Under the municipal government act, the applications for

[1:30:07] redesation of land require a public hearing before the bylaw creating the

[1:30:11] due district can be adopted. The first reading of this proposed bylaw was given

[1:30:15] on May 26, 2026. This is the mechanism for getting an application into the

[1:30:21] queue. All information and questions regarding the application were brought

[1:30:24] forward to the public hearing held on June 23rd, 2026. As per the municipal

[1:30:30] government act, council has to hear any person or group of persons who claim to

[1:30:34] be affected by the proposed bylaw. Again, any landowner who feels they will

[1:30:38] be impacted either positively or negatively had the opportunity to come

[1:30:42] and speak about the matter directly at the public hearing. They could also

[1:30:45] submit their comments in writing. As council reviews and discusses the

[1:30:49] content of the public hearing, it can approve, amend, or defeat the proposed

[1:30:53] bylaw. The public hearing process is a legislative process, and participating

[1:30:57] in the public hearing is the legislative method to provide comments to council

[1:31:01] for consideration for applicants wanting to redesate their land. Once a public

[1:31:06] hearing is closed, no additional information should be considered in the

[1:31:10] decision-making process. Redesations are about the proposed use. A redesignation

[1:31:15] establishes a land use district and is not a development permit. The

[1:31:19] redesignation focuses on overall site suitability and not specific development

[1:31:24] conditions. This property is located approximately 0.368 miles north of the

[1:31:30] town of Three Hills and most of the areas designated agriculture with three

[1:31:35] other country residential uh properties in close proximity and one direct

[1:31:40] control district to the west of the proposed redesignation. In the country

[1:31:44] residential district, land owners are not allowed to have livestock and the

[1:31:47] current owners want to raise chickens, sheep, and cows for their own use. The

[1:31:51] property currently has one dwelling on the parcel that was converted into a

[1:31:55] duplex by previous owners. And again, we are just looking for further readings on

[1:32:00] this bylaw.

[1:32:03] » Thank you. >> Council Olson.

[1:32:08] » Uh yeah, there's no further discussion. I would make the motion that uh council

[1:32:13] move second reading of proposed bylaw 1935 for the purpose of amending land

[1:32:19] use bylaw

[1:32:23] 1808 by red designating 20 plus or minus acres on the portion of northwest 632

[1:32:31] 23 west of four from country residential to district

[1:32:39] country residential district to agriculture district.

[1:32:43] Any questions on the motion concerns?

[1:32:50] All in favor? Carried.

[1:33:02] » Councelor Hopkins. [laughter]

[1:33:06] I move that council council move third reading of proposed bylaw 1935 for the

[1:33:12] purpose of amending land use bylaw 1808 by redesating 20 plus or minus acres on

[1:33:18] a portion of northwest 63223

[1:33:22] west of 4 from country residential district to agricultural district.

[1:33:28] » Any concerns?

[1:33:32] All in favor?

[1:33:36] Thank you.

[1:33:41] » Okay, let's go to 4.3.

[1:34:02] [clears throat] Good morning again, council. Uh just

[1:34:06] here to do an operations verbal update again. So, uh graders have continued

[1:34:11] working through their regular rotations uh while focusing on the gravel roads uh

[1:34:17] when they're passing the dirt roads if conditions allow just due to the

[1:34:20] weather. We've been uh trying to hit them as we're passing by that area.

[1:34:24] We've had a new greater operator start. Uh he spent two weeks with in-house

[1:34:29] training with another divisional grader operator and now is operating

[1:34:33] independently. Uh division 10 uh is uh blading along with following the gravel

[1:34:41] crew and reshaping those roads once the gravel crew is applied. Uh we got u spec

[1:34:46] crude uh dust suppression coming July 23rd. So the Roma grader has been out

[1:34:51] prepping for that. our gravel program. We're currently uh regraveling program.

[1:34:56] We're currently in division 10. Uh we did shut down for a couple days there

[1:34:59] just uh due to con congestion in the pit for loading for gravel sales as well.

[1:35:05] Uh dust control, the spec crew is going to be applied hopefully this Thursday,

[1:35:11] weather dependent. Uh we uh we had four additional top sprays that have been

[1:35:16] received. Uh we're going to do our calcium second application in the second

[1:35:20] starting after the long weekend there of August.

[1:35:24] Men maintenance crew has been busy uh doing several ditch repairs, culvert

[1:35:28] extensions, uh water line repairs, crack sealing, culvert uh uh and then they've

[1:35:34] also been prepping at that at the hearten pit there for the 2026 crushing

[1:35:40] uh gravel sales. So we've sold quite a bit of the hands gravel out of the

[1:35:44] Troshi stockpile there. town of Troshi purchased about 4,600 tons of material.

[1:35:50] Um we had couple colonies by various amounts and a couple rate pairs by

[1:35:55] various amounts. Uh had uh 48 uh service requests since

[1:36:01] the last uh verbal update. Majority of them have been answered and once again

[1:36:06] if they they've all been responded to some of them may still be open just

[1:36:09] waiting for the work to be completed. Uh moving into capital projects. Lynen

[1:36:15] overlay uh projects going well uh re really real well so far. The scratch

[1:36:21] coat was played or finished on July 14th. Uh we did have a few people call

[1:36:25] in about that. Uh it's just that level course to get all those wheel ruts out

[1:36:28] so that we get a true true uh final layer of nice material. So the final

[1:36:34] lift of paving began on July 15th. Uh I'm not 100% sure on the anticipated

[1:36:39] completion date yet, but hopefully within the next couple weeks here. So,

[1:36:44] uh gravel purchase, I believe our contractor is getting ready to start

[1:36:48] crushing our our next stockpile. So, that's good to hear. Uh roads and needs,

[1:36:54] uh preliminary engineering continues. Uh G& technical drilling on the Alenham

[1:36:58] curves there has been scheduled uh for July 20th. Uh so yesterday there uh

[1:37:05] Bergen Pit uh the site site prep continues uh crushing tenders closed.

[1:37:10] We're just waiting for a signed contract before we announce the successful

[1:37:13] bidder. Uh the property survey uh has been completed. Uh fence work uh is

[1:37:19] waiting on the brushing to be finalized. Uh bridge file 13480 on Range Road 251.

[1:37:27] Uh detailed design is done. Uh unfortunately we received notice that uh

[1:37:32] we were not successful in stip funding. Uh so administration will be bringing

[1:37:36] forward a a recommend an RFD to council to to tell us to reapply and uh

[1:37:43] hopefully we'll hear back next year with better news.

[1:37:46] Uh township 304 culvert uh that tender is live. It's uh supposed to close July

[1:37:52] 28th uh with current construction hopefully to be completed in the fall.

[1:37:58] And then bridge file 2288 preliminary engineering is continuing. So

[1:38:06] » thanks Mike. Couple questions. >> Yes.

[1:38:09] » Um I know we discussed this but uh I I'd like to see and correct me if I'm wrong.

[1:38:15] I'm probably wrong on this, but uh when we did the detour, the detour up for

[1:38:20] around the torrent, pardon me, Chosu uh pit

[1:38:24] » for the culvert on 585, >> um I think we need to to basically send

[1:38:30] something out, just a quick a quick email or something to all the

[1:38:34] counselors so we know what's happening on it. I don't know if there's anything

[1:38:38] in the in the uh reports prior to that. I can't remember, but I think that way

[1:38:43] then I can save a lot of time when I when I get all the phone calls asking or

[1:38:48] or anybody gets a phone call asking what's going on there

[1:38:52] » through the chair 100%. Uh yeah, yes, it was not in the the updates by any means.

[1:38:56] We did uh do that uh detour road use agreement with with at over a year ago.

[1:39:02] Um so once it was we'll make sure we get notice out to council beforehand as

[1:39:06] well. It was posted on social media as soon as we got word that they were going

[1:39:10] to do construction. We got it out there as soon as possible for for the local

[1:39:14] residents. So, we will make sure to >> try to get the local counselors involved

[1:39:18] that don't use social media. [laughter] >> Um, next question. Who who they're in

[1:39:23] charge of dust control andor signage? >> Correct.

[1:39:27] » Are we checking up on them? >> Correct. Yes, we are.

[1:39:29] » All right. Thanks,

[1:39:33] » Councelor Olsson. Um, just with regards to the the

[1:39:38] Bergen Pit, um, we're waiting on the fencing there. Um, just wondering about

[1:39:43] the the holes and did that previous landowner get his equipment moved yet

[1:39:51] through the chair. Uh, the test holes that were dug there are were being

[1:39:55] filled in as of yesterday. I'm not sure if they completed them 100% or not. And

[1:39:59] then, uh, the equipment, majority of it's moved out. I'm just waiting

[1:40:03] confirmation on the last piece. I can get a update for you momentarily soon.

[1:40:08] So, >> are we So, are we you're just getting

[1:40:12] the pit cleaned up like is this where's the budget coming from?

[1:40:18] » I guess in what asks like on the prepping for the crushing is what you're

[1:40:23] asking. >> Yep.

[1:40:24] » Through operating budget currently.

[1:40:30] So if we have operators that we have like we are just have we got screening

[1:40:34] piles through the chair. We have screening piles in the bottom of the pit

[1:40:36] there that need to be moved. So when we have an operator available or two, we

[1:40:40] send them out there to help move material just intermittent in between

[1:40:44] jobs as things are lining up currently. So that was just being funded through

[1:40:49] current operation operation budget. Uh the fencing is being will be paid for

[1:40:55] out of the additional $200,000 that you guys uh uh council allotted to get the

[1:41:00] pit up and operational. So that's where that money for that

[1:41:04] fence will be coming from. >> Okay.

[1:41:10] » Any other questions for Mike?

[1:41:15] Thanks, Mike.

[1:41:25] 5.3.

[1:41:45] » Good morning, council. Um I'm bringing you today a request to dispose of two

[1:41:50] towers that we have. Um so relevant legislation

[1:41:55] uh the MGA the section contains limits on municipal powers in relation to

[1:41:59] disposal of land but this is not land this is just the asset um so it does not

[1:42:04] apply uh council bylaw. So and policy we have a policy 1613 which is our tangible

[1:42:11] capital assets accounting standards and depreciation

[1:42:15] um including asset disposals and writedowns. This is something that um if

[1:42:20] you wanted to look at that full policy but it um this we pulled out the one

[1:42:24] section and it refers to the CIO can um adjust the C TCA records including the

[1:42:32] book the book values. uh disposal of assets may occur by sale, trade-in,

[1:42:37] destruction, loss, abandonment or donation when it when the asset becomes

[1:42:42] obsolete or which serves no useful purpose. Um so

[1:42:47] that whole policy is there for you to look at. Uh council will approve the

[1:42:52] disposal of assets that are not budgeted for. This is part we can use some of

[1:42:57] this disposal cost as part of the budget and I'll kind of go over that a little

[1:43:01] bit when we get to the finance part of the RFD.

[1:43:04] Uh so background, Nihil County owns a communications and tower system and it

[1:43:09] has been operational within the protective services department due to

[1:43:12] its use for emergency communications for fire. The tower system consists of two

[1:43:18] large towers and two smaller ones. Um in 2020 we moved our emergency

[1:43:23] communications to the Alberta first responders radio communication system

[1:43:28] which is called A-Fra. This now means that we use the

[1:43:31] proincially operated and maintained tower system, Aphra. Handheld radios,

[1:43:36] in-car radios, and mobile repeaters that work with the new system are operational

[1:43:40] within the fire agreements with each of the municipalities for fire services.

[1:43:45] The old tower and radio system is no longer used by the emergency

[1:43:48] communications teams. They are now only used by private companies for internet

[1:43:53] services. The ham radio club is on carbon. Um and

[1:43:58] I think the Calgary Club actually is also on carbon as well and the Aqua 7

[1:44:02] water radio system is also used. Um they use some of the towers as well.

[1:44:08] In 2025, we conducted an assessment on Wimborn, Carbon, Torington, Sarscy, and

[1:44:14] Lynen towers, and many deficiencies were noted and in order to keep operational

[1:44:18] work needs to be completed. And this was a project that was passed by council,

[1:44:23] the towers project 2026, which we actually just put out for bids. So, we

[1:44:27] just received those back. um council. So the discussion in the options is that

[1:44:33] council approved that 2026 budget, the tower project for repairs and

[1:44:37] maintenance for 1708 $887,000. That's how much that project was. As part of

[1:44:43] the review of the project, we're recommending that two of those towers,

[1:44:46] the SARC tower and the Lynen Tower, um because they're only used by the private

[1:44:51] companies, that those two towers actually just get disposed of through a

[1:44:55] sale of purchase. So we could just sell those two towers just because they're

[1:45:00] not used by us. The SARC tower, it's used by a private company company only.

[1:45:05] It is located on private property which we do not have a lease for. This would

[1:45:09] be had to be negotiated between the purchaser and the land owner and that

[1:45:14] legal advice has been received on that tower and we're confident in this

[1:45:17] process. The Lynen Tower is used by a private company and by the Aqua 7 Water

[1:45:22] Group in it is located on private property which we do have a lease for um

[1:45:28] that can either be transferred or we need to give oneyear notice to get out

[1:45:32] of that lease. Uh disposal of these towers through the sale will save us

[1:45:37] money in the long run not only with the lease agreement but also with the

[1:45:40] repairs and maintenance on these two towers.

[1:45:43] Uh option one is notice of intent to sell which would be posted on our

[1:45:47] website to notify public that we are selling an asset. Um and then option two

[1:45:53] is notice of sale. This would be posted on our website publicly to take bids

[1:45:57] from anybody. This would put the existing provider in jeopardy and

[1:46:02] possibly risk losing that sale. Following the assessment of 2025, the

[1:46:07] towers both need an amount of work and their book value in the asset records is

[1:46:11] no longer relevant. The sale of these towers may look may be less than book

[1:46:16] value with the price being negotiated outside of this process. The difference

[1:46:20] between the book value and the sale value would be a written down and

[1:46:24] expensed to the project. So, we have that $187,000

[1:46:28] and if we don't sell it for whatever our book value is, that would come out of

[1:46:33] the project um cost or project budget, sorry. Um and

[1:46:40] there is an advertising requirement because we're selling an asset and not

[1:46:43] interested in land. We do not need to advertise this under section 70 of the

[1:46:46] MGA. So financial impact may write down the

[1:46:51] asset value and would be processed through the disposal system and impact

[1:46:54] to Aqua 7. A negotiation for the tower space may need to be um negotiated for

[1:46:59] the Lynen tower. Um so both of these towers are used by the same company that

[1:47:05] we would be looking to privately sell to. Um they do work though for

[1:47:11] Aqua 7. They have a contract with Aqua 7. Um, I I do believe that Aqua 7 is

[1:47:17] eventually going to move to a different system. Um, I think that's what they're

[1:47:21] looking into anyway. Um, but for now they do require those towers.

[1:47:33] So, council options [clears throat] include disposing of the Sarscy Tower

[1:47:38] and the Lynen Tenw through the notice of intent to sell privately. Dispose of the

[1:47:43] Sarc Tower only through a notice of intent to sell privately. That council

[1:47:47] disposes of the Lynen Tower only through a notice of intent to sell privately.

[1:47:51] that council advertises both or only one of the tower through the sale um through

[1:47:56] a sale of tower notice through a bid process and that council keeps both of

[1:48:01] the towers within our operations.

[1:48:07] That's all I have. There's a recommended motion there.

[1:48:11] » Questions? Councelor Penner >> is administrative

[1:48:16] sorry is administration relatively comfortable with the price

[1:48:21] that they have like I'm assuming you have a price from from the contract from

[1:48:26] the tower purchaser it

[1:48:30] sorry you have a value on those towers is administration relatively comfortable

[1:48:36] that that is a fair market value for these towers at this

[1:48:43] Uh in in my opinion, I think that whatever we have on the books is not a

[1:48:47] relevant um price for those towers. Like I don't think that we're going to sell

[1:48:52] them for that amount. Following the assessments that we did in 2025, both of

[1:48:58] those towers, which we know and we've told the the potential purchaser,

[1:49:02] they're both twisted. like they both

[1:49:07] it so I I don't think the book value um uh is is relevant anymore.

[1:49:13] » So so that cost would have to be written out of the project.

[1:49:17] » Yeah, I guess I understood that part, but I I you you don't see there being

[1:49:22] any added value to be gotten out of these towers listing them and listing

[1:49:27] them for sale like >> my opinion is no.

[1:49:30] » Okay. No, that's that that's what I wanted to understand.

[1:49:33] » Yes. I think it costs us more to have them.

[1:49:37] » It like it costs about $2,000 to um even change a light bulb on them.

[1:49:44] » Like we're not we're not making money off of these. Yeah.

[1:49:48] » Councelor Wilson, >> is there any fear here? Like this these

[1:49:53] towers can still be used for emergency service, right? And then No. Okay. So

[1:50:00] there's no value at all. just in case the provincial system does not crashes

[1:50:06] or something. >> No, because

[1:50:08] » this isn't a low tech thing we can still use

[1:50:11] » through through the re through uh the reef. No. Um because we have no um like

[1:50:17] communications equipment in any of those towers anymore. Like everything has been

[1:50:21] stripped off of them. There's no We don't have antennas on them. We don't

[1:50:25] have any of the communications equipment on them. We've completely stripped them

[1:50:28] down. So they are not usable as a as a backup.

[1:50:38] » Any other questions or concerns? >> Did you want to put a TV antenna up

[1:50:42] there or something? Council.

[1:50:50] » Councelor Hopkins. I uh move that council move to dispose

[1:50:55] of the SARC Tower legal southeast of 113122 west of 4th Meridian and Lynen

[1:51:02] Tower legal [clears throat] northeast 113125

[1:51:05] west of 4th Meridian through the disposal disposal process as written in

[1:51:10] policy 16-13 selling both privately

[1:51:15] through uh notice of intent. >> Any questions on the motion or concerns?

[1:51:23] All in favor? Carried.

[1:51:27] Thank you.

[1:51:32] Let's take a little break before the hearing

[1:51:36] at 9:55.

[2:04:18] Okay, we're back at 10:08. Um, I I'll call for a motion for that the

[2:04:24] public hearing for bylaw 1934 be opened at 10:08.

[2:04:29] Motion forthcoming forth.

[2:04:34] » Councelor Cunningham. I'll move that the public hearing uh

[2:04:38] open at 10:08.

[2:04:42] » All in favor? Car.

[2:04:47] Okay. Uh I'd like to just remind that the public that if they wish to speak to

[2:04:51] the bylaw, they should register the name on the speakers list. I don't see a

[2:04:54] speaker list. if they have any opportunity there will also be

[2:04:57] opportunity to uh speak when I've gone through the list or when I have gone

[2:05:03] through the speaker's list that I will ask one final time if there's anyone

[2:05:07] else to speak uh right at this moment we'll introduce council we'll start at

[2:05:12] my far right >> Merl Anderson division one

[2:05:17] » good morning Lori Michelle Cunningham division five

[2:05:19] » Lonnie Mcook division seven good morning Richard Hopkins division

[2:05:25] Uh L Olsson, division 4. >> Good morning, Darcy Penner, division 2.

[2:05:31] » Okay, no one's on line. So, uh today's public hearing process will be followed

[2:05:37] by the procedure bylaw 1919. Uh copy uh of the uh procedures is attached to the

[2:05:43] package and additional copies can be found at the recording secretar's desk.

[2:05:48] The uh public hearing package can also be downloaded from the Neo County

[2:05:51] website. The website addresses and a QR code for quick access are

[2:05:57] displayed on the presentation screen. I'll now ask for our planning and

[2:06:02] development department to come forward and make their presentation.

[2:06:09] Good morning council. Today this is an application for bylaw 1980 1934 to

[2:06:16] redesation uh portion of land from agricultural to agriculture business.

[2:06:22] Uh this is a 31.39 acre parcel of land within a portion of southwest of 1828-24

[2:06:29] plan 7710982 block one. The purpose of this

[2:06:33] redesation is to allow the applicants to apply for a commercial use indoor riding

[2:06:37] arena. As per the MGA, notifications were um

[2:06:42] sent to all adjacent land owners within a mile and referral agencies. It was

[2:06:47] advertised in the capital June 17th, June 24th, July 8th, and July 15th. And

[2:06:53] it was also posted on our kneehill county website.

[2:06:58] The proposed site is a subdivided parcel within the southwest of 18284 west of

[2:07:03] the 4th. Access is from Range Road 2500. Rocky View County is directly to the

[2:07:08] west and Wheatland County is south of Highway 9. And so the parcel of land is

[2:07:13] indicated by the blue star.

[2:07:18] It is approximately uh six miles east of the village of Isicer um right down

[2:07:23] there on the southeast corner um right across from Highway 9.

[2:07:31] It is also within the Rocky View uh county intermunicipal development plan.

[2:07:36] Um notification was also sent to them as per our um IDP. And again you can see

[2:07:42] the blue star indicates our location and the red border there is our IDP area.

[2:07:52] The redesation encompasses the whole uh parcel of land which is 31.39 acres.

[2:08:00] Um the 30.35 that's just a evidence of an old hand and I can't quite outline

[2:08:07] exactly the 31.

[2:08:12] So the applicants are proposing a 6,000 foot heated indoor riding arena. The

[2:08:18] hopefully their uh 30 paddocks for boarding up to 60 horses. It will be a

[2:08:24] family-run business with at most two employees maybe on the weekend. Except

[2:08:28] expected traffic is approximately 10 vehicles per day with up to 15 on

[2:08:33] weekends and possibly during event there may be up to 25

[2:08:38] and there's just a small out um site plan. Um I'm just I don't have a pointer

[2:08:45] available to me but um the red the riding arena is the red box

[2:08:50] approximately. It might be a little bit further south. Um it this is just a

[2:08:55] rough drawing. This was the site plan that they provided when they were um for

[2:08:59] their house, which is the uh box right above the green area, which is going to

[2:09:05] be their septic field. And then the box above that is their proposed new

[2:09:08] dwelling, which has already been approved.

[2:09:15] Um as as per our municipal development plan, uh it does meet

[2:09:21] um in the past many planning tools focused on the actual protection of

[2:09:24] farmland. However, most recent strategies promote productivity of the

[2:09:28] agricultural sector by providing maximum flexibility for farm operations and

[2:09:33] ensuring agricultural uses are able to integrate into an increasingly diverse

[2:09:38] economy. This also means the goal is to encourage all agriculture operations to

[2:09:43] employ best management practices.

[2:09:48] Uh large parcel subdivisions will be considered for uses within the

[2:09:51] agriculture business district. These subdivisions may have a minimum of uh 10

[2:09:56] acres and a maximum up to 40. This is already a subdivided parcel. Um and the

[2:10:02] whole parcel is 30 acres. So it definitely meets the municipal

[2:10:05] development plan. As far as economic goals, uh it is the

[2:10:11] goal is to create opportunities that will provide a variety of development

[2:10:15] oper options to diversify and strengthen the county's economy. And then the

[2:10:19] objective is to balance economic development opportunities that are

[2:10:22] adjacent and compatible along transportation corridors which it being

[2:10:27] adjacent highway 9 is a perfect fit. As per the land use bylaw, the

[2:10:33] agriculture business district um a riding commercial is a discretionary use

[2:10:38] in the egg business district. Um the municipal planning commission will be

[2:10:43] the approving authority due to it being a discretionary use.

[2:10:48] Um the egg business district isn't there's also uh riding arenas commercial

[2:10:54] are also in the local rural commercial district. However, we felt the egg

[2:10:57] business uh district was a best fit due to less uses and better suited in a

[2:11:02] primarial primarily agricultural area.

[2:11:08] And then further to the egg business district, um again in the land use

[2:11:12] bylaw, it also states that they should be located along highways or

[2:11:16] well-developed roads

[2:11:21] as per uh our land use by bylaw section 65 indoor riding arena. A riding arena

[2:11:28] private shall be used solely by the occupants of the residents whereas this

[2:11:32] is being applied for uh to be used commercially and so they are not

[2:11:36] considered farm buildings and must meet all Alberta building code requirements

[2:11:40] for public occupancy. Uh riding arena commercial um is defined

[2:11:45] in the land use bylaw means public facilities, building shelters or other

[2:11:49] structures at which horses are exercised or trained. training in equestrian

[2:11:53] skills or equestrian competitions or shows are held which this application

[2:11:58] fits as well.

[2:12:02] Um as in regard to the land um so again we're looking at the parcel that's on

[2:12:07] the um south west corner there. Um so it is soil classification three and then

[2:12:15] using the land suitability rating system it is 80% class 2 with slight

[2:12:20] limitations due to inadequate heat and moisture and then only uh 20% would be

[2:12:25] severe due to water holding uh capacity.

[2:12:32] Uh planning considerations that both administration and then you as council

[2:12:36] um should be considering is the type and scale and proposed use, suitability of

[2:12:41] the site for the proposed use, compatibility of the surrounding

[2:12:44] existing and future land uses, municipal service availability, emergency access,

[2:12:51] adequacy of the parcel size, consistency with statutory and non-stutory plans and

[2:12:56] the land use bylaw and the needs and benefits of the development and

[2:13:00] community.

[2:13:03] Uh, as far as receiving letters from adjacent land owners and referral

[2:13:07] agencies, we didn't receive any in favor, but neither do we receive any in

[2:13:11] opposition. Um, there was just the referral agencies that had comments.

[2:13:16] Atco Gas had no concerns. Um, they were just wanting to make sure rightaways

[2:13:20] were adhered to. Safe and healthy environments, um, otherwise known as

[2:13:24] Alberta Health recommended a manure management plan and storm water

[2:13:28] management plan. and Rocky View County. Um, which you also have copies in your

[2:13:33] packages as well, comments related more to the time of development.

[2:13:41] And here are some site photos. So, your photo to the left um is just some

[2:13:46] corrals that they have started. Um, and you can see then also to the right, it's

[2:13:53] just a little bit further uh picture further back. Show and that's kind of

[2:13:57] looking north. um northeast.

[2:14:04] This area here to the picture on the left is kind of the proposed area of the

[2:14:08] proposed arena. Um the star relates kind of about where

[2:14:13] that is.

[2:14:17] And then this is the proposed parking area. Um so they have kind of a laneway

[2:14:22] that kind of cuts there in half. So proposed parking um is to the south, the

[2:14:27] arena would be to the north and again their star is indicating that

[2:14:32] parking area

[2:14:36] and this is the residence that has already already been approved. Um it

[2:14:42] being currently zoned agriculture that is a permitted use. um even in the egg

[2:14:47] business it would be a permitted use and anyway so when they purchase the

[2:14:50] property they are um building a new home as well and the star is kind of showing

[2:14:57] your location again as well of that residence.

[2:15:04] This is just um I'm in the far yes far south uh west corner that's looking

[2:15:10] north kind of at the parcel. It's very flat except for that little bit of that

[2:15:17] um seasonal drainage area.

[2:15:22] And then here I'm in the far uh northwest corner looking south again

[2:15:28] fairly flat besides that little portion to the east.

[2:15:37] Um if successful in redesation, details and specific conditions required for the

[2:15:42] development will be dealt with through the development permit process because

[2:15:45] this will be a discretionary use. Uh consideration for second and third

[2:15:50] reading of bylaw 1934 will be on the August 25th, 2026 council meeting

[2:15:55] agenda.

[2:16:03] Thank you. Council, got any questions for the planner?

[2:16:13] » I'm sure we will in a bit. Sure.

[2:16:18] » Okay. And now I'll ask the applicant to come forward to make their presentation.

[2:16:26] » I don't really have presentation.

[2:16:31] Come on. Come on up. We got some questions.

[2:16:38] » Oh boy.

[2:16:43] » Hello. >> Hello there. Question for you.

[2:16:48] » Okay. >> We've seen a lot of uh riding arenas

[2:16:52] throughout this county. What makes yours so special that you think is going to

[2:16:55] make it a go? things here. >> I think that we're doing it the right

[2:16:59] way by coming to council and getting it approved for starters. Um Carla got an

[2:17:05] education, so I think that that's a second thing where she can actually

[2:17:10] coach legally. Um and it's us. [laughter]

[2:17:14] I think I think we're a hit.

[2:17:19] » Okay. Who Who lives Who lives in the house on the south side on the south

[2:17:23] end? Um, so that's our neighbors, Naelli and Nathan.

[2:17:26] » Can we pull that uh diagram up again, please? Right down there. Right.

[2:17:32] » So, the white line uh to the north of them is is your property.

[2:17:37] » Yes.

[2:17:41] » Okay.

[2:17:48] » So, run me through what what you're going to be doing again. You're going to

[2:17:52] be it's a it's a riding arena. You're going to be given lessons.

[2:17:57] » Yeah, that that's the plan hopefully. I mean, either way, we'd like a riding

[2:18:01] arena just for us to ride in. But why limit it at that? So, we'd like it to be

[2:18:07] commercial because that's the right thing to do. And then in Carla's future,

[2:18:12] at least she has something she can work on as an adult, right? We're building it

[2:18:17] for Carla. It's It's all Carla's.

[2:18:23] Wow. >> Any other questions? Any

[2:18:27] » I feel like you should be doing the talking. [laughter]

[2:18:31] » I don't know what to say. Relax. >> It's like 4. You just talk.

[2:18:36] » Well, pretty excited. I have my level six in coaching. So, I'm only three

[2:18:42] levels away and I can't get that until I'm 18. So, I'm trying to apprentice

[2:18:46] under a coach and then I'll become a fully licensed coach and hopefully

[2:18:50] Hopefully the arena will help with that. Yeah.

[2:18:55] » And I won't have to pay to board horses anymore, [laughter]

[2:18:58] » too. Boarding six horses is quite a bit.

[2:19:04] » Any other questions, >> counc? And I I heard you mention earlier

[2:19:09] this you're doing the right thing by coming to the county and we really do

[2:19:12] appreciate that that you the proper process and we talk a lot at the county

[2:19:17] about how to keep youth in our in our county. So, um, what I'm hearing is this

[2:19:21] could be a long-term plan for you. >> It definitely,

[2:19:24] » and that's awesome. So, this is great. This is exactly what we want. We want

[2:19:27] opportunities for young people to to be able to have a career and and have a

[2:19:30] living here and and to stay here. So, >> thank you. I appreciate it.

[2:19:34] » You're welcome,

[2:19:42] » Councelor. It's probably an irrelevant question,

[2:19:47] but >> I am familiar with the property. I

[2:19:51] hadn't been aware that it had been subdivided that that acreage, your

[2:19:55] neighbors to the south, that that had been subdivided out of that acreage.

[2:20:00] » Yeah, I think they subdivided a couple years ago and then the people who

[2:20:03] originally owned it moved into their campers with like four kids.

[2:20:08] » Oh, >> little kids.

[2:20:09] » Okay. And then once winter started coming last year, they were like, "Oh,

[2:20:13] we need to get rid of it." Yeah. >> But we kind of were living like

[2:20:16] traveling gypsies for like six months, waiting for something to come up. But

[2:20:20] for us, it had to be in the Nehill County.

[2:20:23] » And then when that came up, we were like, "Yep, it's ours."

[2:20:26] » But the plan was always in the future for Carla to have some kind of riding

[2:20:30] arena, whether it be commercial or just for her. It's her career. It's her life.

[2:20:36] So saving money by just building it >> [laughter]

[2:20:40] » And having it there, I think has always been the goal. This land just kind of

[2:20:46] the universe just kind of plopped it in our laps. So, and it's very flat,

[2:20:52] [laughter] so it kind of works for writing.

[2:20:58] » Councelor Olsson. >> So, it sounds like you specifically were

[2:21:02] targeting NHL County. May I ask just >> I would never leave Nihill County.

[2:21:07] » Oh, okay. >> Yeah. I think we've been here now two

[2:21:09] decades. I would never I would never pick another county. I love Deanna and

[2:21:14] Barb and it's just it's so easy to have a

[2:21:18] relationship with your county and I feel like some of the other counties aren't

[2:21:22] as >> family like.

[2:21:26] » Yeah. Oh, good one. >> Good. Good to hear. Thank you.

[2:21:30] [laughter] Got to be careful with some of these

[2:21:32] guys. Well, I feel like to it there's just a little more understanding in the

[2:21:38] Nihill County. So, when we sold our farm in Swallwell, the idea was to never

[2:21:43] leave and then you couldn't find anything for a while. Everything was

[2:21:47] being scooped up. So, we lived in our campers, then we rented in three hills,

[2:21:52] boarded all the horses, and then this place. And so, she said, "Neihill

[2:21:56] County." I said, "How much?" And in three hours it was ours. So,

[2:22:03] » you're stuck with us for life, unfortunately. [laughter]

[2:22:06] » I was just going to say I think we need to get you folks on some promotional

[2:22:08] items because you sound like you're very good at advertisement, [laughter]

[2:22:11] but no, we appreciate that. And that's >> even through our nervousness.

[2:22:14] » Yeah. No, that's excellent. That's good to hear. We want to hear that. So,

[2:22:17] appreciate that. >> Okay. Any other questions? Council's

[2:22:21] satisfied with what they've heard so far?

[2:22:25] Okay. I'd like to remind everybody that once the public meeting closes, we'll no

[2:22:29] longer take any information? Um,

[2:22:36] everybody's okay. Okay.

[2:22:40] I now declare the public hearing uh closed at 10:26 and ask for a motion to

[2:22:45] go back into the regular council meeting.

[2:22:51] » Thank you guys. >> Thank you, Council Olsson.

[2:22:58] Yeah, I would make the motion that we resume um regular counsel

[2:23:06] that the public hearing. Okay, let me read that. Let me read that again

[2:23:11] [laughter] now that Caroline's made it a little

[2:23:13] more um that I make a motion that the public hearing for bylaw 1820,

[2:23:22] » no 1934, sorry, be closed at 10:27

[2:23:29] and that council return to regular council meeting.

[2:23:34] » Yeah, sure.

[2:23:38] By law 1934 and be closed at 11:27

[2:23:44] » 10:27 Oh my goodness, I looked at it too. [laughter]

[2:23:50] 10:27 a.m. The council returned to regular council meeting. See, you should

[2:23:55] have done this lowerly. Okay. All in favor? Carried.

[2:24:05] Let's go to 6.1.

[2:24:19] » Good morning, council. Um, I'm bringing back today the policy 16-1, the reserve

[2:24:24] policy. As you may remember, um, it was reviewed at the committee of the whole

[2:24:30] on June 16th, and there were some minor revisions that council was hoping to

[2:24:35] include. So, in the newest policy, we have include included those revisions.

[2:24:41] The revisions include an addition of section 2.2 Two, requiring an

[2:24:46] administration to provide supporting rationale and analysis when recommending

[2:24:50] and establishing establishment, modification, consol

[2:24:56] consolidation, renaming, and closure of reserves. An amendment to section 2.3 to

[2:25:02] recognize emergency emergency response, disaster recovery,

[2:25:08] and recogni. Okay. an addition, sorry, an

[2:25:12] addition of section 2.5 recognizing restricted reserves and identifying the

[2:25:16] county's current restricted reserves and an addition an addition of section

[2:25:22] 8.2 establishing reserve reporting expectations including reserve balances,

[2:25:28] contributions, transfers, and investment income allocations, reserve

[2:25:33] expenditures, and other reserve activity to support council oversight and

[2:25:38] decisionmaking. So, I'm not sure if you want to go

[2:25:42] through the whole policy again. I think we went through that during the

[2:25:46] committee of the whole and I'm here to answer any questions you may have.

[2:25:50] » Just a quick question uh on this long- winded policy.

[2:25:54] Um is there anything in there that states that uh once a reserve hits a

[2:25:59] certain level that we should look at giving some of that reserve back to our

[2:26:02] rate? >> No, it's not in the back.

[2:26:07] » There isn't. >> No.

[2:26:10] I'm just proposing that we look at something like that because we're not in

[2:26:13] the business here to collect taxes and make become multi-billionaires while our

[2:26:17] taxpayers aren't reaping the benefit of some of this stuff

[2:26:22] » now. Like >> maybe maybe it's something we can look

[2:26:24] at down the road. I don't know. >> Well, when basically it's reserves are

[2:26:28] funded by council. Council chooses to put funding into those reserves. Um, we

[2:26:36] don't it doesn't it's not like an auto automatic collection of money where it

[2:26:40] gets to a certain point. If council decides that they want to put money into

[2:26:43] a reserve account, they put money into that reserve account. So, it won't get

[2:26:48] to a point a a certain point where you'd give it

[2:26:52] back unless council decided that f they were funding it. So, the council would

[2:26:56] in the budgetary process council makes the decision to fund into a reserve. We

[2:27:00] don't make that process. It's not automatic. I understand that, but I'm

[2:27:04] just saying we don't need to have $92 billion in an account and the rateayers,

[2:27:09] you know, we should have almost like a target.

[2:27:12] » That's just a thought. >> Yeah, we're talk. It's still talking

[2:27:18] here, but that that that's just a thought. I mean, it doesn't say anything

[2:27:21] in here, so I just wanted to make sure. >> Yep.

[2:27:24] » Councelor or CEO Teresa. >> Thank you. Through the brief of council.

[2:27:29] So, the reserves are here to fund our future capital needs. So, our assets,

[2:27:32] our our buildings, our processes, our roads, our gravel. Um, council decides

[2:27:38] every year how much they want to put in based on what we recommend for asset

[2:27:41] obligations over the next 30 years. Those things can change, but the

[2:27:45] reserves are very important to our future sustainability. It's not like

[2:27:48] we'd get to a place where we're like, bing, we have enough. Let's give it

[2:27:50] back. We would never have enough. We will never be ahead of the game.

[2:27:54] » That being said, I disagree with you wholeheartedly. I mean it

[2:27:57] [clears throat] boils down to spending and uh these are taxpayers dollars and

[2:28:02] that was just that's just a comment that I made about having a pile of reserves.

[2:28:06] » Um we will get there one day.

[2:28:14] Is there any >> office?

[2:28:17] » Uh I just want to say thank you for adding some of the comments that I had

[2:28:21] in there from the last presentation. And to me uh the old policy served

[2:28:28] primarily as an an accounting admin procedure and the new policy establishes

[2:28:34] a more strategic governance framework and aligns with our financial

[2:28:39] management. Um

[2:28:45] to me the new policy also um the reserve funding just doesn't

[2:28:53] just because we have it doesn't mean we have to spend it. And I think the old

[2:28:56] policy left that window open a little bit. Uh

[2:29:00] this new policy clarifies that just because we have it we don't have to

[2:29:04] spend it. I'm also

[2:29:08] cautious that I We did it what two months ago we spent 1/8 of our reserve

[2:29:16] in one meeting. Uh I do agree a little bit that we have to be careful as to how

[2:29:23] much we have in reserves. But I do agree that

[2:29:28] we can never have enough because we never know what's going to come down in

[2:29:31] the future where we might have to spend a lot of money in heck of a hurry. So,

[2:29:37] um, I like the new policy as presented and, uh, that ends my comments.

[2:29:44] » Council Olsson, >> yeah, I would agree. We never know what

[2:29:48] the future holds, but we do know that, uh, a lot of our the money that we're

[2:29:54] able to put in reserves comes from linear and, uh, that isn't always going

[2:30:01] to be there. Um, so I think we need to plan for that. plan for um I mean when

[2:30:11] when we're uh you know abandoning more wells and we're drilling you know um we

[2:30:17] have to be cogn of that and uh yeah I I wouldn't be in favor of

[2:30:26] of uh giving you know uh rebates but uh I am in favor

[2:30:33] of trying to keep tax down. Thanks

[2:30:40] Counc. >> Yeah. I mean, I think it's good

[2:30:42] conversation to have. For me, the best thing we can do for our rateayers is

[2:30:46] keep our taxes as low as we can, potentially reduce them. I think that

[2:30:50] would make a lot of people happy. Um, we've seen a lot of municipalities um

[2:30:54] even not very far from us um face some infrastructure failure. So, I know I

[2:30:58] always feel confident that we've done our due diligence and we're saving well

[2:31:02] and being very mindful of that money. And as we've seen, we don't know what

[2:31:06] the province is going to do. We've faced more downloading. I've experienced that

[2:31:10] in the last five years. So yeah, I'm I'm very happy that we've been very

[2:31:14] responsible and have that that nest egg because yeah, we don't know we don't

[2:31:18] know what's going to happen. So yeah, thanks again. It was it's it's a good

[2:31:21] policy or good. Thank you.

[2:31:29] » Any other questions?

[2:31:33] Councelor Hopkins. >> Uh, I move that council approve policy

[2:31:39] 16-1 reserves as presented. >> Any questions or concerns on that?

[2:31:47] » All in favor? >> Carried.

[2:31:50] » Thank you, council. >> Thank you.

[2:32:01] » Let's go to 71.

[2:32:06] We're good. >> 71 for the uh adoption of the 2026 2029

[2:32:14] county strategic plan. >> Good morning, council. Thanks for

[2:32:19] bringing this back to council to review the public here or the public

[2:32:23] information we gathered while we advertised. Uh, as you recall, on June

[2:32:27] 9th, council passed a motion directing administration to publicly advertise the

[2:32:31] draft strategic plan, invite feedback, and return for consideration. Today, we

[2:32:37] did get quite a few hits on our advertisement, and we advertised in

[2:32:40] quite a few places, as you've seen in the report, but we got about 16,000

[2:32:44] advertisement views, which is quite amazing, and 190 people visited our

[2:32:49] strategic plan, which is quite great for a small rural municipality. Um the

[2:32:54] discussion was not significant in terms of requiring an addition or a changes to

[2:32:59] our strategic plan but it was good feedback and it was aligned with where

[2:33:03] council is going supporting practical and fiscal responsibility.

[2:33:07] Um adding transparency and communication with residents through our quarterly

[2:33:12] reports which is things that we're already going to be doing. And then of

[2:33:15] course support for maintaining traditional service delivery alongside

[2:33:18] digital services which we know is critically important to our residents

[2:33:23] and recognizing one one rate pair did talk about the recognizing the long-term

[2:33:27] economic sustainability and continued growth of our municipal assessment base.

[2:33:32] We did get some good feedback but at the same time nothing that would require a

[2:33:36] major rewrite of the strategic plan. So, if council's in agreement, I would

[2:33:40] recommend that council adopt the 2026 to 2029 strategic plan as presented.

[2:33:49] » Uh, when we got this information back, are these guys putting their names on? I

[2:33:52] think they're not required to put their names on. Yeah.

[2:33:56] » Okay. Because I mean, I see some stuff there. That's

[2:34:00] really I don't even understand why it would be in here, but

[2:34:05] Okay. Any other questions or concerns?

[2:34:08] Councelor Coney now. >> Well, since I was the one that asked for

[2:34:11] this to go to the public, I just want to thank administration and council for

[2:34:15] allowing that to happen. And yeah, I think there was um quite a bit of

[2:34:18] feedback like you mentioned. Um 190 folks visited the strat plan, which is

[2:34:23] that's amazing to me because I actually didn't even expect that we'd get that

[2:34:26] much. So, um I love the feedback. Not going to say I always agree with it, but

[2:34:31] I'll always welcome people's opinions and I'll look at it and consider it. Um,

[2:34:35] you know, as Zarie said, there's definitely some interesting comments. I

[2:34:38] think a lot of it goes back to fiscal responsibility, which I think as a

[2:34:41] council we could all say that's, you know, one of the top responsibilities

[2:34:45] that we feel we have. Um, I I don't want to put Miss Cochran on the spot because

[2:34:49] I don't know if we have, but there was comments made about um the cost of this.

[2:34:54] And for me personally sitting here last term um and it's no slight on last

[2:34:58] council but the decision was made last time to actually hire someone to

[2:35:03] facilitate the strategic plan um there was a stay in red dear and and um cost

[2:35:08] to that. So for me personally looking what we did last term to this term I

[2:35:13] don't know what the exact cost difference would be but to me it would

[2:35:15] be substantial. Um so I don't know if we have the exact to me this was a very

[2:35:19] minimal cost. We did it in house. Um so um I I appreciate the feedback for

[2:35:24] people but I just want to let them know that it was a very lowcost um

[2:35:30] endeavor that we did. Um there's talk about um you know people somebody

[2:35:35] mentioned about if we want economic development um we need to reassess

[2:35:40] agriculture land. Well that doesn't fall under our purview. That's a provincial

[2:35:45] um regulation. And you know, they a lot of people talked about the community

[2:35:50] values and traditions and I and I think we all speak to that. Um I think this

[2:35:55] was the one that talked about Oh yeah, the roads. Um 583, which I get a lot of

[2:36:00] comments too. When are you going to fix 583? We don't take care of 583. And so

[2:36:04] that's just communication too. And I I think um we did put that out on social

[2:36:08] media last week too about which roads are our responsibilities and which are

[2:36:11] provincial. So So again, it's just some education piece. Doesn't mean we can't

[2:36:15] advocate. We always do advocate with Minister Duchian I think or we try to we

[2:36:20] ask for meetings. So we can definitely look look at that and look at partnering

[2:36:24] with the town of Three Hills to advocate for that. But yeah no I think it was

[2:36:27] great. So yeah >> well the problem that I have with it is

[2:36:30] because this isn't half this stuff that's coming back isn't from resident

[2:36:35] or uh rape pairs that McNeel County. They're from the towns. They're from

[2:36:40] everywhere. And I mean I don't put any credit in this one whatsoever. I There's

[2:36:45] a couple there that uh had a you know without without taking everything for

[2:36:52] the grain of salt. But I mean to sit there and and say that we got to lower

[2:36:56] taxes or or or pay the farmers got to pay another more than $300 an acre that

[2:37:01] tells me exactly where these guys are coming from and who they are. But uh

[2:37:05] that being said, it is what it is. So >> yeah, go ahead. So, I I did dive down

[2:37:11] the social media platform on this one and and I think majority we we actually

[2:37:15] know where these came from. If you go to social media, the comments are public.

[2:37:19] So, I mean, I'm just guessing, Miss Cochran, but I think there was maybe

[2:37:22] just be a couple anonymous, but the majority um were from Nihill County. I

[2:37:26] mean, I know people well enough that the a couple of the comments that came from

[2:37:29] 583 I know are Three Hills residents, but I would say the majority of the

[2:37:33] comments did for sure come from Neihill County residents. Any

[2:37:39] other discussion, concerns, council county?

[2:37:44] » So, very good. >> Okay, you're good.

[2:37:48] » We're good. >> I won't fight you. Okay. So, I will move

[2:37:50] that council adopt the 2026 2029 Mihill County strategic plan as presented.

[2:37:57] » Any other questions or concerns on the on the motion?

[2:38:03] » All in favor? carried

[2:38:11] 7.2. We've been looking for this one for a

[2:38:14] long time.

[2:38:24] » Carolyn, is this you? >> It is me.

[2:38:26] » Okay. Uh so before you today is the most recent draft of the uh copy of the

[2:38:31] procedural bylaw including the proposed amendments. Council had an opportunity

[2:38:36] to review these amendments at numerous meetings. Attachment A is included and

[2:38:41] provides a detailed breakdown of the proposed changes to by line 1919 along

[2:38:45] with the rationale for each amendment. Since the last update um there has been

[2:38:51] an update on meetings by electronic means. Council directed administration

[2:38:56] to amend the bylaw to remove location-based requirements for

[2:38:59] electronic participation. Under the revised approach, members may

[2:39:04] participate electronically regardless of their location. However, participation

[2:39:09] is limited to a maximum of two consecutive regular council meetings

[2:39:12] unless otherwise authorized by resolution of council. So, council has

[2:39:17] the option today to pass third reading to this bylaw or make amendments to the

[2:39:22] policy before um making the third reading. That concludes my report and

[2:39:27] I'm happy to answer any questions you might have.

[2:39:30] » Okay. Thanks. Any questions or concerns? I think we beat this one up to death.

[2:39:40] » Um motion

[2:39:45] council ro.

[2:39:48] » Yeah. Um, I can make the motion that council

[2:39:53] provide third reading and final rating to uh bylaw 1930

[2:39:58] procedural bylaw.

[2:40:03] Any questions or concerns on the motion? Any any any questions or concerns on the

[2:40:09] motion? Any concerns or questions?

[2:40:19] All in favor.

[2:40:34] Let's take a 5m minute break at 10:44. Thanks.

[2:51:55] Are we on? >> Okay, we're back at 10:55. Let's go to

[2:52:00] 7.3.

[2:52:04] » Arboritum. >> The 7.3. Yeah, the grant request from

[2:52:09] the Troer Arboritum. So, good morning council. Um, administration received an

[2:52:14] application from the TroUan District Arboritum Society under the community

[2:52:18] and event sponsorship grant category. Under this funding stream, applicants

[2:52:23] are not they're they're not required to present to council. So, that's why you

[2:52:27] didn't see them today um see them present today. Um, in terms of available

[2:52:33] funding, the county has 70,000 budgeted for community and event sponsorship

[2:52:37] requests in 2026. To date, 45,350 has been awarded to other projects. This

[2:52:44] leaves a remaining balance of 24,650 available for funding requests. I'll

[2:52:50] just bring up that pie chart that I bring up every um meeting when there's a

[2:52:55] grant request. So, there is um 65% allocated already. Um 12% um are

[2:53:03] applications and review. That includes the prairie request that we heard

[2:53:07] earlier and the troer arburidum. I haven't received any new requests since

[2:53:11] then and um the remaining um available is 23%.

[2:53:16] So the county has provided to this organization in previous years. In 2025,

[2:53:22] council approved $500 in funding and in 2024 council approved $1,112.

[2:53:30] My understanding is that the 2024 was the first year this event was organized

[2:53:36] by the Troshu and District Arburedum Society. Prior to that, the event was

[2:53:41] organized by a group of local women in Troshu in the Troshue area and no

[2:53:45] funding requests were made to the county prior to 2020 24. Um the application is

[2:53:52] attached and provides an overview of the project. Council's options today are as

[2:53:57] follows. uh approve the funding request in the amount requested, approve a

[2:54:01] funding in a different amount or deny the request and receive the report for

[2:54:06] information. That concludes my report and leave the matter with council for

[2:54:10] discussion and direction.

[2:54:16] Councelor Wilson. >> Sorry, Kieran. Uh, did you say we have

[2:54:22] given to them in the in the past two years as well?

[2:54:26] » 2025 and 2024. >> So 2025 we provided them $500 and in

[2:54:31] 2024 we provided them $1,112. >> Yeah, that's what I thought.

[2:54:36] » So just to to clarify or maybe I'm getting mixed up, if we provided them

[2:54:40] $1,000 last year, they couldn't get it this year

[2:54:44] or is that the other grant? Um that was through a different funding source.

[2:54:49] Yeah.

[2:54:53] » Did it say anywhere where the town of Troy gave any money?

[2:54:55] » Um they did. They provided them $500 in um

[2:55:01] » advertising money.

[2:55:10] So yeah, if we gave uh funding in previous like I thought we were we

[2:55:16] needed to skip once in a while or is that correct?

[2:55:20] Is that not in our funding? >> That's over a thousand. So

[2:55:23] » that's over,000. >> So last year we gave him $500.

[2:55:26] » Okay. >> Yeah.

[2:55:31] » But it's a new funding stream this year. So um compared to last year

[2:55:37] council

[2:55:41] looking at me. Um, yeah. No, this is a great event. I I I don't know if it said

[2:55:45] historically how many years. I know my my late mother-in-law used to be very

[2:55:48] involved in it and and there is a lot of kids that go as well and they take their

[2:55:52] flowers that they've grown or their baking that they've done. And so I think

[2:55:55] it kind of encompasses, you know, all age levels. So it's a great event and

[2:55:58] like um Miss Vander said it previously it was a group of women, local women

[2:56:03] that took care of it and now the society has taken it over. So, um, with that

[2:56:08] being said, I will make the motion that council approve funding in the amount of

[2:56:11] $500 to the Troshu Arburedum Society to assist in the cost associated with

[2:56:15] hosting the Chro Flower, Baking, and Photography Show.

[2:56:23] » Any comments on the motion?

[2:56:28] » All in favor? Car.

[2:56:35] 7.4. Four, removal of historic motions from council action items.

[2:56:53] So, um, this is me again, and you know how much I love organizing and keeping

[2:56:57] things clean. So, I'm bringing to you today u a report regarding the removal

[2:57:02] of historical motions from the council action item list. U many of these

[2:57:07] motions were passed prior to the current council term and several have remained

[2:57:12] inactive for some time. In some cases, the motions no longer reflect the

[2:57:16] priorities or direction of the current council. Rather than continuing to carry

[2:57:20] these for items forward forever, administration is recommending that they

[2:57:24] be removed from the action items list under the municipal government act,

[2:57:29] council may resend or amend previous decisions by resolution. Uh the motions

[2:57:34] administration is recommending for removal are as follows. Motion 123

[2:57:40] slash25. This motion was passed prior to the

[2:57:43] current council term. The matter has remained inactive for some time and

[2:57:47] administration does not believe there is an intention to pursue it further. Um

[2:57:52] the second motion 30325. Similarly, this motion was passed pri um

[2:57:58] before the current council term and has been parked for an extended period

[2:58:02] without further action. Motion 41125.

[2:58:08] Um, this motion relates to uh council road tour. Uh, responsibility for

[2:58:14] coordinating road tours now falls under the road committee. If council still

[2:58:18] wishes to proceed with road tours in the future, administration re recommends

[2:58:22] that this item be managed through that committee rather than remain on the

[2:58:26] action item list. Um, motion 41525. This motion directed the 2026 2029

[2:58:34] policy review schedule to the committee of the whole administration is currently

[2:58:38] reviewing county policies and working to bring all policy reviews up to date. As

[2:58:44] a general practice, policies should be reviewed at least once every four years.

[2:58:48] This means that in theory each policy will come before a sitting council

[2:58:53] during its term. If council wishes to review a specific policy sooner,

[2:58:57] administration would be pleased to bring it forward at any time. Um, council has

[2:59:02] several options today. One is remove all the motions identified in this report.

[2:59:09] Uh, two, remove only selected motions from the list or receive the report for

[2:59:14] information which would result in no changes being made to the current action

[2:59:19] items list. That concludes my report. I will leave now. I'll leave the matter in

[2:59:25] council's hands. >> Thank you.

[2:59:29] Any discussion?

[2:59:33] » Pretty simple, straightforward motion.

[2:59:38] » Councelor Anderson, >> I'd like to move that we remove all

[2:59:44] of the

[2:59:51] all. See motion. 12325 motion 30325

[2:59:59] motion 41125 motion 415/25

[3:00:07] everyone's okay with the motion all in favor

[3:00:18] uh 7.5 m county scholarship applications

[3:00:23] This will be you again, Caroline. You're you're speaking quite quite a lot this

[3:00:28] meeting.

[3:00:43] There we are. Okay. So, good morning again. Today, I'm pleased to present the

[3:00:48] 2026 Nihill County scholarships. As you may know, each year Nihill County awards

[3:00:53] two scholarships of $2,000 each to residents enrolled in post-secondary

[3:00:58] institutions. This year we received six eligible applications from only two high

[3:01:03] schools in our region. Um, every year we come up with a new essay question on the

[3:01:08] application. This year, the essay question posed to the applicants was,

[3:01:13] "What initiatives do you think a rural municipality like Nihill County could

[3:01:18] take to better support youth in building meaningful careers and staying connected

[3:01:23] to their community council, before we proceed, I'd like to

[3:01:27] briefly explain why administration is recommending that the scholarship

[3:01:31] applications be considered in close session. Uh the scholarship applications

[3:01:35] contain personal information submitted by youth applicants including

[3:01:39] educational information, personal statements, achievements, and other

[3:01:43] identifying information that was provided to the county for the purpose

[3:01:47] of evaluating scholarship eligibility. Under Albert Alberta's new legislative

[3:01:52] framework including POPA and ATIA public bodies have highlight heightened

[3:01:58] obligation to protect personal information and limit its disclosure to

[3:02:03] only what is necessary for lawful purpose. While scholarship applications

[3:02:07] may have been reviewed in open session in previous years, administration has

[3:02:11] reviewed our practices as part of the county's privacy management program and

[3:02:15] determined that discussing individual applications in a public meeting creates

[3:02:19] a risk of unnecessary disclosure of personal information belonging to youth

[3:02:24] applicants. U moving the discussion to close session

[3:02:28] helps ensure the applicant's personal information remains protected and that

[3:02:32] council can evaluate the applications fairly and respectfully without publicly

[3:02:38] disclosing personal details and were pro that were provided in confidence.

[3:02:43] Following council's discussion and decision, the scholarship recipients

[3:02:47] will be announced publicly. However, the personal information contained within

[3:02:51] the application themselves will remain protected. For these reasons,

[3:02:55] administration recommends that council move into close session to discuss the

[3:02:59] scholarship applications.

[3:03:14] session. >> We can go into close session to discuss

[3:03:17] this and then go on to the We can do itever way you want. We can um skip this

[3:03:24] and go to the next agenda item. >> Let's do that.

[3:03:28] » Close session and yeah, then we'll just have to come out and

[3:03:32] come out. We're done for sure.

[3:03:39] uh 8.1.

[3:03:49] » Hi. >> Yeah. So, earlier today we heard from

[3:03:52] the Prairie Christian Academy. Um they are requesting $7,500 in grant funding

[3:03:57] to assist their play with their playground upgrades. The application

[3:04:03] is before you. um provides an overview of the project and outlines the funding

[3:04:07] being requested. Um in terms of available funding, the county has

[3:04:12] $70,000 budgeted for these types of requests. To date, we have allocated

[3:04:17] 45,350 to other projects in 2026, leaving a remaining balance of 24,650.

[3:04:24] Um the county has provided funding to this organization in the PA past.

[3:04:29] Council approved a project in the mount of 25,000 in 2018 to build a sports

[3:04:35] court and baseball diamonds and playground which you saw pictures of in

[3:04:39] his presentation today. Council's options today are as follows. Approve

[3:04:43] the funding in the amount requested, approve funding in a different amount or

[3:04:48] deny the request and receive the item for information. That concludes my

[3:04:52] report. I will need now leave it with council for discussion.

[3:04:59] CA. >> Sorry. Um, our planning manager sent me

[3:05:03] a message on this one. So, because they're part of the school board and the

[3:05:06] school division, they could apply for reserve funding, school reserve funding

[3:05:10] through the funding that we set aside for school reserves. So, there is

[3:05:14] another option for funding for this project besides our community grants,

[3:05:18] just as an FYI. And and we could follow up with them

[3:05:23] should that be the the way that council chooses to go. Councelor

[3:05:31] Olson.

[3:05:34] » Um, so when we gave them money in 2018 for the playground equipment, did that

[3:05:41] come out of that reserve funding or was it out of a grant?

[3:05:45] » It was out of um it was a grant >> because we do this for most we do this

[3:05:49] for most schools. >> Actually, no, it wasn't a community

[3:05:51] grant. It was a um because they didn't really meet the eligibility of the

[3:05:55] community grant application and council um just made a a motion taking it out of

[3:06:02] reserves. >> Okay. And and and we do this quite often

[3:06:07] for all schools withinities. Is that correct? Um well some like we've

[3:06:14] we've like when they've built a new school um we've provided um other

[3:06:19] schools with with funding like the Acme School received 100,000 um for their

[3:06:25] gymnasium project um Troshu >> but I guess specifically playground

[3:06:31] » for playgrounds we haven't really that was the only playground that we um

[3:06:35] besides our own playgrounds in the hill county that we've really contributed

[3:06:39] funs to >> that's That's why I wanted this to bring

[3:06:42] this back to council again because this is getting convoluted. Too much money. I

[3:06:46] mean I you know what I said before I'm not in favor of schools and or hospitals

[3:06:50] getting this stuff. There's dollars and cents. We're already paying taxes there.

[3:06:54] CEO. >> Thank you. Through the reef to all of

[3:06:57] council. So the MGA on section 6712 covers the municipal school reserves and

[3:07:03] how they can get funding for that. So, we do have funds set aside for school

[3:07:07] use for applications for things like playgrounds, for sporting equipment, for

[3:07:12] additions. Um, I've dealt with this a lot in previous roles in previous

[3:07:16] governments here. I haven't seen too many applications come through, but we

[3:07:19] do have a healthy reserve to support schools through that set aside funding

[3:07:24] acquired by the province. And that's where they would have got the

[3:07:28] funding the first time. I believe >> that reserve is required by the

[3:07:32] province. >> Yes. Yes, I can get you all.

[3:07:35] » How much do we So, sorry this is off topic, but I mean, how much does the

[3:07:40] province require us to put into this? >> I will get you all the information on

[3:07:44] the school reserves because every development has to set aside a portion,

[3:07:48] but I'm not as familiar with our policy here, but we have they have set aside a

[3:07:52] portion that goes into that reserve >> that supports schools funding in the

[3:07:56] future. But I will >> Where is Where is that reserve at? Do we

[3:07:59] have that? Oh, sorry. >> It's a healthy balance. We'll let

[3:08:04] » But I'll get you the information. I'll bring it back.

[3:08:06] » We'll bring that back and we'll need discussion on that, too, because you

[3:08:09] know what? Here we go. >> Province's telling us what we we already

[3:08:12] paying taxes and they're telling us we got to pay more.

[3:08:15] » Yeah. Okay. Carrying on.

[3:08:19] Any other questions?

[3:08:28] motion.

[3:08:32] Council Olsson. Yeah, I would uh make the motion that

[3:08:37] council uh approve the grant request for

[3:08:44] uh or approve the funding in the amount of 7500 to the Prairie Christian Academy

[3:08:48] for as to assist in costs associated with uh

[3:08:56] sorry um I removed that uh motion just based on

[3:09:05] uh I think we need to find out for a different that there might be that

[3:09:12] different form of funding. Sorry. So I >> uh yeah instead I remove the motion and

[3:09:19] I would like to table uh funding this possibly or getting

[3:09:26] information on the education

[3:09:30] funding of schools and sources. Yeah, because we may want to do this. Um,

[3:09:36] yeah. So, table it to next meeting.

[3:09:40] » Yeah, >> that's good. Okay, thank you.

[3:09:46] » So, does that have to be a motion? Okay. >> Okay. Sorry.

[3:10:01] Okay. I will continue. Um, I make the motion

[3:10:07] the council defer this agenda item and request administration bring back

[3:10:11] further information to the August 21st, 2026 meeting

[3:10:19] » clarification. That should be the 25th.

[3:10:23] » 21st is a Friday >> for Do I have to say it again?

[3:10:27] » No. >> Okay. August 25th. Thank you.

[3:10:34] Everybody's okay with the motion. All in favor? Oh, pardon me.

[3:10:39] » Yeah. No, just and this isn't a comment or wouldn't be part of the motion, but

[3:10:43] um I would really encourage them as well to um go to the town of Three Hills as

[3:10:49] well and uh submit a funding request from them as well.

[3:10:55] » Councelor Hopkins. >> Yeah. And one more to that. I know

[3:10:58] there's lots of uh other funding avenues that they can approach as well. Like we

[3:11:05] do have the grant writer that has been able to be quite successful in quite a

[3:11:10] few grants. So, uh that's another option for them. Um that that might work too.

[3:11:17] So, just be prepared.

[3:11:22] » I do believe that this organization has gone to the grant writer and the grant

[3:11:26] writer did suggest that we have grant funding available and to apply here as

[3:11:30] well

[3:11:39] everybody. Okay. All in favor.

[3:11:54] Let's go to council and committee uh reports.

[3:12:05] » Well, we only have division five always. [clears throat]

[3:12:08] Oh, okay. >> Five, one, and four.

[3:12:10] » Oh, all right then. Let's start. Let's start with division five.

[3:12:15] » Let's just set the tone right off the top. Yeah. Yeah.

[3:12:21] » I'm on a time limit. Yeah. No, actually pretty quick and simple for me. Um yeah,

[3:12:25] just July 1 attended the Busy Bee breakfast um that they do there. Uh it's

[3:12:31] a fundraiser and um all the funds raised go to the food bank. So that was

[3:12:36] awesome. Um and then I had a quick pickup and and off went to the Chro

[3:12:39] Parade, so that was great. Um I know councelor Hoppins was there with the

[3:12:43] Troy Fire Department and yeah, Troshi just knocks it out of the park every

[3:12:47] year. So kudos to them. Great parade, well attended, awesome. So, uh, July

[3:12:52] 11th, uh, was a Three Hills parade, and I just want to say thanks to CEO Cochran

[3:12:56] for attending. I had a great driver from Nihill County that I was able to meet

[3:13:01] that day. So, thank you to him. And I had two really awesome young pals from

[3:13:07] division five that I recruited to come help throw candy and they did an

[3:13:11] excellent job and they're on retainer for next year. So, that was great. And

[3:13:14] again, Three Hills House does a great job chamber with the kids carnival and

[3:13:18] everything, music in the park and yeah, just a great day. So good to see people

[3:13:22] gather and be together and yeah, have fun. So um and then July 13th, um I did

[3:13:28] attend the Troer housing meeting. Um councelor Hopkins was away. Um maybe

[3:13:33] we'll bring some minutes forward with that when they come to us, but basically

[3:13:38] the same same messaging on time, on budget, and they're moving forward with

[3:13:43] things. So I think they're planning another site tour I think in about

[3:13:47] September. So if anybody's interested um it is it is worth a worth a tour there

[3:13:52] because yeah for me personally I can't look at the plans and see what it's

[3:13:55] going to look like. So to actually be on site it's pretty pretty amazing. And

[3:13:59] yeah July 14th uh we had an FCSS meeting and uh we are making some progress on

[3:14:05] our multi-municipal agreement. Um, I think we're getting close and uh they've

[3:14:09] been hosting camps and they've all been full. So, they've been doing lots of fun

[3:14:13] things this summer. So, yeah, that's it for me.

[3:14:16] » Thank you,

[3:14:20] » Council Anderson. >> Division One, uh, I attended the 100th

[3:14:25] anniversary of the the Hescus of uh, Paul and uh, it was a fun event. Lots of

[3:14:34] history, lots of pictures. uh some amazing stories about the town. I never

[3:14:40] realized Hesus had as much history as it did. Uh I mean

[3:14:45] they went through it all. They had they had hotels, they had everything. U and

[3:14:51] uh but I did was asked to thank the council for the $7,000 that they

[3:14:58] received and they put the money to good use. Believe you me, I saw the old

[3:15:04] chairs in that hall and you didn't want to sit down in them. The chair new

[3:15:08] chairs were much more comfortable. So it was well spent and anyhow they want to

[3:15:13] express that gratitude for that.

[3:15:18] » Yep. Council. >> Yeah. I just that's so awesome that you

[3:15:21] attended that and what a great event and I'm just wondering if that's another

[3:15:24] thing maybe miss Cochran that we could put on our social media because I

[3:15:28] noticed not noted when we did the ghost pine one. Um, people just love that and

[3:15:33] people love to see the events that are going on and the history of the county.

[3:15:36] So, I think that would be a great one to include as well.

[3:15:42] » Councelor Olson. >> Yeah, I just uh

[3:15:47] uh attended the uh Silver Willow's 50th anniversary on July 11th. Uh, it was

[3:15:56] most of the day. Uh they had bands, they had uh pancake breakfast, hot dog, steak

[3:16:03] dinner at the end. Um which was uh to all help uh benefit the

[3:16:10] Silver Willows uh Seniors Association. It was a great event. And uh shout out

[3:16:16] also to the Brook Haven uh bar and restaurant there for helping uh put the

[3:16:24] event in front of the bar there because uh of the construction that we had uh on

[3:16:29] the laneway. It was kind of closed off there. So it was just brought out and it

[3:16:34] was just they they just helped the seniors uh Silver Willows Association

[3:16:39] there so much. So I just wanted to give them a shout out. Um, yeah, it was a

[3:16:44] great day. Other than that, uh, attended the, uh,

[3:16:49] ASB summer tour this last week in Strath, well, Weedland County. They put

[3:16:56] on a an act a great, uh, summer tour. Uh, we toured lots of different farming,

[3:17:04] agriculture, uh, areas. And uh I guess uh one that

[3:17:10] stuck out to me was the solar sheep uh where they were grazing uh the sheep

[3:17:15] under the solar project there just uh south and uh east of town there. So um I

[3:17:22] was actually surprised at uh the amount of growth they could get under those

[3:17:27] panels. So there was some interesting information there. So no, all in all uh

[3:17:32] it was uh I thought they they made a great event and uh got some useful

[3:17:37] information there. So, thanks. Thank you. Any other

[3:17:44] We lead pretty boring lives the rest of us.

[3:17:52] » Okay, let's go to number 10. Council followup action list. Has everybody had

[3:17:55] a chance to look at it? I didn't see anything pressing on it. Unless you

[3:18:00] wanted to have a quick look at >> counc. Yeah, not pressing, but I noticed

[3:18:07] uh motion 9226 about the information on the newsletter that it was going to come

[3:18:12] back in July. We're probably going to be looking for that in August now, I'm

[3:18:15] guessing. Yeah. Okay.

[3:18:28] Everybody okay with it? Every action list. Okay.

[3:18:34] We better get into close session.

[3:18:39] » Council Hopkins, >> I move into close session at 11:22.

[3:18:52] » Okay.

[4:50:30] Okay, we're out of uh close session at 12:54.

[4:50:35] Uh motions from

[4:50:42] » pardon me, Councelor Penner. I would move I would make the motion that

[4:50:46] council move forward on the order to remedy contraventions

[4:50:51] at a maximum cost of $60,000 and the costs added to the tax role number 322

[4:51:00] 6344 39 0.

[4:51:08] Everyone's okay with the motion. Any concerns? All in favor? council

[4:51:20] cleaning up. I will make the motion that council award the 2026 Nihil County

[4:51:26] scholarship in the amount of $2,000 each to Shelby Pipky and Riet.

[4:51:34] » Any concerns, questions? Councelor Hopkins,

[4:51:38] » I just want to say in regards to the scholarship, um there were some pretty

[4:51:43] good essays and letters of reference and just want to say thanks to those that uh

[4:51:50] submitted and uh congratulations to the two winners. Thank you.

[4:52:00] » We have to stay till >> No. Thank you, councelor Hops, because I

[4:52:04] have to say this is one of the hardest things that I do every year. And it it

[4:52:08] actually when I read these essays, it gives me great hope for for the future

[4:52:12] and and for uh Nihill County. Some some it's just so hard to decide and like you

[4:52:17] say, good job to everybody. >> All in favor?

[4:52:21] » Carried.

[4:52:26] Do we have any other comments or questions prior to adjournment or

[4:52:31] anything? Councelor Cunningham.

[4:52:37] Oh, good. Okay, let's adjourn.

Council Meeting

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