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At the January 11th Governance and Priorities Committee meeting, Councillor Andrew Saje raised the issue of the municipal emergency plan, following a power outage which affected the municipality for several hours the preceding Saturday.
At the time, Chief Administrative Officer Tully Clifford informed Council that he had reviewed the municipality’s current emergency plan, and felt it was outdated and in need of modifications.
He informed Council that he had been in contact with Mark Murphy, Emergency Management Field Officer for the province, who would be attending the February 1st meeting to speak with Council regarding the issue.
Murphy was not at the meeting due to being called out on an emergency, so Clifford filled in, informing Council that he had received an updated version of the plan.
“In fact, we are in very good shape and prepared for emergencies,” said Clifford.
The plan includes an overview of the Peacetime Emergency Operations Plan, annexes describing the emergency operations organization, emergency contact information, Highway 3 closure procedure, and information regarding weather, mutual aid, Turtle Mountain slide protocol, the emergency public warning system, and information from the Alberta Emergency Management Agency providing advice and documents required to assist with emergency management.
Information regarding emergency operations will be kept in a cabinet in Council Chambers, and everyone will be apprised of their role and function in the case of an emergency.
“That way, if we ever need to actually kick into gear, we can do it quickly,” said Clifford.
Administration will also be putting the majority of the information online for the public.
Clifford said Administration will arrange for Murphy to meet with Council within the next month, in order to answer any additional questions
Alberta Order of Excellence nominations
Council received a letter from J. Angus Watt, the Chair of the Alberta Order of Excellence Council, inviting Council to nominate anyone they felt deserving of the honour.
Mayor Bruce Decoux encouraged Council to take the following week to consider the recommendation, and advise Clifford of their nominations, which can then be discussed at a GPC or Council meeting.
The Alberta Order of Excellence is one of the highest honours which can be bestowed on a citizen of the province.
Nominees must be Canadian citizens living in Alberta, and must have made a significant contribution provincially, nationally or internationally.
Commercial signage application denied
Council rejected an application from the Blairmore Liquor Store for placement of a portable advertising sign, to be placed on a section of municipal property in front of the business.
The double-sided sign would stand eight feet long by four feet high, sitting perpendicular to the roadway in front of the business on 20th Avenue in Blairmore.
Applicant Becky Fabro, manager of the liquor store, said in a letter written to Development Officer Bev Cole that the 13 feet of cement sidewalk in front of the store would not be entirely impeded by the sign, and would leave plenty of room for pedestrians to walk by. |
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She also noted that there is not a lot of foottraffic in the area at any given time.
Administration directed Council to reject the application based on a review of the request by a local bylaw officer.
During the review, the bylaw officer said the signage would have an impact on pedestrians, and that although the area does not see a high volume of pedestrian traffic, the sign would encompass over half of the width of the sidewalk, which could cause people to step off the curb onto the street in order to avoid it.
The second consideration was sight line visibility specifically that the proposed location would make for a visual detriment to vehicle traffic entering 20th Avenue from the building’s east parking lot.
“It is not appropriate to place a sign where they have requested,” said Mayor Decoux.
Councillor Siegbert Gail said he felt Administration should work with the applicant to find a more suitable location for the sign.
“We would be more than happy to do that,” said Clifford.
Councillor Emile Saindon made the motion that Council deny the request, and that they direct Administration to work with the applicant to find a suitable alternative.
The motion was approved unanimously.
Council approves waiving of tipping fee request
Prior to the January 11th meeting, Council received a request from James Woodall, Executive Director of the Crowsnest Community Support Society, asking that they consider waiving demolition fees associated with the construction of a wheelchair accessible home for one of the residents the society serves.
Councillor Emile Saindon suggested that Council subsidize the disposal of clean concrete, brick and building material, to be disposed of at the Passburg Pit.
He then suggested that Council contribute up to $2,000 for the disposal of remaining materials, which would be disposed of at the Crowsnest/Pincher Creek Regional Landfill, and that the remaining balance be paid for by the CCSS.
“We don’t have the ability to waive the costs associated with dumping at the landfill as it is not owned by the municipality,,” said Director of Operational Services Myron Thompson.
He added that the $2,000 should easily cover the tipping fee for the landfill, as the majority of materials removed from the site will be concrete foundation and inert materials.
Councillor Larry Mitchell added that the disposal of any contaminated material should not be the responsibility of the municipality.
A motion was made that: for this request only, that the CCSS be allowed to dispose of materials at the Passburg Pit at no chage, with remaining materials to be taken to the Crowsnest/Pincher Creek Regional Landfill, with tipping fees of up to $2,000 to be paid for by the municipality, provided that all material passes environmental inspection, and the remaining balance be charged to the CCSS.
The motion was carried, with all but Councillor Brian Gallant in favour, and Councillor Andrew Saje absent.
The CCSS will demolish an existing residence located at 2118, 119th Street in Blairmore, in order to place a fully wheelchair accessible modular unit in its place.
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