M.D. Council Highlights

MUNICIPAL DISTRICT BONNYVILLE NO. 87
COUNCIL HIGHLIGHTS March 28, 2018

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

#1 Have You Signed the Small Business Tax Declaration? – Do you own a small business in the M.D.? Do you employ less than 50 people? If you do, we have some good news for you. Council has approved the creation of a Small Business Sub-Class Tax Rate, which means you could save some money on your next tax bill. Check out bonnyville.ab.ca/399/NEW—Small-Business-Sub-Class-Tax-Rate for more information, a Frequently Asked Questions section and a declaration form, which must be signed and returned to the M.D.

#2 Open House For Highway 28 and Highway 41 Area Structure Plan – The Municipal District of Bonnyville is hosting an Open House for the Highway 28 and Highway 41 Area Structure Plan (ASP) on Thursday, April 5 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Bonnyville Seniors Drop-In Centre at 4313-47 Avenue. There will be a presentation at 6:30 p.m. The open house is an opportunity for residents and businesses to speak with project planners and M.D. staff regarding the project. The project will look at the opportunities and impacts of development along one mile on each side of Hwys. 28 and 41. The ASP will cover Hwy. 28 from the Town of Bonnyville’s west boundary to Township Road 610 and from the Town of Bonnyville’s northeast boundary to the hamlet of Fort Kent, as well as Hwy. 41 north of the Town of Bonnyville’s boundary to Hwy. 55 and the boundary of the Hamlet of La Corey.

#3 Please Keep Your Dogs Under Control – The Department of Public Safety is encouraging all pet owners to keep their dogs under control. With warmer weather making its appearance, and spring upon us, complaints of dogs running at large have increased. Farmers never want dogs chasing their cattle, but in the spring, with pregnant cows and young calves, it is even more crucial to keep your dogs out of neighbouring fields.

#4 Campground Reservations Opening April 2 – Summer is on its way! A sure sign of winter ending is the opening of the reservation lines for all 10 M.D. Campgrounds. Caretakers begin taking reservations on Monday, April 2 between the hours of 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. until the campgrounds officially open on May 11. Please check our website at md.bonnyville.ab.ca for reservation numbers.

#5 Public Safety Update – Officers have responded to various traffic complaints on Wolf Lake Road and the La Corey North Resource Road, even removing one trailer from the road. School Resource Officers are doing numerous drop-in visits, as well as various programs in schools: Right Choices at Holy Cross, Art Smith Aviation and Ecole Voyager; Life Choices at Cold Lake Middle School; Body Image session at Nelson Heights, CSI at Ecole Voyager, a session about sexting at Cold Lake High School; Farm Safety at Glendon School and Drug Awareness at Ecole des Beaux-Lacs.

#6 Letter Of Support For Changes To Fishing Regulations – Council agreed to send a letter of support to Lac La Biche County to advocate that the provincial government revisit proposed changes to regional fishing regulations. Lac La Biche County wants to engage with Alberta Environment and Parks to find solutions for conserving Northern Pike and Walleye populations, while balancing the needs of local residents, First Nations, Metis Settlements and visitors to our

#7 Transportation and Utilities Update – Council awarded the Range Road 440 (Imperial Oil) Surface Works Tender to Knelsen Sand & Gravel for a total price of $2,472,895 plus GST and approved a total project budget of $2,830,725 plus GST. Crews will be starting to switch some equipment over to summer operations in the first two weeks of April. The tech committee for the new water line between Cold Lake and Bonnyville is scheduled to meet in early April. Tenders are going out soon for all four contracts now that the river crossing design has been completed. Land agents are still working on securing the work space and right-of-way for the proposed alignment. Once the total tender costs for the project are assessed, budget discussions with the province will need to be addressed. Currently, two patch trucks are up and running to address concerns as conditions allow. In-house crews have started work on the drainage repair project on Rge. Rd. 454, going to the Beaver River. Crews have been brushing and hauling rocks and will continue working on the repair until spring runoff conditions halt further work. JMB has completed the 200,000-tonne 2018 winter gravel haul.

#8 Funding Support – The Bonnyville Agricultural Society received its Annual Operating Grant of $20,000. M.D. Council agreed to contribute $1,500 to the joint Business of The Year Awards hosted by the Bonnyville and Cold Lake Chambers of Commerce in October. Council agreed to purchase two tables for the Oilmen’s Lobster Fest for a cost of $1,260. Council funded the following organizations in the first quarter of the year: Assumption School Grad $500; Bonnyville Atoms Provincials $500; Bonnyville U18 Soccer Provincials $500; Bonnyville Victim Services $500; Notre Dame High School Curling Provincials $500; Senior AA Pontiac Provincials $500; Rhinos U18 Volleyball Provincials $500; Rhinos U18 Volleyball Nationals $500 and funding for two individuals to attend the Alberta Winter Games $200.

#9 Planning and Development News – Council gave Final Reading to Bylaw No. 1671 to cancel a portion of Road Plan 534 BM within the NE-9-63-2-W4M to be consolidated back into the quarter section provided that the landowner purchases the land at the rate of $1,500 per acre. Council gave Final Reading to Bylaw 1684 – Road Closure and Sale. An unused road diversion is located on NW 10-63-2-W4M. The bylaw proposes to close the road and consolidate it into the surrounding quarter section provided that the landowner purchases the land at the rate of $1,500 per

#10 Briefly –The M.D. received approval for a provincial grant of $200,000 under the Mediation and Collaborative Processes component of the 2017/18 Alberta Community Partnership (ACP) Program in support of the Intermunicipal Collaboration Framework Facilitation project. Council approved the removal of outstanding receivables totaling $2,955.75 from the municipality’s financial records as they are deemed uncollectible.

Council agreed that outstanding amounts totaling $4,475.70 attached to individual utility accounts and an unsightly property clean-up cost be added to the property owner’s tax roll. Council approved the removal of $3,796.78 in outstanding utility accounts from the municipality’s financial records as they are deemed uncollectible.