Coronation town council agreed at their Jan. 28 regular meeting to look to hire a casual person to be able to fill in when Sherri Wuzinski is not available to rent the bowling alley.
The subject had been raised initially at the Jan. 15 meeting.
“I think our policy needs to somehow change or we need to do something because I don’t think it’s feasible to ask one staff member to try and have a job and then rent the bowling alley full-time too!” said Coun. Vickey Horkoff at the Jan. 15 meeting.
Horkoff explained she knew of a couple community members who hadn’t been able to rent the bowling alley therefore losing revenue.
“How do we fix that?” Horkoff had asked.
“I have a couple solutions but [we could] possibly hire someone on a casual basis for the dates Sherri is not available,” said Horkoff.
“Last time it was discussed when the policy was being drafted it was considered,” said CAO Kulyk adding the option of “hiring someone when your only charging $50 dollars and hiring staff at least at $15 an hour, your revenue stream is severely affected, especially with your overhead. That becomes another expense for the town that you don’t recover it.”
“I’m just looking at the revenue side and the expense side and we need every $50 we can get,” added Horkoff.
“I just don’t like hearing from people that they weren’t able to rent the bowling alley. Even that one, we lose them forever.”
“It’s a valid reason that staff is not available,” said CAO Kulyk. Staff are required to know how to operate the bowling equipment and have a ProServe certificate because alcohol is available.
“Is a valid reason because staff is unavailable?” asked Horkoff. “That’s why I think we need to look at casual.”
Kulyk noted that people should bring these complaints to the office so they can be dealt with by management.
“This is your job – to set policy. It’s my job and Sherri’s job to manage it,” concluded CAO Kulyk at the Jan. 15 meeting.
“But we are not doing our due diligence,” noted Coun. Jackie Brigley, “If we still don’t bring it forward whether they [complainants] choose to phone you or not.”
Other suggestions talked about included leasing the bowling alley or setting up a board similar to the Arena Board so they can go to casinos to raise funds.
School playground fundraising
Council, in a unanimous decision at the Jan. 15 meeting, will ask the Friends of Coronation School Society to follow protocol and make all funding requests in the fall to council for the following year’s budget.
The society was looking for support of a $185,000 playground equipment project, having already raised $35,000.
The information included in the request noted that “Recess on the playground at Coronation School is not what it used to be because half of the structures did not meet standards when inspected and were removed almost two years ago,” said Coun. Horkoff.
They are hoping to break ground in July 2019.
Although not a member of the society, Horkoff, a teacher at the Coronation School, said “Right now, the swing is their greatest need.
Whatever they get pledges for they have a matching grant so that’s why they’re asking now,”
“We just can’t throw money around,” said Coun. Brett Alderdice.
“But we’d definitely support them,” said Coun. Checkel. Even in kind, that all can go toward the grant.
“We could say we have lots of parks,” added Horkoff, “but I wish we could move some of our park equipment to the school playground because it is a busy place.”
“It’s really sad, $250,000 per new school for playground equipment and when was the last new school built in rural Alberta?” added Horkoff.
“I agree, it’s the kids that lose out. I’m not against it,” said Alderdice. “I just don’t want to commit.”
“You have a policy in place for community funding requests,” said CAO Kulyk, “so you could write them and let them know that they can apply in the fall for next year’s budget, then that follows protocol that you’ve established.”
Council motioned to follow protocol for all community funding requests to be in to town office in the fall.
Tax auction
The town’s tax auction on Mon. Jan. 14 had initially five properties listed and saw a large amount of people attend but the only property interest was pulled off the auction as taxes were paid in full that morning.
Kulyk reported no other bids were received on the four properties that remained in the auction.
Two of the remaining four properties are occupied mobile homes in Park Crescent and one unoccupied mobile home as well as one unoccupied residence
on Windsor Avenue.
Council, at the Jan. 28 meeting opted to leave the properties on the municipalities’ books as a growing liability.
The property cannot be disposed of or rented until it gains ownership after the 15 year time period.
News briefs
Council approved the advertising for CAO Sandra Kulyk’s position starting immediately.
Kulyk had negotiated a new contract with council in October 2018, effective from Nov. 1, 2018 to July 31, 2019 at which time she will be retiring.
At the Jan. 28 meeting CAO Sandra Kulyk did a full review with John Manning, from Public Services and Procurement Canada of properties available in Coronation that is approximately 1.5 to 2.5 acres in size for the new RCMP Detachment as the previous location they have determined is too small.
Four properties in Coronation were identified to be the suitable size for a new RCMP Detachment.
Kulyk also reported on the radio system upgrading that is substantially completed other than some minor fixes in Halkirk.
There are two operating modes for the radios, one that allows cross-communication between all five communities from Halkirk to Consort and a second mode for communication within each community.
Consort, Veteran and Special Areas work through the Red Deer 911 call system while Coronation, Castor and Halkirk go through the Wainwright 911 call system.
Coun. Shelley Cook said the Museum Society did get a AGLC charitable gaming model. “There were only a couple questions that made us question why they were asking, if it was to trick people into giving the answers they [government] wanted,” said Cook.
The Bylaw Enforcement report in last week’s ECA Review contained errors. The total amount of hours by the bylaw officer was 10.75 hours, not 21.5 as reported and the total kilometres was 41, not the 82 km. as was reported.
J. Webster
ECA Review
