Your news this week: Accident on Highway 15 - Page 2 Former Mundare player raising money for cancer treatment - Page 6 Dr. Slanina celebrates - Page 18
www.LamontLeader.com
Vol. 10, No. 12, Tuesday, January 20, 2015
MICHELLE PINON PHOTO
Students, staff and parents at Andrew School are working together to raise awareness and funds for a new playground for the community. On Saturday, Jan. 31st members of the Andrew School Parent Council Foundation and Andrew Agricultural Society will be hosting a Snowflake Gala at the community centre and are counting on public support to make the fundraiser successful. (Story on Page 18.)
Lamont County proposing a new direction regarding fire services Michelle Pinon Editor
As Lamont County Councillor Roy Bryks described as the “ongoing saga” of fire services, the issue was front and center during the Jan. 12 council meeting. All, but one of the urban municipalities within Lamont County have agreed to extend its fire services agreement until Dec. 31, 2015. The one municipality that has decided to withdraw from the agreement is the Village of Chipman. The Village of Chipman indicated in a letter to Lamont County that it is willing to operate under the expired agreement until March 31, 2015. Lamont County’s Chief Administrative Officer Al Harvey presented a request for decision before coun-
cil which contained five different options. Coun. Bryks made the motion, “That Lamont County council direct administration to review the current fire agreement and take a new direction controlling the budget with all municipalities and in the event that one municipality goes on their own; the option to move equipment and manpower to another location and rewrite the agreement with the remaining municipalities.” The motion passed unanimously. While “informal suggestions” had been discussed by Harvey and Lamont County Chief and Emergency Services Co-ordinator Randy Siemens, nothing formal had been presented to council before the Jan. 12 meeting. With possible changes in regards to financing and budgeting, Harvey said it would be a change from
the current practice and “municipalities might have a problem with that,” added Harvey. Having control of the purse strings and firefighters becoming employees of the county would be some of changes the county is proposing. the question of what is decided in Chipman also had Harvey wondering if they wanted to change our fire area, set up our own fire department and operation elsewhere. The possibility of using the county’s grader shop in Chipman to house the county trucks was suggested, and Public Works Director Harold Hamilton said that could be done on an interim basis. Reeve Wayne Woldanski said they should meet with the Village of Chipman to start discussions. Coun. Roy Anaka said they should also be meeting with Lamont and Mundare as well.