MD Council meeting notes from December, 2012

Chris Davis, Pincher Creek Voice

Council for the MD of Pincher Creek Number 9 held a regular meeting on Tuesday afternoon, December 11.

Gladstone Valley Road upgrade the subject of a petition

Council discussed a letter received from residents Louise and Greg Hale with an accompanying petition that was signed by 19 landowners and residents who live along the Gladstone Valley Road that expressed their opposition to upgrades as planned to that road.  In their petition they asked that the MD of Pincher Creek "hereby cease all planning, design, and construction scheduling for this project and remove it from the MD's 5-year Infrastructure Master Plan and Schedule".

The petition states that the petitioners "do not feel any additional upgrades to the road are necessary at this time.  In addition, we feel it is not in the best interest of the municipality or a good investment of rate payers' funds."

During their discussions Reeve Bjorn Berg said "The current status is that there is no status.  We're not proceeding at this point and it is essentially a killed project."

Council received the letter and petition as information.

2013 Budget notes

(We will post a more comprehensive MD budget breakdown at a later date.)

The 2012 operating/capital budget of $22,334,780 in revenue and $22,334,770 in expenses was adopted by Council as an interim operating/capital budget for 2013.

Pincher Creek Emergency Management

Council approved a 2013 budget of $38,655 for Pincher Creek Emergency Management, with a further $20,000 to be placed in reserve for possible future 2013 expenditures. 

Cemeteries

Council approved a $38,866 budget towards Cemeteries.

Pincher Creek Emergency Management

Budget tabled until the December 18 Joint Council Meeting with the Town of Pincher Creek.  

Spray Lakes Saw Mills resumes logging in Beaver Mines area
According to Director of Operations Leo Reedyk, Spray Lakes Saw Mills resumed logging in the Beaver Mines area on December 11, 2012.  Reedyk said Spray Lakes would also be hauling loads from Maycroft "that have been sitting on the ground for a year and a half."

Petition in the works regarding wind tower lighting

Resident Phil Burpee's request to place a petition at the MD Offices for people to sign was turned down, saying current practice is to not allow active petitions at the MD offices. Council did indicate it is willing to receive the completed petition.  The petition is in support of changing the current regulations for wind tower lighting, in response to a statement by Enel Project Manager Michael Kehle at the November 27 meeting of council that  "What it would take, I think, if sufficient complaint that came from the wind farm we forwarded, if I received something I could say to Transport Canada..."   Click here and scroll down for more information about this story.

Regional water upgrade takes another step forward
A grant in the amount of $300,000 was transferred effective November 19, 2012 to the MD of Pincher Creek as part of the funding for the Water for Life Program for the Cowley-Lundbreck Regional System.

ERCB to hold Public Hearing of Shell Canada applications for two pipelines and gas battery

The Energy Resources Conservation Board (ERCB) will hold a public hearing on March 12, 2013 beginning at 9 am at the Heritage Inn (919 Waterton Avenue, Pincher Creek) regarding three applications by Shell Canada.  Shell is seeking approval to construct and operate a 1.2 km pipeline to transport sour natural gas, a 1.2 km pipeline to transport fuel gas, and to construct and operate a single well gas battery in the Waterton Field, about 5.8 km southwest of Beaver Mines.

Persons wishing to make submissions or provide evidence at the hearing must file a written submission prior to January 29, 2013, the final date for submissions by "all interested parties".  The final date for "response submission from applicant" is February 19, 2013.

For more information about how to view a copy of the Application(s) and supporting documents contact ERCB Information Services at 403-297-8311.