Council Highlights - April 19, 2015

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 Mackin opens the floor to the public to speak and share with Council members, administration and meeting observers.

Joan Janeczko

Janeczko presented an update to council on H20 Inc. The program is back from their trip to the water park, which she reports went very well and saw many children show large personal growth. She thanked Council for their support of the program, and Councillor Dale Currie for his volunteer work over the years.

Natalie Charlton

Charlton informed council of the upcoming visit to Hinton by Finance Minister Joe Ceci, inviting them to be in attendance the evening of May 3 for a speaking engagement at the Hinton Golf Club. More information is available on the chamber of commerce website.

Morgan Roberts

Roberts visited council to invite Councillors, staff and residents to visit the Hinton Visitor Information Centre April 28th between 5-7 pm to hear more about the Alberta Northern Rockies Tourism Alliance (ANRTA) at their open house. The event is open to the public, with any tourism oriented businesses encouraged to attend and learn more about the destination marketing plan. Similar events are planned for Grande Cache, Wildwood and Edson.

Delegations

Junior Achievers Program

Emily Young, a member of the Junior Achievers project, came before council to introduce the work the group has done in developing a youth funded and operated business under the guidelines and support of the Junior Achievers program. The group showed off their hoodie designs, and asked anyone looking to support the program to find them on Facebook

Hinton RCMP Quarterly Update

Sgt. Todd Gray came before Council to bring an update on the current state of policing in Hinton. Gray reports that the Town is well staffed with officers, and targets for the year have all been achieved or exceeded. He reinforced the police departments position that the majority of crimes are being committed by individuals travelling through Hinton or the region, and that efforts to use curfew checks as an incentive for perpetrators to leave to be dealt with by larger cities have been largely successful.

Hinton Grant Funding Advisory Committee

Albert Ostashek and JoAnn Race came before council to present their funding recommendations for the current submission to the Hinton Community Grant funding. They reported that they have heard from groups that the funding is essential in the current economic climate

Action Items

Community Grant Program Intake #1 Funding Recommendation

Council voted to move forward with the recommendations of option #1, with some caveats. The one time project for a crosswalk has been removed, with administration directed to return with a report on that project before June 28, 2016, and and that the former tent used for Wild Mountain be sold, using the proceeds to assist in the purchase of new tents. The Town and Wild Mountain would split the remaining shortfall from the sale 50/50, not to exceed $11,500 from the Town.

Alberta Northern Rockies Tourism Alliance

Council voted to draft a letter of intent for one year of funding $15,000 to the ANRTA on the condition that a minimum two other communities participate. If the Alliance is able to find partner communities, admin will be required to complete a review to determine participation in the remaining 2 years of the plan that includes completion of target activities, reach, value for money, and reduction in staff time used for tourism marketing initiatives.

Information Items

Councillor Maguhn

The Councillor requested that admin bring back the Recreation and Parks user fee schedule to a standing committee meeting no later than May 10, 2016.

Mayor Mackin

The Mayor required councils approval to attend a FRI Mountain Pine Beetle Workshop in Grande Prairie May 10.

Town of Hinton Newsflash

Join the Mayor and Town staff for Pitch-in Week, Thursday at the Natural Resources Interpretive Park. Pitch-in Week runs until the 23 of April; find out more about the week by reading the mayors column in the April 18 issue of The Parklander and the April 21 issue of the Hinton Voice.

West Fraser has informed the Town of Hinton that they are aware of dust conditions on Robb Road as a result of dry weather, and will be taking steps to deal with the problem in the coming days. Caution is recommended when travelling through dusty roads, and drivers are asked to be cautious for workers engaged in dust mitigation techniques.

The Town of Hinton is a scent free building. When attending Council Meetings or visiting facilities, please be considerate of staff and ensure you are not wearing strongly scented deodorants or antiperspirants, colognes or perfumes, or scented hair products.

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You can view the entire agenda package here.

Just a reminder, the next Council meeting will be held April 26 in The Committee Room at 4:00 pm.