Mayor Barry Kletke called the regular Town of Trochu Council meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. on Monday, September 11. The agenda was accepted as presented. The minutes for the August 28 regular meeting were adopted as circulated. Councillor Bill Cunningham was absent from this meeting.
Councillors were presented with an updated “Housekeeping” agenda. It was agreed by Council that the Committee of the Whole meeting scheduled for September 25 could begin earlier than previously scheduled.
There were no Public Hearings and no Delegations making presentations.
Staff Reports
a) Grant & Economic Development Report given in chart form and received as presented. According to the August report the following grants were approved: To the Trochu Ag Society, for bleachers; to the Trochu Ag Society for Storage and office; To Trochu Hall for a new furnace. Total $76,123.00. Pending grants: Linden Rink, Seniors Drop-in - Operating, Trochu Ag - Storage and Office, Carbon Community Centre, Linden Dam Project, Hillside Lanes Bowling Society, Trochu Golf Course - Mower. Total $681,043.00.
Jamie Collins is the “Grant Writer” who spends hours seeking out which grants are available for specific projects. She works for the Town of Trochu and covers all municipalities throughout Kneehill County.
When it comes to grants they are usually very specific as to where they can be applied. It is not just a matter of asking for X number of dollars because the group is worthy of support, but there has to be a designated use, some form of financial record and justification for the request, and always a deadline for application.
b) Administrator’s Report
CAO, Carl Peterson presents a written report and gives an oral expansion on activities meetings and projects having been worked on in the month of August.
Headings on the Printed copy may not tell much but should show something of the diversity of matters over which the CAO has to attend.
A. “ABmunis” -A conference of Alverta Municipalities to network and share common concerns and to make direct contact with Alberta Govt. Ministers. Specifically, a request that the Trochu delegates will be able to meet with Minister McIver has been granted. “The focus of the meeting will be how the demolition costs of derelict buildings are being forced upon Municipalities and how the Province can help out.”
B. “Trochu Housing Corporation “Continuing talks with Covenant Health. “Not much to update”.
C. ”Rural Development Network:” Ongoing work”
D. ”Day Care” is Expected to open in November.
E. “PRMS” (Palliser Regional Municipal Services) An organization to help Municipalities work through various required documents.
They are working on the MDP (Municipal Development Plan).
F. “218 Main Street” Demolition and clean-up completed. Invoices and letters were sent to the landowner.
G. Kneehill Regional Partnership (KRP)” “Trochu is taking the lead on Economic Development for Elected Officials Training course.”
H. “Inter-Municipal Development Plan”: Will work together with Kneehill County regarding the IMD Plan, but later in the fall.
I. “Seniors Outreach”: “They have moved into the space provided by Town at the old curling rink and are open for business. They are very happy there.”
J. “Communication Tower”: “I have reached out to Jeff Dicken with Synergy Land to determine if the Town can assist him in locating a site for a communication tower.
Councillor’s Reports:
a) Councillor Armstrong: From a meeting of the Community Futures Wild Rose”: A “Skills in Action Work Readiness course is available to workers. CFWR will make funds available both to workers and employers who would send them, The course is to give instruction on basic start-up skills, including “how to make change”,
b) Councillor Cunningham: Although absent, the Councillor sent in a Police Advisory Committee report indicating trends. Overall the crimes are down.
c) Councillor De La Cruz: Updates regularly as to the addition of new workers at Sunterra. A tour of Sunterra facilities is still in the plans. He was present for the Culture Day event.
d) Councillor Lyver: The Library has taken on new staff. There are upcoming activities planned. The Library is going to try being closed on Saturdays
e) Councillor Martel: A tour of the Arboretum by young people was well attended,
f) Deputy Mayor Reeds: Nothing to report at this time.
g) Mayor Kletke: Attended the Culture Day event and attended the Central Alberta Mayors Committee meeting. Presented Session notes from the meeting.
Correspondence:
There were four items of correspondence to receive for information:
i. RCMP Local Crime Statistics Report:
ii. Marigold Library Systems 2024 Budget Estimates.
iii. Kneehill Family Wellness Program 2022-2023 Annual Report.
iv. Session Notes from the Mayors of South-Central Alberta Committee.
The August 2023 Bank Reconciliation was presented and accepted as distributed.
There was nothing forthcoming from “Old Business”.
Under “Bylaws, Policies and Agreements Council looked at two items.
These Bylaws saw no changes and were passed as presented.
a) KMHA Concession Agreement
Following the formula for setting: “fees” as provided by Atco, Council approved that there would be no change this year.
b) AMSC Amendment to Electrical Agreement.
The AMSC stands for the Alberta Municipal Services Corporation and they work on behalf of Municipalities to secure the best power rate for group members. The agreement and rates, because of economic situations have had to be altered and Council approved the amendments.
New Business had three items:
a) Community Closet Request:
A letter from Community Closet asked whether or not they might expand into the adjacent room. The letter indicated that additional donations, demand for what is offered, and number of users would make the extra room of great value. Council moved that the room be made available conditional that IF some other request came in from an organization wanting to RENT the space, Community Closet would need to vacate it.
b) Hillside Lanes Sponsorship Request offered the Town the opportunity to sponsor and be part of a League Team. Council declined.
c) Dust Control East of the Campground. The benefit of having some form of dust control on the road east of the campground was presented to Council. It was agreed by Council that an application of calcium should be considered and included in the budget… for next year.
There was nothing under Special Projects. No Closed Session was necessary. Adjournment was called at 6:40 pm.
