Council Highlights - May 05, 2020

Citizens' Minute with Council

Residents are welcome to speak to Council about issues, events, celebrations or concerns during Minute with Council. At the beginning of each regular Council Meeting, Mayor Michaels opens the floor to the public to speak and share with Council members, administration and meeting observers.

There were no speakers.

Delegations

Presentations are required to be arranged through the Executive Assistant, so that presenters can be sure time is set aside for their presentations on the Council agenda. Find out more about how to be a delegation by following this link.

Delegation removed due to changing COVID-19 Status of Golf

Public Hearings

In some instances, Council is required to conduct public hearings regarding land use bylaws, rezoning, etc., or on any other matter council deems appropriate.

There were no public hearings.

Action Items

1. Tax Rate Bylaw No. 1145
At the April 21, 2020 Regular Council Meeting, Council passed the following motions: That Council give First reading of Tax Rate Bylaw #1145; and That Council give Second reading of Tax Rate Bylaw #1145. At the April 21 Meeting, Council also gave all Three Readings to Supplementary Assessments Bylaw #1146. The approved 2020 operating budget is $29,137,747 (excluding non-cash items). The Tax Rate Bylaw #1145 (Attachment #1) is required to raise the general municipal taxation amount approved in the budget of $13,013,023. In addition, amounts are collected for the School Tax Levy and Evergreen Foundation Levy. This budget was presented to and approved by Council on March 17th, 2020. Assessment information was presented to Council during the budget presentation in March. Assessment values presented to Council in March have since decreased by $161,000 in Commercial assessments which is immaterial in the results which totals $1,887,945,270 in assessment values. Tax rates for 2020 will be decreasing by 3.1%. The Tax Rate Bylaw includes the requisitions for the Education Property Tax and the Evergreen Foundation. These amounts are set by the province and the municipality is responsible for the collection and remittance of these requisitions.

It was moved That Council gives Third reading of Tax Rate Bylaw #1145 as amended. This motion carried.

In Camera

In-camera is a legal term meaning in private; When a Council goes in-camera, it means the Council meeting is closed to the public. In general terms, the exceptions include matters where disclosures could be harmful to personal privacy, individual or public safety, law enforcement, intergovernmental relations, or economic or other interests; reveal confidential evaluations, local public body confidence, or advice from officials; or disclose information that is subject to legal privilege.

That Council approves Administration to proceed with the Option 1 regarding the Golf Course Asset Acquisition Agreement as discussed in camera.

That Council direct Administration to bring the completed Golf Course Assets Acquisition Agreement back to an In Camera Regular Meeting of Council for approval.

These motions carried.

Administrative Inquiries

If Councillors have queries they would like to submit to admin, this will be the time at which they do. This is in accordance with Council's procedural bylaw.

There were no inquiries.

Notice of Motion

If Councillors have motions they wish to lodge, this will be the time at which they do. This is in accordance with Council's procedural bylaw.

There were no notice of motion.

Information Items

Councillor Trevor Haas: Councillor Haas reported attending a Hinton Municipal Library Meeting, sharing an invitation to Council to take part in a community reads video project before moving on to detail discussions regarding considering contactless forms of lending while the facility is closed due to the pandemic. The Yellowhead Library Network has left the decision to local bodies, and the local Boards decision was not to take part in effort to respect employee safety. Haas concluded by speaking to some of the online projects and programming taking place during the pandemic.

Councillor Ryan Maguhn: Councillor Maguhn reported a Golf Society meeting, saying the short notice was necessary due to the Province's decision to reopen golf courses. Maguhn then shared thanks to administration for accommodating shifting timelines and legalities in agenda scheduling, but also on behalf of the Golf director, saying assistance received from the Town has been very helpful.

Councillor Dewly Nelson: Councillor Nelson had nothing to report.

Councillor Tyler Waugh: Councillor Waugh had nothing to report.

Councillor JoAnn Race: Councillor Race reported that there is a Beaver Boardwalk Committee scheduled for later in the week.

Councillor Albert Ostashek: Councillor Ostashek had nothing to report.

Mayor Marcel Michaels: Mayor Michaels had nothing to report.

Interim CAO Emily Olsen: Interim CAO Olsen shared thanks on behalf of the Hinton Fire Department to Big Horn mine for a $15,000 donation, saying the funds will be put towards PPE and bunker gear. Olsen also shared thanks to Brent Helmig, saying that the Department has received 30,000 gallon tanks which will be a vital resource in battling potential urban interface wildfire events without impacting freshwater supplies.

Olsen also spoke briefly to the EOC activities, saying that the Protective Services department is receiving many questions regarding provincial decisions and implementing the protocols for reopening.

Town of Hinton Newsflash

SOLE Restrictions Revised

Following observed compliance from residents and decision made at the Provincial level last week, the Emergency Operations Centre has made the decision to speed up stage one of our local SOLE recovery plan.

The following changes are now in affect:

- Local group restriction removed (now defaults to Province's 15, which will be enforced)
- Parking lots reopening
- Disc Golf and Mountain Bike Park Reopening

Find more information here

Use AlbertaFireBans.ca to Check Fire Ban Status Province Wide

The Town of Hinton has recently received questions regarding fire bans, stemming from provincial fire ban statuses and a Google Listing from 2016 for a former fire ban.

As of May 06, 2020, the Town of Hinton is not under a fire ban. There is a Fire Ban in the Forest Protection Area of Alberta, impacting the areas outside of the municipality (read ministerial order here).

If you are ever unsure about fire ban status anywhere in the province, visit the Alberta Fire Bans Website here or download their app to check. You can also visit https://www.hinton.ca/CivicAlerts to view all current news items from the Town of Hinton.

Split Assessments

In 2020, Hinton residents will experience the first year of a different, more transparent, assessment and taxation notice process. Council and Town Administration has made the decision to move our community to a split assessment and taxation notice, creating numerous efficiencies and allowing for a more accurate budget estimation and tax rate computation. This move brings the Town of Hinton taxation process in line with many communities across the province, including major cities Edmonton and Calgary as well as similar sized communities like the City of Lacombe. To provide answers to likely questions arising from this change, Town of Hinton Corporate, and Strategic, Services have partnered with the Powers & Associates Appraisal Services to provide the following Ask the Town.

View the webpage to learn more by clicking here.

The Town of Hinton is on Facebook!

As over 2000 people have already figured out - The Town of Hinton has a corporate Facebook page! This new service adds another resource to the communications toolbelt, and will house information on many different areas; some days, you’ll see information on bylaws, others recreation programs, others information about council decisions or highlights from Council meetings. We will, however, endeavour to ensure that we are sharing content relevant to the widest possible audience. Like us today by clicking here!

You can view the entire agenda package here.

The next Regular Council meeting will be held May 19, 2020,
at 4pm via Zoom, in the Committee Room, and streamed via YouYube.