Council hears public concerns on March 24

Crowsnest Pass council’s March 24 public input period brought a wide range of con-cerns to the table, from healthcare recruitment efforts to criticism over council conduct and an explanation from a landowner involved in logging near a local heron rookery.

Monica Zyla of Bellevue told council she has continued working on ARCH, the Attraction and Retention Committee for Healthcare, which is intended to carry forward local healthcare recruitment and retention efforts after the previous Rural Health Professions Action Plan committee structure changed.

Zyla said the group has been trying to find a community partner, so it does not need to create another society or board in the Pass.

“This work is ongoing, and I should have a clearer picture next month at this time,” she said.

She said volunteers have already begun pursuing low-cost initiatives including Christmas appreciation baskets for hospital staff, welcome bags for medical learners, relationship building with the University of Lethbridge and volunteer recruitment in the community.

Zyla then asked council to appoint a member to ARCH so the committee and council can stay aligned around what she called “our mutual goal of a healthy healthcare ecosystem.”

Later in the input period, Morgan Brady, who identified himself as the landowner of a property near Hillcrest that includes the local canyon and heron rookery, addressed concerns raised in a submitted letter about logging activity in the area.

Brady said wildfire risk was the main reason logging began after he purchased the land in June last year, citing his own background in wildland fire fighting.

“We knew there was severe wildfire risk with property,” he said.

He told council logging first focused on areas of highest risk to nearby homes, then shifted across the creek. Brady said neighbours later raised the presence of the heron rookery and that Environment and Climate Change Canada issued a compliance order requiring a 250-metre buffer during migratory bird season from April 1 to Aug. 15 and a 100-metre buffer outside that period.

Brady said the logging operation respected those requirements and also completed sweeps for other protected bird species.

He added that crews stopped work at the end of October but returned this spring to re-move blow down and address dwarf mistletoe infestation in Douglas fir stands.

“Our logging operations are finished,” Brady said. “As of this weekend, the very last of the equipment should be out of there.”

He also said he is actively engaging with the province to try to have part of the canyon transferred to Castle Provincial Park and has also discussed that interest with the Nature Conservancy of Canada.

“With regard to heron rookery, we would love to work with neighbours and other interested parties to see that canyon does get protected,” he said.

The most pointed comments came from long-time resident and former councillor Glen Girhiny, who said he is deeply concerned about the direction council is taking.

“There was a lot of blow back from specific vocal minority groups within the Crowsnest Pass,” Girhiny said, referring to his time on council. “They were screaming about clarity, transparency, fiscal responsibility, all of the above.”

Girhiny said what he has seen since the last election does not match those demands and accused council of taking matters personally instead of focusing on public service.

“You are here to serve the people of the Crowsnest Pass,” he said. “Personal agendas should not be a part of it.”

He also criticized what he sees as a lack of focus on affordability, housing and jobs.

“I have heard nothing from you guys about low cost housing, affordable housing, jobs, anything other than save the old buildings,” Girhiny said.

Mayor Pat Rypien thanked each speaker after their remarks. Council did not debate the public input items at length during that portion of the meeting, though Zyla’s request for a council appointment to ARCH may return in a future discussion.