MUNICIPAL DISTRICT BONNYVILLE NO. 87
COUNCIL HIGHLIGHTS February 28, 2018
Keeping you informed of the services, business and development that affect YOU!
#1 Reduced Mill Rate For Small Business Properties - Municipal District of Bonnyville Council gave Final Reading to Bylaw No. 1686 Small Business Property Sub-Class and Annual Declaration to divide Assessment Class 2-Non-Residential into sub-classes. One of the sub-classes, which is for small business property, allows Council to set a reduced mill rate for this sub-class. The small business property mill rate cannot be less than 75 percent of the mill rate set for other non-residential property. Council hopes to see a reduction of taxes by 10 percent from last year for businesses that fall into the new sub-class. Administration is recommending that an annual declaration form be completed by property owners to determine qualification for the program. This declaration must be submitted by March 31 of each year, using employee numbers as of December 31 of the previous year. The small business property must have fewer than 50 full-time employees.
#2 Fire Guardians Appointed - In preparation for the 2018 Fire Permit Season (March 1 to October 31) Council appointed the following individuals as Fire Guardians under the Forest and Prairie Protection Act: Brian McEvoy, Jay Melvin, Irene Welecki, Dwayne Ethier, Dwayne Wolosiewicz, Bob Highberg, Kim Kissel and Dwight Retzlaff. The following Fire Chiefs were appointed as Fire Guardians as well: Walter Smyl, Dan Amalia, Gordon Graves, Darryl Shyian, Dana Swigart, Cordell Ackert and Al Donald. Council also authorized the Reeve, or the Deputy Reeve in his absence, in consultation with the Bonnyville Regional Fire Authority, to place and remove fire bans in the M.D. for the 2018 fire season.
#3 Public Safety Update - Officers responded to a variety of incidents and complaints throughout the M.D. over the past couple of weeks. Officers assisted the RCMP with a number of separate collisions on icy highways. They monitored a rig move along the La Corey North Resource Road at the request of Canadian Natural Resources Ltd. Patrol Officers responded to a complaint of speeding in the Hoselaw area and of logging trucks using Township Road 644 as opposed to the agreed route. School Resource Officers offered the Life Choices Program at Cold Lake Middle, Nelson Heights, Art Smith Aviation Academy and St. Dominic's schools. There were also sessions done at Cold Lake High School, Dr. Brosseau, Bonnyville Outreach, Iron River and Notre Dame Elementary schools. Officers responded to dogs running at large and found dogs in Fort Kent, Moose Lake East and the Wolf Lake areas.
#4 Parks, Recreation and Culture News - While unseasonal cold temperatures put a damper on Snow Fever events, there was a decent turnout for Kinosoo Ridge Snow Resort's Snojuhla. The joint event organized with the City of Cold Lake and 4 Wing Cold Lake, drew high numbers of people to activities throughout the weekend. Parks staff continue to work on winter projects including wood processing, cross-country ski tracking and building sheds/offices for campgrounds.
#5 Agriculture and Waste Update - Council awarded the 2018 Ground Water Monitoring tender for the public works yard and landfills to ELKAN Environmental Engineering for the total price of $58,472.31 plus GST for a three-year contract from 2018 to 2020. Council agreed to upgrade the size of the replacement Mowing Tractor to run the 15-foot rotary mower. Upgrading the tractor to 155hp will now cost $143,000.
#6 T&U Tenders Awarded - Council approved the following tenders: 2018 Summer Gravel Haul to JMB Crushing Systems Inc. for a price of $0.353/tonne/mile. 2018 Supply 12,000 tonnes of Asphalt Stabilized Base Course (12.5mm) Plant Mix to E-Construction Ltd. for a total price of $885,480. 2018 Supply of 60,000 tonnes of Asphalt Concrete Pavement-Mix Type M1 (PG 58-28) to E-Construction for a total price of $4,024,200. 2018 Road Line Painting to AAA Striping & Seal Coat for a total price of $131,792. 2018 Fencing Tender to Gold Creek Contracting for a total price of $7,211.78 per mile (six-foot post - four strand). 2018 Trail Paving Tender to SLA Industries Ltd. for a total price of $106,590. 2018 Dust Suppressant RFP to Kortech Calcium Services Ltd. for MG 30 at a cost of $3,240/kilometre.
#7 Transportation and Utilities Update - Administration is currently in the process of land acquisition for the 2018 In-House Road Construction priorities list. Tenders for the La Corey North Resource Road Overlay close March 1. Tenders for the Imperial Oil Road paving close March 15. Tenders for the Wolf Lake Road construction close on March 22. The night shift is continuing to travel priority routes and monitoring road conditions for Transportation & Utilities. JMB is continuing with the 2018 winter haul for the Two Hills gravel contract. Crusher breakdowns and less trucks than anticipated have slowed the haul and will push back the completion date.
#8 Funding Support - Council agreed to sponsor the Cold Lake Air Show for a Gold Package at a cost of $12,000. The air show is at 4 Wing Cold Lake July 21 and 22.
#9 Planning and Development News - Stantec was awarded the tender to develop the Area Structure Plan for lands adjacent to Highways 28 and 41. Grant funding for this initiative is provided through the province. Work continues on the Rural Intermunicipal Development Plans with Lac La Biche County and the County of St. Paul. An open house was held for the public, and moving forward, a day-long workshop is scheduled with representatives from six neighbouring municipalities.
#10 Briefly - Borrowing Bylaw No. 1685 was given final reading to debenture $13,000,000 to put an asphalt overlay on the La Corey North Resource Road. Annual transfers of $1.2 million from Improvement District 349 were budgeted as cash inflows, which will be solely allocated to the retirement of the debenture. Council awarded the $55,300 Request for Proposal for the Regional Municipal Major Emergency Plan Review to Behr Integrated Solutions, as budgeted. Council awarded the contract for the purchase of five Fire Pumpers and one Fire Tanker approved in the Fire Apparatus Replacement program, spread over two years, to Rocky Mountain Phoenix of Red Deer for an amount not to exceed $2,742,227.40, including contingency.
For more information, contact Diane Jenkinson, Marketing and Communications Manager at 780-826-3171. Our website is a useful way to get the information you need. Visit: www.md.bonnyville.ab.ca Follow us on Facebook and Twitter.