Did you catch Council last night?
Here are some highlights:
➡️ Representatives from Alberta Transportation and Economic Corridors presented about the status of the bridge repair. They stated their goal of delivering a safe project that ensures the longevity of the bridge for years to come, but acknowledged that the project has taken longer than hoped. As it stands now, the bridge can't be reopened, as it's not safe to use. The Province is in the process of procuring a contractor for some of the unfinished scope of the project, while working with the current contractor to overcome some challenges. The representatives made a commitment to keep the Town up to speed on the bridge status and attend any Council meeting when asked to. As per speed limits, they said they would be keeping the limit at 50 km/hr for safety reasons, due to trucks navigating the crossover coming from the West hill. They also shared there would be some paving work coming in future years, such as on 90 Street, dips around the CN bridge, and on Highway 744 in 2025 and 743 in 2026.
➡️ Representatives from ATCO Electric presented about the street light upgrades to LED. They said there are about 150 lights left to change. The changeover has been delayed as ATCO is upgrading some of the infrastructure as they do it. They also brought us a cheque for approximately $6,000! That was compensation for street lights that were not working properly in 2023.
➡️ Council passed two bylaws to authorize short-term borrowing. These are to facilitate positive cashflow while awaiting grants and due to the particular payment needs of suppliers. To be clear, these are administrative workflow decisions and no new money is being spent.
➡️ Council deliberated the Election Bylaw, preparing for the municipal election next year. Considerations included whether candidates should require criminal record checks and number of polling stations. We will have more information about the upcoming election and ways to participate in the future.
➡️ Council passed appointments to the Peace Regional Subdivision and Development Appeal Board.
➡️ Council discussed the Public Security Services Pilot Project, as well as the Public Safety Survey. We'll be posting the results of the survey shortly.
➡️ Council accepted the draft 5-year Capital Plan for information.
➡️ Council continued to deliberate on the 2025 Budget. In response to public feedback, Administration proposed several items that could be cut from the budget to offset potential utility rate increases. Council suggested that some beautification plans be cancelled, including downtown murals and utility wraps. The budget will continue to be discussed and is not yet passed.
And always more.
The whole agenda is here: https://peaceriver.civicweb.net/filepro/documents/?preview=139879
And re-watch it on Youtube here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z_J1aff3VH4
