Catch Council on Monday, June 8?
Rhetorical question as the highlights are coming regardless:
- Council thanked Pat Fisher, Director of Infrastructure and Development, for his work for the Town as he moves on to new opportunities. The Town is currently in a period of leadership transition, with an interim Chief Administrative Officer, interim Director of Corporate Services, and soon interim Director of Infrastructure and Development.
- The Mackenzie Municipal Services Agency presented to Council about their business model and options for contracting out planning and development work.
- Council directed Administration to research and prepare a draft Statement of Intent to Participate for the Alberta Utilities Commission’s (AUC) review of the proposed Mihta Askiy Data Centre Project in Northern Sunrise County. The draft statement will return to the June 22 Council meeting for Council’s consideration. The purpose of submitting a Statement of Intent to AUC is to list the activities that the project may affect and a description of issues the town would like the AUC to consider when making its decision. If we do not submit a Statement of Intent, we may not receive any further notice regarding AUC's decision.
- Pat Fisher provided Council with a financial update on the secondary clarifier repair and upgrade at the wastewater treatment plant. Following equipment failures in 2021 and 2024, repair and upgrade work totalled approximately $1.865 million across three phases, with $715,000 approved for funding through the Alberta Municipal Water and Wastewater Partnership program. Administration is completing the final project report in order to receive the balance of funding owed, which will improve the Town's balance sheet, as we have already paid for this work.
- Pat Fisher updated Council that the Town is partnering with Alberta Transportation and Economic Corridors on paving and infrastructure work connected to the Highway 743 project. The partnership allows the Town to include several local road sections in the tender, helping reduce costs through shared mobilization and economies of scale. You can see an image in the agenda of the roads included.
- Tanya Bell, Director of Community Services, informed Council of the 2026 FCSS Grants to Groups allocations approved by the Community Services Board. Grants included $12,000 to the Peace Regional Outreach Campus; $7,500 to the Resource Centre for Suicide Prevention; $7,500 to the Sagitawa Friendship Society; and $13,000 to the North Peace Society for the Prevention of Domestic Violence.
- Council approved a $30,000 increase to the Fieldhouse Wall capital budget, funded from the Tax-Supported Capital Reserve, bringing the total cost of the project to $178,421. The project will add an aluminum-framed tempered glass wall between the field house and changeroom hallway at the Baytex Energy Centre to improve access control and reduce operational conflicts between user groups.
- Council directed Administration to withdraw membership in the Peace Region Economic Development Alliance and thank the board for their contributions. In 2024, the Province announced an intention to phase out operational funding of all Regional Economic Development Alliances, shifting to a competitive, project-based model. Benefits from involvement in PREDA have appeared indirect and hard to quantify, making the $12,500 membership fee, which is expected to increase, better suited for local economic development initiatives.
- Council provided direction to Administration on the New Town Hall project to help guide the next stage of detailed design work. The discussion focused on public-facing spaces, Council chambers, Council office space, and whether any major changes are needed before the design team advances the project further.
There's always more!
Read the whole agenda here: https://peaceriver.civicweb.net/filepro/documents/?preview=161943
Or watch it again here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8zpTZp1M6vM
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