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Pincher Creek & District Municipal Library presentation
Murals and silhouettes maintenance decision postponed
Pat Neumann named Deputy Director for PCCEMA
Toni Lucas
Council for the Town of Pincher Creek met on the evening of Monday, November 24, 2014. In attendance were Mayor Don Anderberg and councillors Adrian Hartman, Mark Barber, Tammy Rubbelke, Wayne Elliott, Lorne Jackson, and Doug Thornton. CAO Laurie Wilgosh was also in attendance.
McMan, "The Junction", and Christmas hampers
Anne Gover, Susan Kuftinoff and Program Manager Jerrold Visser appeared as a delegation to give a presentation and update the council on McMan and what the food bank has done recently. They presented that McMan has been working on a number of issues that exist within the community:
FASD / Special needs
McMan has been working with clients that have Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) directly and by helping educate the people. They also have a Parents of Children with Special Needs support group. Anne Gover said "Partially because of them, there is a diagnostic clinic here in Pincher Creek that has just started." McMan also runs a Parent Child Assistance Program (PCAP) "It's working with aboriginal mothers, and supporting them through healthy pregnancy and providing education around raising healthy children."
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| Walmart employees with food bank donations |
The food bank has undergone a rebranding. "We are now called 'The Junction'." Anne Gover said that The Junction has helped 380 families since July, aided by donations from businesses and the Lethbridge Community Foundation. According to Gover the drop-in is averaging 30 people every Wednesday for the free hot dog lunch. Gover said that McMan can assist in co-operation with Alberta Works for job referrals when appropriate.
Christmas Hamper Campaign
"We are not actually doing Christmas Hampers this year,"explained Sue Kuftinoff. She explained that Pincher Creek Legion, Napi Friendship Association, Brighter Futures, and the Women's Emergency Shelter are going to be giving out the hampers this year, and McMan will be supporting those organizations in their drives. Kuftinoff said she believed that the breakdown for hampers would be:
- Pincher Creek Legion, 100 hampers to be distributed December 22
- Woman's Shelter, 100 hampers to be distributed after December 15
- Napi/Brighter Futures, approximately 50 to be distributed December 19
The food bank will be closed from December 22 to January 4. Regular hours resume January 5 - Monday/Wednesday/Friday 10:00 am to 4:00 pm (open to the public 1-4 pm).
Challenges
Challenges for The Junction were said to include:
Mayor Don Anderberg thanked them for their report and commented that a similar report would be appreciated every 6 months, unless there was something of a more immediate nature that required attention.
Pincher Creek & District Municipal Library presentation
Library board President Sandra Baker and Head Librarian Janice Day appeared before council on behalf of the Pincher Creek & District Municipal Library. Sandra Baker opened, saying "We would like to sincerely thank you for your previous commitment to us, and your generous support. Without that, we would not have the wonderful facility that we have."
Recently the hours of operation were increased at the library, from 42.5 hours to 50 hours a week. Current programming highlights mentioned included the ongoing wildlife speaker series and story times. They are introducing local artists and authors via various events and have hired Sahra Hancock for the position of Community Outreach Coordinator.
"In March, Janice and our staff received a READ Award for excellence and distinction in Library Service," Baker said, explaining the award was for a grade 2 program for catalogue usage and to increase research skills. She said that the library was more than a repository of books, also serving as a centre of knowledge, social gatherings, and communication.
"We are an important resource for everyone in our community, young, old, immigrant, disadvantaged, students, and independent learners," said Baker. "With that in mind, the Library Board would like to decrease the cost of Library Cards." The possibility of no yearly fee in the future was raised. "We would like to see complete, and total access for everybody, without any financial barriers."
An increase in funding to cover the increase of cost to staff salaries is also on the request list. "We are trying to keep things on par with the annual increase being paid by the town to their employees, which is in 2015 2.5%, 2016 3%," said Baker. We want to attract and keep excellent staff, and we can't do that without an increase in salary."
Janice Day said that the recent upgrades to the library have gone over very well with the public. "Last Wednesday, every space was full."
Mayor Don Anderberg said that the council would have discussions about the issues brought forward, "Your statement of library staff being on par with municipal staff, it may be reasonable, it may not be reasonable, I'm not sure." Councillor Thornton said that if non-union staff were paid the same as union staff, the union would fight for an increase in wages.
Day explained that according to the Libraries Act, library employees are employees of the Library Board. "We are not employees of the Town or the MD, but I think we are close enough that it is worthwhile to consider that the library staff get paid in a similar level to the Town and MD staff, and get the same raises. I'm not asking that we get paid at the same level, but get paid the same increase." Day said that a variety of communities are facing some friction over issues of labour cost, and the Libraries Act. "Every community is fighting this out." A few other items that were discussed during the presentation were utility costs and library revenue streams.
Murals and silhouettes maintenance decision postponed
Council decided to postpone approval for an annual amount of $2,500 in the 2015 and 2016 budgets for the maintenance of the murals and silhouettes throughout Pincher Creek.
Currently there is no one group in the community is taking the overall responsibility for the maintenance of the murals and silhouettes in town, although Communities in Bloom has set up a fund to re-create one of the murals that was destroyed when the building it was on was demolished.
Mayor Anderberg said that the original installation of the artworks was arranged through the Chamber of Commerce. "Things change. Now if we want to keep these murals in original shape, the community or the town will have to step up." He said he believes ongoing maintenance is key.
"Is that enough money to do it, and do it right?" asked Councillor Doug Thornton. Council directed administration to gather more information, and to be ready to discuss the matter at the Committee of the Whole meeting on December 3.
Pat Neumann named Deputy Director for PCCEMA
Council for the Town of Pincher Creek agreed unanimously to appoint Deputy Fire Chief Pat Neumann as Deputy Director for the Pincher Creek Community Emergency Management
Challenges
Challenges for The Junction were said to include:
- Safety with loading and unloading in the present facility.
- Sustainability: Currently the food bank runs at a $1,000 /month deficit, not including wages per month.
- Space issues: for storage, programing and traffic flow.
Mayor Don Anderberg thanked them for their report and commented that a similar report would be appreciated every 6 months, unless there was something of a more immediate nature that required attention.
Pincher Creek & District Municipal Library presentation
Library board President Sandra Baker and Head Librarian Janice Day appeared before council on behalf of the Pincher Creek & District Municipal Library. Sandra Baker opened, saying "We would like to sincerely thank you for your previous commitment to us, and your generous support. Without that, we would not have the wonderful facility that we have."
Recently the hours of operation were increased at the library, from 42.5 hours to 50 hours a week. Current programming highlights mentioned included the ongoing wildlife speaker series and story times. They are introducing local artists and authors via various events and have hired Sahra Hancock for the position of Community Outreach Coordinator.
"In March, Janice and our staff received a READ Award for excellence and distinction in Library Service," Baker said, explaining the award was for a grade 2 program for catalogue usage and to increase research skills. She said that the library was more than a repository of books, also serving as a centre of knowledge, social gatherings, and communication.
"We are an important resource for everyone in our community, young, old, immigrant, disadvantaged, students, and independent learners," said Baker. "With that in mind, the Library Board would like to decrease the cost of Library Cards." The possibility of no yearly fee in the future was raised. "We would like to see complete, and total access for everybody, without any financial barriers."
An increase in funding to cover the increase of cost to staff salaries is also on the request list. "We are trying to keep things on par with the annual increase being paid by the town to their employees, which is in 2015 2.5%, 2016 3%," said Baker. We want to attract and keep excellent staff, and we can't do that without an increase in salary."
Janice Day said that the recent upgrades to the library have gone over very well with the public. "Last Wednesday, every space was full."
Mayor Don Anderberg said that the council would have discussions about the issues brought forward, "Your statement of library staff being on par with municipal staff, it may be reasonable, it may not be reasonable, I'm not sure." Councillor Thornton said that if non-union staff were paid the same as union staff, the union would fight for an increase in wages.
Day explained that according to the Libraries Act, library employees are employees of the Library Board. "We are not employees of the Town or the MD, but I think we are close enough that it is worthwhile to consider that the library staff get paid in a similar level to the Town and MD staff, and get the same raises. I'm not asking that we get paid at the same level, but get paid the same increase." Day said that a variety of communities are facing some friction over issues of labour cost, and the Libraries Act. "Every community is fighting this out." A few other items that were discussed during the presentation were utility costs and library revenue streams.
Murals and silhouettes maintenance decision postponed
Council decided to postpone approval for an annual amount of $2,500 in the 2015 and 2016 budgets for the maintenance of the murals and silhouettes throughout Pincher Creek.
Currently there is no one group in the community is taking the overall responsibility for the maintenance of the murals and silhouettes in town, although Communities in Bloom has set up a fund to re-create one of the murals that was destroyed when the building it was on was demolished.
Mayor Anderberg said that the original installation of the artworks was arranged through the Chamber of Commerce. "Things change. Now if we want to keep these murals in original shape, the community or the town will have to step up." He said he believes ongoing maintenance is key.
"Is that enough money to do it, and do it right?" asked Councillor Doug Thornton. Council directed administration to gather more information, and to be ready to discuss the matter at the Committee of the Whole meeting on December 3.
Pat Neumann named Deputy Director for PCCEMA
Council for the Town of Pincher Creek agreed unanimously to appoint Deputy Fire Chief Pat Neumann as Deputy Director for the Pincher Creek Community Emergency Management
Agency.
The next regular Council meeting is scheduled for 6:00 pm Monday December 8, 2014.
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