Wednesday, March 2, 2022 Vol. 45, No. 9
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U7 Gas Kings host successful tourney in Viking
In their blue jerseys, the U7 Viking Gas Kings are shown playing against Strathcona Warriors Minor 1 (gold jerseys), as Viking’s second game during the U7 tournament last Saturday. The day was highly successful and fun for players and spectators alike, especially with the appearance of Hunter the Lynx, official mascot for the Edmonton Oilers adding excitement to the festivities. PATRICIA HARCOURT PHOTOS
Page 8 - The Weekly Review, Wednesday, March 2, 2022
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A Free Weekly Publication Serving All of Beaver County Wednesday, March 2, 2022, Volume 15, Issue 9 Wednesday February 16 2022 Volume 15 Issue 7
County holds first special committee meeting Patricia Harcourt Beaver County held its first Governance and Priorities Committee (GPC) meeting in a special two-hour session on Wednesday, February 23. This is the first time a GPC meeting, set up for every fourth Wednesday of the month going forward, has taken place since they were cancelled by the 2017-2021 council early in its mandate. However, the governance review commissioned by that same council before leaving office last fall recommended the GPC meetings return. That recommendation came from consultant Rick McDonald, who is now the county’s interim CAO. GPC meeting were formerly called Committee of the Whole (CoW) meetings during the previous administration. The first meeting for the newly resurrected committee was held to
define the GPC’s parametres. The committee members must define, “what a GPC is, how will it set criteria and prioritize a list of topics,” said McDonald, noting “there is a long list” of topics from which to draw. “And we want to ensure a committee meeting functions properly,” he said, adding: “So we have an RFD for council.” The RFD stresses they are called committee meetings, not council meetings. That means these meetings will have a chair and vice-chair, not a reeve and deputy reeve; and the committee does not make decisions but only hears information and asks questions. McDonald said a decision can be made, if it is time sensitive, but only after coming out of the committee meeting and going into a regular one. “But you need to be careful about it,” he said, “otherwise (the GPC) turns into a council meeting.”
The first GPC meeting was an orientation and training session. Such meetings allow for strategic planning, delegations and “is the best place for a presentation,” he said. And they wouldn’t be used for public hearings. Topics need to be identified for discussion, with 10-minute time slots allocated for presenters. “What we hope to do is provide the county with information,” he said, on which to base its decisions. Committee Chair Kevin Smook said the GPC is there to gather information only and share ideas. A decision would not be made until returning to a county council format. “It’s a fairly significant role in your governance model,” said McDonald, “and will give us better insight,” and can help topics become “much more clear.” He stressed, too, that it wasn’t just a chat over coffee but serves to provide significant insight and informa-
tion on which to make decisions. The committee also discussed what criteria would be used to set an agenda, and how to prioritize the topics in order of importance or time sensitivity, for instance legislative or budget issues. “It will help us to focus what council needs to be made aware of by just sitting and talking about it,” he explained. He said that this helps administration know where council is coming from through the discussion and brainstorming that takes place during a committee meeting. “We’re not trying to run the show,” he said, of county staff. “We’re trying to deliver the programs based on council’s direction.” The first regular Governance and Priorities Committee meeting will be held on Wednesday, March 23, at 1 p.m.
Council agrees not to close road allowance used as walking path Patricia Harcourt A public hearing was held February 16 regarding a road closure request at road allowance west of NW 35-51-20W4 (Range Road 202) in Beaver County. Council had given first reading to Bylaw 22-1117 as a way of getting public opinion for and against at a public hearing but no one appeared to speak on behalf of either position at the hearing. The person asking to have the road closed had safety concerns based on
issues such as dumping garbage, hunting, and theft in the area. County Development Officer Kim Vana recommended not proceeding with closure of the road allowance which is being used as a public walking trail, and she said that one neighbour had told her that people enjoyed using the walking path. Alberta Transportation indicated that written approval from the Crown would be necessary in order to close the road allowance. After the public hearing closed,
county council heard that this was “an established opening for Cooking Lake” access and there is a gate at the top of the path. Reeve Kevin Smook (Division 1) said there is a “no exit” sign that allows people who are driving to turn around. Deputy Reeve Gene Hrabec (Division 3) asked about any safety or liability issues regarding walking on the trail. Vana said no cars can go there but there are some ATVs, calling the trail “pretty steep,” with more walkers using it than anything else. She offered
to look into the liability issue for Hrabec. Councillor Lionel Williams (Division 2) said he has been on the path and said it is “definitely a walking trail,” and didn’t see many issues regarding liability. “It’s an access route and a public venue accessing public lands,” added Smook. A motion by Williams to defeat second reading of the bylaw, which means the request for closure effectively is denied, was passed by council.
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2 - Beaver County Chronicle, March 2, 2022
MSI grants extended before being replaced Patricia Harcourt Beaver County Council agreed to sign a two-year extension for the Municipal Sustainability Initiative (MSI) program prior to its being phased out for another program. MSI is being extended to March 31, 2024, said the county’s Director of Finance Ed Bujnowicz at the Feb. 16 regular meeting. After that, the Local Government Fiscal Framework will take its place with reduced funding formulas expected. Bujnowicz said the two-year extension is a way of closing the gap between the old program and the starting of the new one. “An extension of the funding agreement between the provincial government and Beaver County is required to release the grant for the next two years,” he said, in his report to council. The province is committed, he said, to not changing the current funding agreement for that period of time. This includes the following parameters: • 48 per cent of the funding allocated on a per capita basis; • 48 per cent based on the education property tax requisitions; • 4 per cent based on the kilometres of local roads; • No municipality to receive less than $120,000. Beaver County has traditionally used the MSI Operating grant to fund general operating expenses and the MSI Capital grant to fund capital equipment and road construction projects. For 2022, the MSI operating grant for the county is $205,329 and capital grant is $1,082,155. Bujnowicz’s report indicated that “the county is using funds carried over from prior years to supplement 2022
expenses.” The county also plans to hold in reserve $564,963 “to offset an anticipated reduction in funding when the Local Government Fiscal Framework program replaces MSI,” in 2024. Critics have said this extension for the popular MSI program allows the funding to continue flowing until after a provincial election is held next year as the drop in funding may be felt immediately once it occurs. But Minister of Municipal Affairs Ric McIver stated in a Feb. 9 letter to the county that: “The Government of Alberta recognizes the importance of rebuilding Alberta’s economy through investment in local infrastructure. “Therefore the government has extended the Municipal Sustainability Initiative (MSI) program for two years,” he said, until March 31, 2024, “when it will be replaced.”
This requires an extension agreement, said McIver. He added that, although “the MSI agreement has been removed from the agreements, it will remain in the MSI program guidelines and the process used to determine the 2022 and 2023 MSI allocations will remain the same.” “Those are the cards we are dealt,” said Reeve Kevin Smook (Division 1 councillor) of the need to sign the amendment for the two-year extension in order to get the funding. He noted, however, that the Rural Municipalities of Alberta (RMA) “is advocating for municipalities to have some say in the fiscal framework coming in.” Following this, council passed a motion approving the execution of the amending memorandum agreement for extending current MSI funding in 2022 and 2023.
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Beave ver Regional Landfill 50117 17 Ran ange Ro Road 17 173
The Beaver Regional Landfill is open six days a week, k, Monday to Saturday. It is an engineered, sanitary class 2 landfill that
accepts municipal solid waste from Beaver County and the surrounding municipalities, as well as significant volumes of class 2 non-hazardous industrial wastes. In addition to the regional landfill, Claystone Waste operates five transfer stations. County residents can bring bagged household garbage, e, and other dry waste, such as broken chairs, furniture, e, mattresses and scrap wood for disposal. The location and hours for each transfer station is noted below:
Kinsella Transfer Station 46418 18 Ran ange Ro Road 113 13
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Tuesdays: Saturdays:
Insurance experience is preferred, but not essential. Candidate must be eligible to be licensed by AB Insurance Council. Would you like to join our team? Please submit your resume to PO Box 100, Killam, AB T0B 2L0 bud@tjig.ca or deliver to – S. James Agencies (Killam) Ltd., 5012 – 50 St. Killam. Sedgewick Land & Insurance Ltd., 4834 – 47 St., Sedgewick. Battle River Agencies, 5118 – 50 St., Hardisty
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Ryley Transfe fer Station 50117 17 Ran ange Ro Road 17 173
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Beaver County Chronicle, March 2, 2022 - 3
Council considers tendering for engineering, legal, surveying services Patricia Harcourt Beaver County is considering an option of tendering for professional services such as legal, engineering, and possibly surveying. Traditionally this has not occurred as often as other tendering due to the need for continuity of these kinds of services. Tendering would come in the form of Requests for Proposals (RFPs). Deputy Reeve Gene Hrabec (Division 3) has previously expressed dissatisfaction that certain kinds of services are not tendered out by the county along with other things such as public works, for instance. The issue came up during earlier discussions of the Lindbrook drainage problem when Hrabec asked why the county always uses the same engineering services. Administration said this was often done to
enable continuity of understanding for people doing that work, with this being especially true for legal and engineering issues. At the Feb. 16 meeting of council a draft RFP for tendering engineering services was brought forward for council’s review. Administration explained that the intent was to issue this RFP on the public tendering site and select one company for each service for a fixed term. However, council passed a motion to accept this template for professional services for information only. One councillor expressed approval of the template. “It looks like a pretty solid template,” said Councillor Lionel Williams (Division 2). Assistant CAO Margaret Jones explained that with the Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA) any service of $100,000 or more has to be publicly
tendered; and with the New West Partnership Trade Agreement (NWPTA) the minimum for public tendering is $75,000. Reeve Kevin Smook (Division 1) called this issue “a logical item for the Governance and Priorities Committee,” which council re-established formally last month. Hrabec stressed that he wanted to see a policy put in place regarding hiring, asking “when was the last time we tendered for engineering.” Jones replied that she didn’t know that answer immediately. “A draft RFP for engineering services is attached for council’s review,” she said. “It seems to me to be a solid template (and) workable,” said Williams, for “almost any other (tendering needed).” However, Hrabec made a motion to accept the template for information, which was passed.
Council to discuss roads with Transportation Ministry at convention Patricia Harcourt Beaver County Council will be meeting with a couple of provincial ministerial departments for discussions during the Rural Municipalities of Alberta (RMA) spring convention running from March 14 to 16 in Edmonton. A meeting with officials from Municipal Affairs and Alberta Transportation is expected to take place. Council took time at its regular meeting February 16 to decide on topics important to the county they wished to bring up with Transportation on March 15.
The province is responsible for secondary highways and councillors identified S.H. 870 in the east end of the county near Kinsella and S.H. 834 near Tofield closer to the west end as main issues. Division 5 Councillor Dale Pederson brought up the 870, which has long been a point of contention regarding the need for paving to stop dust and pothole issues causing safety concerns. Deputy Reeve Gene Hrabec (Division 3) raised a concern of the CN Rail track crossing at the 834 still being difficult and icy to cross. Division 2 Councillor Lionel Williams said there is
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a need for directional arrows to be placed around the curve on that road, which looks like it is running in a straight line. But Division 4 Councillor Barry Bruce had a bigger ask for the Minister of Transportation. “I want all secondary roads to be paved,” he said, not just the 870. “They’re taxpayers, too,” he said, referring to the people who live along those roads and have to drive them. “They live in dust, they’re ratepayers, too, and it should be included,” on the list for the minister, he said.
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Page 16 - The Weekly Review, Wednesday, March 2, 2022
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