Council Highlights - October 01, 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.

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.

1. STARS - Presented by Glenda Farnden, Senior Municipal Relations Liaison (Budget 2020)

View 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. Anticipated Cost Overruns
At the Regular Meeting on September 17, 2019 Council received and discussed the anticipated cost overruns. A motion was carried to have the report brought back to the next Regular Meeting for decision. On September 10th at a Committee Meeting of Council it was recommended that this report be brought back to Council on September 17th for decision of Council. It was moved That Council approve the unfunded expenditures of $495,000 to be covered from the following unspent one-time projects, as identified below: $100,000 CAO & Council Initiatives $300,000 Legal Matters $ 25,000 Dow Drive Property Developments $ 70,000 Off-site Levy Bylaw. This motion carried.

2. Council Strategic Planning Session Costs
At the September 3, 2019 Regular Meeting of Council, Council directed Administration “to bring back a report to Standing Committee, on the costs associated with a Council retreat in Whitecourt, the comparative costs for equivalent time in Hinton and costs of a strategic planning session of one day.” It was moved that Council approve a one-day facilitated Strategic Planning Session in Hinton with a cost not to exceed $7500. This motion carried.

3. Council's Strategic Plan Update
In fall 2018 Council was presented an update to the Council Strategic Plan as part of the annual reporting scheduled. Attachment 1: Strategic Plan Accomplishments and Priorities (available in the agenda package here) is a new format of this update. It was moved that Council accepts the Council’s Strategic Plan Update for information. This motion carried.

4. Conservation Agreement for Woodland Caribou: Section 11
View the letter in the agenda package, available here. It was moved that Council support the Conservation Agreement for Woodland Caribou: Section 11 letter to the Ministers. 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 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.

There were no notices.

Information Items

Councillor Trevor Haas: Councilor Haas reported attendance at a library meeting, whereat budget was discussed. Haas then detailed experiences at AUMA, in particular the opportunity for networking and the opportunity for innovation through collaboration. Haas reported enjoying the opportunity with everything that was at AUMA.

Councillor Tyler Waugh: Councillor Waugh reported attendance at a recent CEAC meeting, saying the survey is complete and results are to come shortly. Waugh then expressed regrets at being unable to attend a coming CFWY meeting. Waugh went on to say that AUMA was a good opportunity to meet with other communities and learn from them.

Councillor Ryan Maguhn: Councillor Maguhn reported attendance at AUMA, saying that there were excellent sessions. Maguhn shared positive experiences with MLA Long, saying that Long had spent expended amounts of time with community leaders. Maguhn went on to speak to an ethics in government session, and then to a new project at the expo to install translucent solar panels in the windowed areas. Maguhn concluded by speaking to the Premiers address at AUMA, speaking to his hope that the comment "It doesnt have to be like 1993" holds true for the number of provincial employees in the community's education, health care, and other sectors.

Councillor Jo-Ann Race: Councillor Race reported attendance at AUMA, saying that it was interesting to see so many of the conversations happening not at the conference, but at the hotels and other common spaces. Race detailed learning about linear vs circular economies, stating her goal that the community could consider itself circular. Race also reported that the Towns partnership with Okotoks on the Mobile Home motion went forward. Race concluded by stating that she attended the Federal Election Candidates Forum the evening before.

Councillor Dewly Nelson: Councillor Nelson reported attendance at the Beer and Blue Jeans event, saying there was good attendance and that the pitch deck being included in the event helped to steer conversation. Nelson then spoke to a valley business meeting whereat vision for the valley area was discussed. Nelson then spoke to AUMA, saying he finds more value in the event every year.

Councillor Albert Ostashek: Councillor Ostashek reported not having any committee meetings yet, but that a Bebo committee and HREDC meeting were coming up. Ostashek then spoke to AUMA, saying much that he would have mentioned had already been touched on, though one session regarding getting to know and reaching out to ministers was helpful. Ostashek also spoke to a session regarding alternative revenue generation, saying that while the session wasn't what he had hoped, the conversations afterwards were engaging and came with interesting ideas.

Mayor Marcel Michaels: Mayor Michaels opened the reporting by proclaiming October 4, 2019 as Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls Awareness Day in Hinton. Read the proclamation in the agenda package, available here. During reporting, Mayor Michaels spoke to the alternative revenue session Ostashek discussed, and then went on to Rick Mercers discussion and points regarding Canada's slow trains. Michaels ended discussion about AUMA saying the event has the best Chamomile tea. Michaels then reported attendance at the Parks West Mall Recreation Centre Engagement Event Council held, saying roughly 150 people spoke with Council with much discussion surrounding what would be done with the former pool space. Michaels shared information regarding an event scheduled for October 28, where the valley business meeting will occur again at BRIDGES. Michaels then reported a meeting of a number of communities of similiar region and industry's Mayors and CAO's, and the potential cooperation between these communities. Michaels concluded by challenging his Council to speak to the connections made over AUMA as time goes on, accessing knowledge and experience.

CAO Martin Taylor: CAO Taylor spoke to ongoing Town activities, saying most of the staff are engaged on budget work, with a number of assessment and engagement activities ongoing and in planning stages. Taylor concluded by speaking to having enjoyed spending time with Council over AUMA.

Town of Hinton Newsflash

Hinton Town Hall and 60 Minutes with Council

Save the Date - October 17, Hinton Town Council will hold a Town Hall event at the PATH between 6:30 and 8:30 pm, featuring a State of the Community address from the Mayor and something we're calling "60 Minutes with Council", giving residents an opportunity to speak to Council and share their thoughts and priorities for the coming year.

Stay tuned to your inbox and the Town facebook page for more information.

Have a Say in the Decisions that Change Your Community

Three distinct committees need someone like you.

Hinton Municipal Library Board
Mandate: Governance And Policy-making Board For All Operational Library Functions.
Length Of Term: 3 Years
Meetings: Once Per Month

Hinton Grant Funding Advisory Committee
Mandate: Provide Recommendations In Matters Relating To The Awarding Of Municipal Funds Under The Community Grant Program.
Length Of Term: 1 Year
Meetings: Approximately 4 Per Year

Intermunicipal Assessment Review Board
Mandate: Represent The Overall Collective Interests Of The Hinton Community.
Length Of Term: 5 Years
Meetings: Potentially 1 To 6 Meetings, Held Within The Fall.

To Apply, Contact 780-740-8059 or by email. Applications Due By Tuesday, October 11, 2019

Learn more and apply online at Hinton.ca/Committees.

Pool Shut Down Complete!

As early morning lane swimmers already know, the Dr. Duncan Murray Recreation Centre Aquatics Facility has been reopened after our annual shutdown. For those wondering what we do during shut down, here's a look at some of the aquatics and maintenance tasks completed over the last month.

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 October 8, 2019, at 4pm
in the Council Chambers.