The Town of Drumheller is respecting the wishes of Lehigh and East Coulee residents by not imposing water distribution systems on the communities.
 The town will, however, continue with the transmission line from Cambria to the western edge of East Coulee.
 The town has received 90 per cent funding for the transmission line ($4 million), but the distribution system that would bring water to the edge of residential properties would have been funded through a local improvement tax. Residents of East Coulee and Lehigh overwhelmingly rejected the project, and the town is cognizant of the directive of the residents.
    “Most of the residences of the outlying communities have their own well systems and those who can afford it have even added their own residential treatment systems. We respect and recognize the clear opposition to the installation of a distribution system so that residents can continue to benefit from their investment in their private well systems,” says Mayor Terry Yemen.
     The transmission line is expected to be constructed in 2012 and there are plans for filling stations and fire suppression facilities. This will also allow residents with property along the line to negotiate hooking up to the system.
    “If they (residents from Cambria to Lehigh) express an interest, they will meet with administration, and each price will be different depending on how far they have to go,” said Yemen.
    Council is planning to send a letter to residents along the line in the near future outlining their options with the addition of the transmission line.

    A woman caught smuggling drugs into the Drumheller Institution was given a conditional sentence order after pleading guilty.
    Kimberly Robinson appeared in Provincial Court in Drumheller on Friday, January 13 for sentencing.  She pleaded guilty to possession for the purpose of trafficking.
    On December 18, 2010 Robinson attended to the Drumheller Institution to visit her stepson at about 10:30 a.m. She was searched by a drug dog, which alerted staff. Robinson admitted to having contraband, and was strip-searched by two female corrections officers. Their search revealed a package wrapped in Saran and a condom, containing 30.5 grams of marijuana on her person. The institutional value of the seizure was about $1,525.
    Federal Prosecutor Colin Kloot argued for a six-month sentence.  He said
a situation where drugs are being brought into a institution is always aggravating because of the effect introducing drugs has on the inmate, other inmates and staff, and the primary goal of sentencing in these cases is deterrence and denunciation. Robinson’s pre-sentence report was described as positive, and Kloot said there was not any need for rehabilitation.
    Defense for Robinson, Dale Slaferek argued that the principles of sentencing could be satisfied by a community disposition. Mitigating factors included that she made an early guilt plea and that marijuana is, he described, a “soft” drug.
Judge Gaschler agreed that a conditional sentence was appropriate in this case.
    Robinson was sentenced to a two-year conditional sentence order. For the first nine months, she will be subject to a curfew and she was ordered to complete 200 hours of community service.