January 18 Lamont Leader

news this week: Chipman Hotel soon to re-open - 2 Mundare engineer wins Platinum Medal - 7 Andrew School roof still leaking - 10 OPINION: Coming for your gas stoves - 4

Marvelous Malanka at St. Michael

BY JANA SEMENIUK

The Malanka Ukrainian New Year’s celebration held in St. Michael on Jan. 14 was a smashing success.

More than 340 people filled every seat to enjoy the traditional Ukrainian dinner, Ukrainian dancing by Veselka Ukrainian dancers, and live music provided by the Joe Hrycyk Starlite Band.

Organizer Mae Adamyk said the evening was incredible.

“Everybody came and said it was absolutely wonderful. (They) said that we should add on to the hall so more people could come,” she said. Adamyk added that the event, which began selling tickets in mid-November, sold out before Christmas.

She said that 32 of those tickets came from one family who use the annual celebration as a way to have their family reunion, and she noted them during her speech before dinner.

“Tonight, 32 of the Gordon and Della Sokolik family are with us tonight. I just want to acknowledge them for choosing St. Michael Malanka for their annual family reunion,” she said.

Meanwhile, once dinner was complete, the Joe Hrycyk’s Starlite Band took the stage and filled the air with a wide range of music. Accordion inspired polkas to contemporary country hits, the dance floor was packed with partygoers of all ages, until it was time to be cleared for the Veselka Ukrainian Dancers.

Three groups of dancers, from early elementary to high school students, came out in their colourful costumes, one after another, charming the crowd with their skipping, clapping and joy at performing.

It was the dance troops’ first performance of the year.

The Malanka Cast were next. A selection of characters, dressed up and played by attendees, offered an animated look at the past year and welcomed the new year ahead with characters such as: the devil, reminding us of our mischievousness; the bride and groom, signifying that love is everywhere; and even a New Year’s baby pushed in their wheel-barrow carriage by their nurse, to bring us good luck in the year ahead.

“It’s not (the Malanka Cast) Christian in nature, it’s pagan,” said Adamyk. “But it’s something fun we enjoy.”

A 50/50 raffle was drawn where $830 was won by Kelly Mitchell and Judy, followed by the dropping of dozens of balloons from the ceiling, to the delight of several children waiting below, in addition to a midnight lunch.

Adamyk said it was the first Malanka St. Michael has had in more than two years due to the pandemic.

Vol. 18, No. 8, Wednesday, January 18, 2023 www.LamontLeader.com

The children were excited for the dropping of balloons at the St. Michael Malanka on Saturday. More photos please see page 8. Jana Semeniuk Photo

Chipman hotel closed for past six weeks awaiting repairs

BY JANA SEMENIUK

As temperatures began dipping below -30 in early Dec., Dave Magee, owner of the Chipman Hotel, was feeling it more than most when his 85-year-old boiler stopped working.

Magee lives in his hotel and immediately contacted his insurance broker.

“It was the first Sunday in Dec. They said someone would be out the following Wed., and I was worried my pipes would freeze,” said Magee. “I plugged in a dozen space heaters but that obviously wasn’t enough to stop our Alberta weather from coming in. (The insurance company) had a couple of guys show up to disconnect my water supply. So, I was without water and heat.”

Magee said it was hard to keep warm with his space heaters until he got a hand from friend, Don McBride.

“He gave me a call to see if there's anything that he could do, and I kind of ran everything by him and the next day Don showed up at my back door with one of those jobsite heaters,” he said, adding that he had been trying to get one only to be told there were none available.

“Everyone told me forget it. So, Don showed up, (and) bless his heart I’ll always be grateful.”

Meanwhile, Magee has had to shut down his hotel. He said that McBride helped him get his water back temporarily but had to shut that back down when he realized that the glass sanitizer inside his dishwasher was frozen and his ice machine was not operational.

“I was worried there would be further damage,” he said. “I'll just

down GoFundMe help

wait until the insurance company gives me the go ahead on getting a plumber in here to refit everything.”

One ray of good news that Magee discovered is he is fully insured.

“I did find out in fact that the boiler was cov-

ered because I bought insurance specifically for the boiler,” he said. “I don't know why (they) would insure an 85-yearold piece of equipment, but they did. I guess they think these things last indefinitely, but it was seven or eight years older than the hotel when it was constructed. So they must have brought this thing in from somewhere else and dropped it in the ground and then built a hotel around it.”

Meanwhile, community members rallied together and started a gofundme page to raise money for Magee to repair his hotel and reopen. Magee said thank you but turned down the offer.

“I had contacted the people who were running the GoFundMe page, and I said, I appre-

ciate the effort, but I'm going to decline on accepting any money because I'm insured,” he said.

“So they've removed the GoFundMe page but of course I'm very grateful to Trudy, the councillor here in Chipman. She stepped up and she reached out to me and she was very helpful and supportive.”

In terms of how people can help, Magee could think of only one thing.

“The only thing that these people can help me out with is when I reopen, to come and support the business,” he said. “I've been out here for nearly eight years. I was lucky in my circumstances (that) I ended up in Chipman and bought this hotel.”

Currently, Magee said he hopes to reopen in approximately one month but is still waiting on a repair or replacement for his boiler.

Classic landmark owner turned

when he learned his nearly century-old boiler was insured

The 85 year old boiler that has been heating the Chipman Hotel for the past 80 years, finally broke down Dec. 4 and the hotel has been closed ever since waiting on repairs or replacement. Owner Dave Magee is hoping to be back in business sometime in Feb. Photo: Jana Semeniuk

Lamont snow removal policies clarified for council

BY JOHN MATHER

The procedure in place for snow removal in Lamont were explained in detail to Lamont town council Jan. 10.

“I just wanted to update council to review our current policies and show the considerations when the policy is put into action,“ said Lamont Director of Operations and Infrastructure, Tyler Edworthy.

“Snow clearing commences with a snow pack of four inches in height while snow removal begins with a snow pack of eight inches in height.”

He said there would be no snow removal after March 31 of each season.

Snow would not be placed on sidewalks unless it was an emergency or if there are sidewalks on both sides of the roadway, he added. Signs would be placed 24-hours ahead of snow clearing activities.

He said the policy listed priorities, weather trends and the challenges faced by the Town employees as they put snow clearing into effect.

He showed council a priority road map which is also available on the Town’s website.

He said resident and staff safety, access to emergency services, protecting property access and residential access were priorities when selecting the priority routes.

Those routes play the key role in determining snow removal. He said current and future weather conditions also play a role in how quickly the roads are cleared.

He added parking considerations also play a role in how efficiently the Town can clear snow.

Edworthy said changing weather also plays a role because we can now see snow, rain or freezing rain during the winter months. That means public works have to be on top of changing the equipment used to clear the streets by changing blades on equipment and when to use sanders against plowing the snow.

He said these changing weather patterns can also lead to equipment failure, so his staff has to

keep on top of this as well as being out maintaining roads.

Besides extreme weather conditions needing to be overcome, he said creating windrows and moving the snow at a later date improves the Town’s efficiency at clearing the roads. The windrows can then be piled and hauled away at a later date.

“The windrows do narrow the roadways, so residents have to be aware of this and it could hinder on-street parking in some areas.”

He says the Town does inform residents of the new snow removal practices which includes making windrows.

“We’ll show a map showing where windrows will be placed so residents are aware ahead of time.”

He said the community is kept informed on snow clearing progress with regular updates. The Town, he said, tries to maintain a minimum snow pack on the road because that provides a base level of snow for clearing without damaging the pavement and also acts as insulation for below ground infrastructure.

As the season progresses, he said the windrows, which haven’t been removed, are taken away to help speed up drainage and workers go out to open any catch basins which may be plugged with snow and ice. After opening the session to questions, Councillor Al Harvey asked while the Town does a good job of snow removal and clearing in alleys, but what about clearing the sidewalks that cross the alleys?

“Residents aren’t responsible for that and it can build up creating difficult walking conditions for residents.”

He also questioned when windrows were put on both sides of the roads, and the windrows were placed between the roads and sidewalk, were gaps put in the windrow to make it easier for people getting to their vehicles.

Edworthy said he had discussed pathways to each house with his staff.

“We do try to make sure each resident does maintain access to their houses.”

In the issue with sidewalks adjacent to alleyways he said the sidewalk is treated as a road, so it would be cleared at the same time to try and prevent any snow or ice build up.

He said they are generally cleared to the pavement when snow is being removed from town.

Councillor Dave Taylor offered kudos to the department saying the snow clearing was the best he had seen in a few years.

Councillor Perry Koroluk wondered who had the responsibility for the gap between the railway at 50 Ave. and Highway 15 because he had heard from some residents about it being built up and not regularly plowed.

Edworthy said that small section was actually the responsibility of the road crew working for the province in charge of maintaining Highway 15, but his crews had gone in and plowed it recently because of the snow build up.

“That’s something we

will do to maintain the intersection, but the province’s crews are responsible for a certain distance from the highway and it includes that area. I will be talking to them further about this.’

Councillor Colleen Holowaychuk asked if snow could be windrowed down the centre of the road and Edworthy said it created parking issues.

“By windrowing on one side of the road, we do leave one side open for parking, but if it is windrowed down the centre of the roadway it can cut down the ability to park on either side of the road.”

He added when the snow is going to be hauled away it would be moved to a centre windrow to make the hauling process easier.

When asked if there were any issues with private contractors clearing snow for residents from their driveways and where they piled it, Edworthy said they had to be aware that it couldn’t be piled in any manner which might cause drainage issues further down the block.

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Alberta),

They’re going to be coming for your gas appliances

BY JOHN MATHER

Any time New York Democratic Member of the U.S. House of Representatives Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez opens her mouth, you know whatever comes out will be interesting. Realistic or making sense, not so much… but interesting.

This week she jumped on the initial vague proposals that gas powered stoves are bad for you which prompted several U.S. jurisdictions immediately to consider putting a ban on them.

And Ocasio-Cortez, tweeted, “Did you know that ongoing exposure to NO2 from gas stoves is linked to reduced cognitive performance?”

Well maybe she knows because judging by her performance on almost any issue, she does suffer from reduced cognitive performance.

But be wary.

Just as our leaders across North America are trying to get rid of fossil fuels by capping development of the oil and gas industry and eliminating gas powered vehicles, this could be another wedge in this issue.

The Biden government began musing about making gas stoves outlawed after the Consumer Products Safety Commission said they can cause respiratory problems.

While many chefs enjoy the benefits of cooking with gas – the instant heat, the ease of temperature control and burners that are great for searing or simmering – according to Consumer Reports, what you can’t see might actually harm you.

Researchers at Consumer Reports conducted tests on gas ranges and found levels of nitrogen oxides at more than double the standard for outdoor air.

“Nitrogen oxides are pollutants more typically associated with outdoor sources like power plants and cars and trucks, but new studies suggest that gas ranges can actually produce these emissions inside your home,” said Paul Hope with Consumer Reports.

The President of the Canadian Gas Association, Timothy Egan, said in a statement, “The safety of our consumers, infrastructure and workers is the number one priority for the natural gas delivery industry. All gas heating equipment and appliances, including stoves, adhere to strict installation rules and regulations developed by the Canadian Standards Association.”

“According to Health Canada, all cooking, regardless of the energy source (natural gas, propane or electric), creates airborne emission.

LETTERTOTHEEDITOR:Nurse Practitioners make sense

Dear Editor:

I listened with great interest to your comments on 630 CHED during your call in show Saturday January 7th regarding the issues around a shortage of family doctors in our province.  You indicated one of your next big goals is making sure everyone has a family doctor, it’s something you keep hearing over and over and over again and it’s a one of your big priorities to address that.   Well, Premier Smith, the solution is right before our very eyes – Nurse Practitioners.

During my run for the UCP Camrose nomination last summer, I heard over and over and over again concerns from Camrose con-

CONTINUED

Health Canada recommends proper ventilation as the most effective measure to mitigate cooking emissions. The use of a hood vent can help reduce airborne emissions by 80 per cent.”

But then we should all know gas stoves cause fumes. So do electric stoves.

If you burn your toast in a toaster it causes fumes, which probably aren’t good for your health.

But if the green gurus are going after the fossil fuel industry why stop at gas powered vehicles.

Let’s get those gas stoves.

Don’t worry about the fact most commercial restaurants use gas stoves, don’t worry food preparers use natural gas stoves. That just doesn’t matter when the greenies set their

stituents about our healthcare system.  I led the way in pushing to enhance the role of Nurse Practitioners in Alberta, releasing it as a key part of my platform on July 17th:  “While many residents aren’t able to find a family doctor around Alberta, Nurse Practitioners may be one avenue to supplement the care Albertans receive”.

I believe the Alberta Government needs to fund independent practices for NPs to allow the profession greater autonomy.  I was glad to see that shortly after my announcement, MLA Jackie Lovely followed my lead by sending a letter to the Minister of Health seeking to increase the role of Nurse

eyes on something they should ban. They’re like a wild dog after a bone!

Burning wood causes fumes which aren’t good for you. Remember those air quality warnings in the summer when there were forest fires out west. Anything that burns causes fumes and they aren’t good for you. But let’s be realistic. The minute quantity from burning food, won’t do major damage if the area is ventilated.

So all this nonsense, a simple statement of fact that most people with any common sense would have known for years, had the Biden White House musing about a gas stove ban.

They later walked it back.

AOC was roasted by her colleagues for pushing such a stupid agenda.

But New York governor Kathy Hucal, didn’t read

Practitioners.

In my role as Reeve of Beaver County, I was also proud to support a resolution at our RMA Conference in November, to establish a salary-based funding model that will fairly and equitably compensate Nurse Practitioners for work in local care facilities and independent clinics.  That resolution received overwhelming support.

Premier Smith, as you look to resolve the issue around a shortage of family doctors in our province, enhancing the role of Nurse Practitioners is worth serious consideration. Thank you, Kevin Smook Beaver County Reeve

that memo, and may be seeking to pass a state ban on gas stoves, according to the New York Post.

And in California, the California Air Resources Board unanimously voted in September to ban the sale of natural gas-fired furnaces and water heaters by 2030.

As one of my old college professors used to say, “California… the land where all the fruits and nuts come from.”

So watch out… if California leads the pack to eliminate gas stoves, you can bet the Trudeau greenies led by Steve Gilbault and Gerald Butts and of course supported by Rachel Notley’s boss Jagmeet Singh will be all over this.

Banning gas appliances will be coming to the leftist agenda in Canada very soon.

That you can take to the bank!

Kerry

Jana Semeniuk Reporter

BY HAZEL ANAKA

During our New Year’s trip to visit our son and his family in Colorado, we concentrated on group activities for much of the time. But every single one of us, from eight-year-old Kade on up to us the grandparents also slipped away for alone time each day. That’s human nature, I think. To gravitate to the solitude of our minds; to disengage from all the action; to recharge.

By far, the most exciting group activity we did was attend a professional basketball game in Denver. I have never nor would I ever watch a game on TV but to go in person, I was all in. The Colorado Avalanche were also playing at home while we were there but somehow going to a hockey game without the Oilers playing in it seemed strange. So, basketball it was.

This is what I know about basketball. I really didn’t like playing it in Phys Ed a hundred years ago. Celebrities are often seen court-side on TV; some are probably part owners. This is a big money thing in the States and college ball is the gateway to the jackpot. I can namedrop some of the greats: Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Wilt Chamberlain, Shaquille O’Neal,

LeBron James. But I don’t know which team they played for; if they’re retired; what their stats, salary, or greatest skill was. Canada has only one pro team, the Toronto Raptors, founded in 1995. Across the nation hearts broke when they were eliminated from the playoffs.

But, back to Denver. The game was played in the Ball Arena, named for a wealthy entrepreneur. Through Hilary’s online skill, we were able to get eight seats all in a row, a day or two before the game. The consensus was that since this would probably be the only pro basketball game some of us ever attend, maybe we should pay a bit more and get better seats. To check this item off a bucket list cost $265 per ticket, all in with handling fees and exchange rates. Ouch. We needed two vehicles to get all of us there. No idea what parking cost. I never ventured to the concession stand or gift shop but others did.

The venue very much has a party vibe despite the babies, toddlers, and young kids in the stands. Maybe there were more babies present than normal because there was a baby race at centre court at halftime. Though that would only account for about eight of them crawling their little hearts away. Because the music is so loud, many babies were wearing hearing protection. I could have used a pair myself. The crowd seemed younger than the average hockey game

fans but I may be all wrong about that.

The Denver Nuggets were playing against the Boston Celtics…not too shabby. The Celtics, second in the Eastern Conference last year lost the 2022 NBA Championship to the Golden State Warriors, whoever they are. The Nuggets were sixth overall in the Western Conference. When the game finally began, the crowd was on its feet. This was not a great start. Eventually we figured out the “no one sits until we score” policy. Thank goodness that didn’t take long.

By far, the Nuggets’ star player is Nikola Jokic, a 27-year-old Serbian player, standing 6’11” and weighing in at 284 pounds. He’s a fourtime NBA All Star and won the NBA’s MVP award the past two seasons. He went from a kid swilling three litres of Coke a day to the big leagues. He had his last Coke on the flight to Denver. In 2018, he signed a 5-year contract with Denver for $148 million. He continues to amaze and amuse all of the NBA. Apparently, his nickname the Joker is well deserved. About his brothers, former basketball players who follow him around the league, he said, “They look like serial killers but they’re actually nice people when you get to know them.”

Even us bumpkins could spot talent when we saw it so it didn’t take long for us to jump on Jokic’s bandwagon. He’s

a force out there and rarely misses a shot. His passing game is unbelievable often passing without looking. It’s funny, even at a once only game in a city and country we don’t live in, it didn’t take long to pick a side and put our eggs in that basket. Is there no Swiss impartiality in sports? I guess not. It soon became clear that on the Boston team, Jayson Tatum was their number one guy.

The Nuggets went on to win the game but only after a very long delay while a couple guys on

stepladders putzed around with one of the hoops. Eventually, it was replaced. What was a bit comical at first…a man, a ladder, a spirit level on the basket’s lopsided rim got old quickly when the delay lasted forty minutes and involved several people. I suppose, the damage is not surprising. When grown men of this size and weight repeatedly dangle from the basket, steel can only take so much! But the process for fixing the problem definitely needs work.

This delay added to

what I thought was already a chaotic situation on the floor. Players milling about, getting back into track suits, some stretching, some sitting on the floor. In hockey, the bodies are confined to the bench when not in action. Contained, orderly not untamed motion like this. Our seats, behind the basket were awesome; that is where the action is, after all.

In this game, like much of my life, I remember overall impressions not minute details. While it was a fun, bonding activity, I’m calling this one and done, from where I sit.

The Lamont Leader (Lamont, Alberta), Wednesday, January

Two bylaws amended during Town of Lamont meeting

BY JOHN MATHER

At their regular town council meeting Jan. 10, the town received correspondence from the Metrix Group outlining  preparations for the town’s annual audit.

“There are some new requirements that municipalities need to prepare as part of the year-end 2023 filing,” said Chief Administrative Officer Rick Bastow. “We’re working with them to ensure our municipality is compliant.”

“Administration is working with them to finalize our year-end statements also.”

When asked, Bastow said the Town had a three-year contract with the firm.

Lamont received a request from the Town of Mundare to use some funds in a community partnership grant to complete a feasibility study on the town’s lagoon.

“Mundare is requesting that we support redesignating some of the funds in intermunicipal water and wastewater study be used for them to complete the study on their lagoon,” explained CAO Bastow. He went on to say

Lamont had done its feasibility using monies from the grant and there was still about $72,000 left in the fund.

The Mundare request was for $40,000 to be used from the fund, so Bastow suggested council approve the request.

Council voted in favour of allowing Mundare to access the funds.

Council passed a new community standards bylaw which essentially made a few changes to the existing bylaw.

Most of the changes were minor.

“The updates are intended to make the bylaw more efficient,” said Bastow. “And also to bring it up to comparable standards with neighbouring communities.”

Council was satisfied with the changes with no questions, although Councillor Perry Koroluk did wonder why the timeline for residents to remove snow from sidewalks was extended from 24-hours to 72-hours.

“We recognize municipalities generally choose snow removal to be within a 24-hour to 72hour cycle,” said Bastow. “We recognized that some residents had concerns with the 24-hour timeline, because of their work schedules or age. So we were able to extend that timeline.”

The lead from Tim’s 11 Cows throws his first rock of the third end in the team’s match with Crop Management during the Lamont Curling Club’s Farmers Bonspiel Jan. 14. When the dust settled on the two-day event, the bonspiel was won by the Starko Farms entry with Kolotylo Farms winning a spinoff to capture second place over third place finishers Maschmeyer Farms.

Lamont Council

“We maintain a forward approach with the contractors. We’ll advise them of any risks they may run into such as damage to public property and where they might be endangering

notably are additions to the complaint section of this which provides additional descriptions and remedies around dealing with complaints. The appeals section gives ways residents can express concerns they may have,” said Bastow.

Lamont uses bylaw enforcement services from the Town of Vegreville.

Council unanimously passed the bylaw.

When council received a request to attend a conference at the University of Lethbridge on Canadian Rural Revitalization in June of this year, it led to discussion regarding how council handles such invitations.

“We receive many invitations to conferences such as these,” stated Bastow. “Administration would like clarification if council would like us to include this conference this year in our funding.”

The conference cost was $175 per person and Councillor Linda Sieker asked if that included hotel and meal costs or were those additional. Bastow said the $175 price was firm but administration was waiting to receive more information from the conference organizers regarding other additional costs.

“Other things come up on an ad hoc basis, but they are generally dealt with individually by each councillor. We do get a handful of requests for smaller conferences.

“Mayor Kirk Perrin suggested if council wanted to include a larg-

er amount pooled for all councillors it should be discussed in the upcoming budget talks.

Bastow told council there was no money set aside for conferences at this stage of the year and council would have to bring it back for further

discussion around the budget deliberations.

Harvey moved the administration to do further research on the conference and it be brought back during budget discussions and that was passed.

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Council passed the amended bylaw in three readings.

Lamont council also passed an update to the bylaw enforcement officer bylaw. “Most

any neighbouring properties by where they may dump the snow.

“In general, the contractors are allowed but they have to be mindful of not obscuring town signs, or creating any other obstructions.”

Councillor Linda Sieker asked why subdivisions such as Edna had the alleyways cleared prior

Councillor Al Harvey asked if council had ever discussed having a certain amount of funds available per councillor for educational conferences.

“There are so many different opportunities out there, I wonder if we’ve ever discussed this.”

Councillor Dave Taylor said to the best of his knowledge the only conference council budgeted for was Alberta Municipalities.

to the street. Edworthy stated that by doing the alleyways it actually made the ability to clear the subdivisions streets easier because the town then was able to use the cleared alleyways for access to the streets.

Council then accepted the snow report as information.

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Mundare resident recipient of Queen’s Jubilee Medal

BY JANA SEMENIUK

Long time Mundare resident John Chomiak, 83, was one of 24 people chosen by Canada West Foundation to receive a Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal in a ceremony Jan. 10 at the Petroleum Club in Calgary.

Chomiak’s lengthy career in engineering, in addition to his community mindedness, was highlighted in the introduction by Canada West CEO Honourable Gary Mar at the ceremony.

“John W. Chomiak has had a hand in nearly every high-profile Alberta engi-

neering project since the 1960s, and his expertise is sought nationally and internationally,” said Mar. “He is still an active and dedicated community member and extraordinary fundraiser for impactful initiatives in Edmonton and Alberta.”

Chomiak’s daughters Darlene, Christine and Karen said they were all very proud of their dad.

“Dad mentioned that he was delighted seeing our mom's smiling face during the presentation. It meant the world to him as our parents always supported each

other wholeheartedly,” Darlene said by email.

“We are all so very proud of our father for all his hard work and achievements. In our opinion, he is very deserving of a Queen Elizabeth II's Platinum Jubilee Medal.”

Darlene said that over the years, her dad has participated in several campaigns including helping to raise over $400,000 for the Cross Cancer Institute, working to integrate country music into the MacEwan University’s Faculty of Music, heading up the

fundraising team during the leadership election for the past Premier Ed Stelmach in addition to serving as director for the Glenrose Hospital, ending his 12 years with the hospital as Chair.

Chomiak gradually retired as Chief Executive Officer from Hemisphere Engineering in 2020. Today, he and his wife Cathy raise cattle on their family farm near Mundare that was settled by Chomiak’s family, who came from Ukraine, in 1901.

Chamber officially ratifies name change

BY JOHN MATHER

The Fort Saskatchewan and Lamont Regional Chamber of Commerce officially made its proper name change at its Jan. 12 meeting in Fort Saskatchewan.

The Chamber held a special meeting following its regular meeting to formally make the name changes and outline the boundaries of the organization.

“The purpose of the special meeting is to adopt a new name and adapt our new boundaries,” said Chamber president DeAnna Voshell.

She explained that while a meeting had been held previously where the name and boundary changes were adapted, it wasn’t done in accordance with the regulations as required

by the Canadian Corporations Act.

When the resolution to vote on the name change was moved there were discussions about the new name.

Fort Saskatchewan Mayor Gale Katchur asked why one community was being added to the name, along with Fort Saskatchewan, when there were a number of specific communities included in the chamber’s area.

“Although I voted for this the last time, I walked away from it not feeling right,” she said.

“Why is it not just Fort Saskatchewan and District. We do have other communities in the chamber.”

“I think there were some concerns from other members about this change. It’s nothing against Lamont County,

but there are other communities and they are just included as a district.”

A member of the previous year’s executive said they had done a lot of research and came up with the recommended name based on their research.

Former Lamont chamber member and now director for the new chamber, Jason Kowal, said the new name came about because of the expanded boundaries for the Chamber.

“It added such a larger geographical area for the Chamber,” he said.

“Through the amalgamation, it brought in Andrew, Bruderheim, Chipman, Lamont and Mundare. I think the name change was an opportunity to better reflect the area the chamber serves with its advo-

cacy work.”

Former president John Jacobs said when the two Chambers came together, it was decided to add Lamont to the official name because it was the biggest part of the expanded chamber in the area.

“In the end it was decided because Lamont was the biggest part of the new expansion, it should be included in the name.”

Jacobs said other names such as Heartland Regional Chamber had been looked at but rejected by the former board because some of the other communities in the existing Fort Saskatchewan Chamber’s service area such as Gibbons and portions of Sturgeon County were already linked by the Fort

SEASONAL

Saskatchewan name. Chamber member John Mather said it was the blending of two separate Chambers that the new chamber was named.

“This amalgamation brought together both Fort Saskatchewan, with its existing communities, and Lamont with its existing area,” he said, noting he hadn’t been part of the decision making process.

“I would expect the new name was done to reflect that the two chambers had merged so the new name was created for historical purposes.”

When the vote was taken, the new name was adopted by the majority with only four voting to reject the new name.

The boundaries were

voted on and passed unanimously. They take in the former boundary of the Fort Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce and the former Lamont Chamber of Commerce which took in a large area pretty much mirroring a map of Lamont County.

Prior to the special meeting, members of the Fort Saskatchewan economic development team had provided an update on how their department worked and how various bylaws affected the issuance of development permits in the community. They further touched on the various branding and marketing campaigns the city is planning to further attract new businesses into the area.

Job

Applicants

Emcon

policy.

Please email resume to: wmears@emconservices.ca

The Lamont Leader (Lamont, Alberta), Wednesday, January 18, 2023 - 7

John Chomiak, 83, stands proudly wearing both his Honouring Outstanding Albertan medal he received in 2005, and his Queen's Platinum Jubilee Medal he received on Jan. 10. Photo: Darlene (Chomiak) Gillis

“John W. Chomiak has had a hand in nearly every highprofile Alberta engineering project since the 1960s,” - Mar

Estate of: ROBERT KEITH MONTGOMERY who died November 21, 2022.

If you have a claim against this Estate, you must file your claim by February 21, 2023

With: RUTH SCHWAB OF: SCHWAB & SCHWAB LAWYERS AND NOTARIES 6808 - 109 Street N.W. Edmonton, Alberta T6H 5Z8 and provide details of your claim.

If you do not file by the date above, the Estate property can lawfully be distributed without regard to any claim you may have.

Story on Front Page - photos Jana Semeniuk

Above: Some of the smallest Veselka Ukrainian Dancers at Malanka. Below: The bride and groom from the Malanka Cast skit who remind us that love is everywhere.

The kitchen volunteers gather to sing Auld Lang Syne before the dropping of the balloons.

Fort Saskatchewan-Vegreville MLA

Jackie Armstrong Homeniuk

Malanka organizer Mae Adamyk

Andrew School roof still leaking

BY JANA SEMENIUK

Severe water leaking into Andrew School prompted a visit from Elk Island School facilities workers last week.

At least seven containers, including four large garbage cans, were being used by staff in both the village office side and the school side to capture water coming in from the ceiling.

Andrew Mayor Merwin Haight said the leaking had been going on at least since Christmas and is a regular occurrence.

“Elk Island has been informed of it, and it's with their maintenance facility department. To my knowledge, the superintendent is aware of it,” he said. “It’s been

an ongoing issue for the last couple of weeks, for sure.”

The Andrew Village Office and Andrew School are both housed in the same building.

EIPS Communications

Director Laura McNabb said EIPS was not aware of the current leakage.

Meanwhile, issues with the roof have plagued the building for the past several years with the matter coming to a head this summer after photos of a visibly damaged metal roof and garbage bags being stuffed into the ceiling to prevent leakage were published by the media.

Superintendent Mark Liguori held a town hall meeting in the school gymnasium Sept. 20 to inform parents and community members of the state of the building’s roof in addition to plans moving forward, stating that estimates would take approximately 60 days to come in.

It was thought at that time that repairs could exceed $1 million, when in fact two estimates came in at between $3.2 and $3.3 million as communicated in a letter to village council as well as parents from EIPS last week. The estimate is without contingency or possible asbestos abatement.

“Both the EIPS Board of Trustees and the Village of Andrew council will now separately review the specifics of the inspection and assessment and determine next steps based on the information received from the contractors. There has been no date set as to a decision by either party,” stated the letter.

In the meantime, McNabb said the current leakage is being caused by ice damming on the roof and contractors have been on-site to mitigate the issue.

While Lamont County

trustee Colleen Holowaychuk initially refused to comment on Andrew School’s ongoing roof leakage problem, she eventually offered one.

“As was shared with school families in the fall there are issues with the roof of the building and EIPS is in contact and working with the Village as it is a shared building,” she said by messenger. She would not comment specifically on the current two-week leakage.

A water-wrinkled sign is posted on one of four large garbage cans that were used to capture water leaking from the roof of Andrew School last week.

McNabb said a board policy prevents Trustees from sharing their opinions and views with the media.

Minor Hockey: Wild settle for 5-5 tie in Vermilion

These are some of the results from Minor Hockey League games held recently.

(Please note that scores and scoring is taken from the websites, and some game scores and scoring is dependent on proper league

entries).

With Minor Hockey Week Jan 13-23 this season, several teams began tournaments over the weekend and so there may be a pause in the regular season schedule and tournament games

are often not posted.

Elk Island U11 Wild had a game scheduled in Tofield on Saturday but no score was posted.

Elk Island U15 Wild (7-3-2) tied the home team 5-5 on Saturday at Vermilion, losing a 5-1

third period lead.

Kayden Winslow scored two of the Wild goals, while Andrew Svitich, William Furey and Kyran Belcourt scored the others. Assists went to; Thomas Purdy, Cameron Olechow,

Matthew Iverson and Xavier Storr. Liam Ellis stopped 37 between the pipes.

Ryan Carstairs picked up a goal and an assist in his Fort Sask. U15 AA Rangers 10-6 loss on Friday against Sting. On

Saturday Ryan picked up an assist in a 5-4 loss to the Leafs.

Emerson Hauch got an assist in his Fort Sask. U16 Rangers 3-2 loss to the Panthers on Sunday.

Trustee won’t comment on current problem as EIPS board policy prevents her from answering questions from the media

EIPS Trustee Colleen Holowaychuk, Board policy won’t allow her talking to the media.

Photo: Jana Semeniuk

KERRY ANDERSON

AUCTIONS

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TIMED ONLINE RETIREMENT AUCTION: IDEAL TILE. Closes February 8. 10821 - 214 Street, Edmonton. Ph: 780-447-4777.

Equipment, HUGE Amount of Slab Inventory. Prodaniuk Auctions - View on Global Auction.

03p

COMING EVENTS

Viking Senior Citizens Club Annual Meeting

Wednesday, January 18 1:30 pm. Viking Seniors Centre

You're Invited to Listen to the Gospel Story told simply and without obligation

Starting Thursday, January 12, 19, 26, and February 2. 7:30 p.m. at the Viking Legion Hall call 403-815-9045 for more info

ALBERTA FEED GRAIN: Buying Oats, Barley, Wheat, Canola, Peas, Screenings, Mixed Grains. Dry, Wet, Heated, or Spring Thresh. Prompt Payment. In House Trucks, In House Excreta Cleaning. Vac Rental. 1-888483-8789.

WE BUY DAMAGED GRAIN - Heated, Mixed, Tough, Light, Bugs, Spring Thrashed....Barley, Wheat, Oats, Peas, Flax, Canola. "On Farm Pickup". Westcan Feed & Grain 1-877-250-5252.

FOR RENT

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FOR SALE

FOR SALE: BANNED FROM SNOW REMOVAL, TOWN OF LAMONT. 2007 BOBCAT S160 (1600 LOAD CAPACITY) Kubota - Diesel, heated, air conditioner, radio, 2965.2 hours, serviced every 500 hours at Cervus Edmonton. 1. Lowest offer 27,000 with bucket attachment (new lead blade) 2. Additional attachments (separate) A) Rock Grapple - wet manure, fallen tree, culvert (pipe) B) Sweeper with bucket C) Combination frame a) bale fork 2 or 3 prong b) pallet fork 2 prong c) drop ball hitch More info, (780)895-7433, leave message.

HEALTH

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HELP WANTED

HELP WANTED

Beaver Foundation is currently accepting resumes for Office Assistant at the Vialta Lodge located in Viking, Alberta.

Duties would include: •General clerical •Data entry and reception duties

•Processing invoices •Other duties as prescribed by the Manager

Qualifications:

•Excellent computer skills and knowledge of Microsoft Office •Training in business administration would be an asset •Complete list of duties and qualifications available on request.

Beaver Foundation thanks all applicants for their interest, however advises that only those selected for an interview will be contacted.

Please forward resume by January 31 to: Wanda Lefsrud c/o Vialta Lodge BOX 780 Viking, AB T0B 4N0

Phone: 780- 336-3353 Email: vialta09@telus.net Fax: 780-336-3591

GIVE AWAY

SERVICES

Drywall Taping/Texturing 35+ Years. No Job too small Experienced drywall taper/texturer here to help you with any job big or small. Don't want to do it yourself, give me a call! Based in Killam but willing to travel.

Hand taper by trade but have experience with boxes, roller/flusher, taping tube. No bazooka exp. Have own tools (10-12" boxes, pump, angle box, roller, flusher, hand tools, etc.) Also do ceiling texture.

Non- drinker, just want to work. Willing to work with existing taping crew. Call 780-385- 2106 or 780-3851251.

Shane’s Stucco & Drywall Service Shane Hollar Stucco (Traditional & Acrylic), Drywall, Stone, Textured Ceilings, Tile and Spray Painting 780-336-4832 shanes.stucco@gmail.com

Painting

Quality Residential and Commercial Painting Betty Tkaczyk 780-632-8749 or 780-688-3564

COMING EVENTS

The Flagstaff Scottish Club proudly presents the 15th Annual Robbie Burns Dinner and Dance Saturday, January 21 Tickets available at www.flagstaffscottishclub.co m/robbieburns info@flagstaffscottishclub.com 03p

FOR SALE

Lamont: For Sale 1700 sq. ft. bungalow, 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, double attached garage, large greenbelt - facing lot. $355,000.00. Call Rick @ 780-908-2243

For sale by owner, 2000 sq. ft. home, 3 full bathrooms, 4 bedrooms on 80 acres, fenced & cross-fenced. Double attached garage. Phone; 780-363-3939

APIARIES OF ALBERTA are looking for Five Apiary Technicians $17-$20/hr depending on experience for full time (40+hrs/wk) employment March thru October 2023. Must have a min of 3 years (seasons) working fulltime on Canadian style commercial apiary in the minimum capacity of Apiary Assistant. Also required, two positions for Apiary Worker (NOC8431) $15-$17/hr, experience required. Work includes assisting Apiary Technician with all duties in the bees and honey harvesting. Gerard 780-6624449 RR4 Tofield, AB. gsieben@mcsnet.ca

ROCKY MOUNTAIN EQUIPMENT HIRING: AG Equipment Techs, Heavy Equipment TechsJourneyman, Apprentices, and CVIP/Truck Techs. View Roles www.rockymtn.com/car eers. Relocation and Signing Bonus Offered.

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Roy's Handyman Services. Flooring, Trim work, basement finishing, decks, fences, kitchen cabinet installs and carpentry work. Call 780232-3097

Carpet and Upholstery cleaning - residential and commercial. Truck mount unit, sewer backup, and flood cleaning. Auto and RV Cleaning. Call John and Sheri at Fancy Shine Auto and Carpet Care at 780-384-3087

WANTED

SASQUATCH

The Lamont Leader (Lamont, Alberta), Wednesday, January 18,

Sad but happy farewell for Bruderheim CAO

BY JANA SEMENIUK

Both the Town of Bruderheim and its Chief Administrative Officer Patty Podoborozny have been busy with transition preparations this month for Podobozny’s impending departure after serving the town as its CAO, from Strathcona County, for the past eight years.

Podoborozny accepted a CAO position with the County of Minburn

effective Feb. 6 and her resignation was announced Jan. 4, meaning she will also be leaving Strathcona County where she was an employee for nearly 30 years.

Podoborzny said she has seen quite a change in Bruderheim from when she first began in 2014, namely in its infrastructure.

“I think the biggest change I've seen is

Council's commitment to infrastructure upgrades. I think about the buildings, (and my first week) Bob cote was the Director of Public Works at that time and he took me for a tour of all the facilities and I (thought), goodness, gracious, they need some upgrades,” she said with a laugh.

“In the old days, we used to make things ourselves but now with legislation you can't unless

somebody's a certified electrician or welder to be sure that we're being safe and protecting our liability as a town. So council was amazing at supporting me in that and making sure that we brought everything up, to keep residents and staff safe.”

Podoborozny said she wasted no time looking for grant funding to help with upgrades.

“We started a plan, one building at a time to get them upgraded. They'd been neglected for a number of years and (I was) looking for grants and we were successful in doing that. I (also) think the open parks space has been a big improvement,” she said.

Podobozny added that she is proud of many of the town’s achievements over the years including building a skate park and community gardens through grant funding and donations, seeing over $2 million in renovations to the Karol Maschmeyer Arena in addition to attracting Canadian Rockies Hemp Corporation to town.

“I’m just so excited about us having an AG industry development, it just so fit with our histo-

ry. The farming community built Bruderheim and continued to support it. So it's nice that we're bringing AG industry into the community,” she said, including that she is also proud of the Studio 6 sea can hotel and the town’s community clinic.

Meanwhile, Podoborozny said the decision to leave was hard, but necessary to be closer to her family who live in Vegreville.

“(It was) the first time ever that I went for a job

interview (for Minburn County), where I wasn’t looking for a change because I love working for Bruderheim and the residents and really felt like I was part of that community. It was really tough, (but) it was an opportunity to work at home and be closer to my family and hopefully give back a little bit to the County of Minburn as well,” she said.

Podoborozny’s last day in Bruderheim will be Feb. 3.

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Bruderheim Chief Administrative Officer Patty Podoborozny is making preparations to move on to her new position as CAO for the County of Minburn. Podobozony's last day as Bruderheim CAO will be Feb. 3. Photo: Jana Semeniuk

Vince Halisky from Willingdon, was one of four judges who took part in the horn scoring event for the Lamont Fish and Game Association. Jan. 14, at the Lamont Community Hall. In all more than forty sets of horns were judged with the winners to be announced at the association’s annual banquet Jan. 28.

Andrew Post Office suffers three break-ins within five days

BY JANA SEMENIUK

The Andrew Postal outlet suffered three break-ins within five days last week.

Sergeant Robert Daisley with the Two Hills RCMP Detachment said his department received a call reporting the first break-in on Jan. 9.

“The post office area

where the boxes are, somebody had gone in and pried open five or six boxes there. I don't know if anything was taken from those boxes. But the post office says they’re notifying the people who own those boxes, and those people will have to keep a close eye out to see if there's anything that's impor-

tant that went missing,” he said.

The second break-in was reported Jan. 10 and a third Jan. 12. Daisley said the Post Office has had no choice but to lock up the lobby at night.

“My understanding is that they're planning to lock the lobby at night, so that people can't go in there. Obviously, its

inconvenient for other people who want to get their mail but probably provides a better safeguard for everybody,” he said.

Daisley said if anyone has any information on the break-ins to the Andrew Post Office to please contact the Two Hills RCMP detachment.

RCMP still tight-lipped though a few more details emerge from highway incident

BY JANA SEMENIUK

More details have emerged on a highway incident from Jan. 7 that sent one man to hospital with serious injuries.

A 911 call from a passerby alerted Fort Saskatchewan RCMP who arrived at a stretch of road at Hwy 831 between Township Road 560 and Hwy 29 at 8:25 a.m. Jan. 7.

Corporal Troy Savinkoff said a 46-year-

old male from Sherwood Park was found on the road beside a vehicle.

“The injured party remains in hospital in serious but stable condition,” he said by email.

“RCMP continue to investigate the circumstances around this incident. Police are not looking for suspects and no arrests have been made.”

Last week, Constable Suzanne Ahlstrom with the Fort Saskatchewan

detachment shared that a confrontation between two motorists preceded the 911 call.

“One driver sustained injuries by vehicle contact (but) I wouldn’t classify it as road rage,” she said.

A portion of Hwy 831 was shut down for eight hours while officers investigated the incident, reopening the road at 5:30 p.m.

Fort Sask. Hospital Foundation hires executive director

BY JANA SEMENIUK

The Fort Saskatchewan Hospital Foundation, a 10-member non-profit organization which fundraises to purchase medical equipment for the Fort Saskatchewan Community Hospital, has created a new position within their Foundation to assist with fundraising efforts.

Morgan Dahmer, 28, was hired as the Foundation’s first Executive Director in May 2022.

“The position was designed to enter the next phase of our growth and fundraising efforts. We’ve now moved from a working board to a governance board so that's the reason for an Executive Director,” said Board Chair Ken Jackson.

Dahmer, who has worked in healthcarerelated positions including a chiropractic aide and executive director for a medical equipment lending society, said his

experience in non-profit work and health care makes him comfortable in his new role.

“I found that I enjoyed working with people, but also the back-end plan management (and) managing the different departments,” he said. “I have a passion for building up society, because we have a lot of gaps and cracks that people fall through, regardless of their circumstances.”

Jackson said the

Foundation, which was created in 2005, currently has two paid positions, the new Executive Director role and the Executive Assistant position held by Laura Houghton for the past 10 years. He added that all donations to the Foundation are used for medical equipment and hospital projects while grant funding support their paid positions within the board.

A pair of snowmen appear to huddle in the chilly winter weather Jan. 15 in Bruderheim. Photo: Jana Semeniuk

Morgan Dahmer, 28, was hired earlier this year to fill the newly created Executive Director position for the Fort Saskatchewan Hospital Foundation.

Photo: Jana Semeniuk

16 - The

Development Permits and Hearing RoadsideMulching

Notice of Public Hearing: MUNICIPAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN

BYLAW NO. 849-22 and LAND USE

BYLAW NO. 848.22 (January 24, 2023)

Development Permits for Discretionary Use:

DP 048/22 Appeal by: Jan. 25 at 4 p.m.

DP 046/22 Appeal by: Jan. 19 at 4 p.m.

DP 038/22 Appeal by: Jan. 19 at 4 p.m.

See: lamontcounty.ca/public-tenders

Residents are reminded when plowing snow out of your driveway, please do not push the snow onto the public road or across the road into the ditch. Pushing snow across the road creates packed areas and slippery patches that are difficult to remove and can be dangerous to road traffic. Push snow to the right side of your driveway to ensure it does not get pushed back when the local road is plowed. It may also result in larger windrows or cause other clearing challenges.

Also, as a reminder, please keep kids off snow piles near roadways for additional safety.

And be respectful of farmers’ fields (recreation vehicles/snowmobiles).

2023 starting at 9:00 a.m. The public is welcome to attend at the Lamont County Administration Building or virtually lamontcounty.ca/governance/agendas-minutes.

Be aware of signs posted for temporary road closures as Agricultural Services completes mulching work. Please obey all signage, as Lamont County is NOT at fault for any damage to vehicles on closed roads.

e A m l a s o o l

Farmers typically don’t seek out help when they are struggling with their mental health, but help is availablefor those who:

- may feel like they should be able to handle any situation on their own, including emotional distress or personal struggles.

- may be worried that mental health professionals would not understand their needs due to the nature of their work as farmers (lack of Ag Culture competency).

- are production-focused and often don’t recognize the impact that prioritizing mental health can have on their farm & family.

An Alberta approach to farm mental health: https://www.agknow.ca/

Please Note – inFocus is also available for viewing online at: www.lamontcounty.ca/communications (for those wanting to view the weekly submission as fullsized PDF and to access hyperlinks).

Lamont Leader (Lamont, Alberta), Wednesday, January18,

grazingschool4women.com

Next Council Meeting& LUB/MDP Public Hearing

Reminder: Don’t Push Snow Piles Across Roads or Entranceways Mental Health Support for Ag./Farmers and Families