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A Free Weekly Publication Serving All of Beaver County Wednesday, January 26, 2022, Volume 15, Issue 4
BESC continuing to protect the public with departments throughout county Patricia Harcourt The Beaver Emergency Services Commission (BESC) was established as a regional partnership by order in council on April 29, 2010, making history by being the first regional services of its kind in the province. From its inception, member municipalities have included Beaver County, Town of Viking, Town of Tofield, Village of Ryley, and Village of Holden. BESC was established for the administration and delivery of fire and emergency management services. BESC consists of six fire stations that are managed by a district fire chief and many dedicated volunteer firefighters. The regional commission’s fleet consists of eight pumpers, four tankers, seven brush trucks, two rescue units, three utility vehicles, and two quads. The commission’s headquarters are located in Viking. As a new councillor on Beaver County Council, Lionel Williams wants the public to know how impressed he is after also becoming a commission member on BESC and taking a mandatory course on what it does to protect the public. BESC provides fire and disaster (emergency management) services to its municipal partners. This regional partnership was the first of its kind in Alberta. The six local fire departments have about 100 firefighters volunteering for the job. BESC responds to structural, vehicle and wildland fires; vehicle, farm, and technical rescues; medical First Response calls; public assistance, including searches; and hazardous materials and dangerous goods incidents at an awareness level. “Collectively, we respond to nearly 300 calls for assistance annually,” stated Allan Weiss, Regional Emergency Manager, BESC. “This is still a relatively new organization and they have had growing pains but I think we are working our way into being a top notch operation,” stated Williams. “And compared to
many other jurisdictions we are ahead of the curve.” He got that message loud and clear listening to questions and feedback received from one of the presenters with the Alberta Emergency Services Agency, who spoke at the “Elected Officials Emergency Management Training” course Williams attended as a newly elected councillor. “It was an eye opener for me, and it was specific to what BESC does and the legislative requirements involved,” he said. He found out that BESC is responsible for preparing emergency or disaster plans, declaring local States of Emergency, putting emergency plans into action, and leading the recovery phase of any disaster. And BESC Chair Gene Hrabec knows all the work BESC does. The county’s deputy reeve is the organization’s staunch promoter but agrees there have been some “growing pains.” “I don’t mind taking the heat,” he said. “But it sure matters to me that the volunteers are taking heat.” Hrabec thinks the volunteer firefighters deserve nothing but praise for helping in the service of others. “The volunteers are the first guys at a fire,” he said. “They provide backup for medical services, they are the first guys on the scene for a motor vehicle accident or a heart attack at home. “They give up a tremendous amount of personal time away from their families 24/7,” he continued. “They are well trained to provide many services to you whether it be fire calls, alarms, accidents, dangerous goods, to first responder medical calls. They are there when you need them and the board is extremely proud of the overall service BESC provides our communities. Hrabec has served on the BESC board since 2017, and this is his third term as chair: “My commitment to the BESC board is provide the best service to the community as well as to support our unbelievable volunteers,” he said. “I volunteered as a fireman years ago
as well as has Councillor Pederson (Division 5) which gives us a better overall understanding of the needs. “I think the public needs to know that our volunteers are committed to their fire services and come from a real diverse background. We have farmers, mechanics, managers, municipal employees, nurses, EMTs, gas fitters, and so on from all sectors in Beaver County, and even a doctor.” Town of Tofield Mayor, and BESC Vice-Chair Deb Dueck, has been on the commission since its inception, so she knows her way around the system now in place. “I believe in the system and I believe we can be efficient instead of everybody going out on their own,” she said, referring to the towns and villages not having to run their own fire departments. “Fortunately, we all have volunteers and they are passionate about their services,” she said. Dueck said the funding received for firefighters’ practice and calls is funnelled back into their individual departments. She acknowledged there have been concerns about the fee structure used to invoice calls to residents. “We have to look at this,” she said. “It’s being revisited at the operational level at the moment.” Once that is done, management will bring the information back to the board for further consideration. But efficiencies are also there as each fire department in the county can provide backup for those in other towns and villages, or in the rural areas of the county. “I just think that we’re so fortunate that we have so may dedicated volunteers,” she said. “I think we’ve come a long way.” Dueck agrees the BESC board has had growing pains that included staffing problems over the years. But she said: “There’s a lot to developing a commission and making it a working machine.” Considering this was the first such project to be put in place, that is not a bad legacy.
And over the years issues have arisen, such as the need to update the organization’s bylaws, a task now being addressed by the board. “We’re just trying to update our stuff,” said Hrabec, noting that the current board members “are committed to sitting on committees to do that work.” He added: “It is important for the board to work collaboratively together to provide a balanced good, modern service within the fiscal layout. Having said that, it is an area we continue to work on trying to find the right balance. I believe that we need to find the positives out of situations and move forward. Education and communication are great tools to get the public involved in issues like insurance coverage, fire volunteer training, and having the proper heath and safety plan in place to ensure proper equipment and gear are provided. Unfortunately this all comes at a cost and, when factoring in COVID-19, we are seeing costs skyrocketing. “Our board is committed to addressing these issues with committees that were formed to work with administration to update and bring strong policies, governance, personnel, health and safety, training, and capital purchasing,” outlined Hrabec. “The board is in the process of undergoing an organizational review of BESC to provide us better understanding of its strengths and weaknesses.” For his part, Williams is very impressed with the work and responsibilities BESC has carried over the past decade, work which has been used in recent times due to the pandemic, droughts, flooding, and other issues. “Did you know that the province has only been in charge of two declared States of Emergency?” he said, naming the High River flood and the Fort McMurray fire as “…the only events the province led the charge on. “Other than that, the local emergency services have managed every other situation.”
2 - Beaver County Chronicle, January 26, 2022
Return of CoW meetings considered Patricia Harcourt Beaver County is considering returning to Committee of the Whole meetings as a way of gathering information and holding discussions on important issues. These are meetings that don’t have the need for action attached to them, as there is no voting that takes place. Committee of the Whole (CoW) meetings were held once a month as a matter of course right up to the start of the previous council term (2017-2021) when they were cut out in favour of two regular council meetings each month. As one of his key recommendations, Interim CAO Rick McDonald wants a return to CoW meetings stating they are more efficient for well informed decision making. He told county council at the January 19 meeting that council should direct administration to prepare a Governance and Priorities Committee bylaw which would be brought to council’s next meeting for first reading. “Administration is recommending that Beaver Council consider establishing a committee by bylaw that is named the ‘Governance and Priorities Committee’ which is a committee consisting of all councillors.” These are often referred to in layman’s terms as committees of the whole. This committee is not in the county’s procedural bylaw, but council can create a bylaw to establish such a committee, he said. A draft of a bylaw he has used in other municipalities was attached in the agenda package “for discussion purposes” Reeve Kevin Smook (Division 1) stated that the previous council to this one had committee of the whole meetings but “they went away from it.” Smook was reeve in the council term 2014-2017, and that term had a Committee of the Whole
meeting on the first Wednesday of every month in that three-year time period. “Is this an additional meeting or will it replace one of the two regular meetings,” he asked McDonald. McDonald replied it was “up to council if they think they need two (regular) meetings.” He said it “would depend on how much you get done in one.” Committees of the whole have a value in their structure of being able to gather information by asking questions, and debate is not needed. Instead, “it’s an opportunity for the public to approach council and just present information with no decision needed,” he said, with the result being a reduced length of the regular meeting because of it. Committees also gives council “the opportunity to talk about policy and strategic direction,” he said, noting it’s in the public domain and “people can watch.” “You are gathering information to help make better decisions.” Deputy Reve Gene Hrabec (Division 3) had questions on whether council could also hold a regular meeting following the committee of the whole in order to deal with time sensitive items. He also had confidentiality and transparency concerns. He asked if “we would be able to have a timed portion for a regular council if there is an item needing attention in the afternoon - for an afternoon of time - to deal with sensitive stuff.” McDonald said “a number of items” could be brought forward to a council agenda, but he felt council would be “pushing it’ if this was done on the same day as a committee meeting. A motion by Councillor Dale Pederson (Division5) for council to go by McDonald’s recommendation was passed.
OUR PUBLIC AD DVISORY RY COMMITTEE HAS H OPENINGS! Are you a resident of Beaver County that is involved in the community? Do you have a general interest in waste management matters? Do you have expertise or experience that you could bring to an advisory committee with a particular focus on environmental and occupational health and safety compliance? If so, Claystone Waste has openings on our PAC that may interest you. Our Public Advisory Committee (PAC) is a committee of the Board of Directors of Claystone Waste whose purpose is to advise the Board on issues of community concern or interest on our regional waste facilities and services. The Committee consists of public member appointments made by the Board and appointments made by municipal shareholders via Council selection. There are six (6) public member positions on the PAC, with openings for four (4) positions. Appointments will be made for a three-year term commencing April 1st, 2022. Eligibility and Selection criteria includes: x
Public member appointees must be a resident of one ˢ˙ ʶ˟˔ˬ˦˧ˢˡ˘ ˊ˔˦˧˘Ϡ˦ ˦ ˛ ˔ ˥ ˘ ˛ ˢ ˟ ˗ ˜ ˡ ˚ municipalities: Beaver County, Town of Tofield, Town of Viking, Village of Ryley or Village of Holden.
x
Public member appointees will be selected based on an evaluation of expertise and experience in key focus areas including environmental and occupational health and safety compliance, involvement and general interest management matters.
x
Highway 14 Regional Water Services Commission Box 540, 5029-51 Ave. Ryley, Alberta T0B 4A0 (780) 663-2019 or 1-866-333-3791 Fax: (780) 663-2050 E-mail: info@hwy14water.ca
NOTICE THE HIGHWAY 14 REGIONAL WATER SERVICES COMMISSION will be implementing a water increase to the Commodity Charge (Distribution and Bulk) effective March 1st, 2022. The Commission’s water rates will reflect this increase on the March month end utility bills.
community in waste
At least one public member appointee will represent youth in the community of an age of 30 or under.
If you are interested in being a part of our PAC, please send a cover letter connect@claystonewaste.com.
and resume Submissions will
to be
accepted until February 17, 2022. Interviews and applicant selection will follow with the appointment of PAC public members in March 2022. Please call our office at 780.663.2038, and ask for Communications if you have questions. Toll Free: 1.855.221.2038 Ph: 780.663.2038 50117 Range Road 173 (Secondary Highway 854) Box 322, Ryley, AB T0B 4A0
Ryley Landfill and Transfer Station Hours: Weekdays 9:00 am - 4:30 pm; Saturdays / STATS 9:00 am - 3:00 pm; Closed Sundays
Changes to rates are as follows: • Distribution Commodity Rate has been increased from $4.515/m3 to $4.966/m3. • Bulk Commodity Rate has been increased from $3.815/m3 to $4.196/m3.
NOTE:customers must arrive at least 15 minutes prior to closing; Administration Offices closed from 12:00 - 1:00 pm
Lindbrook Transfer Station Hours: Tues 10:30 am - 5:30 pm; Thurs 11:30 am - 6:30 pm; Sat 10:30 - 5:30 pm
Tofield Transfer Station Hours: W d F Wed, Frii and dS Satt 10 10:30 30 am - 5 5:30 30 pm
Viking Transfer Station Hours:
Highway 14 Regional Water Services Commission can be contacted at 1-866-333-3791 during regular office hours from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm.
Tues es 10:30am- 5:30pm; m; Sat10:30am-5:30pm
Kinsella Transfer Station Hours: Wed 11:00 am - 5:00 pm; Fri 11:00 am - 5:00 pm
Beaver County Chronicle, January 26, 2022 - 3
Beaver County Council agrees to new Covenant document with Interim CAO Patricia Harcourt Beaver County Council has accepted the draft Council-CAO Covenant and agreed to sign the Covenant document with the newly appointed Interim CAO Rick McDonald. While conducting a municipal governance review for the county last summer, McDonald had recommended the covenant as “an opportunity to build relationship,” and bring clarity to each of their roles and responsibilities. In his report, he said the Covenant “will align council and the CAO in agreed to protocols that will foster a positive working relationship.” He added: “This will enhance the county ability to provide open, transparent value driven governance while directing the programs and services for residents and ratepayers.” It was “something to refer back to if things do go off the rails,” he explained, at the January 19 council meeting. “We can look back and see what we agreed to.” In his report, McDonald said a “key issue” was to have an effectively operating municipality. For this to happen, “a solid working relationship between
the council and its CAO,” is necessary. A Covenant helps this by committing “both parties to seeking clarity in the relationship and seriously undertaking to conduct their respective roles appropriately.” Council must accept or endorse the Covenant ‘in principle’ and used as an appendix to a CAO bylaw and/or contract, he said. “I think this is great,” responded Deputy Reeve Gene Hrabec (Division 3 councillor), calling this “one of the key points that came out of the review.” The municipal governance review was one of the last initiatives by the previous council prior to the municipal election last fall. McDonald was hired to conduct the review with a long list of recommendations. One of these was for the council and any new CAO (the previous council having fired their longstanding CAO) to sign a Covenant of understanding spelling out how the relationship should work and what the protocols would be in the case of a dispute or disagreement. At the January 19 meeting, Hrabec asked what time frame
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should be in place to institute the recommendations coming out of the review by McDonald. McDonald said council should be working on a time frame, but that some recommendations are already underway. He added that the hope was to put a process in place that will allow them to work together to resolve issues. Councillors Dale Pederson (Division 5) and Lionel Williams (Division 2) asked what would be the process in dealing with someone who
broke the Covenant. The answer from McDonald was he thought that would be something to bring up in closed session with council and the CAO. “We have to work together to resolve issues,” he said, such as legal and personnel. “In closed session you can be frank with one another. He told council that the result should be a return to trusting and “being collegial with each other again.” Calling the Covenant more of a spiritual than a legal document, he said it will define
“how we work with each other, (and) deal with each other.” McDonald said he has used a Covenant with almost every organization he has worked with. When Hrabec asked if this kind of Covenant can be put in place for senior levels of staff as well, McDonald replied: “The staff is watching this right now,” and said he will treat staff the same as he treats council. Hrabec said he “hopes the general public sees this.” His motion to accept and sign the Covenant was passed unanimously.
Notice of the 45th ANNUAL
GENERAL MEETING
of the Beaver Heritage & Agricultural Society Tuesday, February 1st, at 7:00 pm Ryley Pool and Wellness Centre
New members welcome! Accepting Proposals OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE OF BLACK NUGGET LAKE PARK Beaver County is accepting proposals for the operation and maintenance of Black Nugget Lake Park for a term of up to three years, commencing with the 2022 season. Proposals will be accepted until 2:00:00 pm, Tuesday, February 15, 2022. Information packages are available at the Beaver County Service Centre, Ryley, by email request to slungal@beaver.ab.ca, or by visiting our website @www.beaver.ab.ca. The lowest or any proposal will not necessarily be accepted.
Accepting Proposals OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE OF CAMP LAKE PARK Beaver County is accepting proposals for the operation and maintenance of Camp Lake Park for a term of up to three years, commencing with the 2022 season. Proposals will be accepted until 2:00:00 pm, Tuesday, February 15, 2022. Information packages are available at the Beaver County Service Centre, Ryley, by email request to slungal@beaver.ab.ca, or by visiting our website @www.beaver.ab.ca. The lowest or any proposal will not necessarily be accepted.
4 - Beaver County Chronicle, January 26, 2022
Beaver County Service Centre 5120 - 50 Street Box 140 Ryley, Alberta T0B 4A0 Monday to Friday 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Financial Literacy
Phone: (780) 663-3730 Fax: (780) 663-3602 Toll Free: 1-866-663-1333 www.beaver.ab.ca Email: administration@beaver.ab.ca
Rural RN Degree Program
We have recently created the Tofield/Beaver Wellness Network with local partners. Our aim is to support community members who may be experiencing financial strain and build the network with individuals, agencies, and businesses who have a similar mindset and want to help others. With Family Literacy Week around the corner, the network is sharing some statistics about Financial Literacy and seeking your input through a brief and anonymous survey that can be accessed below or via the attached poster containing the link and a QR code (see bottom of poster).
Tofield Curling Club Tofield Curling Club would like to extend our deepest appreciation to Claystone Waste for providing us with additional financial support from your 2021 Grant toward the bathroom upgrades in our building at the Tofield Curling Rink. All club members and the executive are very thankful for your support towards our club. Our club has been slowly returning to play, with limited leagues. However, maintenance and repairs must continue if the curling rink is to return as a strong and fully functioning fitness option, sports facility and gathering place within the Beaver County Community. Thank you again for your generous support. TCC
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