Hefty buck for dust control
Sharon McLeay
Times Contributor
On May 15, county councillors wanted to get an idea of what dust control for all the residents in the county would cost. Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) Jennifer Deak brought back figures on what it might cost to supply residents with 1,000 feet of dust control from their residential entrance. The amount was given as an approximate cost, based on the number of address signs, excluding those on pavements, times the cost of the application. The cost for Calcium Chloride treatment would be approximately $3.2 million, $12.1 million of that for oil treatment and $10.5 million to top up previously oiled approaches.
“The total municipal budget is only $26.5 million, so this program would be quite costly,” said Deak.
The figures did not include man-hours or machinery. If councillors approve the process, they would have to find some way to provide the funds, as it is not currently in the County budget. Councillors asked Deak to compute the approximate raise in mill rate it would take to provide the service to ratepayers and report back to them.
Railway concerns
The CP Rail crossing NE of Carseland on TNSP 222 and RR 255 has become a safety concern because of trees blocking the line of sight for oncoming trains. The trees are on CP Rail property so county crews are not able to clear them. Council approved a letter to CP to request the clearing of the trees from the crossing.
Councillors directed that CN Rail be notified of weed control needed between the rails near Lyalta.
“The problem does not seem significant unless you consider the fire hazard,” said Councillor Brenda Knight. “Everything possible should be done to deter the risk of fires getting out of hand.”
She felt that fire hazards increased in dry weather and there was the chance that prairie fires will jump the tracks by attaching to the weeds between the rail lines.
Signs
Council approved the posting of a 60 km sign on RR 261 south of Hwy.1. There is a blind spot and the sign was approved for safety reasons.
The Economic Action Plan sign in Gleichen will be taken down, as the fund is no longer in existence. Council approved the action, after notification from a ratepayer.
Council approved that the policy committee consider paving program sign changes and forwarded a request to have the policy committee consider stop signs posted when a gravel road comes onto a county paved road. The province currently mandates that a stop sign be placed when a road crosses a paved provincial highway.
Peace officers are to reassess the safety risks on the TNSP 265 and RR 255 by Lyalta. Residents have suggested that a four way stop sign would reduce the speed of traffic going through the intersection. Residents say it is difficult to see because of the dust. Councillors said they would approve the signs if it were a safety issue and not just a dust control issue. They tasked peace officers to observe traffic during ball games and on weekends and report back to council with their findings.
Badlands Community facility opening
Counsellors were torn whether attendance to the Badlands Community Facility Opening on June 12, implied their support for a forthcoming donation. Other municipalities had requests for donations up to $100,000.
Councillor Glen Koester said that it was kind of a social dilemma as communities like Hussar or Dalum might make use of the facility.
“Then let the Dalum or Hussar community members make the request,” said Councillor Ben Armstrong.
Council felt the facility was built with the expectation that membership would help foot the bill, without providing the County an opportunity for input. Many members felt a donation to the Badlands facility would open the doors for matched funding expectations from other large facilities such as the one proposed for Strathmore.
“The Community Enhancement Fund cannot support large facilities,” said Councillor Ken Sauve. “It will not last.”
Bid in for old Rosebud fire hall
Councillor Glen Koester let councillors know that he had been approached with an offer to buy the Old Rosebud Fire Hall.
The issue was discussed at the Feb. 11, 2012 council meeting.
Other interested parties had not come up with the money to buy the hall.
Council acknowledged that an appraisal should be done and the matter goes out for tender.
Koester requested that Rosebud residents be notified in their water user bills.
Council approved the notice and if there were no objections, the matter would proceed to tender on July 20.
Gleichen Community Centre expands parking
Councillor Alice Booth temporarily stepped down from council to request the use of five county lots for the Community Centre Parking lot.
She indicated that events were clogging street parking and the existing lot needed an expansion for up to 200 more cars.
“We would like to use the soil to supplement other county lots and set up a defined parking setup,” said Booth, about the request. “The busier we get the more demand we have.”
Council referred the matter to public works, to figure out how many lots were necessary to accommodate an additional 120 cars.
Gleichen resident leaves money
Charlotte Prouse bequeathed money from her estate to be paid onto Gleichen’s Sewer and Water debenture.
“It put a huge dent in it,” said Jennifer Deak, CAO.
Prouse was born in Gleichen in 1911, she was very civic minded, and active in many of the local organization. Residents will receive notice of her generous gift which will help generations to come.
Info on EMS for AAMDC
The Alberta Association of Municipal Districts Council is requesting information from Wheatland County as to their satisfaction with Wheatland’s Emergency Medical Services.
“Things are going great,” said Councillor Glen Koester. “We haven’t relinquished control of our service or dispatch.”
Councillors had received information from other municipalities who had given control over to Alberta Health Services that they were experiencing concerns regarding patient care with reduced quality of service and safety issues.
Councillor Alice Booth suggested that a letter be sent outlining what makes WADEMSA’s service so successful.
“We have retained our local ambulance and dispatch. We are in control of our own destiny,” said Booth.