Council Highlights - July 09, 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.

Jessica Lineham
Lineham came on behalf of Options West Yellowhead, presenting a number of events that the organization will be hosting over the summer months.

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. Living and Working In Recovery Program - Presented by Duane Martin

Find the presentation in the agenda package, available here.

2. Hinton Mountain Bike Association Wheeled Park Project - Presented by Jay Hore and Everett Tetz

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. Beaver Boardwalk Committee Bylaw and Terms of Reference - Presented by Hans van Klaveren
The Beaver Boardwalk - Concept Design and Feasibility Report has been presented and discussed at Standing Committee providing Council information regarding the current state and future rehabilitation options for the Beaver boardwalk.

To date there has been a lot of additional information and feedback brought forward, for example:

Alberta Environment and Parks (AEP), consultants and the public at-large. Council has expressed that a thorough process is required to assist in their decision on the Beaver Boardwalk and its future.
At the Standing Committee Meeting of May 14, 2019, Council directed Administration to bring back terms of reference for a Beaver Boardwalk committee no later than the June 18, 2019 Standing Committee.
At the Standing Committee Meeting of June 18, 2019, consensus was achieved to:
- Amend the Beaver Boardwalk Committee Terms of Reference for a high-level vision to be presented to and adopted by Council prior to the proposed Beaver Boardwalk Committee’s third meeting.
- Amend the Terms of Reference to include the Mayor and two appointed Town of Hinton Council representatives to the Beaver Boardwalk Committee.

It was moved that Council provide first and second reading to Bylaw #1138, the Beaver Boardwalk Committee Bylaw. These motions carried. Council then gave unanimous consent for third reading, and gave the third reading.

It was then moved that Council appoint Mayor Michaels, Councillor Ostashek and Councillor Nelson to the Beaver Boardwalk Committee, with Councillor Race as an alternate. This motion carried.

2. Appointment of Committee Members - Presented by Mayor Michaels
View Mayor Michaels recommended changes in the agenda package, available here. It was moved that Councillor Albert Ostashek be removed from the Hinton Police / Town Liaison Committee. This motion carried. It was then that Councillor Trevor Haas be appointed to the Hinton Police / Town Liaison Committee. This motion also carried.

3. Property Tax Assessments – Additional Property Tax Revenue - Presented by Carla Fox
In 2018 a larger than normal reassessment occurred for the Town, which Administration did not anticipate during the preparation of the 2019 budget. Taxation revenue was estimated by taking the approved taxation increase of 4.4% and applying this to the previous years’ mill rate (0.0053553 residential mill rate * 4.4% increase). This calculation only accounted for approximately $50,000 of the inflationary increase in assessment values and this has resulted in an unexpected taxation revenue increase of approximately $510,870. Unless otherwise directed by Council, Administration will bring back, to a committee meeting, a report on suggested options for dealing with the unbudgeted property taxation surplus. It was moved that Council direct Administration to bring a report to a future Standing Committee meeting regarding assessment policy options including split notices and supplemental assessments. This motion carried. It was then moved that Council direct Administration to schedule a discussion on options for the 2019 property tax surplus by the end of September 2019. This motion also carried.

4. Energy Agreement - Presented by Martin Taylor
This report is before Council to obtain decisions from Council on with whom to procure electrical and natural gas for all municipal facilities and to decide how much of a “certified green” component, if any, to have for our electricity purchase. The Town has participated in the Alberta Municipal Services Corporation (AMSC) aggregate program since 2004. Our current agreement expired December 31, 2018. As such, Administration must enter into a new Agreement to procure electricity and natural gas for all Town-owned facilities. It was moved that Council defer the decision on the energy agreement until August 2019 pending a report supporting information regarding implications of certified green power.

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 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.

There were no motions.

Information Items

Councillor Jo-Ann Race: Councillor Race reported having attended a seminar in Edson where the importance of lobbying provincial governments was explored.

Councillor Dewly Nelson: Councillor Nelson reported his involvement in the Town of Hinton Staff Canada Day BBQ, and in the Canada Day Parade. Nelson also shared his hearing a great deal of positive feedback surrounding the Canada Day fireworks display.

Councillor Albert Ostashek: Councillor Ostashek spoke to his involvement in the Town of Hinton's Canada Day Parade float, as well as thanking administration for assisting in preparing floats for the Councillors to take part.

Councillor Trevor Haas: Councillor Haas spoke to his own attendance at the lobbying meeting, as well as reporting attendance at a Golf Society meeting, where the impact of the rainy season and efforts to increase memberships, including no initiation fee signups, were discussed.

Councillor Tyler Waugh: Councillor Waugh reported his attendance at the Canada Day Parade, thanking Councillors for taking part and the Chamber for holding the event. Waugh went on to iterate the importance of volunteering at community events, reminding that the Fohn is a volunteer run tradition.

Mayor Marcel Michaels: Mayor Michaels reported having also taken part in the Staff BBQ, as well as his own attendance at the Golf Society meeting, detailing that while the weather has impacted the organization, the society is doing better than the previous year. Michaels concluded by speaking to a meeting during the day with the Chamber regarding the next Beer and Blue Jeans event.

CAO Martin Taylor: CAO Taylor shared information regarding July 20ths Coffee with a Cop event at the Carmichael location of Tim Hortons, and shared gratitude for Peter Vanas involvement and assistance over his time with the organization.

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 August 20, 2019, at 4pm
in the Council Chambers.