MD of Bonnyville Council Highlights

MUNICIPAL DISTRICT BONNYVILLE NO. 87

COUNCIL HIGHLIGHTS April 12, 2017

Keeping you informed of the services, business and development that affect YOU!

 

#1 Council Passes 2017 Final Budget – The Municipal District of Bonnyville Council approved a $120,267,552 balanced 2017 budget (excluding non-cash depreciation) at its meeting on Wednesday.  Although municipal tax revenues have declined, Council held mill rates at 2016 levels and continued to fund both operating and capital budgets with no change in service levels or community support.

The 2017 budget will be funded through $64.1 million in municipal taxes, $7.5 million in government grants and contributions, $18.1 million from General Revenues, such as fees, equipment replacement program, and reserves. A further $15.8 million will come from transfers from surplus (reserve funds carried over from projects and funds remaining from previous years’ budgets).

To cover the requisitions for school taxes and senior’s housing, the M.D. is required to collect an additional $14.7 million through property taxes.  The school requisitions are up $950,000, representing a 7.2% increase over last year’s requisition.  Any savings found in property taxes as a result of keeping mill rates flat over 2016 will be offset by the increase in provincial education taxes.  The Lakeland Lodge and Housing requisition increased from $299,703 in 2016 to $491,738 in 2017.  The increase was due to the loss of 52 units while new construction is being done in Bonnyville and Cold Lake for additional housing. The requisition will be reduced in 2019 when all the new units are completed. Both the school and lodge requisitions are uncontrollable costs to Council, as they are passed on to the M.D. by other orders of government to collect and remit.

In 2017, Council is again directing the majority of the budget to key infrastructure projects including roads, water lines, and trail systems.  New in 2017 is $1.4 million for the Cold Lake Water Line and $1.0 million has been earmarked to continue work on the M.D. trail system. As in the past, Council’s focus is to improve and maintain our largest assets – roads. “Council plans on continuing to pave and oil as many roads as possible, while ensuring, especially in this economy, that the municipality is able to maintain its staffing levels,” said Reeve Ed Rondeau.

The Ardmore Underground and Road Replacement Project will continue in 2017 with $2.1 million in funding. The paving of Gurneyville Road is scheduled to go ahead with a $6.4 million price tag.

Additionally, Council agreed to continue to fund the Seniors Transportation Grant at $60,000, while Community Halls and Societies will have access to $575,000 for capital and operating costs.

The M.D. has again set aside $5 million for the Inter Municipal Cooperation Program for collaboration with our urban neighbours, based on a per capita, equalized assessment model. The approximate distribution is; Village of Glendon $767,000, the City of Cold Lake $645,800 and the Town of Bonnyville $3,600,000 (this includes some $800,000 for the Bonnyville and District Centennial Centre). These government transfers will be adjusted when final population breakdowns are available.

Council continues to support the regional community’s quality of life. In 2017 the Bonnyville Golf and Country Club will receive $150,000 for sprinkler system improvements, while the Walsh Football Field and Extreme Mudfest will see support of $240,000 and $8,000 respectively.

“Council agreed to support these three projects because they are a benefit to the region, both economically and recreationally. The golf course draws an incredible number of tourists to the area to play recreationally and in tournaments. Walsh Field will serve over 1,000 youth locally and will build on our Sport Tourism initiatives. Extreme Mudfest doubled its gate numbers last year and is projecting to do the same in 2017. These tourists bring a lot of money into the area,” Rondeau says.

The M.D. continues to provide funding support for the Bonnyville and Cold Lake museums, Beaver River Regional Waste Management Commission, Family and Community Social Services (FCSS) in Bonnyville and Cold Lake, the Bonnyville Regional Fire Authority and libraries in the two major urban communities.

“This is my tenth, and last budget, as the Reeve of the M.D. of Bonnyville,” Rondeau says. “Throughout those years Council has been financially prudent, using our resources in a responsible manner. We lived within our means. The 2017 budget continues to maintain our service levels to residents without raising the Residential and Non-Residential mill rates. We have upgraded our critical infrastructure, roads and buildings, while also supporting community organizations to improve the region’s quality of life. As a Council, we have established a long standing and ongoing legacy for our municipality.”

 

#2 Non-Profit Groups Earn Money Cleaning Ditches – The M.D. is looking for non-profit groups to sign up for the Roadside Cleanup Program. Rates vary from $50 to $100 per kilometer depending on the road that is being cleaned. April 29 is the first scheduled day to start the clean-up efforts. Groups that will be accepted are non-profit community groups or youth programs. Last year 26 groups participated in cleaning up over 321 km of road. Please call Brad at the Ag and Waste office at 780-826-3951 to sign up.

 

#3 One Door Closes and Another One Opens – Kinosoo Ridge Snow Resort closed its doors at the end of March, but M.D. campground reservations opened up on April 1. The Ridge’s 35^th Anniversary season got off to a slow start, but the overall numbers look good. The hill received a lot of good comments from schools this year because of the introduction of the terrain parks, and the bag jump early in the season. The resort was able to capture a younger market due to the excellent introductory program set up by Kinosoo staff. The summer parks crew will be starting in mid-April. Campground projects underway include the replacement of outhouses, wood processing and delivery and building wood storage and equipment sheds for some of the parks.

 

#4 Transportation and Utilities Update – Council awarded the $678,810.61 Ardmore Storm Pond East contract to SITE Resource Group Inc. Some equipment is currently being switched over to summer operations, although the threat of snow still hanging over the area means some plows are still on standby. Crews have been busy answering multiple flooding and frozen culvert calls. Three steam crews are out, along with washout repair crews to fix various problems. Some spot gravelling and patching has already started for some of the more urgent issues. The Oiling Crew is set to begin May 1. The Ardmore Surface Works will begin on May 15. Gurneyville Road paving will begin  on June 1. All bridge repair projects have been completed.

 

#5 Public Safety News – Officers are responding to an increasing number of traffic complaints on M.D. rural roads in the areas north of Highways 659, 660 and 55. Complaints include aggressive driving, high speeds, tailgating and not stopping for school buses. The fifteen minute parking zone in Ardmore has been slightly reduced in size to allow for longer on-street parking for vehicles on the block north of the Ardmore store. Dog-at-large complaints were dealt with in the Moose Lake area subdivisions, Ardmore and Fort Kent. Officers received training from Alberta Health Services on using the antidote kits for Fentanyl and other opioid overdoses. A School Resource Officer will deliver a session on Internet Safety at the 4 Wing Military Family Resource Centre Youth Conference on May 19. The School Resource Officer (SRO) Program provided 68 school visits in the past few weeks, including Drug Awareness sessions, Body Image presentations with both students and parents. SROs also provided Right Choices Programs at Art Smith Aviation and the CSI Program at Glendon School.

 

#6 Planning and Development Update – The department issued 14 development permits last month – 12 Residential, one Commercial and one Industrial – for a total month end value of $1,285,000, bringing the year-to-date total up to $2,153,950.  Housing starts to date include four Single Family Dwellings and one Mobile Home. There have been 12 Subdivision applications. There were also 32 plumbing, gas, sewer and electrical permits issued this month.

 

#7 Agriculture & Waste Services News – Council awarded the 2017 Ground

Water Monitoring for Publics Works Yard and Landfills tender to ELKAN Environmental Engineering for $28,583.25. Ardmore curbside pick-up has been suspended on the west side of the hamlet where there is newly constructed streets to allow the roads to dry up. The M.D. has placed two, 6-yard bins at the back of Ardmore Hall for the collection of household waste. Affected households have had their monthly waste fees suspended. Sales have started for two percent Strychnine for ground squirrel control. The M.D. has 16 cases for sale this spring. The price is $7.50 per 250ml bottle, which treats one gallon of grain. The Strychnine should be used in April and May for best results. The Coyote & Wolf Reduction Program was completed with 932 coyotes and 33 wolves being brought in. Overall the program was successful, with one predation call that the Ag Department issued snares. The department will review the program in the fall. The Fence Line Clearing Policy No. 60.63.08 was updated and passed by Council. Compensation has been increased to $3,500 per half mile, as well as giving property owners the option to sell an additional 17 feet of their property if the road is a 66 foot right-of-way. The compensation to purchase the additional property will be at the current land purchasing rate that Transportation and Utilities uses.

 

q#8 Municipal Election 2017 Bylaw Passed – Council passed Bylaw 1662 to approve the use of voting machines in the October 2017 municipal election. The Bylaw clarifies the rules and procedures for the conduct of this year’s municipal election.

 

#9 Funding Support – The first installment of the Inter-Municipal Cooperation Program funds were distributed to our urban neighbours. The Town of Bonnyville received approximately $500,000, the City of Cold Lake got $322,000 and the Village of Glendon received $77,000. Council agreed to contribute a one-time only grant of $150,000 to the Bonnyville Golf and Country Club for sprinkler system improvements. Friends of Walsh Field received a $240,000 grant to replace the running track and internal field in Bonnyville. The multi-million dollar project is receiving a significant donation from a local donor, as well as other contributions from the community. Council approved an $8,000 contribution to Extreme Mudfest, which occurs on August 24 to 27. The Ardmore Senior Citizen’s Club received its $25,000 Annual Operating Grant. The Beaverdam Community Society received a contribution of $25,000 to build at new $30,000 playground at the community hall. The Society has $5,000 put aside for the project. The Cold Lake Agricultural Society received its $20,000 Annual Operating Grant. North Shore Heights/Shay Cho Bay Community Society received it $5,000 Annual Operating Grant. Council approved the purchase of two tables at the Hearts for Healthcare Gala for a total cost of $1,600. Council also approved the annual $10,000 donation to Hearts For Healthcare.

 

#10 Briefly – Council approved the purchase of the Alberta First Responder Radio Communication System equipment to a maximum amount of $450,000.

 

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 @MDBville.