MUNICIPAL DISTRICT BONNYVILLE NO. 87
COUNCIL & COMMITTEE HIGHLIGHTS January 20 & 27, 2021
Keeping you informed of the services, business and development that affect YOU!
#1 Drainage Projects Update – On January 20, Council approved the 2021 Drainage Project Priorities Map. Council directed Administration to bring forward a phased-in construction plan for rectifying the drainage issues outlined in the map. The drainage projects are divided into three categories and priorities. Category A is “Projects Associated with Public Infrastructure” and the priority is “High”. Category B is “Projects Protecting Residential Communities” and priority is “Low”. Category C is “Projects Protecting Individuals” and the priority is “None”. The 2020 Capital Drainage Projects Summary was also accepted by Council. The summary outlines the status of last year’s drainage projects. Birch Grove is 99 percent complete at a cost of $884,545,16. Engineering on the Elk Haven Project has been completed. Ninety percent of the design phase is completed on the Countryside and Country Lane Estates Project. The M.D. is waiting for environmental approvals and will then start construction on the remediation. The Beaver River Outfall is completed for a cost of $1,355,355.13. Engineering is still being done on the Crawford Estates/Pinsky Lake project, while the M.D. had performed emergency pumping in the spring and summer of 2020 to bring down the level of the lake. A Master Drainage Plan has been developed for the drainage issues in the Crane Lake subdivisions. Engineering has been completed on the Drouin Subdivision project. Preliminary engineering has been completed on the Sunset View Estates project and the options are being reviewed, as the costs range from $1.6 to $5.2 million. Council approved work to be done on the Fontaine Subdivision Drainage Project for an estimated cost of $15,000, with the landowner required to regrade his backyard to achieve positive drainage towards the east ditch. The M.D. will clear and grade the east ditch along Pine Crescent going south and the Municipal Reserve running east to west. Funding will come from the 2021 Operating Budget. On January 27, Council directed Administration to proceed to 90 percent design for the Willow Ridge and Hillside Estates Drainage Project. GHD Engineering has developed the 30 percent design that incorporates temporary pumping locations, redesigned water channels and culverts for improved flow. The total approved budget for this project, including engineering and construction is $2,090,966.
#2 Kinosoo Ridge Changes Opening Hours — Council agreed to change Kinosoo Ridge’s hours of operation on January 20 due to the lack of other recreational opportunities for residents because of COVID-19. As of Wednesday, February 3, the Ridge will now be open Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Thursday and Friday from 1 to 8 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Please see www.kinosoo.ca for more detailed hours. The ski hill will be closed Monday’s and Tuesday’s.
#3 Muriel Creek Flood Mitigation – Environmental and DFO approvals were received in December in order to move forward with both Phases I and II of Muriel Creek Flood Mitigation. Work on the project starts this week and will take seven to 10 days to complete. The work had to wait until winter to allow for more frozen conditions in the creek due to it being a fish-bearing stream. All adjacent landowners have been notified of the upcoming waterworks project.
#4 Roadside Brushing Plan – Council accepted the Roadside Brushing Plan Update. Staff developed a five-year Brushing Map, as well as a 20-year Evaluation Map. The five-year criteria is based on 60 percent of arterial road requirements, 20 percent based on grader operator input and 20 percent Council referrals/landowners requests. All roads have been driven and mapped on a 20-year map and recorded as high/moderate/low priorities. The final 20.5 kms of 2020 roadside brushing was completed in the Cherry Grove area. The contractor used mulchers, which required the removal of all rocks from the tree line. The M.D. then moved the rocks to a bin site, to be used in a future upgrade of the site. In total, 59 kms of roadside trees were removed from M.D. ditches and right-of-ways in 2020.
#5 Emergency Livestock Plan – Staff have worked with a contractor to develop an Emergency Livestock Plan specifically for the M.D. Two committees were established to provide feedback on input to mold the plan to our specific needs. The initial draft is in place. Once COVID-19 restrictions are lifted, stakeholder training will commence. The goal is to set up a mock disaster in order to train local RCMP, Fire, Peace Officers, and staff in the spring. The project is partially funded by a grant from Alberta Agriculture & Forestry.
#6 Rat Patrol Support – The Pest Control Officer completed the final 358 rat inspections in Zone 1 as required by Alberta Agriculture & Forestry. The final report has been submitted to meet requirements of the grant funding. A letter outlining the importance of the Rat Patrol is being sent to the Minister of Agriculture, requesting that provincial funding for the program be continued.
#7 Waste Services News – One shipment of twine was picked up and sent to recycling. Unfortunately, 47 percent of the shipment was waste material and sent to the landfill. The recycler said it was mixed with net wrap and had too much straw contamination. Secondary containers have been installed at La Corey and Therien Landfills to contain the used oil tank, filter drums, coolant drums, and used oil pails and other plastic recycling. The Waste to Energy Feasibility Study final report was submitted in mid-January. Alberta Recycling has requested photos of our electronics collection areas as an example of a rural collection site for their report to be submitted to the provincial government.
#8 Public Safety Update – Council will be meeting on February 2 to review the M.D.’s Peace Officer Level of Service. Officers have been asked to attend area landfills to assist operators whenever possible. They have been asked to be visible and focus on unsecured loads entering the facility. When appropriate, education and warnings are being delivered. In December, 75 patrols to area landfills were recorded. Officers conducted 18 patrols around area mailboxes. Unfortunately, there were several mailboxes broken into over the holidays and the RCMP continue to investigate. Officers provided 46 Vacant Home Checks in December. Officers completed 665 General Crime Prevention patrols of various rural areas of the M.D. Officers responded to eight dog complaints, ranging from missing dogs to aggressive dogs running at large. Several warnings were handed out and several files remain active for follow-up and monitoring.
#9 Planning And Development Statistics – The Planning and Development Department received 19 building permits during October worth $2,849,000, nine building permits in November worth $2,458,800.05 and one building permit in December worth $22,000, bringing the year-to-date total of 172 permits to $16,727,004.89. Housing starts for 2020 include 12 Single Family Dwellings, three RTMs and nine Mobile Homes. In 2020, the M.D. received 23 subdivision applications.
#10 Broadband Support – On January 20, Council agreed to provide a letter of support to MCSNet and Xplornet Communications Inc. for their Universal Broadband Fund (UBF) grant applications. UBF was launched by the federal government in November 2020 to provide high speed internet to rural and remote communities.
#11 Funding Support – Council approved $33,219.50 in additional funding for the North Shore Heights and Shay Cho Bay Community Society to complete the Bert Layh Memorial Park Pickleball Court. The revised total estimate for the project is $165,219.50. The contribution will come from the M.D.’s Legacy Fund.
#12 Briefly – Council adopted 4A.018 Dust Control Program Policy. The policy establishes how new dust controls may be requested, as well as how Infrastructure Services will prioritize dust control request locations based on annual budget and Council approval.