The Town of Sedgewick is inviting applications for membership on the Town of Sedgewick Recreation Board. The position is volunteer in nature.

The purpose of the Board is to be responsible for the management, operation and continued prosperity of the Wild Rose Co-op Recreation Centre. The Board is comprised of no more than six (6) Citizens-at-large residing in either the Town of Sedgewick or Flagstaff County (to be a reasonable distance from Sedgewick as determined at the discretion of Council). Members serve two-year terms and meetings are to be held on a monthly-basis or at the call of the Chair.
As there is currently one (1) Citizen-at-large vacancy, the Town of Sedgewick is arranging for a call-for-membership. Applications will be received by the Town of Sedgewick until March 4th, 2022 with all submissions being forwarded to the Board for a recommendation to Town Council. Appointees may only sit on the board once appointed by Town of Sedgewick Council through resolution.

For more information on the Recreation Board, including the powers and duties of the board, please refer to Bylaw 532, the Town of Sedgewick Recreation Board Bylaw, which can be found on the Town of Sedgewick’s website at https://sedgewick.ca/government/governance/bylaws-and-policies/

If you would like to be considered for the vacant Citizen-at-large position, please complete this application form and submit to:

Town of Sedgewick
Box 129
Sedgewick, AB
T0B 4C0

or email to:
cao@sedgewick.ca

(applications will be received until March 4th, 2022)

Please call (780) 384-3504 for more information on the position.

As per Bylaw 556, the Animal Control Bylaw, all dogs kept within the Town of Sedgewick must be licensed. Licenses must be obtained annually with fees doubling February 1st. Residents should be aware that the month of January is the best (and cheapest) month to renew a dog license.

Licenses are valid between January 1st and December 31st in the calendar year they are issued. Prior to February 1st an altered dog license costs $15 and an unaltered license costs $30. These fees double to $30 and $60 respectively on February 1st.

An issued dog tag must be attached to the dog by a collar or harness at all times when the dog is off of the owner’s property. If you have lost your dog tag, a new one can be issued for a fee of $5.

The Town office will be closed between December 24th and January 3rd with staff returning on January 4th. For public works emergencies please call (780) 384-3911 and for natural gas emergencies call (780) 385-2116.

On behalf of Council and staff, have a very Merry Christmas and a tremendous 2022!

BYLAW 584 – FIRE BYLAW

Council gave all three readings to Bylaw 584, the Fire Bylaw.  This bylaw replaces the previous Fire Services Bylaw #500 and is identical in nature to all fire bylaws passed by municipalities who belong to the Flagstaff Regional Emergency Services Society and have signed the Master Agreement.

INTERIM OPERATING BUDGET – 2022 PROPOSED BUDGET

Council approved the 2022 interim operating budget with total expenses including amortization of $3,118,530.

CAPITAL BUDGET – 2022 PROPOSED BUDGET

Council approved the 2022 Capital Budget with total expenses of $721,400 and composed of five projects including a street sweeper, grader, the completion of the arena HVAC upgrade, maintenance of the raw water pumps and wells, and potential replacement of the raw water pipe.

COUNCIL ORIENTATION – MUNIS 101

Council agreed to register Clr. MacEachern and Clr. Lewis in the virtual Munis 101 course to be held in January.

POLICY 18/05 – SNOW REMOVAL POLICY

Council directed Administration to amend Policy 18-05, the snow removal policy to read that on Saturdays, Sundays and statutory holidays and upon 3 inches of snow that the recreation centre parking lot be cleared at 6am with Main Street to immediately follow.

FRESS – ASSET TRANSFER AGREEMENT

Council approved transferring all fire equipment to the Flagstaff Regional Emergency Services Society (FRESS).

REGIONAL FIRE AGREEMENTS – EXTENSION OF AGREEMENTS

Council approved extending all current fire agreements with Flagstaff County until June 30^th, 2022 or to the time that FRESS commences fire fighting services.

Sedgewick Town Council has called a special meeting for Thursday, December 2nd at 3pm. The meeting will be held in Council Chambers at Sedgewick Town office.

The agenda can be found here

BYLAW 583 – FEES AND CHARGES BYLAW

Council approved all three readings of Bylaw 583, the Fees and Charges Bylaw.  The Bylaw, passed annually, determines utility and other rates for the 2022 fiscal year.  Waste, water and sewer rates were increased uniformly by 2%.

POLICY 18/07 – COMPENSATION AND EXPENSES POLICY

Policy 18-07, the Compensation and Expenses Policy, was revised to allow for a $12.50 monthly allowance to members of Council who wish to use their own personal electronic device for Town business rather than having a device purchased and provided to them by the Town.

STRATEGIC PLANNING SESSION

Council approved a proposal from Crouse Developments Inc. for the facilitation of a strategic planning session at a cost of $3950.

GO EAST OF EDMONTON – 2022 MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL

Council approved renewing the Town’s membership with Go East of Alberta and a half-page ad in their 2022 travel guide at a cost of $1600.

FLAGSTAFF COMMUNITY FOUNDATION – MEMBER APPOINTMENT

Council appointed Clr. MacEachern to the Flagstaff Community Foundation Board for a term of one year.

TOWN OF SEDGEWICK RECREATION BOARD – 2022 PROPOSED BUDGET

Council accepted the 2022 Town of Sedgewick Recreation Board budget

TOWN OF SEDGEWICK RECREATION BOARD – MEMBER APPOINTMENT

Council appointed Joey Hebert to fill a citizen-at-large position with the Town of Sedgewick Recreation Board. 

TOWN OF SEDGEWICK RECREATION BOARD – LIQUOR LICENCE

Council directed Administration to expand the current Class ‘B’ liquor license at the Wild Rose Co-op Recreation Centre to include the entire facility.  Due to AGLC restrictions, this does not include the curling rink floor or the library.

The 2021-2025 term has gotten off to a busy start for the five members of Sedgewick Town Council. Upon being elected into office on October 18th, the four councillors and mayor attended an in-house orientation session on October 25th and 26th where they reviewed their roles and responsibilities, code of conduct and the Municipal Government Act among other topics.

At 10:30am on October 26th, Councillors Tom Bahm, Nolan Lewis, Clayton Hinkey and Ian MacEachern along with new Mayor Stephen Levy attended a swearing-in ceremony at the Community Hall where they all took their official oath of office in front of a commissioner of oaths which is a legislative requirement prior to performing any duty of office.

Soon after, the Mayor and Councillors congregated for the annual organizational meeting on October 28th where Tom Bahm was appointed as Deputy Mayor for the inaugural year.

Only a few days later, members of Council again participated in another full day of orientation on November 4th at the Killam Community Hall along with elected officials from neighbouring municipalities. In addition, two members will also be attending the Alberta Urban Municipalities Association’s 2021 convention running from November 17th to 19th at the Edmonton Convention Centre which includes several training sessions for elected officials from around the province.

The next meeting of Council is Thursday, November 25th at 6pm in Council Chambers at the Town of Sedgewick administration office.

Mayor Stephen Levy signs the official oath of office

Councillor Tom Bahm is sworn in as Deputy Mayor

The 2021 election is almost here! Make sure you come out to the Community Hall on October 18th between 10am and 8pm and make your vote count!

The Town of Sedgewick is pleased to have partnered with the Municipal Climate Change Action Centre’s Recreation Energy Conservation Program by installing 299 new, high efficiency LED light fixtures within various spaces of the Wild Rose Co-op Recreation Centre and receiving a $43,740 rebate for the project. The new fixtures are not only brighter and more energy-efficient, but also will reduce maintenance costs while having a long lifetime expectancy.

The project is another example of the Town continuously looking for ways to improve its level of service to its stakeholders and saving money for its volunteers and user groups. “The Town of Sedgewick takes great pride in its recreation facility and part of ensuring its longevity is increasing efficiencies through partnerships such as this with the Municipal Climate Change Action Center” stated Mayor Perry Robinson. “LED lights create a brighter and safer facility and also reduces the annual facility costs, which helps keep fees low and reserve funds for other projects that benefit the community.”

The work was completed in early July.

BYLAW 582 – FEES AND CHARGES BYLAW

Council gave all three readings to Bylaw 582, the Fees and Charges Bylaw.  The bylaw amends water fees by adopting an increased block rate structure as a conservatory measure.  Water charges for the first 30 cubic meters used will remain the same however three additional blocks have been added to the structure with the cubic meter charge increasing with each successive block as per the table below.  The bylaw and charges take effect January 1^st, 2022.  The changes affect residential water use only and not commercial or industrial properties.

TAX SALE – RESERVE BID AND CONDITIONS

Council approved conditions of sale and a reserve bid of $210,270 be set for the November 25th, 2021 tax sale of the parcel identified as roll #53003443 500 and legally described as Plan 7920256, Block 03, Lot 11.

FLAGSTAFF REGIONAL EMERGENCY SERVICES SOCIETY – LEASE AGREEMENT

Council approved entering into a 3-year lease agreement for the fire hall with the Flagstaff Regional Emergency Services Society.

OCTOBER REGULAR MEETING AND ORGANIZATIONAL MEETING – RESCHEDULING

The October regular and organizational meeting have been rescheduled for Thursday, October 28th at 6pm.

TOWN OF SEDGEWICK LIBRARY BOARD – MEMBER APPOINTMENT

Council appointed Todd Armitage to the Town of Sedgewick Library Board for a three-year term ending on September 30th, 2024.