Council Highlights - March 05, 2019

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.

Ellen Aust
Aust shared comments on their want for partnerships and consultation on development, as well as sharing thoughts on the 2019 Budget.

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.

There were no delegations.

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 hearings.

Action Items

1. 2019 Operating Budget - Presented by Carla Fox
The 2019 Operating Budget has gone through several Council and Administration driven changes since originally presented to Council. The Operating Budget presented, as presented, addresses the operational requirements that are anticipated over 2019. This includes, items such as fuel rate increases, increased economic development services, required wage increases and increased reserve contributions (as outlined in this report). The estimated 5.88% taxation increase includes the Council directed, $240,000 dedicated contribution to a Recreation Centre Construction Reserve. Further, the Operational Budget includes Utility rate increases of 3% for Water and Sewer user fees and waste collection fee increases of 5% for residential and 10% for non-residential. Once the Operating and Capital Budgets are approved, utility bylaws will be amended to reflect the new fees and brought before Council for approval. Utility rate increases will need to be approved prior to April 1st in order to recognize the ¾ year increased revenue proposed in the 2019 Operating Budget. Following this and no later than May 15th, 2019 a Tax Rate Bylaw will be presented to Council for approval. Upon approval of this bylaw, Notice of Assessments will be provided to residents and businesses.

Council made a series of motions:

That council direct Administration to amend the 2019 budget allocating to the Community Grant Fund from the ATE fund a maximum of 30% as per the Town policy #078 with no further amount to be allocated from the ATE Reserve.
That the $184,387 currently allocated to the Rec Centre Steering Committee be re-allocated to the 2019 operating budget and utilized to offset tax increases and corresponding transfers to reserves be reduced.
That Council direct Administration to place $240,000 each fiscal year into a dedicated Recreation Centre Construction Reserve fund as per a 2% tax increase as presented in the 2019 Operating Budget.
That Council approve the 2019 Operating Budget, as amended, requiring a taxation increase of approximately 4.4%.
That Council approve the 2019 Capital Budget, as amended, totaling $7,763,717.

These motions carried.

2. Water Rate Bylaw #859-23 - Presented by Dale Woloszyn
During the 2019 budget process, Council approved an increase to the residential and commercial utility rates by 3% effective April 1st, 2019. This adds $80,000 to the utility revenue to offset increased operational costs. It was moved that Council give Bylaw #859-23 first and second reading; these motions carried.

3. Sewer Rates Bylaw #858-17 - Presented by Dale Woloszyn
During the 2019 budget process, Council approved an increase to the residential and commercial utility rates by 3% effective April 1st, 2019. This adds $27,000 to the utility revenue to offset increased operational costs. It was moved that Council give Bylaw #858-17 first reading and second reading; these motions carried.

4. Waste Bylaw #933-3 - Presented by Dale Woloszyn
During the 2019 budget process, Council approved an increase to waste rates by 5% for residential and 10% for non-residential effective April 1st, 2019. This adds $69,000 to the utility revenue to offset increased operational costs annually. It was moved that Council give Bylaw #933-3 first reading and second reading; these motions 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.

There were no motions coming out of in camera

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.

Nelson: That Council adopt a Maxwell Lake / Beaver Boardwalk vision prior to any request for decision by Administration for projects relating to this area.
Michaels: To direct Administration to bring back a report on FCSS advisory board options to a future Standing Committee for discussion.

Information Items

Councillor Jo-Ann Race: Councillor Race informed Council of her attendance at a recent ASH meeting. Race shared having heard comments from citizens at large critiquing the facility, but largely coming from individuals who hadn't visited or spoken to the facility managers. Race then invited all to come and visit the facility, learn more about what it offers the community, and how to book it for use. Race then spoke to her appearance at the Happy Creek Estates announcement earlier in the day, and concluded by speaking to her appreciation for the level of engagement observed surrounding the budget.

Councillor Dewly Nelson: Councillor Nelson spoke to his attendance at a Regional Waste Management Authority meeting, where business plans were discussed for moving forward. Nelson then mentioned his appreciation for the Bighorn Mining Dinner attended by Council and Administration last week, as well as his attendance at the Happy Creek announcement. Nelson concluded by sharing a brief synopsis of his visit to Ottawa, including his thanks to administration and the office of MP Jim Eglinski for their work to make the lobbying efforts successful.

Councillor Albert Ostashek: Councillor Ostashek reported also having attended the Bighorn Mine event, as well as the Happy Creek announcement.

Councillor Trevor Haas: Councillor Haas also spoke to his attendance at the Bighorn event, as well as his time spent volunteering at the Biathlon event at the Nordic Centre this weekend. Haas concluded by sharing that the library is awaiting reference checks as part of their hiring process for the new manager, with movement forward expected soon.

Councillor Tyler Waugh: Councillor Waugh shared brief comments regarding the Bighorn event, and then spoke to a coming Community Futures meeting where MD Greenview is expected to be welcomed into the organization, as well as a coming CEAC meeting.

Mayor Marcel Michaels: Mayor Michaels spoke to his attendance at Arts on Fire, thanking administration for their work on the event and congratulating all of the award winners, and then spoke to his attendance earlier in the day at a Rural Education Symposium. Michaels concluded by detailing he and CAO Taylors attendance at a recent Rotary meeting.

CAO Martin Taylor: CAO Taylor had nothing to report.

Town of Hinton Newsflash

Happy Creek Estates Announcement

The Town of Hinton is pleased to announce a new agreement with Happy Creek Estates to develop nine additional affordable housing units within Happy Creek Estates, slated to be built in 2019.

You can find more in the CivicSend issued Tuesday afternoon, available here.

Get Your Business or Animal License Online

The Town of Hinton has moved to a new digital payment system, and you can now conveniently apply for and purchase animal or business licenses online, 24/7!

Visit Hinton.ca/BusinessLicense to apply for a business license.

Visit Hinton.ca/Animals to apply for an animal license.

The license purchase system will not allow purchases through out-dated browsers, such as internet explorer.

Council Video Recordings

As some residents may have noticed, we have recently experienced difficulties with our streaming video provider online. The service provider has changed the accepted methods of posting, which has made all older videos in the inventory non-functioning. These non-functioning videos will removed from the inventory for the time being, however, administration is investigating ways of making a larger library available for residents to access online. In the interim, a new format has been selected, and new recordings are being posted as before; however, the new format is slightly larger, and so less videos will be accessible online than in years past. Recordings of the videos are also available on DVDs at the Hinton Municipal Library, which can be checked out and viewed on either computers or DVD players, or by contacting the Town of Hinton should those DVD recordings not be available.

The Town of Hinton is on Facebook!

As over 1700 people have already figured out - The Town of Hinton now 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 Council meeting will be held March 19, 2019, at 4pm
in the Council Chambers.