[0:01] Good morning. I'll call the meeting to order. This meeting has been held in

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[0:22] This meeting is also being recorded and may be published online. Please mute

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[0:35] Thank you for your cooperation and understanding.

[0:38] We have an agenda in front of us. Is there any additions, deletions, or

[0:42] changes?

[0:45] Councelor Clayton. >> Oh, microphone, please.

[0:50] » I'd like to add a safety item to the agenda.

[0:54] » Okay. safety item.

[0:58] Is that open discussion?

[1:02] » It will be. >> Okay, fair enough. Um, any suggestions

[1:06] where we want to put that in the new business

[1:09] 8.6.

[1:18] Is there anything that you would have to circulate for us so we have some

[1:20] information with it or is just verbal? Okay, perfect. Anything else?

[1:28] Motion to adopt as amended. >> Also move.

[1:31] » Thank you. Motion on the floor. We're using escribe.

[1:37] All the question.

[1:58] That's carried. Is there any notice of motion from any counselors?

[2:05] Seeing any. We'll move on to bylaw readings. We have bylaw 2026-15

[2:11] municipal public utilities bylaw. Welcome

[2:24] Good morning, council. Jose Podio Quervo, uh here with administration

[2:28] presenting the Redland Water Servicing, uh bylaw reading. Uh this is a

[2:33] continuation of a previous uh council agenda that we had on August 11th. So,

[2:38] I'll just be reading the introduction and then the rest of the report is um

[2:42] content that I've already uh presented. So, at its uh uh August 11 regular

[2:49] council meeting, council passed the resolution to include a requirement for

[2:54] a minimum 50% landowner commitment in the form of a payment prior to

[2:58] construction commencing and to bring the revised bylaw back to council for

[3:02] consideration. Administration has res uh revised the

[3:06] draft municipal public utilities bylaw accordingly. The revised bylaw attached

[3:11] to this report for council's consideration now includes section

[3:14] three, initial redland servicing threshold within part one of schedule F.

[3:19] Section 3 establishes a minimum threshold of five service connection

[3:23] requests before the county may proceed with construction of the common water

[3:27] infrastructure. This threshold represents 50% of the

[3:31] existing developed or partially developed residential properties within

[3:34] the community. For the purpose of meeting this

[3:38] threshold, an eligible service uh connection request must be submitted in

[3:42] a form acceptable to the CAO with the applicable connection fee paid and

[3:46] retained by the county and must not have been withdrawn, refused, canceled, or

[3:50] refunded. While construction would therefore not proceed until at least

[3:53] five qualifying connection requests have been received, the connection fee

[3:57] recommended by administration is based on achieving full cost recovery of the

[4:02] initial infrastructure costs with at least eight service connections as

[4:06] discussed later in this report. The report presented on August 11 included

[4:11] the following components. A draft municipal public utilities bylaw

[4:16] including the addition of schedule F. proposed amendments to the master

[4:20] schedule of fees bylaw, including the proposed Redland water servicing

[4:23] connection fee and a proposed capital budget adjust uh addition sufficient to

[4:28] fund installation of the common uh redland water servicing infrastructure.

[4:34] Because other amendments to the master schedule fees bylaw are also being

[4:37] presented to council at this meeting, the proposed Redland connection fee will

[4:40] be brought forward as part of the broader bylaw update. If the uh

[4:45] utilities bylaw does not receive the third reading, administration recommends

[4:49] that the redland connection fee also not proceed at this time and instead be

[4:53] reconsidered following approval of the municipal public utilities bylaw.

[4:58] Similarly, the proposed capital budget addition for Redland water servicing

[5:03] should only be approved if both utilities bylaw and the amended master

[5:06] schedule fees bylaw, including the redline connection fee, receive third

[5:10] reading. A proposed resolution respecting the capital budget addition

[5:15] is therefore included later in this report for council's consideration

[5:19] subject to approval of both bylaws. Aside from minor revisions to the report

[5:24] in context of the updated information described above, the rem the remainder

[5:29] of this report is substantially the same as the information presented to council

[5:33] on August 11. And that concludes my presentation and I'm here for any

[5:38] questions. >> Thank you. Council questions. Councelor

[5:43] Ker,

[5:47] you said Celer Larson. I said Kester. Okay. Thank you.

[5:57] Just want to ask some questions and uh make sure we're being absolutely fair

[6:02] here. Recently we put it in the water line for

[6:09] uh Goldsmith or CGC.

[6:14] We uh engineered it, got a water license, drilled it, put the pipe in.

[6:21] We built it bigger than what CGC wanted and when CGC was asked to pay for their

[6:29] share, they paid for their share and the county has the rest. We didn't ask them

[6:35] for money upfront. We didn't ask them for anything that I'm aware of. They uh

[6:41] they paid it up. We have rape pairs in Redland asked for

[6:46] water. the water's there and they're being asked to pay upfront.

[6:53] We don't have a definite price what it's going to cost yet because it's not

[6:56] built. We have contingency fees in there. Engineering fee to me seems

[7:02] excessive for what it is and comes in two parts which I think

[7:09] could be just one tender. like you you put the line in the ground,

[7:15] you have to put a end on the line. You can't just leave it lay on the dirt. So

[7:20] the the stop connection has to be there

[7:26] and then when people want to hook up to it, they would pay for it and get it

[7:31] hooked up. Uh yeah. Uh fear of everybody not

[7:38] hooking up. I don't think it's Sarah. Name name

[7:43] anybody and pick a hamlet that has water or a town

[7:50] who doesn't have water. They that's a necessity. They only have w don't have

[7:56] water if they don't pay for it. And that's the first thing they do is pay

[8:00] off their bill so they get water again. It's it's it's a thing.

[8:05] So why in this case are we being so hard?

[8:11] So the total price comes to

[8:16] 189,000 plus [clears throat]

[8:20] plus uh

[8:25] 4,000 * 10. That's another 40,200. And there it is, $222,922.50.

[8:39] Further on in the application, further along in the meeting, you see that we

[8:43] want each one to pay $27,000 for their water, which is $5,000 more.

[8:52] The rationale is being that maybe only eight will sign up and and the county

[8:58] will be out money. But when they all sign up, the countyy's

[9:02] going to have more money. And to date, I've never seen the county

[9:07] charge more for something from our residents.

[9:11] This hamlet's been there since since the railroad come through before we were a

[9:17] county. It was a stop. It had grain elevators.

[9:23] Recently, in the last year since I've been here, we've had one, two, three new

[9:28] houses come in. One is still under construction. Been a long time under

[9:34] construction. Got new owners and whatnot.

[9:38] The second last house built didn't even drill a well

[9:44] because nobody had water. And the third newest house drilled a

[9:51] well but doesn't have good water. When

[9:57] years ago it never had much water either. But what

[10:03] happened I believe and I'm no geologist. These wells are only 20 ft deep. They

[10:11] hit water. There's a coal seam down there.

[10:15] The water gets sucked out and the gas comes in and they produce gas.

[10:22] So, as the water gets used up, more people using it, the gas changes,

[10:29] plus there's way more gas being drawn off the fields.

[10:35] I know a place to the south, no north, drilled a new well when he built a new

[10:41] house. He's not in the hamlet. Across the creek, which was a spit difference

[10:47] away, drilled a new well on top of the hill.

[10:51] He got water. Couldn't drink it. Too much whatever is

[10:58] in it. You'll have to ask him. I'm not going to tell you what was in it.

[11:02] They ended up sealing that off of cement.

[11:08] Not B night. and Canada sealed it off with cement. There's a water problem

[11:14] there. They don't have water. Residents that lived around there, they

[11:19] put their own water in there. And I don't know what their exact prices

[11:24] were, but they put in a lot more pipe than we're putting in.

[11:28] And the one guy said he was hoping to do it for 15,000. I don't know what it cost

[11:33] them. We've had

[11:38] we've been going at this a long time. We've had engineer studies coming here.

[11:44] They want and engineer had three main lines. They had water going where I

[11:51] didn't even know there was lots three main lines. It's there's just 10

[11:56] houses there. I believe one person moved out. He got tired of waiting for waters

[12:02] and drum. But somebody be buying. It's not a bad

[12:05] house. It's a fairly new one. We'll sell the water.

[12:12] I I I I don't I don't understand why we're asking. And it's always been since

[12:18] the start. They weren't paying for their water. They were paying for extra.

[12:26] When the county wants extra money at CGC or extra water, the county paid for it.

[12:34] These people aren't developers. They're they're residents.

[12:39] When a developer comes in, they'll put in extra because they hope to sell some

[12:43] extra lots. When we have people come in, we haven't

[12:48] had any for a while, but we've have people come in buy a lot at least.

[12:55] They just service their lot. We don't ask and do the whole street.

[13:01] The county doesn't go in and do the whole street either.

[13:07] So, I believe fundamentally they should be asked to pay what it is,

[13:15] not not more, just what it is. The county go ahead put it in.

[13:23] I don't. It's a simple 2-in line being dug in. I can't see I can't see the need

[13:31] for reserves. Line will last a 100red years. There's

[13:36] nothing going in the ground that can rot out.

[13:42] I think this has gone on a long time, but we talked about it last time when I

[13:48] had my objections about the eight units charging extra for for water. What's the

[13:54] county going to do? Oh, it put it in a reserve.

[14:00] I've got water lines buried in my yard that are older than I am and I'm not

[14:05] anticipating and digging them up. And they've never leaked. And you know what?

[14:10] They're they're clamped together with steel and steel fittings.

[14:15] They use heat now to to join pipes together. There is no steel

[14:21] or anything that'll corrode. So, I I'd like you to really seriously

[14:27] think about this. We uh

[14:32] Yeah, we just charge what it costs. We're not

[14:36] here to make money.

[14:40] So, as this bylaw is, I'm not in favor of it. [clears throat]

[14:46] We uh treat a developer, yeah, it's great. They're coming in, they're

[14:52] spending lots of money, and they're going to develop and we're going to have

[14:54] taxes, but we've got rateayers here and people that have lived there for a

[14:59] hundred years paying their taxes, and they've been here, and uh they have to

[15:05] pay extra. They have to ask. This is going on four years at least asking for

[15:10] water. County can't come up with anything. Well, they come up with stuff,

[15:14] but it's it's it's not right. And I've been against it all the time. Just let

[15:21] them pay what it costs. That's all I'm asking. That's all they're asking.

[15:26] They're not asking for half price. They just let us pay for what it costs

[15:33] and people will pay for it.

[15:38] If they had water and they could drill for water, they would drill it. There's

[15:44] one, two, one, two, three, four, five people got water off of this line that

[15:52] had wells

[15:56] all within Well, I can't hear so good. So, they're they're they're all close

[16:01] together, quarter mile together. And there's one across the other way. On

[16:07] the other side, you can't see. And they haven't asked for water. I don't know

[16:12] what their water situation is, but there's people where the water line

[16:18] comes. There's a resident coming down the hill,

[16:23] quarter mile to the south, half a mile to the south. They got water. They they

[16:29] got it. And a half a mile past that, the hutterite colonies going in. and they're

[16:34] concerned if they have enough water. They got about four dugouts there and

[16:38] they're collecting water, but they're they're uh in their hip pop

[16:45] pocket. They could hook on to the water line and

[16:50] uh for drinking water, household water that that's there, but their wells

[16:56] aren't aren't producers. There's no water in that country. And that

[17:01] continues all the way down to past Delum and into Starland County.

[17:07] So I'm just

[17:12] that's my feelings. Just let them pay what it costs.

[17:21] Do you have a specific amendment you want to put on the floor or anything

[17:24] like that or >> I would say put something on the floor.

[17:29] It's not here. I would put a motion on the floor that the county

[17:34] uh I don't know if this document's been tendered or if it's just county's

[17:40] staff's estimate if they have to tender it out or if they can just do it.

[17:47] I would like to see it put in the ground.

[17:55] We'll come up with a cost and we'll sell them the water.

[18:02] Just I'm just trying to think u how that would be worded. So you're looking to

[18:08] basically proceed with this project without

[18:11] doing any bylaws, anything like that is what you're looking at.

[18:15] When we got water for CGC, we passed the motion and uh

[18:25] there was a whole bunch of engineering studies done, people looking at the size

[18:29] of reservoirs, get water from W. It took a year or more and come up with the

[18:36] idea, put a pipeline in. We had a simple motion, put a pipeline in, paid for the

[18:44] water license. I know it was a little more complicated

[18:48] than that, but we didn't have the water. There was nothing there. We had to find

[18:52] it.

[18:56] » See, Sher wants to leave to council for clarification on the Goldfinch raw water

[19:02] line. In order for that to proceed, there was a cost contribution

[19:06] commitment. we would have not proceeded if they didn't pay their proportionate

[19:10] share and there was an advance. It wasn't like we paid everything there

[19:13] were and I don't want to get into the payment schedule but it there was a

[19:18] signed agreement that they would pay for their proportionate share and I think

[19:22] Mr. Bulock couldn't clarify I believe some of the engineering costs that we

[19:26] did do there were some that was the county's responsibilities and some that

[19:30] the um developer contributed to as well. So, we knew upfront they wanted

[19:36] clarification as well as to what their costs would be before the project

[19:40] proceeded. >> Yeah,

[19:43] I agree. But they paid their share, not a a bluent amount.

[19:51] » Mr. Bulock, >> uh yeah, through the chair, um as CEO

[19:56] Bears mentioned, it was a cost contribution upfront. So, they did pay

[19:59] their upfront proportional uh fees. Um when the project was finished, there was

[20:06] a reconciliation of the project costs. Uh and there was some of that money was

[20:11] refunded to CGC ultimately, but of the total project costs the um CGC paid

[20:17] their proportional share of the of the pipeline they were using. Uh something

[20:21] like that model could be used similarly here. Um the the the last uh framework

[20:29] that we um proposed was a cost contribution agreement with individual

[20:35] uh rate or or land owners within Redland. That would have been the exact

[20:39] same format that was used in Goldfinch. In those agreements, the individuals

[20:45] wanting to connect would have paid an upfront cost in that agreement. If the

[20:49] cost came in lower, the county would refund those rateayers uh the the money.

[20:54] if it came in higher then then the land owners would have to pay more. So, um,

[20:59] under that scenario, it was set up very, very similarly to the Goldfinch, um,

[21:04] except in this case, there were multiple people that would have been, uh,

[21:07] connecting. This one with the connection fees is again a very similar uh,

[21:12] framework. Um, except right now there isn't built in that refund, I think, is

[21:17] what you're talking about. If the costs come in lower, the proposal would be the

[21:21] extra funds would go into reserve fund used towards cap capital cost

[21:25] replacement or utility fees or you know whichever council wanted to uh use those

[21:30] funds for. Another option could be um it would require another resolution um

[21:36] could be if the costs come in substantially lower than what is

[21:39] estimated here, a refund could be made to the individuals who paid those uh

[21:43] connection fees if that's what council wanted to do.

[21:46] So Brad, if I was to make a motion that we go ahead with this and add a

[21:54] motion that any excess in funds be returned

[22:04] of some sort. Does that make sense? I And I don't want just eight people

[22:10] paying if there's 10 people there. And I think

[22:18] the 189 that's the the cost. But to me that

[22:24] looks like the end of the line doesn't have anything on it. It needs a a valve

[22:30] and a curb stop. Then you have another one on the bottom. Another 4,000.

[22:35] I think that's the curb stop. The end of the line that's got to be put on no

[22:40] matter what. So I would include that that 20 thou 10 there must be 10 of

[22:47] them. So it would be 40,000. I would include that in the 190 for the cost

[22:54] and I would is this a tendered out document or do you have to do it or we

[23:00] how how we going to move forward to get it done?

[23:04] Uh so through the chair um in the connection fee that's um proposed in the

[23:09] bylaw um it does include the the the connection with the curb stop and so it

[23:16] is the 189 divided by 8 plus the 4,000 for each for each of the connections. So

[23:21] it is included uh right now >> that's included in the 190.

[23:25] » Yeah. Um and then to your other question uh through the chair uh administration

[23:31] would quote or tender this project out prior to pre per proceeding. So these

[23:36] estimates as you know are they are estimates based on engineering uh the

[23:41] costs estimated cost that the engineering consultant has provided to

[23:44] administration. the project would be tendered out um

[23:48] with multiple quotes before >> I can go for that then I can I would

[23:54] support tendering it out

[23:59] » putting it in with the curb stops in installed

[24:04] and uh that way if I understand it right the curb stops got a valve on top of the

[24:10] ground and the guy wants water they apply and you go and you dig it up and

[24:15] hook a pipe on the end and stick the other end in your house and turn the

[24:20] valve on. And I know that's a simple way of doing it, but there's rules to follow

[24:26] to doing it, right? >> Uh through the chair. Yeah, you're

[24:29] absolutely correct. Um >> Okay. I think what we would want to do

[24:32] in that situation too when the if council were to proceed with this and

[24:36] individuals were to pay the connections fees um we would [clears throat]

[24:41] probably encourage them to talk to that contractor who is installing it at the

[24:45] time because it may be some cost savings for them to do the connection at the

[24:47] same time. I know we do the whenever we do work at the WRC is same

[24:54] thing. We uh we don't require engineers to look at the stuff.

[25:01] We need a qualified individual to do it. And I think the counties agreed to that

[25:07] and then agreements we have for hookups. I'm thinking it'd be much the same thing

[25:12] when people want to hook up Redland. If they're doing the

[25:18] construction right away, I'm sure most of them would say, "Hey, let's finish

[25:21] this off and whatever it takes." But that would be on them, not the county

[25:28] through the That's correct. That portion of the project. Yeah. And ultimately

[25:32] when it comes to engineering or qual we just in in even in the agreement with

[25:37] the WRC that we've uh discussed is just really what's required by the acts and

[25:42] regulations. That's what the county requires to be done.

[25:45] » Yeah. No, that's a good agreement. >> Perhaps Oh,

[25:51] » before I move it, does before I ramble it on, does staff want to look at it?

[25:58] You know what I want? Do you want to redo it or do you want me to ramble on

[26:01] and make something and and then comes back in the minutes or what? What would

[26:06] be better? >> You'd have to have a motion to amend

[26:09] with some information. Council would have to vote on before staff would be

[26:13] able to do direction. >> Okay. I'll make a motion then that we

[26:17] amend

[26:21] this uh bylaw

[26:26] that we put it in. If you I'll share >> the bylaw isn't even forward yet. So

[26:32] you'd amend the proposed bylaw with a specific area that you would want to

[26:36] amend and then we'd vote on that or we could do first reading and then do

[26:42] a second on second reading do an amendment whatever is probably better

[26:45] probably better to do the first reading of the bylaw as it sits. I'm seeing

[26:49] nodding of the head and then amendment can come on second or third.

[26:54] » Yes through the read to council. I just wanted to clarify with Mr. Bullock if

[26:58] the bylaw is written such that we could if it's exceeds the

[27:03] 189 it covers the cost that the increase goes up or if it's lower that it's an

[27:08] automatically that we could adjust the amounts if there's any flexibility if

[27:14] there's the need to amend the bylaw. >> Yeah. Through the chair what I might

[27:19] recommend at this point is to leave the bylaw as it is. So, so the the master uh

[27:25] the utilities bylaw has some provisions in it generally for providing water

[27:30] servicing to the the Redland community and the parameters around that. The

[27:36] connection fee um is actually going to come in the next report from um

[27:42] [clears throat] from our our finance manager with the master master schedule

[27:46] of fees. Um, what council could do in this case is if if you're happy with the

[27:52] bylaws as they are and the connection fee and then afterwards perhaps pass

[27:55] another resolution directing administration at some future date once

[28:00] the project is tendered. Um, if the costs come in lower than what the

[28:04] connection fee is, bring another report um, uh, to council and re a mechanism

[28:11] for refunding the the additional fees if if they are in addition to what the

[28:15] connection fee is. um because we could do that after the fact. Um and then the

[28:19] bylaws as they are don't need to change. Um it would just be something you could

[28:23] take care of later on once you know the project costs and the project is

[28:27] complete. >> Makes sense.

[28:31] » Councelor Hubs and then uh Deputy Priest.

[28:34] » Uh Glenn, I agree with you. Your CGC um your CGC thing was dead on. They paid

[28:40] upfront their share of it to get it. So alls we've asked all along and I have

[28:45] rate payers that were even when I was on the campaign trail that were discussing

[28:48] it and saying they don't want to subsidize

[28:52] because they have to pay for their own water and sewer and well and stuff. So

[28:56] all they're saying and all we agreed the last meeting is that we would once we

[29:02] got five people which is 50% signed up it would go forward. Until it does, I'm

[29:07] I'm just having till we get those five signatures because there's quite a

[29:11] disparity on what like you heard there's lots of people

[29:15] interested. Our staff have heard maybe one maybe one. That's what we heard last

[29:20] time on camera. So I think in my opinion I'm just having a tough time supporting

[29:25] any of this. A it's off budget and B if they really want it just pay the

[29:30] deposit. CGC did. Thank you.

[29:35] Lapric, >> I was just wondering if we could also um

[29:39] so not just if the cost of the project is less, but say we do get 10 people

[29:45] that want to um apply for water, could we then

[29:51] refund those who've paid could we could we do could we manage it

[29:56] so that the people who who are in pay for the cost of Yeah, I know it's gets

[30:02] complicated because then how long do you Yeah, I'm I'm not sure. I'm just

[30:07] » So suggestion would be to once the project is 100% complete, there'd be a

[30:11] reconciliation of funds, >> what was needed, etc. comes back to a

[30:16] council in the future >> and as a report I think that's what Mr.

[30:19] Bulock was saying and that council whether it be us could be take three

[30:22] years for this to happen, it could take a year,

[30:25] » who knows? >> So then it would come back to that

[30:27] council to say the cost was this and we have this many users. We charged them

[30:33] this. Yep. >> We've got a note.

[30:36] » Yeah. >> I think that's the only way to do it is

[30:38] wait till after the project's complete 100%.

[30:41] » Yeah. >> Yeah. Okay.

[30:45] » Because you're assuming too many things. There's a there's a lot of comparisons

[30:48] here that are not similar. Um when you're talking about towns, towns, um

[30:54] have a bylaw that says you will hook onto our services period. Like in

[30:58] Strathmore, you can't have a well. Calgary you can't have a well. Lots of

[31:02] urban municipalities are like that. They so you're not allowed to have both. So

[31:05] you have to pay whatever it is to hook on to it. I've seen places where they've

[31:08] had wells for years and they had to go take uh urban services, municipal

[31:13] services I should say. Councelor Kuster. Uh I don't know if the word apology or

[31:19] not, but I lumped all these things into one. I didn't know how else to do it to

[31:24] get my point across. I know CGC paid for what they had. I also knew a lot of

[31:32] money was spent before they give up any money because all I know is is what I

[31:37] hear and hear and I heard they paid up and that was long after we had worked on

[31:42] it. We had

[31:46] it's water under the bridge. Anyway, I'm good with this moving forward.

[31:54] I'm Nobody wants a subsidy. They want to pay the cost. what it is. Previously,

[32:02] there's been other

[32:06] ways of doing it. Then it was going to cost the one person over $60,000. They

[32:12] had extra land, but they only wanted one wall. Water.

[32:17] That doesn't work in there's 10 people there want water.

[32:22] That's probably all you're ever going to see in your lifetime.

[32:27] So, if we can agree to cost, however the county staff work it

[32:33] out, I'm happy with it. But paying extra,

[32:38] no, [clears throat] just the cost and if they get county gets too much, we refund

[32:43] it because when you go and put this in the line the way it is now,

[32:49] there could be no contingency fee spent. There's 10% difference right there.

[32:55] And I imagine that's all sand there. If they go too deep, they're going to hit

[32:59] coal. So,

[33:03] uh, yeah, I'm confident. And, uh, to get these guys water. So, with that,

[33:12] I'll move first reading. First reading's on the floor from

[33:17] Councelor Kesser. Discussion. Councelor Hebs.

[33:21] [clears throat] >> Yeah. I mean, I I just from staff. So

[33:25] the the cost is at least 189 plus 40,000 more. Correct? It's 222,000,

[33:32] right? And we need 50% of the We need 50% of the residents down there. I'm

[33:38] just for clarification. We need 50% of the residents down there to put up a

[33:42] deposit before we start. There's no use tendering it until we get those 50%. In

[33:46] my opinion,

[33:50] » were you asking a question of staff on that?

[33:51] » Yeah. >> Okay.

[33:53] I'm reading the reading. >> Just double checking. Okay.

[33:57] » Uh yeah, through the chair. The way the bylaws are set up right now is for a

[34:01] minimum of eight connections. Um the the connection fee is based on eight

[34:05] connections. And then the bylaw reads that a minimum of five connections would

[34:10] need connection uh requests and um uh connection fees would be paid before the

[34:16] county moves forward. five being um the half of the current

[34:21] residential properties that are located in Redland right now. Um of course if if

[34:25] council wanted to adjust either of those numbers uh they certainly could.

[34:32] » Question I have a staff although [clears throat] the council of the area

[34:35] says there won't be any further development there. My feeling is if

[34:38] there's water there that could it's a cheaper place to buy. There is other

[34:42] lots. The main lines that are going in, are they sized large enough that if

[34:47] three more lots come on 10 years down the road, we're not having put new mains

[34:50] in? And I'm pretty sure it's not, but I'm

[34:55] just want to check that answer. It is a trickle system, so I know it's kind of

[34:58] tricky because it's not there's no fire flows or not, but I'm just thinking

[35:03] I see it all the time in the county. We're getting uh second dwellings on

[35:07] acreages lots. We're seeing densities going up in the county. It makes sense

[35:10] at some point down there if it's cost-ffective and they have utilities

[35:14] they will someone will say hey that lot I I'll sell it to somebody and develop

[35:18] it am I so do we have capacity if the

[35:23] system goes in to add on >> uh to the chair yes there is capacity to

[35:28] add on um the one of the ways that uh administration with our engineering

[35:33] consultant was able to uh get the cost uh down a little bit more on this um is

[35:38] we would use uh similar valve vault to what C uh um the WRC uses for all of the

[35:45] single rural connections. Um with a trickle system though, those val valve

[35:49] vaults, the capacity of them, they can handle 12 or more connections depending

[35:53] on the trickle flow. Um and so additional houses could get added onto

[35:58] the system. Um and then if it even exceeded that, if Redland expanded even

[36:02] more, uh you could install a second valve vault to be able to handle the

[36:06] flows. And so there certainly are ways for it to do it, but it would be under

[36:10] the same trickle system uh to avoid the extra cost of a central reservoir.

[36:15] » Thank you. Any other questions? Motion's on the floor for first reading. I'll

[36:22] call a question.

[36:42] That's carried

[36:48] caster.

[36:52] No. So I don't I'd like to amend it

[36:59] that uh based on full recovery of the 10 lots

[37:05] instead of eight

[37:09] and a minimum threshold of five with a deposit

[37:16] not fully paid up

[37:22] unless you know what fully paid up is. But being that it isn't constructed, we

[37:30] won't know what the total price is until it's constructed.

[37:40] Does that make sense?

[37:46] Can we 75% of anticipated price or something?

[37:52] » We'd have to see it in a some kind of way format.

[38:00] » You have the anticipated price. It's 189,000 plus 40,000.

[38:04] » Yeah, >> that's the anticipated price. So I, you

[38:08] know, >> not out to tender yet.

[38:11] I'm guessing that within whatever the percentage is going to be, there's now

[38:18] an ability to pay them back if it's too much. Right.

[38:23] Right. So, I just, you know, 75% so that's 15,000 upfront.

[38:35] Um, yeah, through the chair. Um, I think council could um get it into the bylaw

[38:42] that way, although it's a little bit unusual for a bylaw setup with a

[38:47] connection fee. Um, I think what council may want to do is just either either

[38:53] lower the the cost in the bylaw. The problem is is if it ends up coming in as

[38:59] more um council will have challenges collecting that cost. Um what council

[39:06] may want to do is is what's being proposed is sort of what was under the

[39:10] the previous approach of uh individual service connections or or cost

[39:15] contribution agreements with each of the individuals that were connecting. That's

[39:18] what we did last time. Um what council may want to consider again is just

[39:23] passing a resolution directing council to later on um uh uh come back to

[39:31] council with a uh report regarding cost um

[39:38] trying to think of the word uh reconciliation to those that have paid

[39:42] the uh the connection fees. And then council can still if if if if the cost

[39:47] did come in lower than what the original estimate was, council could still refund

[39:52] that that cost, redo the connection fee within the master schedule of fees um

[39:59] bylaw [clears throat] based on the actual construction costs and and still

[40:03] refund that money. But it'd be yeah to to kind of try and do a re uh a deposit

[40:09] now that's less than and then collect that money later through a bylaw would

[40:13] be would be quite challenging to administer.

[40:16] » Thank you. >> Go ahead.

[40:18] » Um I just have a comment. I know that um that wells cost between anywhere from

[40:24] $30 to $60,000 to put in a new well. So with that I I'm okay with the price. I

[40:31] just have a question. Um, this probably won't be going for uh forward this fall,

[40:38] would it? Or would it be spring? When are you thinking of being able to

[40:45] put it in >> through the chair? It is unlikely this

[40:50] fall. Um, but it would all hinge on >> when the connection fees, when the

[40:55] request came in. to me when you give them that price they have, you know, a

[40:58] few months to get probably six maybe even more months to

[41:03] get that uh that funds gathered up. So, I'm okay with how it is.

[41:09] » Bars and then councelor Ker >> through the reef to council to address

[41:13] councelor's um caster motion to amend the bylaw um because we're on that

[41:18] debate. I just want to for clarification, you were asking to lower

[41:22] the threshold of the five to less commitment and then the other was a

[41:28] deposit instead of the full amount. I'm just looking on page four,

[41:34] second paragraph says would not proceed until at least

[41:38] five qualifying connection requests have been received. The connection fee

[41:44] recommended by administration is based on achieving full recovery of the

[41:48] initial infra cost with at least eight service connections.

[41:59] Now that paragraph is in reference to another motion

[42:06] haven't got it has nothing in there about paying or

[42:11] anything. Right. So I I don't know what I see that

[42:17] in there.

[42:22] I don't agree with the concept,

[42:27] but that doesn't mention what it is in full.

[42:34] It's a combination of of the three different things.

[42:38] But if >> I agree, we want five qualifying

[42:41] connection requests been received. Great with that.

[42:46] Uh full recovery instead of the eight. I would put 10 in there if that has to be

[42:51] in there.

[42:54] It's going to happen at some time. These people are hauling water.

[43:05] Councelor Beer. Thanks. I just uh if you go and read on to the

[43:10] schedules, that's just a summary on page four. If you read the actual bylaws, it

[43:14] lists them in there that it's saying that it's the five. It does say the

[43:19] eight. And then it says um it's not a deposit, it is uh recovery.

[43:26] But what they're saying is that if it does come in less, we can re um bring it

[43:33] back and and re uh re rebate those people that paid more.

[43:40] [clears throat] >> So if we amend it now, I I can't see

[43:44] amending it now. We still don't know the price. Councelor

[43:51] HS um I mean I'd like to get those people

[43:56] water too. I just you know [clears throat] but um

[44:00] I like and I was going to mention Donna's point about a well costing 30 to

[44:04] 60,000. You can spend that kind of money and not get water as we all know. So

[44:09] they're actually for their [clears throat] money up front, they're

[44:11] going to get usable water within a short period of time of them getting they know

[44:17] they're going to get water like as you you mentioned yourself the gentleman

[44:20] across the drilled the well and then filled it in with bent night or

[44:24] whatever, right? So I I I just think that you need to have full commitment

[44:30] that they're serious about wanting it rather than I I think that's just so

[44:34] easy then it's just it's just clear and concise. Thank you. I don't I don't have

[44:38] a problem with the commitment part at all. It's the price. I want it for them

[44:46] to pay it at cost. I don't want the county to have a an extra fund of money.

[44:57] If if they pay too much, it should be returned to them. And if five years down

[45:03] the road somebody comes along and they put in another house and want a

[45:08] connection fee, I leave that up for another council.

[45:12] These guys are putting up full cost for the full line.

[45:19] There are ways of giving them money back, but I don't want to go down to

[45:24] there. There's timelines and and stuff for that, too. I think

[45:29] that would just be the counties for my point, but that would be a different

[45:33] decision for a different council. >> CEO bar [clears throat] through the reef

[45:38] to council. You have a couple options here.

[45:41] » Thank you. >> Is that um with the motion to make those

[45:44] amendments um if that passes then we would request that council then just

[45:51] leave it with that resolution after having given first reading. allow us to

[45:55] to bring it back to the now next council because it's not within the report that

[46:00] we need to redline us to make sure it's captured in the bylaw correctly with

[46:04] what um councelor Kester would like to see. And so we would bring it back if

[46:09] that passes that you would like to see those types of amendments reflected in

[46:12] the bylaw. If not, then it would proceed as is. As far as what what um Mr. Bulock

[46:19] had said that we would capture that in the master fee schedule and come back if

[46:23] it's overpaid for the refund. We would make sure individuals were compensated

[46:28] if they overpaid. >> Perfect. I agree with that.

[46:33] So, is there a motion on the floor?

[46:38] [laughter] >> I just don't see it up here, but I don't

[46:41] need some wording >> know how to encompass it because it's in

[46:44] three different things.

[46:48] Well, I if there's a mo the reason that if there's a going to be a motion, we

[46:51] have to vote on that before we do anything else. Go ahead.

[46:54] » Could we though not pass all all of these motions and then just have a

[46:59] motion following saying that C council directs administration to bring back a

[47:05] reconciliation of the costs and costs per user and our council can decide at

[47:11] that point whether any rebates are warranted.

[47:14] » That would be far easier. Yes. Could we not do it that way just for

[47:19] » through the reef to council? That's that works as long as council ker because he

[47:23] mentioned a deposit not full payment and that was be that was the only other

[47:28] motion that I had that you were looking to amend was a deposit rather than full

[47:32] payment.

[47:38] Councelor Lis. >> I think we have to proceed the way

[47:43] councelor Kester wanted because right in the bylaw it says that um

[47:49] Redland Utility Services Reserve Fund is where the surplus revenues will be

[47:54] placed. So the bylaw as it reads doesn't

[48:00] steward to what councelor Ktor is asking for. [clears throat]

[48:05] else he think rather than pass these three we should just go back and get

[48:10] exactly what we want and then decide because I don't you know when you think

[48:16] of what well costs are and this and that I'm not comfortable with a percentage I

[48:20] think it should be full up so maybe it just goes back because we we can pass

[48:26] all these but then we got to redo another bylaw to get to the next step

[48:29] anyhow >> I'm just going to say something I'm

[48:33] really frustrated with this I've been doing this for a year and a half at

[48:36] least on this. We've looked at this four times at least. We come to this, we seem

[48:41] to understand it, comes to actually make a decision and it falls apart. You know

[48:44] who hurts on this is the people that live there. If they truly want it,

[48:47] they'll sign up for it and we can reconcile after. Having a reserve fund

[48:52] isn't a bad thing. Things are going to break. We know that. It's we're we're

[48:57] going through asset management through the whole county. We know that we things

[49:00] break. You may say it's not going to break for 100 years. It could break

[49:03] tomorrow. Products and services that you buy now are crap compared to what they

[49:08] were 50 years ago. So that's the reality of it. So if this dies here, I don't

[49:13] want to see it again. I'm tired of this. It's gone around and

[49:18] around and around and we're not getting anywhere. And the people that actually

[49:21] need it are being pulled in different directions. Councelor Ker,

[49:26] » I want this thing to go through. If we're agreement that they're going to

[49:30] pay cost, I'm everybody's 100% with that. This is

[49:36] the first time they got a good chance of paying cost.

[49:40] If you want a full 100% deposit, remember that when everything else comes

[49:45] down in the county that we had to charge these people their 100% deposit, buying,

[49:50] I'm just trying to be fair and other things we've done. I am okay with this.

[49:57] I don't know if Redland needs a reserve of 50 or $100,000, half of the value of

[50:05] that pipeline for what it is.

[50:12] Let them pay cost.

[50:16] That's all I'm asking. [clears throat] If we can agree to cost, I'm fine.

[50:24] Councelor Clayton and Councelor Hubs

[50:29] » not being involved in it for six and a half years or whatever, but Redland

[50:33] sounds like they need the water. It sounds like they have no ability to

[50:39] drill for water. If the county wants Redland to even

[50:45] exist and the rate payers are requiring water

[50:50] to be supported, we've got to figure out a way to move

[50:55] ahead with it right right now. I don't think that's should be taken off the

[51:00] books today for a future vote. I think we should be able to come to an

[51:07] agreement that they pay full cost based on

[51:13] future tendered engineering cost.

[51:20] And I'm not sure if that is something that takes six months or whether it's a

[51:26] a twomonth time period before you get that.

[51:31] But, uh, I think they should pay, uh, an agreed cost upfront and carry on.

[51:40] [clears throat] I'll just point out like I don't I I

[51:44] just don't see the rush. There's people all over the county that are hauling

[51:47] water just like Redlands is. There's I think there's a fair amount of homes

[51:53] southeast of Standard that are hauling water to Sistns, right? I'm positive of

[51:57] that. Right. We have a water treatment. So, I don't I don't think there I think

[52:01] we need to make sure that we got our our 50% commitment and that they're paying

[52:06] full cost and then after that it goes forward. Any sooner than that, I think

[52:10] we're I think we're doing a disservice to the people that that are paying the

[52:15] full freight. Mr. Bulock, >> um yeah, if council wants to to hear

[52:21] through the chair, um we did do up a a resolution that council could consider

[52:26] as part of this whole process. And so what this would be would be passing uh

[52:31] both bylaws as they are or if council wanted to adjust uh one of those two

[52:36] numbers, one or both of those two numbers that we're discussing and then

[52:39] afterwards pass a resolution essentially directing administration to come back to

[52:44] council and present a a potential cost uh reconciliation framework. So I can

[52:50] read that out if council wants to hear it.

[52:52] » Please do. Um, so this says that council direct administration to bring back a

[52:57] report following completion of the initial construction phase of the

[53:00] Redland water servicing project to present options for potential cost

[53:05] reconciliation for land owners who paid the initial connection fee should actual

[53:10] project cost be lower than the original per connection per connection estimate.

[53:15] And that uh is a standing resolution now uh for council and for administration to

[53:20] bring this back to council afterwards. and potentially explore cost uh

[53:25] reconciliation with those land owners if those costs are in fact lower than what

[53:29] was originally estimated per connection. >> Thank you. I'll withdraw my motion.

[53:37] » Thank you. So then we could proceed with the the all the readings of this bylaw

[53:44] do that motion in between there and then we go into the schedule fees.

[53:49] » Yes. through the chair and I just make that point that that the next report

[53:52] will have the actual schedule of fees with the connection fees. This one

[53:55] manages the provisions for uh the actual water servicing um and and it also sets

[54:01] the minimum number of connections uh before uh administration would proceed

[54:06] with the with the construction project. So that's what this bylaw does. The

[54:10] connection fee will come in the in the next report

[54:13] » CEO bars and then councelor bigger >> through the reef to council. It was just

[54:20] that Mr. Sheen when he does the master fee schedules will address the reserves

[54:25] so that it gives um some peace of mind as to what we'll do with the reserves

[54:30] and put it in a special place for reconciliation at a later later date.

[54:36] » Thank you. With that, I'd like to move C that that

[54:41] council approves second reading of bylaw 2026-15.

[54:46] » Thank you. Motion on the floor. Any further discussion?

[54:50] » I'll call a question.

[55:06] Just waiting for the vote to come in. That's carried. Councelor Clayton.

[55:12] » I move that council grant permission to hold third and final reading of bylaw

[55:17] 2026-15. >> Thank you. A motion on the floor. This

[55:21] has to have unanimous unanimous support to continue. Go ahead. through the re

[55:26] just for clarity too that um this one has to go through or it affects the

[55:30] master fee schedule bylaw as well. >> So if we don't do third reading of this,

[55:34] we can't go on a master schedule. So that's just something else for council

[55:38] to be aware of. Um any further discussion before I call a question

[55:42] Corey, >> it's it's just that one part. Excuse me.

[55:46] It's the one part that is the redland part of the bylaw is affected.

[55:51] » Okay. Yeah. Through the chair. So, uh, just on the next bylaw, council will

[55:55] probably have to amend that one. Fair enough. Council's aware of what's going

[55:58] on.

[56:01] I will call a question.

[56:17] Has

[56:24] anybody seen our 10 o'clock appointment? Is he coming in online or do we know our

[56:28] 10:00 appointment?

[56:32] Okay, I haven't seen him yet. Okay.

[56:39] Still voting. Okay.

[56:57] That's carried unanimously. Council's wishes.

[57:04] » I'll move that council approves third and final reading of bylaw 2026-15.

[57:09] » Thank you. Motion on the floor. Any discussion for third and final? or call

[57:13] a question

[57:26] and that's carried. There was an additional motion attached at the bottom

[57:30] on number five in your screen in front of you that was kind of developed from

[57:34] discussion on here.

[57:40] Someone wants to make that motion. Mr. Clayton

[57:44] » move that council direct administration to bring back a report following

[57:48] completion of the initial construction phase of the Redland water servicing

[57:52] project to present options for potential cost reconciliation

[57:57] for land owners who paid the initial connection fee should actual project

[58:01] cost be lower than the original per connection estimate

[58:06] hubs. Um, the way I read the motion is it's report following completion of the

[58:12] initial construction phase. I thought we weren't going to do any construction

[58:17] until we get the five deposits through the chair. That's correct. So,

[58:23] this report wouldn't come back um unless that initial connection fee phase

[58:28] happened and unless the the actual cost came in lower than the original

[58:32] estimate. [snorts] I'd support this if it didn't have the

[58:37] word initial in there because the construction phase like what is initial

[58:41] is that the first meeting and you know they come across and they start putting

[58:46] stuff in and they come across a buried car or something you know who knows or

[58:49] environmental cleanup or

[58:56] yeah okay

[59:01] up the thing and they got it hooked up. >> Yeah.

[59:07] comes in. >> It's come back to council anyway. So,

[59:10] » it's the done deal. >> It's come back to council anyway. So,

[59:14] oh, never mind. Any further discussion? Motions on the floor by councelor

[59:18] Clayton. All the question

[59:35] that's carried. Move on to since our 10:00 I don't see

[59:40] it here. Nothing. Okay. Uh bylaw 2026-17 mascus schedule fees bylaw. This

[59:46] dovetales into what we've been talking about. This now shows the

[59:51] actual fees. Morning council. Joel from

[59:55] administration here to present your next agenda item. I believe it was on page

[1:00:02] 503.

[1:00:13] Okay. Apologies

[1:00:20] for that. So I'll just start with the the last

[1:00:25] item on the table here uh since it kind of fits in with the prior discussion

[1:00:29] point. Uh so as you can see the water service connection fee for Redland the

[1:00:34] amount there for the 27,659 based on uh the bylaw uh discussion in

[1:00:40] the prior um prior discussion. And just to kind of go back to the

[1:00:46] reserves concept. So, uh, council has a reserves policy. And so, each each

[1:00:53] reserve, uh, council has the ability when we amend that policy to, uh, update

[1:00:58] for this Redland reserve. Uh, the purpose and, uh, the description for

[1:01:03] each specific reserve can be, uh, chosen by council and amended. So council would

[1:01:09] have the ability uh at the time of the creation of the reserve to specify the

[1:01:13] purpose whether it's for strictly for asset renewal or uh an initial

[1:01:17] reconciliation purpose for repayment. Um there's a there's some flexibility with

[1:01:22] uh when we do the reserves policy itself and bring that to council. So just to

[1:01:26] give uh council some information on that.

[1:01:30] Uh in terms of the other items here uh they're all uh essentially housekeeping

[1:01:34] items. They're they relate to the committee the whole meeting. um that was

[1:01:39] in August and uh so just to kind of quickly go through them,

[1:01:45] the first two were uh fee amendments, administration fees. Uh the curb stop on

[1:01:50] and off fee uh was a proposed increase. uh when we worked with uh kind of

[1:01:55] looking at the cost with our contractor of uh how much it cost the Wheatland

[1:02:00] County to go turn off those curb stops and turn them on again. Uh this was kind

[1:02:04] of the full cost recovery approach as opposed to the $50.

[1:02:08] Uh and then the second one there uh dropping from the 3% to 2% uh for in

[1:02:14] terms of the monthly penalty on a rears balances. Again, that just puts us in

[1:02:19] line with a lot of other local community averages.

[1:02:23] And then there's just some housekeeping wording changes in there in terms of our

[1:02:27] our banners and changing it to um the water and wastewater services. Uh just

[1:02:32] ensuring for clarity that all of the fixed fees, the flat rates, capital

[1:02:36] levies that they're all payable uh even when there's no uh per cubic usage on a

[1:02:41] given billing cycle. And then uh again just an administrative

[1:02:47] change with the uh the plumbing administration fees here in the middle

[1:02:50] section. uh just providing some clarity on the the billing approach itself. Um

[1:02:55] so that concludes my presentation. I'm available for any questions.

[1:02:59] » Thank you. Any questions,

[1:03:03] councelor Ker?

[1:03:09] » The connection fee of 27,000

[1:03:16] adept

[1:03:22] I'm I'm at a loss. I want them to pay what it costs.

[1:03:30] So that when 10 of them build it and this is not

[1:03:35] going to cost $270,000 to put this in.

[1:03:41] We'll be the laughing stock. Like we've got quotes for 80,000.

[1:03:47] So, what can we do with this? It just re rely on that motion that Brad made and

[1:03:52] and a and next council meeting when it's all done, council makes an adjustment.

[1:03:59] Would that be fair?

[1:04:04] Find the upfront cost is

[1:04:11] if I was a land owner, I know what I would think of the county.

[1:04:20] And I don't want to hold them to it. I think the 27,000 is eight people out of

[1:04:26] the 10. If we go to the 10, it's 22,000

[1:04:32] and change. [clears throat]

[1:04:37] » Councelor Bigger and I counc uh uh why would you feel that they'd be

[1:04:44] questioning us?

[1:04:48] It's almost it's a lot more than what their neighbors cost to put water in.

[1:04:54] They know what the other water costs. >> But

[1:04:57] » yeah, >> I mean I I I know when we put our well

[1:05:01] in it was $30,000. That was 20 years. >> Just go the well. It was less than

[1:05:05] $10,000. No, see it.

[1:05:10] » You don't know how far you have to go down. Like I had we had to go to far

[1:05:12] ways but it is very expensive now. >> Yeah. The wells aren't like I just

[1:05:18] drilled one. >> That's

[1:05:21] » you must add a subsidy. >> If you wanted to lay stay at the 27 and

[1:05:26] we can have just laughter. I I'll be good with that.

[1:05:31] » Els don't like I don't think we would be

[1:05:36] considered the laughingstock. the people that moved out there knew what the water

[1:05:39] situation was the day they moved there. Like why would that's their choice. Like

[1:05:45] you know if you're going to, you know, we looked at buying an acreage for a son

[1:05:49] and the first thing we did is what was a well test, right? Like the very first

[1:05:52] thing we did. So I I don't think that [snorts] shaming people who have

[1:05:58] questions about it is healthy. It's like it just doesn't seem like

[1:06:04] I I know for sure there's people I have rateayers and in not just my area that

[1:06:09] don't want to subsidize it. So I like the 27,000.

[1:06:14] » There's um some costs involved there that are higher than normal because it

[1:06:18] has to be engineered as per the regulations. It has to be checked. It

[1:06:22] has to be flushed. It has to be chlorinated because there's more than

[1:06:25] one user on there. We've been told this before. Um and that doesn't come that

[1:06:30] comes at a cost and that is something we have to do. If it's a one hookup it's a

[1:06:35] different thing which WRC does and um they can have supervisors different

[1:06:40] levels of supervisors. Good morning sir. Um come in but uh that's where the

[1:06:45] difference is and the size and having some

[1:06:49] capabilities in there. So, we're looking for the master schedule fees bylaw for

[1:06:54] first reading.

[1:06:58] » I'll move that council approves first reading of master schedule of fees bylaw

[1:07:02] 2026-17. >> Thank you. Motion on the floor. Any

[1:07:05] discussion? All question.

[1:07:29] That's carried. Councelor Clayton, >> just a a question maybe to

[1:07:35] administration, but if there's been wells drilled in that

[1:07:42] area recently, there should be a cost uh that we can

[1:07:47] actually find out uh to establish the number that uh

[1:07:53] that's in uh in this fee schedule. 27,000. I know I've drilled wells for

[1:08:00] depends on the depth of how far you go just how much it's going to cost.

[1:08:05] So if there is some wells that are drilled in an area to get a current cost

[1:08:09] estimate I think that would be maybe one that you could use. Thank you

[1:08:18] » Ker. For me

[1:08:22] there's water there and it's not a well. They're not wanting a well.

[1:08:28] I don't think you'll drill a well and get water. It's in a coal mine.

[1:08:35] A good thought, but I don't think we want to compare it to

[1:08:40] wells. We don't want to compare it to to 50 or 60,000 it costs over the hill.

[1:08:46] This is what it costs here. The water lines there. What's it cost to put a

[1:08:52] pipe in the ground and hook it up and leave it go at that? We're we're we're

[1:08:58] not bar shopping here. >> Thanks for the thought, though.

[1:09:04] » Yeah. No, it's just a curious question in my head because uh if there was an

[1:09:09] answer, I wouldn't mind hearing it. That's all. Thank you. Just for a little

[1:09:14] history, Rosebud went through the same thing years ago, 30 years ago,

[1:09:21] they drilled three wells to get water. They drilled a mile and a half away up

[1:09:27] in the hills up on top of the hill. There's three wells up there the county

[1:09:32] own now. And that's where they got their water from. There was no water in

[1:09:36] Rosebud in that valley. And they went through the same thing. This water well

[1:09:42] that got cemented in was drilled on top of the hill

[1:09:48] and uh was no good. So it's a bad place for water. It's hit

[1:09:56] paper. People have sued in Canada for it. It's got a long, long history. And

[1:10:03] believe me, there's no water there. >> That answer the question. There's no

[1:10:08] wells. >> Yeah. There's no wells. Yeah.

[1:10:13] Looking for second reading. Anyone want to put it on the table?

[1:10:18] Councelor Clayton. >> I move that council approve second

[1:10:24] reading of bylaw 2026-17. >> Thank you. Motion's on the floor. Any

[1:10:30] discussion? I will call a question.

[1:10:44] That's carried. I'll move for permission. Councelor

[1:10:48] Caster motion to grant permission to hold third and final reading. Motion on

[1:10:54] the floor. This again has to have unanimous unanimous support to continue.

[1:10:58] I'll call a question.

[1:11:15] That's carried unanimously.

[1:11:21] » We'll move uh third and final reading 2026-17.

[1:11:26] » Thank you. Motion's on the floor. Any discussion on the final?

[1:11:31] I'll call a question.

[1:11:40] That's carried. Thank you, councel. Um, we have a 10:00 appointment. RCMP

[1:11:45] representative from Drumhower Detachment, Christian Lafleur,

[1:11:50] Detachment Commander.

[1:11:53] Good morning. >> Good morning. My apologies for being

[1:11:57] late. I was hit with a HR issue I had to deal with as I was

[1:12:01] » all right. We were getting through some stuff. It worked out fine.

[1:12:03] » Awesome.

[1:12:07] » Um, so the biggest news in the letter is

[1:12:12] we're switching our vehicles from what you see now, the Hall vehicle to the

[1:12:16] black and white. I don't anticipate, well, I'm hoping to get one soon cuz one

[1:12:21] of my vehicle is mileing out pretty quick and it's kind of a lemon. However,

[1:12:26] I was told that probably not this year. So, but they look sharp from what I'm

[1:12:31] told in the pictures I've seen. So, hopefully soon.

[1:12:34] » You're going from just the white to black and white version.

[1:12:36] » They'll be black and white. So, the main the main doors, if you want, will be u

[1:12:41] white. The rest will be black. >> So, similar to CPS.

[1:12:46] » Yeah, we're going back to I'm just thankful that we didn't go back to the

[1:12:50] old blue and white cuz those were ugly. >> Yes, they were.

[1:12:54] » Yes. So, it looks it should look sharp. The

[1:12:58] other thing that's not on there uh it'll be covered on the next uh quarterly

[1:13:02] report, but we're also starting the switch over to new guns, the Glock 45.

[1:13:08] So, I have one guy already that's uh been trained on it. He's a trainer. As

[1:13:14] we progress, you're going to you're going to see people switching from the

[1:13:19] Smith and Wesson to the Glock. that comes with red dot the optics as well as

[1:13:24] a integrated flashlight. So hopefully nobody's dumb enough to do

[1:13:29] a traffic stop and needing the flashlight as other police force have

[1:13:34] done.

[1:13:39] Uh moving on to the priorities, the first priority being the road safety.

[1:13:45] We've uh emphasized that since I took over. We've issued 395 traffic tickets.

[1:13:53] Uh in addition to the those tickets, 26 warnings were issued. Uh 213 of those

[1:14:00] were speeding tickets. Um

[1:14:05] um once well once monthly I'm going to switch to uh twice monthly soon. We're

[1:14:11] doing overtime traffic shift. So, I'm paying somebody to come in on overtime

[1:14:16] with basically the duties of just

[1:14:21] track speeders and issue traffic tickets. There's a threshold that uh

[1:14:25] they have to meet. So, for me to bring in a constable and overtime it cost me

[1:14:30] about roughly $100 an hour. I want them to exceed that uh once after the

[1:14:37] revenues are going back to municipality. So, for example, if you're costing me

[1:14:42] 500, I expect $1,000 in tickets to make up for the city or the the county's

[1:14:48] paying for your overtime shift. So, each shift is paying for itself, but it has a

[1:14:54] big impact because we're getting a lot of speeders

[1:14:58] amongst other things. In these three overtime shifts, we generated about

[1:15:03] $10,000 in fines. Again, we're not doing it as a revenue generator, but I want

[1:15:11] the offset, which is important to me so you guys don't get uh ripped off. Well,

[1:15:16] not ripped off, but you know what I'm saying. It doesn't cost you extra money.

[1:15:21] We did uh three checks stop operations including roving and stationary setup

[1:15:27] ones and that was with our partners like the county peace officers, the sheriffs

[1:15:34] and so on. We also did two additional ones just the drum RCMP.

[1:15:43] Um we did um we're I mean we're trying to get three impaireds minimum a month.

[1:15:49] Obviously that's not up to us. That's up to the people making bad decisions.

[1:15:56] Uh so in this last quarter we did the 10.

[1:16:01] So so far in this um priority every goal has been met and surpassed

[1:16:11] priority number two which is crime reduction through drugs.

[1:16:17] Uh we did 43 search warrant and general enforcement in regards to drugs.

[1:16:23] Uh we currently have several drug investigation on a go which obviously I

[1:16:29] can't get into but we're hoping that uh they're going to be successful. One

[1:16:34] operation led to one of our better known drug dealer for lack of a

[1:16:38] better term being arrested. So we were successful in disrupting some

[1:16:43] of the drug operation. We've also seized uh quite a significant amount of drugs

[1:16:49] that was supposed to go into the the pen in drum elder.

[1:16:55] Fortunately, we're not allowed to shoot drones out of the sky or we're not

[1:16:58] allowed to interfere with drones whatsoever. So, that's the issue.

[1:17:04] » Yeah, we looked at uh I sent two of my drug investigators to a conference in

[1:17:10] Toronto a few months back. I was hoping to get some information on what can we

[1:17:16] do, what technologies out there because there's some pretty cool stuff out

[1:17:19] there. Um, one of them is a anti- drone drone so that you target the drone, it

[1:17:27] goes and destroys it and comes back. Uh, the other one was a um setting up a zone

[1:17:33] around the pen that would kill the signal because they're pre-programmed or

[1:17:37] they're controlled by somebody. Uh, and the other thing was there's a few other

[1:17:41] things and I was told absolutely not. Uh, if the drone falls out of the sky

[1:17:46] and hurts somebody, we're liable. I'm like, okay. Uh, signal blocking. Well,

[1:17:52] somebody has a pacemaker. Like, okay, well, that's valid.

[1:17:57] Uh, another one was a um that one I like really because it was cool was it's kind

[1:18:02] of a it's not a rifle, but it kind of is. and it shoots this thing like a big

[1:18:08] net that will envelope the the drone and bring it down. Again, if somebody gets

[1:18:13] hurt, we'll liable. So, unfortunately, there's nothing we can do at this point.

[1:18:17] They won't let us do anything cool or fun or

[1:18:21] anything. So

[1:18:26] uh we did 23 drug trafficking and possession arrest and we have uh we

[1:18:32] completed 20 investigation into the drug smuggling into the the pen. We get those

[1:18:37] in a pen every second day unfortunately. So pretty common.

[1:18:44] This priority is well on its way to be surpassed. Um

[1:18:48] my plane close section is consisting of two people right now. I have three. I

[1:18:53] have a member from Brooks who I'm trying really hard to keep. Uh Brook's not

[1:18:58] happy with me, but I'm trying to keep him. Um, he's a go-getter and I have a

[1:19:04] Cracker Jackack team right now, so I'm happy with that. It doesn't cost DS

[1:19:09] attachment anything. Brooks is paying for his salary. He's paying for

[1:19:13] everything. So, that's why I'd like to keep him and keep it that way.

[1:19:16] » That's why. >> That's exactly. And they can't replace

[1:19:20] him while he's with me. So, their loss is basically our gain.

[1:19:27] So as a result of having an extra investigators, we can take on more

[1:19:31] files. So which is working nicely right now.

[1:19:35] Part of the their duties is obviously they're all exper the these three people

[1:19:39] are experienced investigators. I'm getting them to man the rest of the

[1:19:44] junior constables or investigators in drug files and a few other things as

[1:19:48] well.

[1:19:51] Uh in this quarter we seize just under $3 million worth of drugs off the

[1:19:57] street. So

[1:20:03] did you want me to prior number three is visibility engagement community

[1:20:07] relationships. So we participated in Dia's Saint Indian

[1:20:12] carbon schools lockdown drill. We've identified some weaknesses and I met

[1:20:18] with them after and try to come up with some um

[1:20:22] remedials if you want for them. Obviously, the goal of that is not um as

[1:20:27] I explained to one of the teacher or we're not showing up lights and siren

[1:20:32] and guns out and everything for those like like they thought and were that

[1:20:37] we're going to jump out of lockers. No, the idea is we go there uh as calmly as

[1:20:42] possible and see how they're doing. We'll knock on a few doors uh if we see

[1:20:47] kids or in a lot of case we hear the kids laughing so we have discussion

[1:20:51] after so that they have to take it seriously. It's been wellreceived um

[1:20:56] some of the things in the school unfortunately there's nothing they can

[1:20:59] do just because of the way the schools are built but we've coming up with some

[1:21:02] other plans. We did some uh fraud presentation as

[1:21:07] well as a session on sextortion. Sextortion being on the rise. It's some

[1:21:16] people think it's a good idea to send naked pictures online or that uh you

[1:21:21] know in a lot of cases a lonely 50-year-old man sending a naked picture

[1:21:27] to thinks is a nice young girl turns out to be somebody in India that's not a

[1:21:32] woman but they want money. So, we're trying to educate people that it's, you

[1:21:37] know, don't put yourself out there type deal.

[1:21:42] Uh, we did eight media release sent out to the local uh newspaper.

[1:21:48] However, what I've noticed is that not since not all of them were published,

[1:21:52] I'm going to transition to a once a month uh public release unless there's

[1:21:59] something that I feel that we, you know, like developing crime trends that we

[1:22:03] want to address right away. I'm going to go to once monthly with a recap of what

[1:22:07] we've done and then some public interest. Uh we'll see if that works

[1:22:12] better. However, I've been told by several

[1:22:16] members of the public that uh they really appreciate knowing what's going

[1:22:20] on their community and what's going on around town.

[1:22:25] Coffee with a cup by month or once every two months. Uh I held two. Uh as I

[1:22:32] mentioned before, I'm not a big fan of uh saying we're going to be at this

[1:22:37] coffee shop at this time on that day. Uh and a good example is today as I was

[1:22:42] leaving to come here, I got ambushed by somebody that with something that

[1:22:46] couldn't wait. It looks bad. Uh especially when we do coffee with a cop,

[1:22:51] people show up and we're late. So in order to avoid that, we're increasing it

[1:22:56] by going to different place and just engaging people. We'll evaluate if that

[1:23:01] works better.

[1:23:05] Uh we didn't do any tunnel meeting this quarter. Again, it's it was too early in

[1:23:10] the year to assess how we're doing the priorities. So, those come up and the

[1:23:15] idea of that is to see how well we're doing with priorities in the eyes of the

[1:23:19] public, but also to determine what next year's priority will be. So, again, it's

[1:23:24] it's a little too early for that. We attended several meetings of citizen

[1:23:30] on patrol and the rural crime watch. Uh we have an issue with uh one of the

[1:23:37] local citizen on patrol that decided to put cameras everywhere.

[1:23:42] So we're dealing with that uh unfortunately.

[1:23:46] Uh but overall they're they're doing fine.

[1:23:50] So they were told that first of all if they want to install camera on county's

[1:23:55] property or town property they need to get a hold of the count the the council

[1:24:00] and then obviously you can't point your cameras at somebody's private residence

[1:24:04] or you can't put it uh into capture. So we're dealing with that. They might get

[1:24:10] um if they don't fall in line they're probably going to get disbanded.

[1:24:13] Unfortunately,

[1:24:17] uh we had no opportunities this past quarter for research duties. Uh but we

[1:24:21] didn't however participate in 14 public events and ceremonies or leading

[1:24:26] parades.

[1:24:29] So with the exception of the town hall meetings and media releases, all of the

[1:24:32] categories are on track or on their way to be surpassed again.

[1:24:43] Prior number four was a crime reduction. This time per property crime.

[1:24:48] So we're now conducting nightly uh compliance check with the curfews

[1:24:54] conditions and so forth. Um and it's easy for me to verify that

[1:25:00] every shift my guys are doing a shift summary. So I know exactly what's going

[1:25:05] on. So is the everybody else in the attachment. So intelligence gathered is

[1:25:09] increasing. Uh those led to 27 breach charges.

[1:25:18] We did uh one street sweep one round up for lack of a better term. I didn't like

[1:25:24] the result. Again um most of the people that we have on warrants are either

[1:25:29] living out of area or um not when we get them. So to remedy

[1:25:35] that, I instructed my guys to do targeted street sweeps. So we know this

[1:25:40] guy is going to be home at that time. Go pick him up. So that's been successful

[1:25:45] and that's led to 18 uh arrest.

[1:25:51] Fraud and emerging emerging crime trends lectures. So again, sexion has been a

[1:25:58] big one. It seems to be on the rise. Um we did some internet child exploitation.

[1:26:04] We had some issues with that as well. Some presentations on that and some

[1:26:07] frauds. These seems to be very constant. Um I guess it's human nature that if

[1:26:14] there's a way that in their mind that oh I'm going to be rich. So cryptocurrency

[1:26:19] and stuff like that around rise. Unfortunately

[1:26:22] uh those are usually out of country. So there's not much that the local

[1:26:26] detachment can do. Um, [snorts]

[1:26:32] we also did the informal fraud pres discussions and sextortion

[1:26:39] presentation during those coffee breaks with the cop. So that seemed to be a

[1:26:43] concern. So again, um overall the detachment is

[1:26:48] either surpassing or well on its way to meet and surpass every targets

[1:26:54] except for the impaired because again that's

[1:26:58] as much as we try. We can't convince people to go and drink and drive or not

[1:27:04] to I should say. So I'm reorganizing

[1:27:10] the the way that the dash is being run. It's taking longer than I would have

[1:27:15] liked, but it is what it is. My goal is to have my officers freed from from a

[1:27:20] lot of the admin duties and out on the road more. Um, in a lot of cases, I'm

[1:27:25] not very popular with them because if I walk around and you've been at your desk

[1:27:29] too long, get out. They don't like that. But my goal is to have them on the road

[1:27:33] doing their job and not tied up with the different processes.

[1:27:39] So Dian Min is being cross trainined right now. Uh when I took over with my

[1:27:46] foreign men, they were very much this is my silo of knowledge. This is what I'm

[1:27:52] doing. I didn't like that. So now I've instituted cross trainining. So every

[1:27:57] one of my admin people will be able to do everybody's job. And then the next

[1:28:03] step is now you're taking on some of the duties that uniform members had to do.

[1:28:08] That'll be your job and that frees them to go on the road. So,

[1:28:16] did you want me to go through committee consultation or

[1:28:21] » West council want? No, we're good. We got we got everything in front of us.

[1:28:25] So, we kind of read through it too as we go along and just hit the highlights.

[1:28:28] It' be great. >> Okay. Um, yeah, like I said, the

[1:28:31] lockdown drill we did um real crime wash in this case. It's

[1:28:38] ongoing.

[1:28:44] Some my members went and got in the face by dodgeball. That was fun.

[1:28:58] That's basically the most of the highlights right now for my rural

[1:29:02] members. I have no vacancies. I do have one vacancy

[1:29:07] for municipal that I've been trying to fill. Uh we'll see how that goes. I'm

[1:29:12] also uh proposing a um staffing increase to

[1:29:17] get a sergeant. My as an upsense co so my goal would be right now is

[1:29:24] if you come in as a constable you can get promoted to corporal but if you want

[1:29:28] to get promoted sergeant you have to go somewhere else and then come back as a

[1:29:32] staff sergeant. I'd like to have continuity cuz most of the guys I have

[1:29:36] like it around here so much they don't want to leave unfortunately they have to

[1:29:40] if so with this extra position it allows me two things it allows me to keep them

[1:29:46] and retain them all the way up to staff sergeant and the other thing is

[1:29:53] with the addition of a opsencio sergeant my two corporals now become what they're

[1:29:59] supposed to be which is road supervisors So they would mentor the constables and

[1:30:04] they would be out on the road taking files themselves a lot more. All

[1:30:08] supervisory duties would be spread between myself and the sergeant position

[1:30:13] versus now between myself and the two corporals. So there's a lot of benefits

[1:30:18] but you know that comes at a cost. So that's discussion I'm having right now.

[1:30:27] when you look at the crime statistic, I know it's been in the news that um you

[1:30:33] know, crime is down, um crime index is lower and everything. The thing to keep

[1:30:38] that to keep in mind with that is in a small area like us,

[1:30:43] I mean, you have one sexual assault, well, your index just shoots right up,

[1:30:49] right? Because normally we don't have one. Same with murders or anything like

[1:30:52] that. So

[1:30:56] a shift in one or two creates a huge impact for a crime scene index. So just

[1:31:01] let's keep that in mind that it's not really uh [snorts] we don't have a huge

[1:31:06] problem. Like I I was told that um well you're asking for more members.

[1:31:11] Well, you know, if we could see people getting shot in the street and like all

[1:31:14] this like we'd be more supportive, but we don't see that. I'm like that's

[1:31:18] because we're doing a good job to avoid that. So, it reflects on this and

[1:31:24] there's numbers we can't uh control. Example, the murder, right? Like we have

[1:31:29] one murder and all of a sudden like we're up 100%. It's cuz we haven't had a

[1:31:33] murder in a couple years. So, any questions?

[1:31:39] » Uh, thank you. Any questions? Councelor Larson and Councelor

[1:31:43] HS. try and keep it brief because I know you

[1:31:45] have things to do, but can you just tell me the like the drug seizures and the

[1:31:50] and the arrests and enforcement. How what what would be the percentage of

[1:31:56] actual in drumheller and then rural? >> You [snorts] don't have to give me the

[1:32:00] exact number, but just ballpark it for me. Is it like 60 40 or something like

[1:32:05] that? It would be more um I would say probably 80% in drum

[1:32:10] » in the area and then rural a little bit but not as much nowhere near as much.

[1:32:14] » So are the drones then coming primarily >> drum?

[1:32:21] Okay, never mind. >> We have a we have a project on that

[1:32:25] right now. >> No worries.

[1:32:26] » So yeah, >> I understand completed. Thank you.

[1:32:31] » You're welcome, Councelor Clayton. Okay.

[1:32:36] Years ago, we had a rural crime watch around Strathmore and well almost all

[1:32:42] the neighbors were part of rural crime watch, but it's

[1:32:48] kind of disappeared in our area. >> Mhm.

[1:32:51] » And it doesn't seem to be uh something that is promoted.

[1:32:56] Is that u something that uh has to be done through you guys or ho how does it

[1:33:04] get back on track if it's value to you? >> Well, there's a lot of value to it for

[1:33:09] sure. Um I had one started in uh Fort Mclau when I was there for the Willow

[1:33:16] Creek area, but it has to be citizen driven. Will assist, but there's an

[1:33:21] organization that helps set it up. Um, from what I understand, I want to say

[1:33:28] last month, a little while ago, they had a uh a meeting held in Drum Miller with

[1:33:33] the idea of recruit people and I don't think anybody showed up.

[1:33:38] So, unless there's a lot of crime and they feel impacted by it, um, community

[1:33:43] involvement is not that great. uh we can promote it as much as we want but if

[1:33:48] people don't then uh the bad thing about it is um

[1:33:54] every large area in Willow Creek if you want

[1:33:59] they were on this system on their cell phones and say for example we're looking

[1:34:03] for a stolen truck we'd let them know and they would yeah he's right here so

[1:34:09] we had real life information so yes real crime watch is very important to us but

[1:34:13] we can't twist people's arms Same with citizen on patrol. Seems that we're

[1:34:18] going into a phase where less and less people want to get

[1:34:22] involved.

[1:34:26] But if anybody wants to start one, we'll be more than happy to help.

[1:34:32] » Councor, thanks for the presentation. So with the

[1:34:36] drones like you know and and going to the pen, do they do they crash the drone

[1:34:41] or do they fly it back away? Because you would think that like I'm Do you need us

[1:34:47] to advocate to our MP to maybe set up the pen like you would an airport?

[1:34:55] » Mhm. Well, they I mean it is kind of sad because it's a no-fly zone, right? So,

[1:34:59] we do have sensors that let us know when there's a drone uh and then we try to

[1:35:04] go. Uh usually, you're right, like we don't typically recover drones. we

[1:35:09] recover the packages that they drop before or we get the inmates with them,

[1:35:14] right? Um I'm there I have no power to say like to

[1:35:20] to try to affect it maybe on your hand to start

[1:35:24] at this level and then try to push it forward. Um for example like I I did a

[1:35:29] tour of the the pen and I've identified several weaknesses when I discuss it

[1:35:36] with a pen. One of them, for example, was you have blank areas where your

[1:35:41] cameras don't capture. Why can't you put cameras there? Oh, no. Because if we put

[1:35:46] more camera, we become like a higher level of security and we we're not

[1:35:50] allowed to do that. And I'm like, great. Okay. So, there's a lot of issues that

[1:35:56] unfortunately it's way way above my head. So I can make suggestions but none

[1:36:03] of them are listened to. Right. Welcome.

[1:36:09] » Thank you very Thank you very much. Uh any other

[1:36:12] questions?

[1:36:16] » A motion to accept for information. Someone

[1:36:19] » also move. >> Motion on the floor. Any discussion?

[1:36:23] I'll call a question. >> Thank you for coming. Thank you. Thanks.

[1:36:32] Then after this, we'll take a 10-minute break.

[1:36:38] We'll be back at uh 10:46.

[1:36:49] » Back. >> We're back to council weight county

[1:36:53] regular meeting agenda and we're on item five, consent agenda. So here's the

[1:36:58] point where if anybody wants something pulled out to discuss, please speak now

[1:37:02] or for forever hold your peace. Is there anything anyone wants to pull

[1:37:07] out to discuss further?

[1:37:11] Um I have a couple. I think we should talk about Drumheller Health Foundation.

[1:37:16] Uh was a thank you for donation that we provided and they asked if we want to do

[1:37:20] a photo. I was wondering if we should discuss whether anybody has um

[1:37:28] capacity to go up to get a photo done. I don't know if they would come here. That

[1:37:32] would be ideal. But maybe we could um initiate conversation about that. Um

[1:37:40] » then uh we should talk about a letter from WHMB.

[1:37:47] » Okay. 5.1.

[1:37:51] » Um, I'd like to also pull out the letter

[1:37:55] from Alice James, counselor at MD of Big Horn.

[1:38:00] So I think we should uh >> give

[1:38:04] » 511 >> uh 5.11

[1:38:09] » and then also Strathmore Chamber of Commerce 5.13.

[1:38:19] Anyone else? I think we should add 5.14 as well.

[1:38:24] » Yeah.

[1:38:28] I'll make a motion to bring those items. Sorry.

[1:38:31] » Uh to the chair, administration is requesting to pull item 5.7 from the

[1:38:35] consent agenda for the purpose of providing a verbal fire services update

[1:38:39] as part of the community and development services report. Just the community

[1:38:43] development. >> Thank you. So we're looking at 57, 58,

[1:38:48] 510, 511, 513, and 514.

[1:39:01] Deputy Ree, are you making that motion? >> I will make the motion to remove those

[1:39:06] items. >> Perfect.

[1:39:08] Motion on the floor before I call. Anyone else have anything else to pull

[1:39:12] out? Okay. Call a question

[1:39:18] or do we vote on Yeah.

[1:39:25] And that's carried. 5.7 is first and that's administration

[1:39:29] update. >> Should we first make a motion to approve

[1:39:32] the rest of the consent agenda? >> Oh yes,

[1:39:34] » you can make that motion. [laughter] >> I always do that.

[1:39:38] » She always grips. >> Yes, I know. [laughter]

[1:39:44] Ask my wife. They don't learn easy

[1:39:51] motion on the floor to approve the rest and waiting for.

[1:40:13] So we have the second motion on the screen.

[1:40:16] Call. Question is called. Please vote.

[1:40:27] » That's carried. Go ahead. This is item 5.7.

[1:40:33] Thank you. I've asked So, this will be um in relation to the fire services

[1:40:39] update in the community and development services report. In addition, I have

[1:40:43] three items that I'd like to discuss. First is an update on the timelines for

[1:40:47] transition of fire dispatch to Calgary 911. Second is timing on programming

[1:40:53] radio channel scanning on the Afra radios. And then a discussion on

[1:40:58] concerns related to radio coverage and out of range alerts. Uh it is our

[1:41:03] understanding that there has been some counselors contacted with some concerns.

[1:41:07] So we are just providing an update so everyone has the same information as

[1:41:11] well as the public as well. So the first is the transition to Calgary 911.

[1:41:17] Council will recall that the transition target date was scheduled for November

[1:41:22] 30th, 2026. The revised go live date will now be December 8th, 2026. It could

[1:41:29] be sooner, but that is the date we're working towards now. The additional time

[1:41:33] was required in order to get all the contracts signed between the regional

[1:41:38] partners. So, Wheatland County, the villages of Standard, Husar, and Rocky

[1:41:42] View. All of that has been completed. Sorry,

[1:41:46] » Rocky Ford. >> My apologies. Did I say Rocky View?

[1:41:49] » Yes. [laughter]

[1:41:52] » You know, I've been trying really hard not to do that. [laughter]

[1:41:56] Rocky Fard, my apologies. U So, the villages have all signed their

[1:42:01] contracts. So that is complete. Uh this is a significant operational change that

[1:42:07] includes confirming how the calls will be received, sent to local fire

[1:42:11] departments, making sure dispatchers have accurate information about the

[1:42:15] local roads, addresses, fire resources, and response procedures. updating and

[1:42:20] testing the radio settings, testing communications between dispatch and fire

[1:42:25] crews, and ensuring that the fire departments and the rural fire

[1:42:28] associations know what to expect when the new service begins.

[1:42:32] Uh so to achieve this, administration continues to work with Calgary 911,

[1:42:37] Telus, Aphra, IT, fire services, and the fire associations on the necessary

[1:42:43] programming and testing. Uh the December 8th date will also guide the timing for

[1:42:47] related radio programming work including the review of channel scanning and other

[1:42:52] confirmed programming requirements which brings me to the second part of the

[1:42:56] update which is radio channel scanning. So channel scanning would this allows a

[1:43:03] radio to monitor more than one assigned channel or talk group. So for example, a

[1:43:08] firefighter may be operating on their assigned fire channel but would also be

[1:43:12] able to hear traffic on another approved channel that is relevant to the

[1:43:15] response. This was not initially done as part of the original

[1:43:21] transition to Aphra as that scanning is not generally recommended without a

[1:43:27] defined operational need because it can affect radio system capacity and put a

[1:43:32] strain on the system. So, AFRA is clarifying its policy, looking at which

[1:43:37] configurations may be permitted and what can be supported technically. Uh, there

[1:43:43] have been some requests from some of the fire associations to enable this

[1:43:47] capability. So, this is being reviewed as part of the Calgary 911 transition

[1:43:52] because it is a fairly complex, costly process. So, doing it once is more

[1:43:57] advisable. So that will be looked at and communicated with uh with the fire

[1:44:01] associations and the departments through the chief's meetings and through the

[1:44:04] different channels we have of communication.

[1:44:08] And then the the third item I wanted to update on was radio coverage and out of

[1:44:13] range alerts. So this is when a radio is potentially out of range, it makes a

[1:44:19] tone. It's an audible warning from the radio that says I'm basically I may not

[1:44:24] work. I could be out of range and I might not be able to connect you with

[1:44:28] dispatch or with uh the other crews. And that is a a safety issue. It's intended

[1:44:34] to warn the firefighter that your radio may not work.

[1:44:39] There have been some concerns raised with cert in certain areas with certain

[1:44:44] fire associations that the warning tone sounds repeatedly and and is frustrating

[1:44:49] and quite disruptive especially when the radios are taken with someone and not

[1:44:55] stored in the hall. Uh so the request has been to disable the alert or make it

[1:45:00] optional. Um administration understands the concern. However, this is an

[1:45:05] important safety feature. It's the firefighter's primary link to dispatch

[1:45:10] incident command and other crews when they're on an incident.

[1:45:14] So, if a firefighter is in an area with weak coverage, they may not be able to

[1:45:18] receive instructions or safety information, confirm their location or

[1:45:22] assignment, call for additional resources, or call for help in an

[1:45:26] emergency. So, the out of range tone warns them of that risk.

[1:45:31] » [gasps] >> So administration believes that this

[1:45:34] should remain enabled as a life safety feature and it's not simply whether the

[1:45:39] tones inconvenient, it's whether you can be warned that the system is reliable.

[1:45:44] So uh some ways that we propose to address this concern is through

[1:45:49] practical safety focused measures rather than removing the warning feature. So,

[1:45:54] this would include identifying regular radio storage locations, encouraging uh

[1:46:00] responders to use the primary method, which is the Inet app on your phone or

[1:46:05] your computer. That will work with Wi-Fi, it will also work with data. So,

[1:46:10] the coverage is uh much more inclusive than the radios. So, you get your call

[1:46:15] there, you go to the hall, you get your radio, and that's what you use on the

[1:46:18] incident. And then we have mobile repeaters that can go with the trucks.

[1:46:23] um and exploring practical signal improvement options. We did do some

[1:46:27] testing. The fire chief went out as well as our senior IT people to do some

[1:46:33] testing um in the Rosebud area because this is an area I think as you all know

[1:46:37] has difficulty with uh coverage and on the day of testing the the the radios

[1:46:43] were working and and they showed good signal. However, the weather was good

[1:46:46] that day. So, it it could be different if the weather is not as good. So

[1:46:52] administration has advised the fire halls and the rural fire associations

[1:46:56] that a practical interim approach is to store the radio where it remains

[1:46:59] accessible but doesn't cause unnecessary disruption and when it's not in service

[1:47:05] um use the primary inet uh notification and so we'll continue to work with the

[1:47:10] associations and the relevant technical partners to continue to identify any

[1:47:14] practical solutions. Um, however, the solution must preserve firefighter

[1:47:20] safety, be technical fe technically feasible and meet Aphro's requirements.

[1:47:25] So, in closing, those are my updates and we're happy to take any questions. Thank

[1:47:30] you. >> Thank you. Any questions? I I have one

[1:47:33] suggestion that what that briefing that you have, if you could send that to us

[1:47:37] directly. Yeah. All council. So, if we do get a call, which we probably will,

[1:47:41] we have something to refer back to. >> Certainly.

[1:47:44] » I'm I'm I have a memory, but it's not that good. that I might try to say

[1:47:48] something that's not proper. >> Certainly, I'm happy to share that with

[1:47:51] » Hester.

[1:47:54] And just a question, when you're looking for solutions, you've got areas in the

[1:48:00] county that are identified as being weak on being able to keep contact with the

[1:48:05] radios already. Why not proactively

[1:48:10] get a repeater repeaters put in those areas at a

[1:48:14] standard practice? >> I'll let Mr. Adamson

[1:48:20] » I believe we're doing that already. >> Yeah. So uh through the chair uh the

[1:48:24] system is run by the uh provincial ax program and so uh they do they they can

[1:48:29] work us with us on some temporary solutions in specific areas and we are

[1:48:33] we have communication dialogue open with them on things that we can do. We do

[1:48:37] expect to bring some uh report back to council at some point here regarding

[1:48:42] perhaps rosebud. Uh but I think a key thing to just note about coverage and

[1:48:46] I've looked at their coverage maps, it's uh a lot like if if we compare to our

[1:48:52] old system, it is generally a lot better coverage than what we had before. Uh the

[1:48:57] the coverage might have changed, but it's a lot better in general overall.

[1:49:00] But the areas like Rosebud and some of these un lowlying areas um is they don't

[1:49:06] they they they just don't guarantee the portable signal. But the mobile one

[1:49:11] that's in the vehicles still are supposed to work in those areas. So just

[1:49:15] just a key point on on the um uh signal quality. Uh and as we did some testing

[1:49:22] uh we were able to get a 5x5 signal all on everywhere that we went on the

[1:49:27] eastern side. Again it was uh the weather was great. Uh the only thing is

[1:49:33] is that weather can affect the attenuation of radio signals of course

[1:49:36] right? So there might be some some changes or in buildings of course they

[1:49:40] can't guarantee radio signal in a building due to the the structure of the

[1:49:44] building and various other stuff that would be out of Ara's control but uh but

[1:49:48] they were working when we when we did test them but we do understand the

[1:49:51] challenges there for sure. So >> quick followup that test was it handheld

[1:49:56] or a truck mount? >> Uh through the chair of both.

[1:49:59] » Okay. >> We did both the the invehicle one as the

[1:50:02] and the handheld one >> and the handheld 5x5 too. We had uh

[1:50:07] through the chair we had handheld 5x5 inside the we went inside the theater

[1:50:13] and right into the middle of the theater. We did it in the merkantile

[1:50:16] building and we did it along the roads where we saw like there was no it

[1:50:21] actually didn't have any bars and you would think it doesn't work but we were

[1:50:24] getting 5x5 with no bars. We only had one spot where we where we ended up

[1:50:28] getting that that out of tone signal which was in the far east of the county

[1:50:33] in a really kind of windy little valley that came came up from the special areas

[1:50:38] side of it and but it was about a fivem minute spot in there that it made that

[1:50:43] tone. Thank you councelor Caster.

[1:50:50] Just curious, did you take firefighter with you when you were testing the

[1:50:54] radios >> uh through the chair? We went with uh

[1:50:58] with it, myself and with our fire chief. So, he was able to take us through

[1:51:03] through the different areas. We didn't have a firefighter

[1:51:07] » through the reef to councelor Kra. They were requested to the first time when

[1:51:12] they gave all of the sites where there were gabs um they were asked to go out

[1:51:17] to help confirm them and they didn't go. So it was individually and then the team

[1:51:22] went out but they did not wish to um go out at the same time and that request

[1:51:28] and invitation is still open to them that they can go out with staff.

[1:51:32] » Yeah, that's a shame. Uh,

[1:51:37] I got a question about the changeover and it's about all 911.

[1:51:46] So, there's a fee we pay on our cell phone

[1:51:51] for 911 coverage and that fee is paid out

[1:51:59] to who? I through the reef to council. So that

[1:52:04] is a provincial fee and it's collected. Telus collects that or it could be

[1:52:09] Rogers Rogers. >> Yeah. And so there is a grant program

[1:52:14] under that PAP and it goes to which we've all identified as our PAP um is

[1:52:21] Calgary 911. So that grant money that comes from that goes to will go to

[1:52:25] Calgary 911 at the moment until December 8th whatever that transition it stays

[1:52:31] with WDMSA and then going forward once we the Telus goes to switches over the

[1:52:37] PAP it'll then go to our new service provider but it's a provincial funding

[1:52:44] » not 100% up on it there is the grant from the province and I don't know if

[1:52:52] there's a direct payment from Telus or not to uh

[1:52:58] or Rogers

[1:53:02] because I know there's a municipality receiving 911 dispatch

[1:53:08] from Rogers and has been.

[1:53:13] And I'm just wondering is that going to go switch over to Calgary or are they

[1:53:17] going to keep keep it as they have in the past?

[1:53:23] you know anything about it? >> No, I cannot speak to that. All I can

[1:53:27] speak to is that it is a funding that the county doesn't see that money goes

[1:53:33] directly to our PAP provider. >> And I believe and I don't know if it's

[1:53:39] through Telus or if it went proventually at that. I can't answer who's who

[1:53:44] actually sends that money to the municipality or the fire service

[1:53:49] provider. that's designated as the PAP. >> Okay. So, when you're signing these

[1:53:54] contracts, I was getting at there's not a specific line about transferring this

[1:54:00] uh this grant money or no payment. >> No, the in the contracts which um all of

[1:54:06] us including the villages, we identify who our fire dispatch service provider

[1:54:11] is in our PAP and then who coordinates the technical aspects on the county's

[1:54:17] behalf, which would be Calgary 911. But it doesn't say where that funding goes.

[1:54:21] I would assume that's an administrative thing with Telus.

[1:54:27] » Yeah. Through the chair. Um I don't know too much about the infrastructure, but

[1:54:30] uh I think it would be safe to say as well as Telus has specific

[1:54:34] infrastructure to be able to support like for instance when you go in SOS

[1:54:38] offline mode, you can still dial us. So there is is infrastructure that isn't

[1:54:42] covered by PAF that that uh that I would assume that that those fees would help

[1:54:47] supply those when like Telus or whatever collects those fees, but we can't speak

[1:54:51] to what comes to towards a PAP or even a municipality. So we're not sure of that

[1:54:56] though. >> Okay.

[1:54:59] Are different telephone companies like Rogers?

[1:55:07] Yeah. Thank you.

[1:55:11] » Any other questions? I just want to follow up. Um, you

[1:55:16] mentioned the Inet and how people take their radios home and I just want to

[1:55:20] give some feedback that I heard cuz I was one of the people that got a call

[1:55:23] and I actually went out and talked to some. So,

[1:55:27] it was explained to me that the Inet function um is is great, but when

[1:55:32] they're responding, they're usually, you know, could be 15 minutes from a hall.

[1:55:35] They prefer not to be on a phone driving and seeing what's going on. And totally

[1:55:39] makes sense. That's why they they were looking for a that's why they take the

[1:55:43] radios home because while they're responding, they can hear instead of

[1:55:48] looking at a phone. And I as a safety feature, I totally understand that

[1:55:52] because you number one, it's illegal to drive and look at your and try to take a

[1:55:56] text. So that's the feedback you're getting. So they're looking for

[1:55:58] information. Now maybe there's a way that um the Inet can be audible. I don't

[1:56:05] know, something like that. Just some feedback that I heard and it made sense.

[1:56:08] So, I just thought I'd bring that forward. Yeah. I don't know if it's

[1:56:11] possible or anything like that, but that's that's why they say that. Go

[1:56:14] ahead. >> Yeah. Through the chair, we're uh we're

[1:56:16] actually working with Inet. We're going to be having a meeting hopefully pretty

[1:56:19] soon with them with some suggestions and that was a great suggestion as well. We

[1:56:22] can add. >> Yeah. Just something, you know, a brief

[1:56:25] maybe it's a paragraph the scene, you know, whatever information they need to

[1:56:28] just keep repeating it so people can focus on driving. The last thing I want

[1:56:31] to have is somebody with a phone in their hand looking at something and hit

[1:56:35] a ditch or t-bone somebody when they're trying to help somebody else, but

[1:56:39] totally understandable. Um, anything else on this before we move

[1:56:44] on? Thank you for the information. I mean,

[1:56:48] there is a lot of I mean, I've said to a lot of people, nobody likes change.

[1:56:51] Change is difficult. Um, and I know that uh administration is doing their best to

[1:56:57] negotiate the change and there's things that we don't see and sounds like you

[1:57:01] guys are working with it. There's a lot of assumptions out there. I know that

[1:57:04] there's a lot of misinformation and that's why I asked for that information

[1:57:07] to come directly to us. Will it be debated? Most likely because it's when

[1:57:12] it gets down to actual operators, there seems to be a difference of opinion. So,

[1:57:17] I'm hoping we can get through that. Uh, 5.8 8h hour and health foundation

[1:57:26] deputy reveal priest.

[1:57:31] » So it was nice to receive a thank you from Dormal Health Foundation for our

[1:57:36] donation towards their uh grow your own program and they had

[1:57:42] said that they'd be honored to recognize our support with a photo. Um so I don't

[1:57:47] know whether we could just yeah maybe Maybe we should reach out to them and

[1:57:53] ask them uh whether we could just

[1:58:00] do a photo and send it to them of our council or [laughter]

[1:58:03] I I don't want to do a special trip out there just to take a picture. But um but

[1:58:09] I think it would be nice to have some kind of recognition

[1:58:13] for our donation. Shall I make a motion to administration

[1:58:18] to >> just do it? Okay. Appreciate that. Thank

[1:58:23] you. >> So, no motion is needed. We'll reach out

[1:58:26] to him and just see if we can negotiate some kind of thing. I'm up in the area

[1:58:31] quite often. Um but if once all council, that's a totally different thing.

[1:58:36] Anything else on that? Okay. Uh 510.

[1:58:43] So, I just wanted to bring this one forward too uh just because it's a

[1:58:46] letter um from the chair of WHMB and uh says on it uh

[1:58:54] continued advocacy um and they wanted to resubmit their application

[1:59:00] uh to the province for the seniors lodge application, but I we just we had a

[1:59:05] meeting with the minister and so I assume that um given the feedback that

[1:59:10] we got, they are likely not going to submit uh the same application again. Um

[1:59:15] given that the minister had suggested that uh the cost per door was in fact uh

[1:59:23] higher than uh their other applications and that um

[1:59:30] and that the ask for 50% of the cost was more than u the program parameters. So,

[1:59:37] I'm assuming that um there'll be other new information from the lodge board in

[1:59:44] terms of um future

[1:59:49] applications. Okay. I just wanted to bring that up because the letter is in

[1:59:54] our package and so people might read it and think that uh all systems are go but

[2:00:00] in fact I think I'm hoping that the Wheatland Housing Management Body will

[2:00:05] uh re-evaluate their their applications that have been submitted so far.

[2:00:10] [clears throat] Councelor Ker,

[2:00:14] » as you're aware, we've had an offer for some help and then talking to with uh

[2:00:22] people that were there. Some places have actually gone to a bank

[2:00:28] and requested funding, but they're hoping they're talking with us building

[2:00:34] Canada homes and uh yeah, they're well of they're

[2:00:40] well aware of why we requested more. We know they can't give more, but there's

[2:00:47] problems in the communication between the province and the and the feds.

[2:00:52] That's it's been the story of my life as a

[2:00:56] farmer all the way through. So, I don't know what else to say. Yeah, we're we're

[2:01:01] optimistic, but

[2:01:07] Eler, yeah, like I was actually going to wait

[2:01:11] and discuss this with my um but my recap of the meeting was is ADM. I mean, it

[2:01:18] was nice that we had all county and town councils present to start with and and

[2:01:22] you know, some strong representation from the province. Uh it was nice, you

[2:01:26] know, to hear it direct, you know, not have to ask secondhand. And, you know,

[2:01:31] we've never yet seen the actual refusal letter from the province. We just got

[2:01:37] the one that WHMB set out. But anyhow, ADM Williams said that the bid was our

[2:01:42] bid was 580 89,000 versus about 450,000 desired. And um he used the per bed

[2:01:51] measurement, right? that like that's the that's the provincial standard and and

[2:01:56] right on our website on our lodge website it says oh that's misleading

[2:02:00] well not according to ADM Williams like he's saying outright so um that the

[2:02:06] 589,000 our bid versus 450,000 ADM Williams desires that's 139,000 per bid

[2:02:14] times 120 beds is $16,680,000

[2:02:19] of course we you know of course we weren't going to get it Right. Cuz and I

[2:02:23] I believe he said and I'm not sure this but I think he didn't he say like

[2:02:27] Wildwood was like 375 and it was different apples to oranges cuz there

[2:02:30] was no elevators and stuff but the fact that we have wide hallways and and um

[2:02:37] elevators is no different than local communities that have got a lodge and we

[2:02:41] don't. The other thing he said that you know I think just need some

[2:02:45] clarification. He said it was the fourth application. He said the province came

[2:02:49] to help us so that there would not be a fifth denial. He said they rarely do

[2:02:54] this, right? And so perhaps like you know perhaps we really should figure out

[2:03:00] whether it's our consultant or our building committee or our board like we

[2:03:04] I think we need to have a hard look at what happened like he wasn't talking any

[2:03:08] other bad stuff or no other you know that we've heard in other past. he said,

[2:03:13] you know, was by the money. Then what MLA Young said, you know, she was

[2:03:18] dismayed and disappointed that the province's January 19th, 2026 offer to

[2:03:23] help was rejected. And I had heard that before we even submitted the bid that

[2:03:29] the province had reached out with an offer to help. And I don't know who

[2:03:32] rejected it, whether it was our consultant or our building committee or

[2:03:35] the board. But that's what MLA D. Young said in the meeting. And then Minister

[2:03:40] Neworf, he didn't, as we all know, he didn't say too much, but one thing he

[2:03:43] did say, he said the bid at this price point as presented had no chance of

[2:03:48] passing Treasury. We're just way high. And it's kind of

[2:03:52] seems it sounds like it's our responsibility. And so then like how do

[2:03:57] we how do we get so far like that much

[2:04:01] money offside? Like our board has a fiduciary duty. So, how could we justify

[2:04:06] in a bid that expensive like 16680 $16,680,000

[2:04:12] high to start with before we get into cost overruns, which of course we're

[2:04:15] going to get. The next question I got is is like, are we going to formally notify

[2:04:21] our rate payers that because I got people asking me and they're like, where

[2:04:24] is the lodge? Like I think we now know as of August 26th or

[2:04:30] whatever the data that was, but I think we really should be more transparent

[2:04:34] with our rate peers. Thanks.

[2:04:43] » Keith do not want to answer that gentleman

[2:04:48] at the moment. >> Nope.

[2:04:50] » Okay. I will say I'm unaware of some of your

[2:04:55] allegations that the province offered to help. That certainly didn't come to the

[2:04:59] board. I can tell you that much.

[2:05:04] » Well, I couldn't say that I heard it at the right from the ministers there. So,

[2:05:07] I don't know where it came from or where the where it fell apart.

[2:05:11] » A brief or a ladder. We did take them up on the debriefing letter.

[2:05:15] » That'd be something we met with. we've met. Maybe the timing didn't work out,

[2:05:20] but that was done >> that. So, at least the letter happened

[2:05:24] because otherwise we're saying MLA D Young is incorrect, right? Like, we're

[2:05:28] not saying that. I'm sure she said it that day at the meeting and and pe

[2:05:33] people in this council heard it and people in Strathmore Council heard it.

[2:05:36] So, you know, we better be a little I'd like to know exactly how it did how like

[2:05:42] so they reached out to us and Okay. Mr. Hebs,

[2:05:49] I brought up at the meeting with Mr. Nurov,

[2:05:55] there's several things on when you apply for a project and you include things.

[2:06:01] One of them was the amount that the hospice has in there. It's in that

[2:06:06] overall cost of 100 that you're talking about and so is the

[2:06:11] 12% contingency which is over and above the actual budgeted amount. You take

[2:06:16] those two things out and you reduce your cost almost down to exactly what they're

[2:06:21] talking about. So it's up to us to work with Mr. Williams who offered to do that

[2:06:27] and set up a committee to do actually address those issues

[2:06:32] and [snorts] we can take a good look at where we can

[2:06:37] meet what the province requires to proceed. And I think that is exactly

[2:06:43] where we would like to leave it until we have a chance to do that meeting and

[2:06:47] conduct those kind of conversations to see where they feel we're out and where

[2:06:53] we can tell them where we're in. I appreciate that. Thank you,

[2:07:01] » Councelor Ker. And also at the meeting, they had asked us to form a board to

[2:07:07] work with the province and that they'd be in touch with myself as being the

[2:07:13] chair when they're going to want to get together.

[2:07:17] Uh I thought we had a very good discussion there and and ours

[2:07:24] application is different than other applications

[2:07:29] and uh we'll work it out. We have the hospice hooked on. I don't know if

[2:07:34] they're taking it off or or just how they're doing it, but it's as uh

[2:07:40] counselor Clayton suggests, it just seems they're including it in there.

[2:07:47] because that's the total on the line. That's how we filled it out.

[2:07:52] We will take I think we'll we'll take our suggestions

[2:07:59] from from the ADM assistant and uh and work with them. That's all we can do.

[2:08:08] The unfortunate thing is when you put in an application, you're not allowed to

[2:08:14] talk to anybody. Yeah,

[2:08:17] that's I you can't talk to the MLAs. You can't

[2:08:22] talk to the people of housing. They they want to pair

[2:08:28] pair to everybody. So that's their process. So before they release the next

[2:08:33] round, they're going to come down and and go through our application, I'm

[2:08:38] guessing. And uh they've never done it before. and

[2:08:42] they're doing it for us because they see the need. That's all they said.

[2:08:48] And uh I know there's differences. We don't have a smoking room and we

[2:08:53] don't have 14 different rooms. We don't have any of that. I think our square

[2:08:58] footage. Correct me if I'm wrong.

[2:09:03] Provincial average is 900 square feet per room and ours was just over by a

[2:09:10] couple feet. Our square footage is right on the

[2:09:15] money. The money thing, it needs some work.

[2:09:21] And I don't know, that's all I can say. I don't know how they're looking at it.

[2:09:26] So when they come down to talk and compare what they have to what we have,

[2:09:32] then we'll find out. sort of bit black and white.

[2:09:36] » Can I just ask a a point of clarification? So, uh, councelor

[2:09:40] Clayton, you mentioned that in the application to the province for funding,

[2:09:45] we included the hospice, the cost of the hospice even though they are fully

[2:09:50] funding it. Just a clarification.

[2:09:55] » So, this is why we've got to get some clarification on what number they're

[2:09:59] actually using. If you take the number he gave us at the table

[2:10:04] there, they are using the overall project cost without removing those

[2:10:09] costs. That's kind of why we've got to sit and and say, okay, what's included

[2:10:14] in the calculation and what's not because it's not

[2:10:21] the building is is so close to other buildings that we've seen that are less

[2:10:29] costly. uh and I'd like to find out what they're

[2:10:34] using in their overall uh cost per room is when they're saying we're high or

[2:10:41] low. And that's why the conversation with Mr. Williams is very important.

[2:10:47] » But why would you have added put in uh the cost of the hospice if we're not

[2:10:51] they're we're not asking them for funding. Why would we

[2:10:55] » the >> It would be confusing for them. It it's

[2:10:58] confusing to a lot of us to tell you the truth. It wasn't

[2:11:04] the project goes in as an overall cost from M3, our project manager. And when

[2:11:10] you use

[2:11:15] it's the overall building square footage is in there, including

[2:11:21] uh what the hospice square footage is. And if it's not taken out, then you've

[2:11:27] got to ask why. And they were informed what was in and what's not. But where it

[2:11:34] got down to who was doing the look at it at the uh review,

[2:11:40] something looks like it was missed. And that's the first time we've really been

[2:11:46] put in a position to talking about the cost per door being that high out of out

[2:11:53] of their range. They hadn't come to that uh conversation with us before. So I get

[2:11:59] that the cost comes from your that is building the whole building but your

[2:12:05] consultant should have applied only for the portion where you need the funding

[2:12:12] for not not >> that's all he was applying for was the

[2:12:16] portion

[2:12:19] the project that uh was presented as an overall project cost. it. You can't say

[2:12:25] that it's not. It is. But what Derek Wise did is

[2:12:33] do all the perform based on the lodge and he took out what

[2:12:39] the hospice area had and but the contingencies were included in there. So

[2:12:45] that it's hard to say.

[2:12:53] I'm trying to tell you what I don't know is what they were

[2:12:59] looking at and what they read in Mr. Wise's application.

[2:13:06] Did they take it out or not? even though it was reported what was in there in the

[2:13:12] application and it looks like they didn't. That's

[2:13:16] all I'm saying. And and you got to present a project as

[2:13:21] as a whole because that's the numbers you've got.

[2:13:25] Sorry, I'm trying I'm I'm not uh trying to do any deflection in that way at all.

[2:13:33] I mean, a cynic would say, "Gee, it looks like somebody was trying to get

[2:13:37] the lodge to subsidize the hospice." I know that's not the case, but I would

[2:13:42] say that like, how did that get that far apart

[2:13:49] for this long? Cuz that he did say that he came to Strathmore to keep us from

[2:13:55] being denied a fifth time, right? So, I mean, we we talk about um a

[2:14:00] laughingstock and I I I think we should figure out like if you think of

[2:14:06] successful organizations like the Gaga Stampede, they have a what went right,

[2:14:09] what went wrong the next day and we still don't know really who said what.

[2:14:15] And I don't understand like some of these little towns are getting like our

[2:14:19] neighbors are getting a lodge. Why do we keep trying to pound a lodge hospice

[2:14:24] into like I don't understand that cuz there isn't another one in the province.

[2:14:27] Our consultant told us that on January 6th at the meeting. He said there's not

[2:14:31] another one in the province and there's not another one applied for. So, and

[2:14:35] quite frankly, I don't think our hospice has like hospice license, right? So,

[2:14:41] they're just they're just a a volunteer organization that we appreciate all the

[2:14:45] heck. I'm not saying I'm not trying to, you know, make trouble. I'm just saying

[2:14:52] like we're trying to jam stuff together that it appears they don't want jammed

[2:14:57] together. >> Before we go too far,

[2:15:01] » this is not going to solve the problem. Um the board has to meet and come up

[2:15:05] with some they've got some hard answers to figure out and get back to us for

[2:15:08] » the partners and not just us. I'm going to say all the partners because um

[2:15:13] there's a bunch of information that was here and there's different ways of

[2:15:16] disseminating it. But um yeah, we all have different opinions. We

[2:15:22] were all in the same room. We heard different things. Councelor Ker, I'll

[2:15:26] just say that subject was brought up at the meeting and the minister

[2:15:31] [clears throat] assistant

[2:15:34] answer was they're there to offer whatever the community wants. The

[2:15:38] community wants that and they're willing to support it. They'll do whatever they

[2:15:43] can to support it. They'll find us numbers. They'll look for grants.

[2:15:47] They'll do anything. They did not say it was a hindrance at all. It's what the

[2:15:53] community wants. They're there for the communities. They're coming to help us

[2:15:58] as a community to get this done. Now being the only one

[2:16:07] the two are integrated how it comes out and the financials I'm

[2:16:12] not sure but the we'll take the mechanical room we need a mechanical

[2:16:17] room well it's bigger for the hospice so they're paying for 10% of the mechanical

[2:16:23] room that has to be reflected in there you can't say oh there's a hole here

[2:16:30] so we'll get that done. They'll come down. We'll we'll form a committee whose

[2:16:35] board's going to form a committee. I believe they asked if the CEOs could be

[2:16:39] on it and uh yeah, we'll work with them and uh see how the next thing goes. It's

[2:16:47] a offer and yes the board would be we had an emer uh special council meeting

[2:16:55] special board meeting and the board was very uh enthusiastic about about the

[2:17:02] offer and we're looking forward to it. We we decided to sit and wait until they

[2:17:11] contact us before we do anything cuz that was their instructions. They'll

[2:17:17] contact us when they want to get together. So when they contact us,

[2:17:24] way we go.

[2:17:29] Thank you. >> Uh yeah. So that I'm going to um just

[2:17:33] ask that um you know you can keep us informed going forward and uh I'm going

[2:17:39] to move the report as information. >> You don't have to do that for that.

[2:17:44] » Oh, I don't. >> No. Um just a suggestion too. The

[2:17:48] landscape on hospice has changed whether you agree with it or not. There's one

[2:17:51] being built. I'm providing some services in the area. You're suggesting that uh

[2:17:56] you have the public support to build one. you may have five years ago. I

[2:18:00] don't know if you do now. If you're going to go forward, maybe you should

[2:18:03] ask the public if they still want to do this because I'm hearing a lot of

[2:18:08] different things. Um, you're assuming you still have the support now.

[2:18:13] You might want to reevaluate that.

[2:18:19] » Just a suggestion. >> It is continuously being re-evaluated.

[2:18:24] Thank you very much. >> Not to me. I'm saying the taxpayer

[2:18:30] » talking. >> Okay,

[2:18:33] moving on. 5.11. >> So, I just wanted to also raise this one

[2:18:38] as a another opportunity to um um provide kudos to our administration for

[2:18:45] all the amazing work they did on our uh ASB summer tour. This letter says things

[2:18:50] like uh she felt it was incredibly valuable. She saw excellent examples of

[2:18:55] egg innovation, entrepreneurship, education, and economic development work

[2:19:00] working together to strengthen rural communities. Um, and just that uh

[2:19:05] opportunities like this help other municipalities broaden understanding of

[2:19:10] what is possible in rural communities. And I just think those words are so um

[2:19:15] powerful and and um yeah, I'm just incredibly proud of our team and uh and

[2:19:22] I know it was a lot to ask for them to add that onto their responsibilities,

[2:19:27] but uh my goodness, letters like this really show that the worth of that

[2:19:32] project and and how how it resonated with people. And so I'm so very glad

[2:19:38] that we did it and just Kudos again to our staff,

[2:19:43] » councelor Bigger. >> So, we have um and I don't know if they

[2:19:48] still do it. I remember that we had to write something up for RMA about

[2:19:51] Wheatland County because they'll go through the flips.

[2:19:55] » Sir, do we get asked every year for that or once a year or how do we how does how

[2:19:59] does that work? >> Yeah, at RMA they have always up on the

[2:20:03] screen profile community profile type thing and I think we've had Rosebud on

[2:20:09] there for a lot of times. There was the Cheeto Cheeto one year. Um, and so I

[2:20:16] wonder if we could reach out to RMA and just to say um, for our community

[2:20:20] profile, we'd like to highlight our ASB summer tour.

[2:20:23] » Okay. We'll administration will follow up on that and see what we can do. Okay.

[2:20:27] Thank you. >> And encourage someone else to do the

[2:20:29] next one. >> Yeah, exactly.

[2:20:31] » Councelor Clayton, >> were you Was your hand up? Sorry, I

[2:20:34] caught you out of the corner of my eye. >> No.

[2:20:35] » Okay. Okay.

[2:20:38] » Yeah. I going to say uh I was spect

[2:20:45] as successful as it was, but it just kind of worked with the amount of people

[2:20:48] that we had and everybody wasn't rushed. Nobody seemed to be pushed around or

[2:20:52] anything like that. Everybody got a chance to engage and it was good

[2:20:56] weather. It worked out really well. Um I'm glad we're not going to do another

[2:21:00] one for a long time. Um, you know, and this was the first municipality since CO

[2:21:05] to try it and and you know, I think it showed that it still works and hopefully

[2:21:10] another municipality will pick it up and and run with it. It sounds like there

[2:21:13] might be one in the works, but we'll see how that works out. It's definitely a

[2:21:16] good way to network. It's a good way to focus on agriculture for a few days in

[2:21:19] the area that you're in. And uh, you know, the people that come out just as

[2:21:24] SAG service board members, so they may not be elected officials. they could be

[2:21:26] to, you know, local producers from an area and they learn different things and

[2:21:30] it's it it helps and for the cost it was really cost effective. So yeah,

[2:21:35] fantastic. Anything else?

[2:21:42] Uh Wayland Chamber of Commerce, State of the Region Invitation 513.

[2:21:48] » I also thought we should pull this out and talk about it. It's an interesting

[2:21:52] uh program and it made me kind of regret that maybe we don't sit on that board to

[2:21:57] um to contribute. I I don't know whether Wheatland County has been approached to

[2:22:04] um we have a lot of it says big things are happening in our region and I would

[2:22:08] say Wheatland County is a big part of that and so I don't know whether they

[2:22:12] have reached out to our administration to to ask us about

[2:22:18] um different things going on and whether they will highlight those in this state

[2:22:22] of the region. Um, so it's just a a question about whether

[2:22:30] whether we've had any communication on this.

[2:22:33] » So, we haven't. I'm glad they're doing this, but being on the board, I really

[2:22:38] felt that it needed more businesses on that board, not not counselors or or

[2:22:46] staff. It needed businesses to get involved in order to that to um bring

[2:22:53] change because that's what it it's got about. It's it's it'd be nice if we had

[2:22:58] a wheatland business on there. Uh we did have but I believe they've sold and

[2:23:04] moved on. So that was the reasoning for taking us off that board. And I still

[2:23:09] believe that it should be businesses running it.

[2:23:13] » I I agree with that. I just uh and it used to be that we had an economic

[2:23:17] development officer who would sit would at least participate would listen in on

[2:23:22] their meetings or um and so if we'd had that kind of connection maybe could have

[2:23:27] been included better in this. I'm not sure whether that's there's value in

[2:23:32] that or not through the reap to council. We do have

[2:23:36] um someone attending by invite not on the particular meetings with the

[2:23:41] community futures but we've had several meetings because they're trying to still

[2:23:45] coordinate when we had that meeting for invest

[2:23:48] Alberta with um MLA de Jang they still want to do a regional approach with some

[2:23:54] of this and so we've been working with um community futures on attracting local

[2:24:00] business for business renewal with um invest Alberta and with um rural

[2:24:05] another business um opportunity prairies can.

[2:24:08] » Yes. So I'm just talking though about uh chamber.

[2:24:11] » Yes. No, but >> but I am on the community.

[2:24:13] » So what we're doing is when is to councelor deputy ree la is we're working

[2:24:18] with them the best way we can get information about the county to these

[2:24:21] different bodies including the Calgary region um economic development corridor

[2:24:26] as well. >> The only thing I've seen is this. I have

[2:24:30] not been had a phone call about it. you know, if they want us to speak or do a

[2:24:34] presentation or anything like that. Um, and it's I was kind of wondering if I if

[2:24:39] we should be going because it might be just for Strathmore, you know, I'm

[2:24:42] supportive of that. That's fine. But, you know, it's there's they say

[2:24:46] Strathmore Wheatland Chamber of Commerce, but is how much is Wheatland?

[2:24:49] I don't know anymore. It doesn't sound like a bunch. So,

[2:24:52] and we're not members anymore. That was a previous council's decision, I think.

[2:24:57] Yeah. Yeah. So, um, it looks like if we attend, we have to pay the membership

[2:25:03] non-member fee to go. Um, I don't know if that would be included as part of our

[2:25:08] PDM if we went or be on your own. That'd be something council needs to know. We

[2:25:12] can send an email about it after. Yeah. To find out so council can know if they

[2:25:17] want to go or and and what role they represent, if they're just representing

[2:25:20] themselves as John Q public or as a council member. Does that sound fair?

[2:25:25] » Okay. So, one thing you could do is if you become a member,

[2:25:30] if you are a business, you would be notified of any emails and changes and

[2:25:36] it could be brought to every board if we become a actual member the county of

[2:25:41] Wheelland. >> Right.

[2:25:42] » Yeah.

[2:25:46] » Anything else on that? >> Okay. Moving on to the Legion. I just

[2:25:51] asked basically in the same line of um what role we play in this. Is it John Q

[2:25:58] public or is this a council thing? What does council wish?

[2:26:05] » I I think it should be just if you're individually wanting to support it then

[2:26:11] it should be as a member of the public personally.

[2:26:22] Fair enough. That's all I need to know.

[2:26:29] Anything else? Have the motions. We are done with the

[2:26:33] consent agenda. We'll move on to council reports and related business. My reports

[2:26:38] first. Um very the only board that I attend is Drum

[2:26:44] Howard District Solid Waste. We're um going through changes with um as the

[2:26:50] name eludes me the the recycling that is being done by the province of Alberta um

[2:26:56] on residential pickup. There is no commercial involved. So we're talking

[2:26:59] about how does that look in the future? Does uh the drum district solid waste

[2:27:03] want to be provided services to business? How are we going to do that?

[2:27:07] Looking at full cost recovery is it comparable to private sector? That kind

[2:27:11] of stuff. So that affects um staffing. that affects a lot of things, but we

[2:27:16] know um rolling out this fall that the residential component of that is taken

[2:27:20] away from the province and we're actually getting revenue from it through

[2:27:22] our collection sites which include Wheatland County, our transfer sites and

[2:27:26] things like that. So, there'll be some revenue coming back. Um attended the

[2:27:30] groundbreaking ceremonies at True North and uh Strathmore Community Care, which

[2:27:35] I think is fantastic. It's it's more levels of uh service um provided through

[2:27:41] private sector which some people may disagree with but if there's a need it's

[2:27:45] getting filled in a different way. Um

[2:27:52] yeah there's anything in there you want to ask me please do. If not do I have to

[2:27:56] make a motion to accept as presented? I'll make a motion to accept as

[2:28:00] presented. Okay. >> Just a just a comment. I don't know if

[2:28:04] you've uh seen um RMA iso is sponsoring or hosting um a webinar about the uh

[2:28:12] extended producer responsibility on next Thursday. So I'm signed up for doing

[2:28:17] that and it should be interesting. >> I've been on probably 30 of those in the

[2:28:21] last couple years and uh it's interesting. It's the same repetitive

[2:28:24] and the same issues keep coming up like because we're so far away from the big

[2:28:29] urban centers, we're getting deal with less. That's just how it works. But what

[2:28:33] they say and what they do are two totally different things. But I'm hoping

[2:28:35] it gets worked out. Um, everybody thinks it's going to work perfect. But we had a

[2:28:40] whole recycling that was done by a dedicated group of volunteers and

[2:28:45] uh boards that were looking after this and then it's basically taken away from

[2:28:49] them. There's a lot of animosity there about how it's going to work and

[2:28:52] suspicion if it's going to work, but they assure us it's going to work.

[2:28:57] And uh we're not the only ones. I talked to Vulcan Regional District and they're

[2:29:01] all the same. So, but yeah, I've been on a few of those. But for council to be

[2:29:04] aware of them, absolutely. It's it's an interesting program. Um, basically it's

[2:29:09] user pay. It's from when you buy a bottle of shampoo or whatever, that's

[2:29:14] going to have an extra fee on it that includes recycling. So, you're paying

[2:29:16] for it as a producer. And then they built this whole infrastructure behind

[2:29:20] it to to cap to do that. Some of the interesting is the co-mingling. So, for

[2:29:24] years, we would put uh cardboard and glass separate. Now, they say, "No, no,

[2:29:29] it's okay. Put it all together." Well, and as operationalized, we have bailers.

[2:29:34] You can't It's a totally different staff working there. If you're going to put

[2:29:37] glass in a BOR and have somebody work with it, it's a safety issues are like

[2:29:43] totally different. Not to mention fires and things like that like this. We'll

[2:29:47] see how it works. Yeah. So, there's all kinds of stuff.

[2:29:53] Yeah. Anything else? Call a question.

[2:30:12] That's carried 7.2. >> Uh, so my report is on page 196 and um I

[2:30:21] guess I I'll just again the egg service board summer tour was phenomenal.

[2:30:27] I was able to do a few things. Um, standard library fundraiser. I helped

[2:30:31] out uh selling 50/50s. That was a lovely day. Foodyard is a new um franchise

[2:30:38] restaurant in Gleian that opened this summer and so I was able to go for their

[2:30:42] opening day. Couple of events that I missed that I'm very grateful for

[2:30:48] counselor Hebs to have attended. Uh St. Andrews Anglican Church in Gleian

[2:30:52] celebrated their 140th anniversary. So that was a huge milestone for them and

[2:30:57] uh yeah really too bad I I missed it but um thank you to councelor Hebs and again

[2:31:05] he attended the Gle and uh Reef Clawson attended Glacian Fire Department open

[2:31:10] house um August 30th we were heavy into farming at that time so sadly I wasn't

[2:31:17] able to go but uh I really wanted to just um convey my respect and admiration

[2:31:24] for the work that they do there and uh especially following that big fire that

[2:31:28] happened in Gleian and so they did an amazing job and um so grateful for them.

[2:31:33] So that's about all. I'll uh move my reports as presented.

[2:31:39] » Thank you. Any questions? >> We'll call a question.

[2:31:57] That's carried. 7.3 division two. >> Um, you know, seed plant meeting. That's

[2:32:04] that's always good. I I always go back to how it's nice to, you know, to get to

[2:32:10] talk to the frontline guys that are out there, you know, putting the crop in and

[2:32:14] cleaning the seed. And, uh, July 7th, I forgot to put the night and gale open

[2:32:18] house on my, um, on my report, but it's there. Um, the ASB tour of course was

[2:32:25] wonderful and and kudos to staff, but I also think that our chair here should uh

[2:32:31] get some kudos for that too because she worked very very hard and had to twist

[2:32:35] some arms and uh so thanks Shannon for putting us on the map. Um,

[2:32:41] you know, the ASB tour is really wonderful to go see some of the local

[2:32:44] things. On July 21st, I reached out to the Taber mayor and um the reason I did

[2:32:51] was because some of this municipal policing. So Taber actually has their

[2:32:55] own police force and have had for 123 years. So he um I spent about 90 minutes

[2:33:03] on the phone with a gentleman. His name's Andrew Pro. And um they've never

[2:33:07] had the RCMP. They've always had their own police. And he he he's got some

[2:33:11] pluses and minuses. They all live in the community. They live. So I didn't break

[2:33:16] it down like do you live in Taber and Lebridge or Taber but anyhow I live in

[2:33:20] the community. So I'd actually am planning to go meet the gentleman

[2:33:24] sometime in the next month or two. So if anybody from this county or I thought

[2:33:28] even maybe I should reach out to the town and see if some a town counselor

[2:33:32] wants to go. I mean I don't think it's going to go anywhere but

[2:33:38] nothing ventured nothing gained. So I thought I'd look into that. Uh July 25th

[2:33:43] was a Gleian Show and Shine and the Rocky Ford Rodeo. July 31st was the

[2:33:47] Strathmore Rodeo, the parade. That was fun.

[2:33:51] Um August 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Strathmore Rodeo. I also would like to congratulate

[2:33:57] the Gleian Church. I mean, that's the same building 140 years, right? So never

[2:34:02] it hasn't been by fire or floods or and they've uh they put in a new stained

[2:34:06] glass window and um and I didn't get struck by lightning. So,

[2:34:14] um, August 11th council meeting, 18th MPC. Um, we had the special meeting to

[2:34:20] appoint the RSB rep, which I'm glad to get him back. We got the legend back for

[2:34:24] a while. Um, August 26th was the True North Shasta lunch with MLA D. Young and

[2:34:31] Minister Nudorf and ADM Williams. August 30th, I went to the Gleian firefighters

[2:34:36] lunchon and um I also I got to shake every one of those gentlemen's hand and

[2:34:40] and I think we need to always be supporting our frontline guys

[2:34:44] » and ladies >> and ladies even if sometimes that is

[2:34:47] putting our own, you know, um our own issues aside enough to just prevent

[2:34:53] present a united front to those guys and ladies.

[2:34:58] And with that, I would any questions? I'd like to pres move my motion as read.

[2:35:06] Any questions? I'll call a question.

[2:35:20] » That's carrying division three. >> Yes. Um my reports on the server for

[2:35:27] August. I completely forgot about July and

[2:35:31] I don't know um don't know what happened to it. Just didn't happen. I guess uh

[2:35:36] everything's the same as um that you guys were all at except for the RCMP

[2:35:42] coloring contest which they do every year and there was um there's they do it

[2:35:48] for four categories for four winners and all the winners were this year just

[2:35:53] happened to be all from Carsland. So we went I went there and uh helped them the

[2:35:58] RCMP present it to the kids. Yeah, it was really good and um yeah

[2:36:06] that's about it. All the rest has been spoken about. So I'll move my uh report

[2:36:12] is presented. >> Any questions?

[2:36:17] Call a question.

[2:36:27] That's carried. To change it up a bit, we'll go to division 7.

[2:36:45] Thank you. Any questions? I'll call the question.

[2:37:04] that's carried division Six.

[2:37:27] » Put your mic on. >> Microphone needs sir.

[2:37:32] » Uh, anything special? Well, the open house I thought at night and gale was

[2:37:37] was fairly well attended. Some good questions that were there.

[2:37:42] Uh was at the Rocky Ford rodeo at the parade. The highlight of I guess for the

[2:37:48] summer was the farm family award at the stampede.

[2:37:52] The Tom and Donna Christensen family

[2:37:58] award. I don't know if had all their kids there. I think they were missing

[2:38:01] one maybe. Uh yeah, it's uh quite a difference to

[2:38:08] center from from the first early years. It's quite a building that uh they were

[2:38:14] highly appreciative as you can imagine.

[2:38:19] And uh yeah, the lunchon with Minister Nord off

[2:38:25] I thought was uh

[2:38:29] was very good reaching out for the community. I thought that that took a

[2:38:34] lot. My only uh

[2:38:40] I could have could have made a suggestion. There are three other

[2:38:44] members of the of the community there too that they weren't weren't there.

[2:38:50] Would have been nice to include the villages too.

[2:38:53] And if there's no questions, I'll move my report as uh

[2:38:58] as submitted. >> Thank you. Any questions?

[2:39:04] I'll just make a comment about that meeting. It was set up by the MLA De

[2:39:07] Jong's office. We had zero input into on that. They just told us where to be and

[2:39:11] when. And I when I when it originally came forward, I suggested that there was

[2:39:15] other ones that were in the area and that's the way they went. So,

[2:39:20] the effort was there just didn't happen. So, probably just the size. Um, and I

[2:39:26] just want to mention the open house at night and gale because we've kind of

[2:39:29] gone to this different format and I just want to say to council next time we have

[2:39:33] one, whoever's area it is, you can share it. I'm not I'm the reb I will just sit

[2:39:38] back and be another counselor, but when it's in your area, I think you should

[2:39:41] share it. >> Yeah,

[2:39:43] » it's your it's your show, not mine. >> And I apologize for that. I I should

[2:39:47] have done done that. I was my intent at the start, but it just kind of went the

[2:39:51] other way. Um, but I'm just saying that right now. So that's your your show.

[2:39:54] Yeah, because I know when I was at yours, it was your show and Yeah. So it

[2:39:59] was just I was kind of frazzled that day. So I apologize about that, but

[2:40:02] that'll be the way it's from this point forward. Anything else?

[2:40:07] Call a question.

[2:40:17] » And last but not least, division four. things I didn't write down. I guess

[2:40:23] » your microphone, please. Thank you. >> Yeah, there are a few things I didn't

[2:40:27] write down, including the the Nightingale

[2:40:31] open house, which was actually quite quite good and well attended.

[2:40:35] Uh the regular council meetings, uh Wheatland Housing Management Board

[2:40:40] meetings that we've had, municipal planning commission,

[2:40:45] and public presentation, and the tour that we had, uh they

[2:40:51] Shannon, excellent. I I couldn't care who hears it, but you did a wonderful

[2:40:56] job. Just awesome. Anyway, same with staff. But the U Mary

[2:41:03] Gold Library uh had a meeting and one of the things I'd like to mention coming

[2:41:08] out of that meeting, there should be no budget increase from

[2:41:14] Marold Library. So take that into account when you're making the budget

[2:41:20] coming up. Uh we asked that question before and it looks like with all the

[2:41:25] changes under that bill 23, there's should be no [snorts] changes to our

[2:41:31] particular marold library area. Uh two north and shasta opening was there.

[2:41:39] And I'd like to bring up one item. I was phoned by a lo local

[2:41:46] resident and it was just the other day so I

[2:41:51] didn't get a chance to put in the report but the uh Origins uh industrial park on

[2:41:58] the east side has some water drainage from the site

[2:42:04] going down number one highway ditch and back into property in that area. And if

[2:42:10] you could look after trying to take a look at that would be appreciated.

[2:42:17] It's u just a concern. [laughter] >> CL bars

[2:42:22] » three through the reef to councelor um clean. It's well underway. We've been

[2:42:27] already out there had them shut the sprinklers off and it's being

[2:42:30] investigated and we are working with origin and the lot owner association.

[2:42:36] Thank you very much. And uh that concludes my report. Uh I

[2:42:42] move it be accepted as presented. >> Thank you. Motion on the floor. Any

[2:42:46] questions? I've also noticed that storm pond they're using water out of there to

[2:42:51] water the construction site at DH. I see there's a truck there just about 24

[2:42:56] hours a day. So that's a good way to get rid of the water. Um so it's actually

[2:43:01] being put to use for something other than washing the ditch of the highway.

[2:43:05] » [gasps] >> I say that sarcastically. Okay, I'll

[2:43:09] call the question.

[2:43:19] Good. That's carried. Does council want to lunches here?

[2:43:23] » Yeah, might just go. >> Pardon me.

[2:43:28] » Sure. We can do one more report. Absolutely.

[2:43:31] This is the Wheatland Winds. Dave's here.

[2:43:37] auction rules.

[2:43:44] Um, morning council Dave for administration. Um, presenting the

[2:43:48] Wheatland Wind Community Benefit Scholarship uh supports educational

[2:43:51] aspirations to students within Weeden County Area Schools by awarding at least

[2:43:55] one university or college scholarship each year. Um this scholarship uh

[2:44:00] recognizes and rewards high achieving students pursuing um studies in science,

[2:44:05] technology, engineering or mathematics. Uh representatives from Wheatland Wind

[2:44:09] and the county administration conducted a thorough review of seven seven

[2:44:14] submissions and are pleased to recommend awarding $2,000 scholarships to Katie

[2:44:19] Harter and Kelsey Scott. That concludes my presentation.

[2:44:23] » Thank you. Council questions. >> Excellent. also wishes

[2:44:32] » just a question. So are those do they have to be county residents to qualify

[2:44:35] or can they be town and villages as well? Thanks

[2:44:40] » it in the agreement it's wheelland county like golden hills schools. So

[2:44:46] » which includes acme and yeah something like that. Yeah.

[2:44:51] I'll move that uh council approve the Wheatland Wind Community Benefit

[2:44:54] scholarships of $2,000 each to Katie Harter and Kelsey Scott.

[2:44:59] » Thank you. Motion on the floor. Any discussion?

[2:45:03] » I will call the question.

[2:45:11] And that's carried. And with that, we will break for lunch for 45 minutes.

[2:45:16] Does that work for everybody? It's what we've been doing lately. So, come back

[2:45:18] at 12:45.

[2:45:32] Welcome back. We'll resume council meeting for September 8, 2026 where we

[2:45:36] left off. We're on to new business 8.1 8.2 20 uh decommissioning of legacy VHF

[2:45:44] radio system. Welcome, sir.

[2:45:51] Good afternoon. Just move the screen here.

[2:46:06] Uh, thank you, Reeve. Uh, members, council, my name is Tom. I'm here with

[2:46:09] administration. I'm here today to report on the decommissioning of the legacy VHF

[2:46:14] radio system which you can find on page 211 of your council report.

[2:46:20] We're here with this presentation as followup from the April 15, 2025 regular

[2:46:24] council meeting in which council considered and approved the radio

[2:46:27] communic communication system report. As part of that approval, council passed a

[2:46:32] resolution directing the administration prepare recommendations for

[2:46:35] decommissioning and disposal of equipment associated with the existing

[2:46:38] radio communication system. Uh here today, we're seeking council's approval

[2:46:43] to decommission the former radio communication system by dismantling and

[2:46:47] recycling the Clooney and Hammer Hill towers and any additional radio

[2:46:50] equipment that cannot be effectively repurposed. Um just speaking of

[2:46:53] repurposing, our public works still uses the VHF radio system. Their equipment is

[2:46:59] set up on the standard tower. Um, we've already repurposed the mobile radios

[2:47:03] that came out of the fire trucks back to public works as they had a need and

[2:47:06] there was no point of them spending money on something we could support them

[2:47:09] with. Um, what the plan as part of decommissioning is the best of the old

[2:47:14] equipment is going to be repurposed and upgrade basically the standard site. So

[2:47:18] that way if they have something that's from 1998 and we have something that was

[2:47:22] purchased in 2008 and is 10 years newer, they're going to take the best of the

[2:47:26] old um as part of that. Um for the actual report itself, um we are within

[2:47:32] budget still of that that initial um ask that was given by council of $920,000.

[2:47:38] Uh to date we've spent 826,000 uh leaving 94,000 remaining uh which is

[2:47:44] more than sufficient for the removal of the two tower sites. Um, and we're still

[2:47:48] expected to be under budget. Um, that's the report and I'll gladly answer any

[2:47:51] questions. >> Thank you. Any questions?

[2:47:58] » I'll move that council approves administration to decommission and

[2:48:01] dispose [clears throat] of equipment from the legacy very high frequency

[2:48:06] radio communication system in accordance with county policy.

[2:48:10] » Thank you. Motion the fourth question, Councelor Heps. So, um, we're going to

[2:48:15] keep those VHF radios for our for other staff to use. Does that So, is there a

[2:48:21] backup towers? Obviously, we don't need though the towers that you're going to

[2:48:24] decommission

[2:48:27] uh through the chair to the councelor. Um, so the public works system has

[2:48:31] always worked off that single um standard site. The other four towers,

[2:48:36] three of which were in service, one never went into service, were never part

[2:48:39] of that public works system. So, this will be only decommissioning the fire uh

[2:48:43] portions of it and the mobile repeaters or mobile repeaters, sorry, mobile

[2:48:47] radios have already been uh repurposed to them. They don't utilize the portable

[2:48:51] radios. So, that'll be one of the items that will go into an ecycle type

[2:48:54] program. >> Thank you. Any other questions?

[2:49:00] I'll call question.

[2:49:16] That's carried. Thank you. Uh 8.3 Redland Water Servicing

[2:49:23] Infrastructure Capital Budget Allocation.

[2:49:27] It's all about Redland today. >> Good afternoon, council. Jose Porio

[2:49:32] Quervo with administration here presenting the Redland water servicing

[2:49:36] infrastructure capital budget allocation. Um this is a short report

[2:49:41] just allocating uh funds to um put into the capital project for the

[2:49:48] construction of the Redland project in the case we get the minimum number of uh

[2:49:54] of deposits. So uh we are seeking council approval to establish 2026

[2:49:59] capital project and budget for the initial redland water servicing

[2:50:03] infrastructure uh subject to prior approval of the applicable redland

[2:50:08] utility bylaw which was passed earlier today and I'm here for any questions.

[2:50:13] » Thank you. A follow up from the discussion this morning the project now

[2:50:17] there's some funds to be allocated to it. Councelor Kester

[2:50:23] » just one question. Have you approached anybody in Redland yet if they wanted

[2:50:26] water? >> Uh through the chair just through the

[2:50:30] previous engagements. Nothing for this reason. No, not this one.

[2:50:36] » Because I was talking to some of them and they didn't know nothing going on.

[2:50:40] So I didn't talk anymore. So you all fill them in. Okay.

[2:50:45] Uh, the council approved a new capital project for 2026 with a budget of

[2:50:50] 1,189,475

[2:50:55] for the installation of a new water infrastructure for the community of

[2:50:58] Redland. >> Thank you. Motion the floor. Council

[2:51:02] discussion. Councelor HS. >> Just a question for staff. Um, so

[2:51:08] how come this wasn't in the budget or was it like why do we need to do this in

[2:51:12] such an ad hoc manner? Please

[2:51:23] » through the chair. Um this is just a provision. So, if uh individuals in

[2:51:29] Redland came forward with connection requests and paid the connection fee in

[2:51:35] accordance with the bylaws that were approved uh earlier in this meeting, um

[2:51:40] the county or administration would need to have budget there in order to proceed

[2:51:44] with the engineering and drawings and construction related to that project.

[2:51:49] And so this budget will essentially just sit here um until that threshold of

[2:51:56] connections is reached and once it is then it gives the administration the

[2:52:00] ability to move ahead with that project.

[2:52:05] Thank you. So do we have a time frame like if you know if it takes a year do

[2:52:11] we come back because by then cost might be different. Correct.

[2:52:17] through the chair. Um just to clarify, do you mean in terms of uh when we meet

[2:52:23] the threshold of connection requests or Yeah, we did build a um provision into

[2:52:30] the utility bylaw that if we get connection requests and um and uh sorry

[2:52:39] uh uh connection fees paid um and let's say a year passes and we don't have the

[2:52:45] threshold of five connections, the county will just refund and the

[2:52:49] connection fees that we've received to date. That helps the county in case

[2:52:53] costs change and we need to update the bylaw. And it also helps the residents

[2:52:56] that are not sitting there and the county's holding their connection fee

[2:52:59] hostage for uh you know years before before we go and uh install the

[2:53:05] infrastructure. There is a provision there where the administration will go

[2:53:08] to that individual and say do you want us to continue retaining this connection

[2:53:13] fee? Um and that again that that is depending on what the connection fee is

[2:53:17] at the time if the council's updated it. So so there's some provisions in there

[2:53:20] to kind of handle that situation that you're describing.

[2:53:24] Thank you. So in something like that would we pay simple interest or you know

[2:53:28] because we're holding their money >> through the chair. The bylaw explicitly

[2:53:32] states that the county will not pay interest.

[2:53:36] » Thank you. Any other questions? Yeah, chances of this being done in 2026

[2:53:42] are pretty slim, but this gives the ability if maybe everybody signs

[2:53:46] tomorrow, it can proceed, which I think is not a bad thing. Um, but there's a

[2:53:51] lot of unknowns here. So, uh, motions on the floor. I'll call a question.

[2:54:11] Elser Kuster, that's carried. When you go to uh

[2:54:17] talk to these people in Redland, are you going to go see them in person? Are you

[2:54:21] going to send them an email or are you going to

[2:54:24] thought about it yet? Uh through the chair, we we have thought

[2:54:30] about it. I think likely right now what we could do is the the the intention is

[2:54:34] to issue a letter to the land owners within Redland so they're aware of the

[2:54:39] new bylaw provisions. >> Could you CC me?

[2:54:43] » Um yeah, we can CC all of council. >> Okay, thanks.

[2:54:48] » Perfect. Uh move on to 8.4. Spear grass water treatment plant infllet valve

[2:54:55] inlet flow valves budget adjustment. Good afternoon, council. Jose again here

[2:55:01] from administration presenting the sprass water treatment plant inlet flow

[2:55:04] valve budget adjustment. Um, so this one is a uh project capital

[2:55:12] budget uh request to increase the capital budget to $184,000.

[2:55:19] We are doing a a handful of upgrades at the Speargrass Water Treatment Plant

[2:55:22] that were identified during an Alberta Environment Protected Areas site visit.

[2:55:28] They noted a few deficiencies and so this is one that we're trying to push

[2:55:32] forward with as soon as possible. It's considered one of the more critical

[2:55:35] items. Uh we just recently completed an asset management uh assessment of the

[2:55:42] spear gas water treatment plant and these valves were identified as having

[2:55:46] only one year remaining of its lifespan and uh it was also identified by by

[2:55:52] Albert Environment that needed uh needed to be replaced or sorry not not the

[2:55:57] valves but the meters. So we need to have meters on the inlet.

[2:56:02] Very quick brief background. Uh the spear gas water treatment plant requires

[2:56:05] a replacement of two inlet flow control valves and installation of meters on the

[2:56:09] daff filter trains. The inlet flow control valves allow each filter train

[2:56:13] to be isolated for required maintenance while maintaining plant operations. The

[2:56:18] meters are necessary to accurately measure the volume of water entering

[2:56:22] each filter train for treatment. Um, going down here to the discussion, the

[2:56:28] approved 2026 capital budget includes $24,000 for engineering and the design

[2:56:33] uh and installation of the inlet flow valves and meters was originally

[2:56:36] scheduled for next year in 2027 with a budget allocation of $160,000.

[2:56:42] During the design process, administration I identified opportunity

[2:56:45] to complete both the engineering and installation this year. Uh and advancing

[2:56:49] construction will expedite replacement of the aging inlet flow control valves

[2:56:53] as well as address the metering deficiencies identified by Albert

[2:56:57] Environment. Um administration is recommending that

[2:57:01] the $160,000 currently planned for 2027 be advanced to 2026. This amendment

[2:57:07] would increase the total approved budget to $184,000.

[2:57:12] And that concludes my presentation and I'm here for any questions.

[2:57:16] » Thank you. Go ahead. I'll move that council approve an

[2:57:19] amendment to the 2026 capital budget to advance 160,000 to the wheatland to the

[2:57:25] spearrass WTP inlet flow valves project budgeted for

[2:57:30] 2027 to 2026 increasing the 2026 project budget to 284,000.

[2:57:39] » Thank you. Motion four questions. Go ahead.

[2:57:42] » Just a question. So with the asset management plan, what is the window?

[2:57:46] Like could it be, you know, two years early or five years late or I mean it's

[2:57:52] your best guess, right? Like we don't actually physically in inspect those.

[2:57:56] And I don't just mean these particular valves, but the asset management plan

[2:58:01] itself might actually be having us spend a heck of a lot more money than we have

[2:58:05] to >> through the chair. That's that's right.

[2:58:08] So, we just recently had someone visually inspect these valves and so

[2:58:13] that's why they know that these valves are at end of life. Um, but the idea is

[2:58:18] that that asset management program will have just

[2:58:23] funds available to replace it when it breaks. So, if this valve magically

[2:58:27] holds on for another 5 years, then on that fifth year mark, we could we could

[2:58:33] replace it and we have the funds available. So, that's that's kind of

[2:58:35] where that's in. Not just because it hits zero doesn't mean necessarily that

[2:58:40] we'll replace it, but that we need to make sure that there are funds available

[2:58:44] to replace it. >> Thank you, Councelor Clayton.

[2:58:51] » Just a curious question on how how old are the valves? And and the reason I'm

[2:58:57] asking is I know that valves have a lifetime. Usually, it's not the lifetime

[2:59:04] of the valve, but it's the the u internals that usually wear enough that

[2:59:11] you have to either be replaced or rebuilt.

[2:59:15] Have these been looked at being a replacement or rebuilt or

[2:59:20] I've got water raw water valves that are over 50 years

[2:59:24] old that haven't had to be replaced. So, I'm just curious

[2:59:30] » through the chair. So the valves that are being replaced, so right now what we

[2:59:34] have there are manual valves. So we manually have to turn them on and off.

[2:59:38] Uh the valves that we're looking to replace them with would be upgrades to

[2:59:41] that. So they would actually be connected to our SCADA in that they can

[2:59:45] be controlled uh remotely and that they would be controlled in such a way that

[2:59:51] the amount of water going into the train can be can can change. Right now it's

[2:59:56] all it's all manual. The these valves are from the original construction of

[3:00:04] the water treatment plant and I want to say they're

[3:00:08] they're approaching 25 years.

[3:00:12] » No, >> 25.

[3:00:14] » Yeah,

[3:00:18] » it sounds to me it's more like an upgrade than a replacement. Thanks.

[3:00:24] » And there's metering involved, too, that wasn't there before. So,

[3:00:29] good questions. Um, yeah, go ahead. >> So, is this a need to replace valves or

[3:00:38] is this we want to upgrade to uh remotely controlled valves so they'll

[3:00:43] fit SCADA? >> No. So, through the chair, the the

[3:00:48] valves do need to be replaced whether they're replaced in kind or or upgraded.

[3:00:52] uh we are we've been recommended to upgrade them. The main piece here that

[3:00:58] we're trying to get or the main reason for this is the meters. The meters there

[3:01:03] there's no meters going into our uh DA filter trains. And so in conjunction

[3:01:08] with the meters, we also upgrade the inlet uh valves

[3:01:12] » because 25 years is not that old for a valve. Is it a globe valve, a needle and

[3:01:16] seat or a ball valve or uh >> through the chair? It's a globe valve.

[3:01:20] » Globe valve. Okay.

[3:01:27] Any other questions? Go ahead.

[3:01:35] I'm just thinking if I need a valve at home

[3:01:39] working my irrigation. >> I've got a question so I clarify it

[3:01:44] because I get questions from time to time. We we we passed this motion for

[3:01:50] 200,000 plus or minus. Uh how does it get paid? Like I know

[3:01:56] it's in the general account like it says here, but when we

[3:02:01] do our books for the audit, does it come out of general taxation?

[3:02:08] Does it come out of a reserve fund someplace?

[3:02:11] What happens when the reserve fund runs empty? All those kind of little

[3:02:16] questions. Can you just clarify for my rate pairs?

[3:02:21] » Uh yes sa Reeves. So any uh as we collect and add to the reserves

[3:02:27] is up to council how you wish to distribute those afterwards. But uh if

[3:02:32] we were to allocate this these funds and spend them this year, right? Uh it would

[3:02:37] likely come from the uh from surplus, right? From our reserve. So, um, that's

[3:02:45] likely what would be done. Of course, I'm not on the accounting side to

[3:02:49] actually show how that moves, but that's likely where it would come from

[3:02:52] initially, >> not generally from from tax. It's a

[3:02:56] capital project. >> So, in particular, every time I think

[3:03:01] you pay a water bill, there's a percentage goes to a reserve. It would

[3:03:07] be that reserve that would get tagged on the balance of

[3:03:12] pieces that go into a water treatment plant or or

[3:03:18] » Yeah. through the reef. Uh if we've set up a if we've set up the accounts to run

[3:03:23] like that, then yes, we we would have a reserve specifically dedicated to

[3:03:27] Redland for like replace asset replacements for instance. But a new

[3:03:32] project like this would come from could come from any reservoir specifically in

[3:03:36] this case the um the unrestricted surplus

[3:03:42] that answer your question. >> Well, I get asked from time to time on

[3:03:48] reserves and how they're spent and especially

[3:03:53] in the hamlets when they're putting money aside for a reserve. I said,

[3:03:58] 'Well, your water plant breaks down. They got money to fix it, but it sounds

[3:04:06] like it's maybe at the call of who's ever entering the number in which

[3:04:10] reserve you take it out. If it's a replacement or if it's a upgrade or if

[3:04:15] it's a like this one be maybe be half upgrade, half replacement, I don't know.

[3:04:21] But uh just something I can tell them that's better than

[3:04:27] » yeah through the chair uh according to our reserves policy the allocation or

[3:04:32] what we use that reserve for would be would apply to that policy. So it would

[3:04:36] be up to council how you would want to fund specific projects from like for

[3:04:41] instance if we were pre we had planned this in budget it would come out to x

[3:04:45] reserve that would have been already preset um and then in the case where we

[3:04:51] are asking for instance for these funds council could say we could take uh would

[3:04:56] if you would like the the funds to come out of a general reserve for water

[3:05:02] wastewater services we could do that. So it's it is up to council at the end

[3:05:08] of the day which reserve you would like it to come from.

[3:05:11] » But it's coming from a reserve. >> Yes. To the chair. Uh capital projects

[3:05:16] are typically coming from >> reserve.

[3:05:19] So it would be prudent on our part to name a reserve.

[3:05:24] » Really?

[3:05:28] » So what we're what we're hearing is that it's coming from an unallocated reserve.

[3:05:32] Is that correct? as it stands right now >> uh through the chair. I have to double

[3:05:37] check, but uh that would be my best guess that it would be coming from the

[3:05:40] from unallocated surplus,

[3:05:45] » councor Clayton, and then councelor Bigger.

[3:05:51] » I'm having trouble with this coming forward as a valve replacement project.

[3:05:55] And it's not really a valve replacement project. It's an upgrade to the inlet of

[3:06:01] the treatment plant with meters and a controllable valve system. And I would

[3:06:07] like to see that uh as what we're actually going to approve when we do uh

[3:06:14] ask the question.

[3:06:19] » So the way I look at it is um this was scheduled for 2027. They were going to

[3:06:24] do it in 2026. Either way it was going to get done and it's it's um environment

[3:06:29] that are asking for those meters or demanding those meters. So it could be

[3:06:34] it would be capital but either way we have to put the meters in because that's

[3:06:38] what environment saying. And for the valve we would have put them in we would

[3:06:43] have replaced it in 2027. We're just doing it a week a year earlier because

[3:06:48] for some reason it's failing but it would have been in the

[3:06:53] capital budget next year anyway. So, >> I'm not disagreeing with that, but let's

[3:06:59] call it what it is is all I'm saying that uh I think it's very well to be

[3:07:05] done. I've got no no disagreement with it that way as long as we find our place

[3:07:10] to fund it, but it is not a valve replacement project.

[3:07:17] It's an upgrade. >> Go ahead through the chair. But we

[3:07:23] received um we got our engineers to do two quotes. They they also replace uh

[3:07:28] had a quote to replace in kind. So that's always that's also the option

[3:07:32] that I can we can go with the replacement is in kind. Um but if we

[3:07:38] want to do it this year, the the project budget would have to be increased

[3:07:42] regardless and I can just direct the the work to be done

[3:07:47] with the inind valves.

[3:07:51] » Okay. [clears throat] So, let me make sure I'm understanding this right. So,

[3:07:55] this project that's for Speargrass is going to get paid for out of reserves.

[3:08:00] It's not going to come from the water use at Speargrass.

[3:08:05] And yet, we're telling the Redland people that they've got to pay for

[3:08:09] everything. We I mean, we just sat here for two hours this morning discussing

[3:08:13] that. I I'm confused at how this is fair.

[3:08:23] Go ahead. >> Well, it's fair because they take funds

[3:08:26] from us every month and put it into an actual reserve.

[3:08:33] » We are paying We are paying for it. >> With all due respect, I'd like

[3:08:37] administration to uh give me an answer for that please.

[3:08:42] » Uh yeah, through the chair, I think this might help. So, just getting some

[3:08:44] information. So that that res the reserve that particular was reserved was

[3:08:48] planned to be depleted this year with already stuff that's been budgeted. So

[3:08:52] it would need to come from al unallocated surplus.

[3:08:56] » Okay. But the unallocated surplus that money was put in there by all the rate

[3:09:02] payers of Wheatland County. Correct. >> Yeah. So our revenue our surplus revenue

[3:09:07] goes into a reserve and then then from that point if council wants to

[3:09:10] distribute it into other reserves they can. But currently currently that would

[3:09:14] come because it's not in a particular reserve. It'll be an unallocated

[3:09:17] surplus. >> So that goes to my point then earlier

[3:09:21] today we went on and on about how Redlands has to pay for everything and

[3:09:25] no one else should be on the bill and now we're saying if it's spear grass

[3:09:28] we'll just take it out of reserves and every rateayer has to pay it. My

[3:09:32] question still remains is how is this fair?

[3:09:37] So question I would have then is uh could administration not because we have

[3:09:42] funds coming in through Spirrass and Cars Land on a on a utility

[3:09:48] bill. We could go into the negative on that and re transfer the funds back over

[3:09:52] into general at some point. Is that an accounting

[3:09:56] nightmare? Is that a possible thing? Just so it's fair. Like I said this a

[3:09:59] long time ago, these individual hamlets should almost have their own budgets

[3:10:04] because it's your robin from Peter to pay Paul and then you have people that

[3:10:08] have absolutely no access to those services that are subsidizing. Go ahead

[3:10:12] Brad through the chair to the chair. Um something that may be helpful as well I

[3:10:17] think soon forthcoming um uh council unless I missed this in the last council

[3:10:23] meeting sorry um uh we we'll consider the utility rates uh between all of the

[3:10:30] communities um in that plays the the operational costs the capital

[3:10:35] replacement costs um existing debentures that may exist and they're all part of

[3:10:39] those utility bills um and then also part of that is is subsidy to council uh

[3:10:45] that that the county offers as part of those utility bills. So, that's all part

[3:10:49] of that broad um discussion too, including this discussion as well in

[3:10:54] council needing to decide how does it want to manage capital replacement,

[3:10:59] reserve funds, uh utility billing, uh subsidization of those of utility bills,

[3:11:04] etc., etc. So, so, um, just just to offer to council that that is a a major

[3:11:10] part of that discussion when when visiting the utility bills and and how

[3:11:13] much council wants to set those at. Thank you. Any other questions before we

[3:11:19] call the question? I think it's good that we uh these

[3:11:25] plants are inspected by a third party, which is the Alberta Environment. that

[3:11:28] happens on could happen twice a year, could happen once every 5 years, but

[3:11:32] when they come, I've been through it. They will recommend upgrades. It's a

[3:11:36] recommendation. It's not a to-do, but when they recommend something, you

[3:11:39] should probably do it. Um, we have the funds to be able to do it. This is a

[3:11:43] this is drinking water quality. This is gives the operations uh more control,

[3:11:48] gives you more, you have to keep track of water definitely. Um, so I support

[3:11:52] this. How we paid to get the money back. We have the money now. We could we have

[3:11:57] uh money coming back in from these municipalities or these sorry hamlets

[3:12:01] that are paying it. We just have to figure out how to uh replenish that

[3:12:04] funds and that can be done later on. So with that I will call a question.

[3:12:23] Just wait till after it's till the vote is done. Please.

[3:12:30] If every hamlet has a reserve fund for water and they're putting money into it

[3:12:40] because they paid their water bill, would it not be prudent of us to use

[3:12:45] that money to pay for their water infrastructure?

[3:12:51] It's an easy way to track if we're a collecting enough money for reserve

[3:13:00] and b why collect a reserve if we're not going to use it.

[3:13:05] Why leave money sit there and use other money? I I'm have a hard time here.

[3:13:11] Thanks. Yeah, through the through the reef. Um

[3:13:15] so we are spending that money and in fact um you know just kind of hearkening

[3:13:19] back to the committee of the whole meeting those communities are uh they're

[3:13:24] not nowhere near cost recovery. So they are being subsidized and a significant

[3:13:29] portion of that is being subsidized for capital projects and capital

[3:13:32] replacement. So a lot of changes need to happen to shift that more towards having

[3:13:38] that uh that monies in those reserves. uh whereas um just sort of the sentiment

[3:13:44] that we received for new communities from council would be to try and achieve

[3:13:48] cost recovery. So that would be some of the difference there. But um that's why

[3:13:54] in this case it would be coming from unallocated surpluses because the at the

[3:13:58] end of the year that uh that reserve is dry.

[3:14:03] I understand that. And then and then I had no problem with using money to help

[3:14:11] to put into the hamlets. My biggest concern has always been is to be fair to

[3:14:17] everybody. Now a new pipe versus a new pipe over there is still a new pipe. A

[3:14:24] new community and an other new community that's 100

[3:14:29] years old doesn't have a pipe are different things too.

[3:14:34] So I just implore not staff because you just do what we

[3:14:41] ask you to do but council to be always cognizant and and try and be fair all

[3:14:48] the time and and look at the big picture. I don't have a problem with it

[3:14:54] where the money comes from because money comes from over there and

[3:15:00] can be spent on the approach over here. that it's that's our job to allocate it,

[3:15:07] but we got to be fair and then that's Yeah. Thank you for listening to me.

[3:15:14] Probably listen too much today.

[3:15:18] [clears throat] Not that you listen too much, I talk too much.

[3:15:23] No problem. Uh vote is still in progress. I don't know who hasn't voted.

[3:15:46] That's carried. Thank you. We'll move on to 8.5

[3:15:50] watershed resiliency and restoration program funding advocacy letter.

[3:15:57] Mr. Bullock. [gasps] Good afternoon, council. Brad

[3:16:01] Bulock presenting uh this report about the WRRP

[3:16:07] funding advocacy letter. Um this is something that I believe all of the

[3:16:11] individuals on council have seen before um at the uh agricultural service board

[3:16:16] meeting in July. Um at that meeting the the letter was presented and Alice's the

[3:16:23] letter from Alice uh advocating for um the board and and for council to provide

[3:16:29] a letter letter of support. The draft letter of support that was um asked for

[3:16:36] by Alice is attached to this report for council's consideration. And what's

[3:16:41] happening here is the the province has essentially announced that it will be no

[3:16:46] longer funding or no longer accepting new applications under the WRP program I

[3:16:52] believe past 2027. So past I think the existing applications. And so, uh,

[3:16:57] Alice's, uh, their letter is essentially, um, appealing to the

[3:17:02] province to continue supporting this program. Um, C administration did

[3:17:08] following the agricultural service board meeting um, in which at which time the

[3:17:14] board did direct administration to draft a letter to be signed by the ASB chair

[3:17:19] to be sent to the minister. um at the same and during that same meeting the

[3:17:23] ASB uh asked administration to bring this matter to council as well. So we're

[3:17:28] kind of doing both at the same time. And then the letter that administration has

[3:17:32] drafted for council's consideration uh the proposal is that both the Reeve if

[3:17:37] council were to uh support that and the ASB chair could support the same letter

[3:17:43] that goes to the minister if um if council is amendable to that. So that

[3:17:47] concludes my report. I'm here for any questions.

[3:17:49] » Thank you. Any questions? Council's wishes.

[3:17:54] » I'll move that Wheatland County Council authorize the Reeve [clears throat] to

[3:17:58] co-sign with the egg service board chair the letter to the Minister of

[3:18:01] Environment and Protected Areas in support of Alice's advocacy regarding

[3:18:06] the discontinuation of the watershed resiliency and restoration program

[3:18:10] funding. >> Thank you. Any discussion?

[3:18:15] » I just think it's important. Uh we have a lot of uh producers in the area who

[3:18:21] use that grant funding to protect our waterways including Rosebud and Crowoot

[3:18:26] uh water creeks and um so yeah it's a shame that the province is

[3:18:34] potentially or maybe already has um wrapped up that program. So, I think

[3:18:41] it's worthwhile to send a letter just to express our

[3:18:45] disappointment or uh advocacy to do something else or something to replace

[3:18:50] it or whatever. >> Thank you. Couldn't have said it better

[3:18:55] myself. Any other discussion?

[3:18:59] I will call the question.

[3:19:10] That's carried. Thank you. 8.6 safety matter. Councelor Clayton

[3:19:17] floor is yours.

[3:19:24] just I'm not uh want to take a lot of your time, but

[3:19:30] about April of this year, I brought up a concern

[3:19:35] of a sign that is in the entrance to Cheetel that is blocked blocking the

[3:19:42] view of uh traffic coming down the highway in its location if you stop by

[3:19:46] the stop sign. And it was brought up by quite a number of the community people

[3:19:52] in my area on because we were doing range township road 240 and trying to

[3:19:57] extend it through and it's becoming more of a more of an

[3:20:02] issue and uh we uh it was agreed that we could move

[3:20:09] this sign uh and Brad has been looking after

[3:20:13] getting it done. But my concern is that I was passed there yesterday again and

[3:20:18] it was still in the same location and my safety concern is that what is the

[3:20:26] liability does this council have if there's something that involves

[3:20:32] safety and is recognized as being a safety element and doesn't get done in a

[3:20:38] reasonable length of time. And uh I'm not

[3:20:43] the other issue we we had another one come up on a railroad crossing on range

[3:20:49] road 255 which is my road and uh it's I know probably not long

[3:20:56] enough after that we passed the fact that we wanted to put flashing lights in

[3:21:00] a stop sign huge enough at that site to get it done but waiting three or four or

[3:21:07] five months to get something done that is The safety element I think is a

[3:21:12] concern that this council should take into account because liabilities when

[3:21:19] you know you got a problem and you don't fix the problem in a reasonable length

[3:21:23] of time

[3:21:26] could come back and uh I just wanted to express my concern

[3:21:33] that uh in the future if we have [snorts] something designated a safety

[3:21:39] item if we to put it into a priority. Um, I don't know what kind of a priority

[3:21:45] you guys or we have in in the administration side to make things

[3:21:49] happen, but I shouldn't have to go back and keep

[3:21:54] checking to see if the sign has been moved. My apologies.

[3:22:00] » Thank you. I don't know if there's a response or

[3:22:04] » I'm I'm not expecting a response. I just think

[3:22:08] think that the administration should be given the backing by this council to

[3:22:16] make safety elements a priority in such a way as they can handle them. Thank

[3:22:22] you. >> A suggestion would be the sign could

[3:22:24] have easily been removed and put in the yard until it was moved because it's

[3:22:29] just bolted down on breakaway bolts or whatever. So that's just me. Go ahead.

[3:22:35] » I can speak to this um matter. Administration has been looking into to

[3:22:40] this. Um we have identified a new location uh for that sign. Um I'd be

[3:22:47] somewhat careful in calling it a safety issue even though um we have visited and

[3:22:51] it is in sight lines there. Drivers are responsible to ensure that they can uh

[3:22:56] you know proceed safely before they proceed. Um while where the sign is it's

[3:23:01] I would agree that it's inconvenient in terms of where the actual stop line is.

[3:23:05] Um drivers can inch forward to get the sight line that they may need to

[3:23:08] proceed. That said um administration is planning to move the sign. We've

[3:23:13] identified a new location further down the road. Um because it's related to a

[3:23:17] highway um we have to get at approval prior to uh doing work and moving the

[3:23:23] sign. um that has been submitted to Alberta Transportation and we're just

[3:23:27] waiting for their response and their approval to to do the work within the

[3:23:31] highway right away. Uh we we do anticipate that in the near

[3:23:36] future. Um and so we anticipate it being done uh you know prior to winter hitting

[3:23:41] at least. Um but again we're we're we're we're waiting for their final approval

[3:23:45] which does take a little bit of time just administratively.

[3:23:49] » Go ahead. Is there anything we can do to help that side of the issue

[3:23:56] move along quicker? I don't I know your hands are slightly

[3:24:02] tied on that way, but and I apologize for that, but I find

[3:24:10] No, thank you. >> I think the important thing to point out

[3:24:14] too, it is a secondary highway, so that original installation was approved by at

[3:24:18] so their road. um whether the sightelines, you know, I've been there.

[3:24:23] I don't deny that it's difficult to see, but you can. So, um in the short term,

[3:24:28] we could just easily remove the sign because it's not critical. It's not a

[3:24:31] critical sign. That's about the only thing we could do in the and there's

[3:24:34] costs involved to store it and they might risk damaging it and all that kind

[3:24:37] of stuff. Go ahead. >> So, it' be one thing that's uh always

[3:24:41] been suggested to me if it's if the province is holding it up, go talk to

[3:24:46] your MLA. Apparently, she can get things done a lot faster. So, go talk to her.

[3:24:51] She'll get it done for you really fast. >> Is that my accountability? Is it the

[3:24:56] councils? >> Do we have something that we can Sorry,

[3:25:03] » you know, if if I start chasing provincial government people to get

[3:25:07] something done on a local safety basis, maybe not call it safety, but it is.

[3:25:15] Wouldn't it have more uh backing if we did it as a council?

[3:25:22] » We could send a letter to our MLA if that helps. But that's about as where as

[3:25:28] council that's where it comes from. Go ahead

[3:25:31] » to to council. I was just going to suggest um [clears throat] something

[3:25:34] administration could do maybe even before going there is is follow up with

[3:25:38] Alberta Transportation to get an update on when that approval may be coming. Um

[3:25:42] and we can give council that update if it's going to come in the next week or

[3:25:45] two. Um then [clears throat] then you know reaching out to the minister might

[3:25:49] uh

[3:25:53] » Sure. Yeah. Um but we can we can do that and then if it's going to be a while we

[3:25:58] can ask them if they're able to speed up the process a little bit for us. So we

[3:26:00] could we could do that uh initially anyway.

[3:26:05] » I appreciate that. Thank you. >> Anything further?

[3:26:10] Well, that concludes our regular council meeting. We have an one in camera item.

[3:26:15] So, we will take a break for about five minutes to set up for that. So, I'll

[3:26:20] need a motion to go on camera, which I will put forward and call the question.

[3:26:32] » Yeah. Vote first before you leave.

[3:26:40] Thanks for entertaining. >> No problem.

[3:26:42] » Just

[3:26:51] that's carried. We'll be back at uh 1:35.

[3:26:58] » Good afternoon everyone. Uh we came out of in camera at 1:40 p.m. Um there was

[3:27:03] no motions arising from in camera so I will adjourn this meeting. Have a great

[3:27:07] day.

September 8, 2026 Council Meeting

Transcript