November 17,22 Council Highlights

Bylaw 595 Fees & Charges Bylaw

Council approved 2^nd and 3^rd reading of the news Fees & Charges Bylaw to take effect January 1, 2023.

2023 Operating Budget

Council approved the 2023 Operating Budget in the amount of $3,040,010.

Bylaw 596 Consolidations and Corrections Bylaw

Council approved all readings of Bylaw 5996 Consolidations and Corrections Bylaw which allows Administration to consolidate bylaws that have been amended and to make grammatical or clerical corrections to bylaws.

Policy 17-02 Human Resources Policy

Council approved the Human Resources Policy with changes to the accrued sick time, office closure days at Christmas and removal of Firefighters from long-term service awards.

Sedgewick Recreation Board Mowing Agreement

Council rescinded the earlier motion approving the mowing of public lands by the Sedgewick Recreation Board staff effective 2023.

Interim CAO Contract

Council approved the extension and amendment to the Interim CAO contract.

October 20, 2022 Council Meeting Highlights

RECREATION TAX – RECREATION CENTRE HEATING COSTS

Council approve adding a monthly recreation fee to the utility billings at a rate to ensure that $40,000 is generated to be utilized for the recreation and culture grants to be provided to town-owned recreation and cultural facilities and that this fee would be effective January 1, 2023.

Fortis Alberta Franchise Fee

Council agree to increase the Fortis Alberta franchise fee from 9% to 10% effective January 1, 2023.

Flagstaff Family & Community Services 2023 Budget

Council approve the Flagstaff Family & Community Services 2023 budget in the amount of $435,105 with an expected requisition for the Town of Sedgewick of $7,039.25.

Flagstaff Waste 2023 Draft Budget

Council approve the Flagstaff Regional Solid Waste Management Association 2023 draft budget in the amount of $2,648,050 with an expected requisition for the Town of Sedgewick of $135,535.58.

Parkland Regional Library 2023 Proposed Budget

Council approve the Parkland Regional Library System 2023 proposed budget in the amount of $3,597,800 with an expected requisition for the Town of Sedgewick of $6,660.

Sedgewick Community Hall Board Request for Funding

Council will be setting aside the annual rent paid by the Sedgewick Public Library for future maintenance issues for their building, and also capped the building purchase and renovation fund at $147,000.

Sale of Tax Recovery Property

Council accept the offer of $5,000 for Plan 3825P; Block 9; Lot 7 as presented and direct Administration to write off all outstanding taxes..

RECREATION TAX – RECREATION CENTRE HEATING COSTS

Council directed Administration to prepare a costing model to generate sufficient funds to cover the cost of heating at the Recreation Centre to be brought forward to a future meeting.

PUBLIC WORKS – INCREASED STAFFING

Council approved the job description and has directed Administration to include the costs in the draft 2023 operating budget.

INTERIM CAO

Council appointed Debra Moffatt to act as the interim CAO.

TRUTH AND RECONCILIATION DATE

Council approved closing the office and public works shop on Friday, September 30 to observe Truth & Reconciliation day.

HONORARY NAME FOR A PORTION OF 47 STREET

Council will be renaming the 4800 block of 47 Street (downtown core) to Queen Elizabeth Way.  This will be an honorary name and will not require any address changes for the businesses located in this area.

LIBRARY RESERVE AND BUILDING PURCHASE AND RENOVATION

Council will be setting aside the annual rent paid by the Sedgewick Public Library for future maintenance issues for their building, and also capped the building purchase and renovation fund at $147,000.

LAND SALE

Council reviewed an offer to purchase of two lots in the new 54^th Avenue subdivision which was subsequently accepted and the land has been transferred to the new owners.

Council addressed the following items during the regular Council meeting;

Traffic Bylaw 564

Council endorsed final readings to Traffic Bylaw 564; available on sedgewick.ca

Recreation Funding Committee – Phase II Funding

Council approved the allocation of $4,016 to the Sedgewick Community Hall Association and $4,174 to the Sedgewick Lake Park Association for Phase II funding.

FortisAB – 2020 Electric Franchise Fee

Council approved an increase of the FortisAB Electric Franchise Fee from 8 to 9% for 2020.

Parkland Regional Library – 2020 Budget

Council approved the Parkland Regional Library 2020 budget, as presented, with a requisition of $6,935.05 to the Town of Sedgewick.

2127358 AB LTD – Conditional Development Permit

Development Permit 2019-16 for Plan 9023092, Block J, Lots A & B was conditionally approved to permit:

• A Change of Use – to a caretaker’s residence
• No requirement to separate the street from off-street parking facilities with a 1.0 meter-wide landscaped area.

3-Year Tax Agreement

Council authorized Administration to enter into a 3-year tax agreement regarding Tax Roll#20009095-300, with specific terms.

FIP – Management Model

Council approved the recommendation of the Flagstaff Intermunicipal Partnership Committee to eliminate the FIP Committee and split those responsibilities among municipalities with current operations to wind up no later than December 31, 2019.

Municipal Collaboration – Community Peace Officer Program

Council directed Administration to budget $6,500 in capital and $23,200 in operating costs in 2020 for the Community Peace Officer Program to be reviewed further upon the presentation of the 2020 budget to Council.

Deputy Mayor Appointment

Councillor Tim Schmutz was appointed as Deputy Mayor effective immediately, to continue through to the Organizational meeting in October 2020.

Board & Committee Appointments

Councillor’s appointments to the boards and committees were approved; a list of the appointments is available on the Town website.

Council Meetings

The monthly council meetings will continue to be held on the third Thursday of each month, beginning at 6:00 pm.

Bylaw 562 – Amending Land Use Bylaw 461

Council approved final readings to Bylaw 562 that amends Land Use Bylaw 461 regarding fencing.

Bylaw 563

Council approved Designated Officers Bylaw 563 that establishes the positions of certain Designated Officers and establishes a framework for delegation of Administrative functions.

Bylaw 564 – Traffic Bylaw

Council approved first reading to Traffic Bylaw 563.

NOTE: Bylaws are available on the Town website

Main Street Businesses – Request for Tax Break

Council directed Administration to provide a 2019 tax break equal to six months of the municipal portion of commercial taxes to each of the petitioning businesses and send a letter explaining the additional financial contributions that the Town made on behalf of the businesses during the Main Street construction.

Nutec ElectroTel – High Speed Internet

Council directed Administration to proceed with entering into an agreement with Nutec ElectroTel to provide high speed internet within the Town of Sedgewick and the immediate perimeter.

SustainErgy – Rec Centre Scoping Audit

Council directed Administration to proceed with an engineering study through a company called SustainErgy Group as the next step in the Municipal Climate Change Action Centre (MCCAC) Rebate Program for the Wild Rose Coop Recreation Centre.

Town of Sedgewick 2019 Organizational Meeting

Council scheduled the 2019 Organizational meeting for October 17th, 2019 at 6 pm at the Sedgewick Town Office Council Chambers with October’s Regular Council meeting to follow at 6:15 pm.

Flagstaff County, as nominated by Flagstaff Family & Community Services (FFCS) was chosen as one of 15 communities in Alberta to take part in a Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) pilot project that focuses on mental health, mental illness and community well-being in Rural Alberta.

The Goal is to support 150 rural communities over the next 3 years, to develop community road-maps and actions plans through the Rural Mental Health Project (RMHN)

The Vision for this project is to support mental wellness in rural communities. CMHA believes mentally healthy communities think broadly about mental health and mental illness. This includes, but goes beyond access to treatment centres… think: Agricultural & Community Societies; service organizations and programs and committees (such as AHS – Building Blocks program, Flagstaff Beaver Early Childhood Coalition, Battle River Spray Park at Sedgewick Lake Park…)

To facilitate this project, Holly Bovencamp has been trained and is preparing to form a coalition of interested persons to set direction, generate solutions and implement a road-map/Action Plan dedicated to supporting a mentally healthy region.

Road-maps will identify existing services, community strengths, opportunities, promising practices and a set of key strategic activities to consider over the next three years and beyond.

The Coalition will also maintain ties with the Rural Mental Health Project to collaborate with other rural/remote communities across the province and will also maintain connection for additional training, resources and funding.

The proposed schedule is to hold two meetings before Ms. Bovencamp reports back to the RMHN in June 2020. The Organizational Meeting is scheduled for October 16, 2019.

Ideally, a Flagstaff Coalition would include people from all over the county, from all walks of life. If you are interested, she would love to talk further.

For more information Contact Holly at (780) 385-1446 or (780) 385-3976 (FFCS Office)

For more information, check the RMHN website.

Bylaw 559 – Utilities Bylaw

Council endorsed final readings to amended Bylaw 559, the Utilities Bylaw.

Bylaw 562 – LUB Amendment #12

Council endorsed first reading to Bylaw 562 – Amendment #12 to Land Use Bylaw 461. The amendment updates and clarifies Section 40, for Fences. A Public Hearing will be held on September 19, 2019 at 6:00 pm in the Town Administration Office Council Chambers at 4818 – 47 Street, Sedgewick. Draft copy of Bylaw 562 may be viewed on the Town of Sedgewick website (www.Sedgewick.ca)

2019 Capital Budget Amendment

Council approved an amendment to the 2019 Capital Budget to fund the increased Main Street Revitalization Project totalling $100,000 from the General Capital Reserve. Council also approved the transfer of funds from the Fire Truck Reserve to the General Capital Reserve.

FIP – Next Generation Broadband Project

Council approved commitment to Phase I and II of the Regional Broadband Project.

Main Street Pole-Mount Christmas Lighting

Council approved the purchase of 12 pole-mount Christmas Lights for $7,898 with the source of funding to be the General Operating Reserve.

Intermunicipal Collaboration Framework (ICF)

Council appointed Mayor Robinson and Councillors Levy and Imlah as representatives for the development of the ICF. (The ICF is a new legislated requirement.)

Flagstaff Scottish Club

Council waived the fees for the Flagstaff Scottish Club to use the portable stage on August 24, 2019 in exchange for a full-color ad in their program for the 2nd Annual Gathering of the Clan Highland Festival.

REMINDER: The 2019 Property Tax Deadline is one week away: JULY 31, 2019. (Property Owners on a Tax Payment Plan are excluded from this reminder.)

The Town Office is open weekdays, from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm (closed over lunch.)

Tax Payments sent by Canada Post must have a stamped date on or before 2019-07-31.

On August 1, 2019, Unpaid Property Taxes shall have a 10% Penalty applied against the balance owing.