MD Council Notes, June 26 and July 10 meetings

Chris Davis, Pincher Creek Voice

The MD of Pincher Creek No. 9 Council held regular meetings on June 26 and again on July 10.   Councillor Bjorn Berg was absent from the June 26 meeting, and Councillor Rod Cyr absented himself halfway through the July 10 meeting.  Reeve Rod Zielinski was in attendance at both meetings, as were Deputy Reeve Terry Yagos and Councillor Helen Cyr.

Council approves road grading

As requested by citizen Eric Bruder, council unanimously approved grading and gravelling of Private Road 5-1 in recognition of the 19 years it has served the public.  Director of Operations Leo Reedyk recommended the MD not take over the road, but instead monitor it and gravel it for this year.  Reeve Zielinski said "We're not accepting it into the road system, we're just doing maintenance until we create a policy."  In regards to creating that policy he said "We've got to get it done."

According to Mr. Bruder and Councillors Helen Cyr and Rodney Cyr, the road in question has seen a large increase in public use since it was first established as a private roadway.

Council opposes change in election date, agrees to 4-year terms

Council decided to send a letter to the Minister of Municipal Affairs indicating council prefers the election date for MD Council to remain in the fall, due to Ranchers and Farmers involved in calving in the springtime, when weather can also be very unpredictable.   Council also supported the proposed Provincial amendment legislating four year terms for Municipal Councils, a change from the current three year term it sits for.

Tenders considered high for pup trailer purchase

Director of Operations Leo Reedyk said he was surprised at the range of five tenders for a proposed gravel pup trailer, which came in at 20 to 80% more than budgets.  Council deferred making a decision on the matter until a later date.

Installation of Centennial Statue in Beaver Mines gets Council support

Council agreed to send a letter of support to the Beaver Mines Community Association for their endeavor to install a Centennial Statue, in the form of a coal car.

Beaver Mines to get new playground equipment

Council agreed to have their staff install playground equipment.  The equipment will be purchased by the Beaver Mines Community Association, who have indicated it will be up to modern standards.

AG Services Board recommends MD commitment to dead stock removal program

The AG Services Board, which includes MD Councillor Helen Cyr as a board member, issued a recommendation that MD Council partner in the dead stock removal program with area producers and residents.  Tony Bruder of the Drywood Yarrow Conservation Partnership (DYCP) appeared as a delegation before council on July 10 to speak about the issue.   An example of the value of a similar program cited by DYCP is the 'Blackfoot Challenge', a project implemented in Montana that reports an 85% reduction in human/large carnivore interactions over three years.

According to DYCP, the present prices for dead stock by West Coast Reductions (WCR) removal are $80 for the visit, based on a yearling weighing 900 lbs.  Anything over that is charged an extra $0.09 a pound.  A flate rate of $250.00 is charged for a horse, and WCR does not pick up any other livestock.

After council cited liability issues and rejected a proposal to use public lands for dead stock removal bins, DYCP initiated their own pilot project with two bins, one on Tony Bruder's land and the other on Dick Hardy's land, with funding from ASRD and Shell covering the costs. According to DYCP more than 100 carcasses have been removed since the project began in 2008.

Bruder said Cardston County and the MD of Ranchland were funding dead stock removal programs in their areas.  He asked MD of Pincher Creek No. 9 Council to take a more active role in the dead stock program and to work towards better methods of removing all dead stock from the MD (not just horses and cattle).

Council appears to be divided over this issue.

Castle Mountain Resort gets water licence

Under the Water Act, on June 13 Castle Mountain Resort Inc. was issued a Preliminary Certificate for the intention of issuing a licence to divert 30,000 cubic metres of water annually from Haig Creek for the purposes of snow making.  The MD is allowed to issue permission for such activity under the Oldman River Basin Allocation Order despite a general moratorium on such diversions. The Water Act provides a right to appeal decisions within 7 days of a notice being provided.

Lundbreck Corn Fest

Lundbreck will be holding their annual Corn Fest on Saturday, August 25.    There will be pancakes, corn, baseball, live music, and other entertainments.  An organizational meeting will be held on Wednesday, August 1 at Lundbreck Hall.

Interesting tidbit from Mathew Bonertz, MD Director of Finance and Administration:  "20% of our ratepayers pay 80% of our tax bill."

Other recent MD Council news:
Willow Valley to be site of movie shoot
Reeve to host burger and beans Public Meeting
MD grants contract for North Burmis Road upgrades
Pincher Creek hopes to supply oilpatch workers via Municipal Airport