PONOKA COUNTY COUNTY COUNCIL MEETING May 12, 2015 A regular meeting of the Council of Ponoka County was held in the County Council Chambers of the County Administration Building on Tuesday, May 12, 2015, with the following people in attendance: Councillor B. Liddle Councillor M. Matejka Councillor D. Weir Councillor N. Hartford Reeve P. McLauchlin Mr. C. Cutforth, Chief Administrative Officer Mrs. D. Raugust, Recording Secretary Call to Order Reeve McLauchlin called the meeting to order at 9:07 a.m. CONSIDERATION/ADOPTION OF THE AGENDA Consideration of the Agenda Item No. 1 The following items were suggested for addition to the agenda: 9.3 RCMP Long Service presentations, May 15, 10:00 a.m. 10.1 Ponoka Gym club update 10.2 Lacombe Ice Fishing shacks meeting 10.3 Ponoka Air Cadets facility 114/15 Moved by Councillor Weir that the agenda be adopted as amended. MINUTES April 28, 2015 Regular Meeting Item No. 2.1 Council reviewed the minutes of the April 28, 2015 Regular Council meeting. 115/15 Moved by Councillor Hartford that the minutes of the April 28, 2015 Regular Council meeting be adopted as presented. April 28, 2015 Public Hearing Item No. 2.2 Council reviewed the minutes of the April 28, 2015 Public Hearing. 116/15 Moved by Councillor Liddle that the minutes of the April 28, 2015 Public Hearing be adopted as presented. PUBLIC WORKS Preliminary Agreements Item No. 5.1 Council reviewed the following preliminary agreement: Agreement # Landowner(s) Land Location 1721 Daniel & Brenda Krossa SE 4-42-1-W5
May 12, 2015 Page 2 117/15 Moved by Councillor Matejka that the preliminary agreements be adopted as presented. Access to SW 17-43-26-W4 D. Cornelssen Item No. 5.2 Mr. Cutforth presented a request from Darcy Cornelssen to provide access to the SW 17-43-26-W4 on undeveloped TR 432 east of RR 265. Mr. Cornelssen was willing to pay for construction of the road but would require that an endeavor to assist caveat be placed on the property south of his in order to share the construction costs if future development occurred. Mr. Cutforth recommended that Council pursue the option to close and consolidate the road allowance to allow Mr. Cornelssen to construct his own access road. 118/15 Moved by Councillor Liddle that Administration prepare a closure by-law for consideration by Council. DEVELOPMENT Subdivision & Development Report Item No. 6.1 Council reviewed the subdivision & development report to May 11, 2015. 119/15 Moved by Councillor Hartford that the subdivision & development report to May 11, 2015 be accepted as information. COUNCILLOR REPORTS..Carried unanimously Fence Line / Survey Issues Friends of Chain Lakes Meeting Rimbey FCSS Golf Tournament Ponoka Airport Appreciation Rimbey Agrim Centre Recent Provincial Election Rimbey Seniors Facility Ponoka Fire Chief; Equipment Audit Item No. 7.1 Councillor Hartford reported on a fence line issue within Division 5. If there was conflicting surveys, the Director of Surveys would need to be involved. It appeared that the two neighbors would resolve the issue through a lot line adjustment if required. Councillor Liddle had attended the Friends of the Chain Lakes meeting. He had found it quite informative and well attended. Councillor Matejka reported that the Rimbey FCSS Golf Tournament would be held August 20. The Ponoka Airport had expressed its appreciation to the County for allowing the Town to be the Development Authority for the Airport. Councillor McLauchlin had attended at the Agrim Centre in Rimbey during a 4-H show recently and was impressed with the facility. It was noted that both the Ponoka and Rimbey areas had seen Wildrose Party representatives voted in during the recent election. The new cabinet would be announced after the NDP Party assumed power. Reeve McLauchlin advised that the access and services were in place for the new Seniors facility in Rimbey. The old borrow pit on the lot would be turned into a water feature. He suggested that the County could assist with some of the dirt work for the storm water run-off project. General discussion ensued concerning the hiring of a new fire chief for the Ponoka Fire Department. As the County paid one-half of the wage for this position, they should be involved in the hiring process. Council clarified that they only want what they ve always had with the Town; good communication and consultation. The Town Council had been advised that the County CAO had been made aware of the
May 12, 2015 Page 3 Town s audit of the fire-fighting equipment, when in fact, he had been advised that the units would be reviewed, but not that there would be a full audit. Fire-Fighting Services Agreement Rimbey Area Fire Department Currently the Town was proposing to form a committee to develop an agreement for fire-fighting services. Mr. Cutforth advised that the Rimbey area fire-fighters were enthused with the new arrangement. The honorarium paid to the fire-fighters was not the same between Ponoka and Rimbey and this would be addressed. UPCOMING MEETING/EVENT REMINDERS Upcoming Events & Meetings Item No. 9 Council was reminded of the following upcoming meetings/events:.1 Next regular Council meetings.1 May 26, 2015 Regular meeting.2 June 9, 2015 Development/Delegations.3 June 23, 2015 Regular meeting.2 MPC Meeting immediately following the Council meeting.3 RCMP Presentation, May 15, 2015 10:00 a.m. ADDITIONAL ITEMS Ponoka Gym Club, Property Security Item No. 10.1 Mr. Cutforth confirmed that the County had committed to provide $100,000 bridge funding for the Ponoka Gymnastics and Trampoline Club provided a financial commitment could be obtained from a local financial institution. Both Servus and ATB had provided general commitment letters but could not confirm their ability to secure the funding. Administration would continue to monitor this situation. It was noted that the Town of Ponoka would be considering transferring the property to the Gym Club at this evening s Council meeting. Property Assessments Recess for Coffee Break General discussion ensued concerning assessment of property and the differing rates being charged. Reeve McLauchlin recessed the meeting at 10:03 a.m. for a coffee break. The meeting reconvened at 10:11 a.m. DELEGATIONS Missing Link Internet Services Item No. 4.1 Craig Bondy and Phil Swanson of Missing Link Internet Services attended the meeting at this time. Mr. Swanson advised that they proposed to penetrate tree covered areas with the newer LTE (long-term evolution) technology. Mr. Cutforth confirmed that Ponoka County had originally contributed $700,000 to get the original internet towers installed by CCI Wireless. The towers gave access to 75% of the County residents, however, there were smaller pockets where the service would not work. The County s goal was to ensure that every County resident had the ability to receive internet service. Missing Link was able to provide coverage in the areas where Corridor Communications was not able to penetrate. The County had then entered into agreement with Missing Link for the erection of smaller towers to service the dead areas, with funding from the Final Mile grant. The agreement says that Missing Link can purchase the Towers over a 15 year period, after the original 3-year County must own clause expires. Missing Link had already paid back the 15-year loan and would now like an addendum to the agreement for $120,000 in order to purchase additional towers, under the same terms.
May 12, 2015 Page 4 Mr. Cutforth recommended that the existing agreement be rewritten to identify a repayment value of $120,000. 120/15 Erect Additional Towers Moved by Councillor Liddle that Ponoka County enter into agreement with Missing Link to erect additional towers within Ponoka County to service additional residents, with a repayment value of $120,000 for the towers. Mr. Bondy and Mr. Swanson were thanked for their attendance and they left the meeting. Town of Ponoka Recreation Committee; Field House/Multi-plex Item No. 4.2 Mr. Peter Hall, Chairman of the Town of Ponoka Recreation Committee, attended the meeting at this time. He invited Council to attend the scheduled May 25 meeting with the consultants to discuss recreation in the Town of Ponoka. The Committee had gone on a fact-finding tour to determine best practices from other communities. In accordance with the needs analysis study completed in 2007 by the Town, the biggest wish list for the community is the need for an indoor field house, whether it is added on to the existing facility or newly constructed. The Town had commissioned a new study with the intent to create a recreation master plan which would encompass all recreational facilities in one structure. They had discovered on their fact finding tour that where the communities cooperated, the facility thrived. Mr. Cutforth pointed out that the County already contributed almost $500,000 per year to recreation in the two Towns. The County s priorities were not the same as the Towns, i.e. bridges, roads. whole. Reeve McLauchlin suggested that the consultants meet with Council as a Mr. Hall was thanked for his attendance and he left the meeting. PUBLIC HEARINGS Recess for Public Hearing Item No. 4.3 Reeve McLauchlin recessed the meeting at 11:03 a.m. to conduct a Public Hearing. The meeting reconvened at 11:08 a.m. DEVELOPMENT (continued) By-Law 11-15-ZA Reclassification of Pt. SW 25-44-27-4 Gartner, Shawn & Lori Item No. 6.2 Council reviewed By-Law 11-15-ZA in light of the recent public hearing, which allowed for rezoning as follows: A by-law of Ponoka County, in the Province of Alberta, pursuant to Section 640 of The Municipal Government Act, being Chapter M-26.1 of the Revised Statutes of Alberta, 2000, and amendments thereto, to amend Land Use By-Law 7-08-LU as follows: Reclassify Pt. SW 25-44-27-W4 (approximately 14.5 acres) from Agricultural District to Country Residential Hobby Farm District. 121/15 1 st Reading 122/15 2 nd Reading 123/15 Proceed to 3 rd Given first reading this 12 th day of May, 2015 on a motion by Councillor Hartford and was carried unanimously. Given second reading this 12 th day of May, 2015 on a motion by Councillor Liddle and was carried unanimously. By unanimous consent of Council, on a motion by Councillor Matejka to proceed at this time with third reading to By-Law 11-15-ZA;
May 12, 2015 Page 5 124/15 3 rd Reading By-Law 11-15-ZA was given third and final reading this 12 th day of May, 2015 on a motion by Councillor Weir and was unanimously passed. ADDITIONAL ITEMS (continued) Meeting to Discuss Fishing Shacks on Gull Lake Item No. 10.2 Mr. Cutforth advised that the Lacombe County Councillor for the Gull Lake area had requested that the fishing shacks on Gull Lake be registered in order to ensure timely removal in the spring of each year. They requested that Ponoka County cooperate with them in this venture. Administration would consult with Lacombe to schedule a meeting. PUBLIC HEARINGS (continued) Recess for Coffee Break; Public Hearing Item No. 4.4 Reeve McLauchlin recessed the meeting at 11:13 a.m. for a coffee break and to conduct a Public Hearing. The meeting reconvened at 11:24 a.m. DEVELOPMENT (continued) By-Law 12-15-ZA Reclassification of Pt. NW 16-42-25-4 Nelson, Lorraine Item No. 6.3 Council reviewed By-Law 12-15-ZA in light of the recent public hearing, which allowed for rezoning as follows: A by-law of Ponoka County, in the Province of Alberta, pursuant to Section 640 of The Municipal Government Act, being Chapter M-26.1 of the Revised Statutes of Alberta, 2000, and amendments thereto, to amend Land Use By-Law 7-08-LU as follows: Reclassify Pt. NW 16-42-25-W4 (approximately 2.25 acres) from Agricultural District to Country Residential District. 125/15 1 st Reading 126/15 2 nd Reading 127/15 Proceed to 3 rd 128/15 3 rd Reading Given first reading this 12 th day of May, 2015 on a motion by Councillor Weir and was carried unanimously. Given second reading this 12 th day of May, 2015 on a motion by Councillor Matejka and was carried unanimously. By unanimous consent of Council, on a motion by Councillor Liddle to proceed at this time with third reading to By-Law 12-15-ZA; By-Law 12-15-ZA was given third and final reading this 12 th day of May, 2015 on a motion by Councillor Hartford and was unanimously passed. ADDITIONAL ITEMS (continued) Ponoka Air Cadets; New Facility Item No. 10.3 Mr. Cutforth advised that no funds had been paid out to the Ponoka Air Cadets toward their building project. The Cadets had since decided to move to the Ponoka Elementary School and utilize those facilities, rather than build a new facility. Any further request for funding for repairs to the school would come back to Council for further consideration. 129/15 Moved by Councillor Liddle, at 11:30 a.m., that the meeting be adjourned. Adjournment Reeve Chief Administrative Officer