While the Town of Drumheller has taken aim at coyotes in the town’s vicinity, they are now turning their sights on beavers along the Red Deer River.
    Mayor Terry Yemen has been in contact with the Alberta Trappers Association to ask about decreasing the number of dam building critters that's population, according to Yemen, is out of control.
    “I spent a lot of time on the river and years ago I hunted beaver and we had a good healthy population back then, but it is no where near what it is like now,” said Yemen. “They will basically eat themselves out of house and home and it eliminates all of our trees.”
    Yemen is a director on the Red Deer River Municipal Users Group and was supported by the group in contacting the Trappers Association. The association was not specifically to look at having someone trap, but more to gain a lobbying partner in taking the problem to the Alberta Government to address the issue.
    To solve the problem of an out of control beaver population, according to Yemen is not as simple as hunting them.
    “I have been trying for two years to get something done. They are a fur bearing animal so they have some protection, you can’t just go out and shoot them, you need a permit,” said Yemen.
    He said that they can issue permits to hunt or trap them, however the animals cannot simply be disposed of. The fur has to be properly processed. The problem is that the market for beaver pelts is weak.
    Jim Mitchell of the Alberta Trappers Association agrees the market is soft and if left unchecked the beavers can do significant damage.
    “I agree that the current low price of beaver is the root of your problems.  If beavers are not controlled they will certainly alter the landscape, often causing much damage by flooding and tree removal and in addition with high populations they are often susceptible to a bacterial disease called Tularemia which can cause problems to humans and water quality,” he said in correspondence with Mayor Yemen.
    Mitchell says the association is supportive.
    “I applaud your efforts to bring this issue to the government and unfortunately moral support is about all we can give at this time… The government of Alberta is well aware of our concerns which echo yours however no one seems willing to put up some funds to make management viable,” he states.
    Mayor Yemen said they have brought their concerns to the local MLA.
    “I sent it to Rick Strankman because lack of action by the government is his thing,” said Yemen.

    After considering a multitude of options to help raise money for the Town of Drumheller’s utilities, Council passed the first reading of Bylaw 15.12, the 2013 utility rates.
    Councillor Jay Garbutt made a motion to increase the price of the water rates by three per cent, with no increase to waste water rates, but add a $1 surcharge to each utility bill.
    The surcharge, tentatively dubbed the “Infrastructure Investment Surcharge”, will go directly into reserves for future capital projects.
    The proposed increase would result in a fixed rate for water of $10.80 and a variable rate of $1.40 per cubic metre, up from $10.50 and $1.36, respectively. The waste water rates would remain at $11.50 fixed and $1.85 per cubic metre, calculated at 80 per cent of water consumption.
    Therefore, a household using 19 cubic metres of water in a month would, in 2012, have a bill of $77.96 and, in 2013, $79.03 plus a $1 surcharge, resulting in a $80.03 bill.
    “To be responsible and to take measure towards the long term sustainability of this precious resource, it’s not acceptable that we put ourselves in a situation where a utility that is worth $50 million has less than $500,000 in reserve,” said Garbutt.
    Council was also presented with the option of increasing the water rates by five per cent, which would have resulted in a fixed rate of $11 and a variable rate of $1.42.
    The three per cent rate increase would give the Town complete cost recovery for the utility and $470,000 surplus for reserves. However, CAO Ray Romanetz explained most of those reserves, roughly $300,000, would be used for smaller projects throughout the year. Councillors Garbutt and Andrew Berdahl felt that would leave too little to build up any meaningful reserve for larger, or sudden projects.
    The surcharge will give the Town roughly $40,000 extra for reserves.
    “Part of total cost recovery includes not just meeting our expenses, but a return on our investment, which we can set aside for future capital investment,” said Garbutt. “The province continues to demand higher quality for the water we provide, without increasing their funding. So, we’re being pushed towards incredible self reliance. Having a reasonable supply of funds on hand to deal with capital expenses to expand and enhance our water system is becoming muncipalities’ responsibility."
    Councillor Sharel Shoff asked if the surcharge would be the same, regardless if the utility was for a business or apartment. The intent is to make the surcharge the same for each utility user.
    The first reading of the bylaw passed with Mayor Terry Yemen opposed.
    “It was just the first reading, so it’s not a done deal,” said Mayor Yemen. “I don’t see that it’s necessary. It’s important to have reserves, but when we talk about trying to build a reserve of $5 million, I don’t see how we can get there with this.”
    Council will conduct the remaining two readings at their next meeting on January 7, 2013.