Council Overview
Information from Drumheller Town Council Regular Council Meeting
Monday, September 20

Mayor Heather Colberg opened the meeting by announcing the September 27 meeting will be cancelled. She also announced there are two flood mitigation Virtual Question and Answer sessions on Wednesday, September 22 from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. and Friday, September 24 from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
***
Council Approved the Minutes of the September 13 Regular Council Meeting.
***
Travel Drumheller vice-chair Dr. Sarah Newstead appeared as a delegation for Travel Drumheller. The presentation reported on its Executive Director Pilot Program. The objective was to create a sustainable staffing and funding Model For Travel Drumheller. Last year they introduced the pilot program, with performance indicators that include expanding Travel Drumheller’s funding diversity, retaining its Destination Marketing Fund partnerships in Drumheller, promotion of its tourism guide, and complete its annual reports, marketing plan, and strategic plan.
***
Council directed administration to appoint Deighen Blakely, P.Eng, of Kerr Wood Leidal Associates Ltd, as the new Flood Project Director for the approximate annual amount of $576,000 excluding GST.
On June 30, 2021, a request for qualifications was posted, and the town received two submissions. Due to the limited and undesirable submissions, the Town decided to cancel the RFQ and reissue a proposal request to a select group of consultants to provide a Project Director to oversee management and coordination of the Flood Program until completion in 2025.
They received bids from three firms including Kerr Wood Leidel Associates, Stantec Consulting, and Nobilitas Consulting. Using ranking criteria they narrowed the list. Interim DRFMO Project Director, Mark Steffler recommended to Kerr Wood Leidal Associates.
***
Director of Protective Services Greg Peters provided a COVID-19. Last week the Province declared a State of Public Health Emergency. The introduced new temporary measures, and the Restrictions Exemption Program whereby residents can download a proof of vaccination card to access services. Council discussed why the town decided to not use the Restrictions Exemption Program for town facilities and directed the administration to further explore using the program.
***
Council passed third reading of Bylaw 04.21, the Council and Committee Meeting Procedures Bylaw. This Bylaw shall govern all meetings of Council, public hearings, and any other meetings as may be directed by Council including Council Committees and their members established and governed by policy or bylaw approved by Council unless permission has been granted to them to establish their own bylaws and procedures.
***
Council passed first and second reading to 21-21, the CAO bylaw. This bylaw better reflects the current responsibilities of the CAO and was last updated in 1998.
***
Council appointed Keith Hodgson and Sharon Clark to the Intermunicipal Subdivision and Development Appeal Board, and Denise Lines, Libby Vant, and Linda Taylor as certified clerks. The Town of Drumheller recently passed the Intermunicipal Subdivision and Development Appeal Board Bylaw, which provides the town with the resources and support of the Palliser Regional Partners for appeal hearings.
***
Council allocated $20,000 from operating surplus to begin engineering work to develop preliminary and detailed design, along with construction budget estimate to build a new women’s change room, and flooring upgrades. Further, council also allocated $150,000 from the capital reserves to immediately begin construction and $40,000 from operating surplus for a rental of temporary locker room space.
***
Council adopted the Recreation Fee Assistance Policy C-07-21 and directs Community Development and Social Planning to provide financial support of up to $30,000 to recreation in support of this program until 2022. Qualifying individuals or families could receive a 50 per cent to 90 per cent discount on a full membership at the BCF, as well as a $100-200 credit towards classes and programs.

Complete minutes from council meetings can be found on
www.drumheller.ca once they have been adopted.

Council Overview
Information from Drumheller Town Council
Regular Council Meeting
Monday, September 13

Mayor Colberg congratulated the organizers of the Dinosaur Half Marathon on a successful event and thanked residents who participated in the Kick It to the Curb and the ongoing Community Clean-Up. She reminded listeners of the upcoming Rotary White Elephant sale on Saturday, October 2.
***
Mayor Colberg announced Municipal Affairs is going to move forward with the Flood Mitigation and Resiliency program petition. Municipal Affairs will gather more information, and Mayor and Council will speak with Municipal Affairs representatives this week. Depending on how far the petition and investigation goes, this could have a financial impact of some $60,000 to $70,000 on the municipality to complete the review if Municipal Affairs decides to move forward.
***
ATCO Electric Drumheller supervisor of operations Shahedul Amin gave a two-part presentation to council. The first was to discuss converting streetlights from non-invested to invested. Mr. Amin explained non-invested streetlights the customer (municipality) is responsible for the cost of installation, replacement, and maintenance; ATCO is responsible for the full cost of replacement and maintenance of invested streetlights. Streetlights are owned by ATCO and the community pays distribution charges for the lights regardless of invested or non-invested status.
There are 1,105 streetlights in Drumheller, of which 740 are non-invested, and 349 are invested. There are also 16 private streetlights and 12 of these are currently invested. Mr. Amin shared if the Town were to convert to invested streetlights there would be an increase of approximately $9,600 per month in distribution fees, though it is estimated the Town would save some $4.5 million in future replacement costs and would also receive an investment of $675,000.
***
In the second presentation Mr. Amin shared the option to change invested streetlights to LED through the LED Conversion Multiplier (LCM). ATCO has worked with the Alberta utilities Commission (AUC) to offer the LCM program to provide municipalities with the opportunity to do a full-scale conversion to LED without large upfront costs.
The program is only applicable to invested, public streetlights; it is not available for private lighting streetlights, regardless of whether they are invested or non-invested. AUC approval is also required prior to moving ahead.
The LED multiplier rate is currently 9.4 per cent and, once the program ends, the invested streetlight rate will be adjusted to reflect any remaining capital costs and maintenance savings for converted lights. Mr. Amin noted the program is anticipated to end in the next two to three years.
***
Council passed third reading of Bylaw 18.21 amending Land Use Bylaw 2021-A. Amendments include an addition to Section 11 regarding signage on shipping containers, variable setbacks based on posted speed limits, and removal of the condition billboards cannot have variable messages or moving, rotating parts.
***
Council passed first and second reading of Bylaw 04.21 Council and Committee Meeting Procedures. Amendments concentrate on council and council committee meeting expectations and also adds information regarding electronic meetings. Council boards and committees are also further defined. Some information has been removed regarding council conduct and is intented to be included in a future update to Bylaw 08.18 Councillor Code of Conduct.
***
Director of Infrastructure Services Dave Brett presented council with an update on the Snow Removal and Ice Control Strategy. Mr. Brett asked for clarification on maintaining snow and ice removal for specific sidewalks within the communities before a final draft is brought before council.
***
Director of Emergency and Protective Services Greg Peters provided a COVID-19 update. As of Monday, September 13 there are 43 cases in the Town of Drumheller. Mr. Peters noted since the new provincial mandates have gone into effect, bylaw has received more violation calls and are encountering more resistance. Mr. Peters has been in discussion with Drumheller RCMP Staff Sergeant Ed Bourque regarding this situation.
***
Council adjourned to closed session to discuss two agenda items-Emergency Department Review and Drumheller Mitigation Project Manager.

Complete minutes from council meetings can be found on
www.drumheller.ca once they have been adopted.