Council Highlights - June 25, 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.

Sasha Harris
Harris shared feedback regarding a previous delegation on Homelessness in Hinton.

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.

1. Rural Health Professions Action Plan (RhPAP) - Presented by Holly Handfield

Handfield presented on the RhPAP Attraction and Retention Support to Rural Alberta
Communities plan. Find the presentation in the agenda package, available here.

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.

The were no public hearings.

Action Items

1. Amendment to Land Use Bylaw #1088 - Presented by Dani Woodman
The Applicant has applied for the subject parcel of land currently zoned as C-HWY Highway Commercial District to be rezoned to C-NOD Urban Node Commercial District; this allow Residential dwelling units above street level. The rezoning would not compromise the landowners’ ability to lease the remaining main floor units to future Commercial Uses. This amendment is compatible with the surrounding C-NOD and Residential districts. It was moved that Council approve First Reading of Land Use Bylaw #1088-8. This motion carried.

2. Contacts for Partners for Climate Protection Program Application - Presented by Peter Vana
On May 7, 2019 Council passed a motion to communicate to the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) its commitment to achieving the milestones set out in the Partner for Climate Protection five milestone framework. In completing the application to FCM an administrative and elected official contact is required to be provided. It was moved that Council appoint Martin Taylor, Chief Administrative Officer as the Corporate Staff Person and Councillor Dewly Nelson as the Elected Official to oversee implementation of the Partners for Climate Protection (PCP) milestones and be the points of contact for the PCP program within the municipality. This motion carried.

3. Hinton Friendship Centre Request to Waive Fees - Late Addition to Agenda by Councillor Race
Councillor Race brought back a request, dated from May 2019, to waive showmobile fees for the Hinton Friendship Centre, and asked that it be brought forward and considered once again. It was moved that the cost for the Showmobile rental of $650 as put forward by the Hinton Friendship Centre be covered through Council Contingency Funds. This motion carried.

4. Returning Notice of Motion - Short Term Rentals - Trevor Haas
Haas reiterated his conversations regarding short term rentals and their real estate impacts. It was then moved that Administration bring back a report to council at a Standing Committee meeting on options to regulate short term rentals in the Town of Hinton. 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.

There were in camera items.

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.

Councillor Race

It is my understanding that we are in talks with Edson & District Recycling Society regarding an extension to their current contract with the Town of Hinton. Would it be possible to include in this contract a service to provide a take it or leave it area at the Rowan Street compound?

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 motions.

Information Items

Councillor Jo-Ann Race: Councillor Race reported having volunteered at a recent Guild event, and attending a West Yellowhead Regional Waste Management meeting at which authority vs commission status benefits and challenges were discussed. Race also attended an interagency meeting, whereat housing was brought up. Finally, Race suggested that there be a discussion regarding single use plastic in Edson.

Councillor Dewly Nelson: Councillor Nelson reported having attended the Hinton Chamber of Commerce golf tournament, serving as a judge for lemonade day stands, and the Car Wash for MD at the Hinton Fire Hall. Nelson concluded by speaking to the Women's Shelter BBQ and Garage Sale.

Councillor Albert Ostashek: Councillor Ostashek reported attendance at a WYRWM discussion, at which EcoGrowth Biowaste technology processors and their potential was presented and discussed. Ostashek also spoke to the CFWY Green Square coworking space grand opening.

Councillor Trevor Haas: Councillor Haas also reported attendance at the Lemonade Stands for Lemonade day, as well as a Hinton Municipal Library Meeting at which the success of the Read Off Your Fee Program was discussed. Haas also spoke to a coming meeting in Edson regarding effective lobbying other governments meeting on Wednesday.

Councillor Tyler Waugh: Councillor Waugh reported having attended many of the weekends events, a CEAC meeting where they began to sift through survey responses, and also spoke to recent Community Futures West Yellowhead events including the AGM.

Councillor Ryan Maguhn: Councillor Maguhn detailed a recent Golf Society meeting, whereat discussion occurred regarding poor behaviour at a recent golf tournament and financial implications for the recent rainy weather were detailed. Maguhn went on to discuss his attendance at a Neighbourhood Block Party, saying there was a tight knit feeling of community (host your own by clicking here).

Mayor Marcel Michaels: Mayor Michaels reiterated some of the previously discussed events including Lemonade Day, Fire Hall Car Wash and BBQ, and attendance at Chamber of Commerce Golf Tournament. Michaels then discussed a strategic planning meeting for the Evergreen Foundation, during which the future plans including finishing the Parkland facility, starting on the Pine Valley project, and then a project in the Evansburg area were discussed. Michaels went on to discuss a Mountain Pine Beetle Mitigation biannual meeting, where this years winter weathers kill was estimated to range between 50-90%, with more accurate numbers expected in the coming weeks as counts complete.

CAO Martin Taylor: CAO Taylor introduced Scott Kovatch, the Town of Hinton's Economic Development Officer. Taylor then provides updates on upcoming start dates for Town of Hinton directors, then detailed a recent all staff meeting. Taylor concluded byby issuing a statement the ISL is no longer the Town of Hinton's prime engineer.

Town of Hinton Newsflash

Don't Play With Your Trash

Put the bins wheels to the road - or have to put your wheels to the road as you drive your refuse to the landfill.

The Town of Hinton ISB staff have noticed a significant amount of improperly placed bins on residential streets, and have begun an education campaign with Communications to help everyone understand how to place your bins.

Click here to learn more.

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 Regular Council meeting will be held July 09, 2019, at 4pm
in the Council Chambers.