Council sends dust control costs to budget table
Crowsnest Pass council will reconsider its dust-suppression policy during budget deliberations after administration estimated that treating all municipal gravel roads could raise the annual cost from about $45,000 to roughly $400,000.
Council referred the policy to budget discussions August 18 after pulling five letters about dust on Tecumseh Road from its consent agenda.
CAO Patrick Thomas said the municipality has approximately 85 kilometres of gravel road and currently treats about nine kilometres, primarily major thoroughfares.
Under the existing residential program, property owners pay for the dust-control product while the municipality provides road preparation, application and access to its contracted rate. Thomas said household costs vary with frontage and generally range from about $500 to $1,200.
The municipality’s contribution already covers part of the work, Thomas said. Any decision to subsidize more of the product cost or extend treatment to additional roads would have to be weighed through the budget.
Council requested a map showing the roads that currently receive treatment.
The letters came from Hal and Diane Nummi, Bill Sewall, Stan Poulsen, Leroy and Marlene Wamsteeker and Kurtis and Madison Bodell. They argued that increasing traffic spreads dust beyond the residents who voluntarily pay for treatment and asked the municipality to consider funding the work through its public works budget.
Council carried the budget-referral motion, then received the five letters as information. No opposition was presented on either motion.
The dust-suppression policy will return as part of the municipality’s budget process, when council will be able to compare the current service with the cost of expanding treatment.
Bear Valley street names approved
Council adopted five street names for the first phase of the Bear Valley subdivision west of the existing Adanac development.
The names are Adanac Rise, Bear Valley Drive, Bear Valley Way, Bear Valley Crescent and Bear Valley Lane.
Administration said the proposed names meet the municipality’s Civic Addressing By-law, which requires new street names to be distinguishable from those in other subdivisions.
The motion carried without opposition. Administration will assign street names and civic addresses to affected properties, then notify landowners and emergency services.
Council backs heart-care advocacy
Council approved a letter to the area’s MLA supporting the Bringing Hearts Home campaign and expanded cardiac care in southern Alberta.
The request came from Chinook Regional Hospital Foundation CEO Crystal Elliott and followed the campaign’s June presentation to council.
The August motion authorized an advocacy letter. It did not approve a municipal financial contribution to the campaign.
Convention attendance set
Mayor Pat Rypien and Councillors Doreen Johnson and Darren Nastasi will represent the municipality at the Alberta Municipalities convention September 23 to 25 in Edmonton.
Rypien and Councillors Doreen Glavin and Dean Ward were appointed to attend the Rural Municipalities of Alberta convention November 2 to 5, also in Edmonton.
Council also authorized all members to attend the Southwest Region Elected Officials Meeting November 26 in Pincher Creek. Administration will confirm attendance numbers.
All three attendance motions carried without opposition.
October preferred for Roxy tour
Council identified October 7 as its preferred date for an informational tour of the Roxy Theatre Performing Arts Centre project.
Members asked administration to arrange a daytime visit rather than the suggested 7 p.m. time because of diminishing daylight.
The Revive the Roxy Society said in its invitation that the tour was intended to provide an update and was not a request for a project decision or financial commitment.