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Vol. 14, No. 50, Wednesday, November 6, 2019 www.LamontLeader.com
Proposed Andrew area grow-op hosts open house BY JOHN MATHER It was a small group that came to hear about a proposed cannabis growing facility for near Andrew, Oct. 31. Nicole Mozel and Khaled Youssef have proposed building a micro cultivation cannabis production facility on their land in the Whitford Lake area. Hosting a public meeting at the Andrew community meeting room at the town office, only seven people came out to hear about the proposal. “We’d probably only grow about 200 to 400 kg per year,” Youssef told the group. The footprint would be 2,150 square feet. “We’re basically like a small winery growing grapes,” explained Mozel. “We’ll be selling product to any licenced producer like Aurora. We’d be selling in bulk to the larger growers.” She said they hadn’t signed any contracts for the sale of product yet, because they want to get production started first. She hopes to start construction on the facility on Range Road 163 north of Highway 45 next spring. The couple own 85 acres of land in the area. Twenty five acres of the land is wooded and much of the rest is in agricultural production, which Mozel
adds they plan to keep. When asked about any smells coming from the facility, Youssef told the gathering the building would have to be fully approved by Health Canada and there would charcoal filters controlling any smells from reaching the outside. The facility would be fully fenced and totally sealed. The couple said they were holding the meeting as part of their process of meeting with all the neighbours who may be impacted by the business, so they knew what was happening in the area before the pair applied for any development p[permits. “We’ve talked to consultants and brokers about selling the product,” added Mozel. “We’re using about five acres for the actually investment.” She stated they were putting a lot of money into the project using their existing Edmonton-based painting business as part of the collateral. Mozel said once operational they would have 10 to 15 staff. She said most of the staff would be used during the harvest period, but administrative and cleaning staff would also be hired. “Health Canada has very rigorous rules regarding cleanliness of the facili-
ty. She said harvest would occur in a cycle of every three weeks. She said they had been working with the County on the process. “We’ve visited all of our neighbours,” she said. “But this meeting allows us to meet with anyone we may have missed.” She said the feedback had been good and they had had people asking about jobs and also met a Nicole Mozel, left, who with partner, Khaled Youssef, couple of contractors who wants to start a marijuana cultivation facility near wanted to help with the Andrew, converses with Diane Luchko, right, during an open house in Andrew on Oct. 31. The few resiconstruction. “Some people said it’s dents who attended the meeting were favourably an older neighbourhood impressed with the proposed development. and this would be good Neighbour Jay Lachuk, who farms in for keeping some younger people in the area, attended the meeting with his the area.” She said land surveys, geotechnical wife Breane and is supportive of the surveys and all drawings had been project. “I think it’s good for the communisubmitted to the County and she was hoping to get a development permit ty,” he said. “It brings jobs to the area. They’re going up everywhere so if within a couple of months. “We’re only looking at having a these folks don’t build it someone else micro licence because we’re a very will.” small operation,” she said.
Tempers flare at Bruderheim special council meeting Councillors prepare for winter snow removal services - following recent maintenance policy BY JANA SEMENIUK Discussions became heated around the subject of snow removal at a recent special council budget meeting Nov. 2 in Bruderheim. In the public meeting, held at the Bruderheim Fire Hall, Councillor Len Falardeau suggested more snow removal be performed by Bruderheim town employees instead of contracting the services out to snow removal companies in an effort to save money. Falardeau went onto explain he felt residents would understand a longer wait time for snow removal if necessary. “I beg to differ,” said Bruderheim
Mayor Karl Hauch. “Comments made on social media tell me otherwise.” A heated discussion erupted which resulted in a comfort break being called. Once the meeting reconvened, Councillor George Campbell had a request. “I think we should have a comparability done to see what contract services cost verses doing the job ourselves,” said Campbell. “The reason I ask for this is it costs money for us to run our equipment and have our staff do it as well as hiring somebody else.” “Council just passed the winter maintenance policy which tells us that we have to do things in a certain time
frame,” said Chief Administrative Officer, Patty Podoborozny. “Which isn’t possible if we get a huge snow storm. If you remember in the policy it said if at all possible, it will be done in house and if it’s not possible it will be sent to contract services. Just wanted to remind council we did pass that policy that we have to have it done within a certain timeframe.” Podoborozny referred to the Winter Maintenance Policy which states, “In the event town resources cannot manage service levels for snow removal, the Chief Administrative Officer or designate may hire contractors to assist until such time that staff is once again
self-sufficient and capable of sustaining operations.” The updated policy, passed at the last council meeting Oct. 23, states that areas designated as priority one, arterial roadways and fire hall, must be plowed within 12 hours of a 10 cm snow fall. Priority two, collector roadways, must be cleared within 24 hours of a 10–15 cm snow accumulation following completion of the most recent priority one clearing. The complete, most recent, Winter Maintenance Policy can be viewed in its entirety at Bruderheim.ca.