Stettler County councillors voted unanimously to fund the community Crisis Aid program at their April 11 meeting.
Presenting council with a request for funding, Family and Community Support Services (FCSS) Community Engagement Coordinator, Patrick Callin outlined the importance of the program.
According to Callin, Crisis Aid is a “one-time” emergency assistance program for any community member having financial difficulties.
The program will pay for emergency needs such as prescriptions, transportation to and from medical appointments, outstanding rent and utilities or temporary housing to prevent homelessness.
Financed entirely through community fundraising efforts and staffed by volunteers, Callin stated that Crisis Aid is a program of last resort when all other avenues have been exhausted.
Though housed within Stettler’s FCSS facilities, Crisis Aid has no direct ties to FCSS and does not qualify for funding under the FCSS mandate.
According to County Administration, the County of Stettler has a reserve set aside for FCSS.
The FCSS Operating Reserve has existed since prior to 2006 with no real indication where the money was allocated from before that time.
The reserve has not grown or been added to in the last 12 years, and there are no plans to continue to move funds into it.
Sitting at $17,110, there are no restrictions on what the funds can be spent on, other than the specification that it is for the operation of Family and Community Support Services.
During deliberations, councillor Les Stulberg said, “I think this is a perfect opportunity for us to fill a need and basically get this reserve off our books that hasn’t been used for probably ten years or more.”
Council voted to release the FCSS Reserves to fund Crisis Aid.
Dust reduction contracts
After reviewing administration recommendations, council awarded two supply and apply contracts for the county’s 2018 dust reduction program.
The first contract garnered four tenders for the supply and application of asphalt emulsion dust suppressant.
According to data provided by Rick Green, Director of Engineering and Public Works, Read on Roads from Okotoks, Ab. and Ant Construction Ltd. of Red Deer, Ab. Both submitted bids with product approved under current county policy, while the bids from Sands Dust Control and Trican Well Service Ltd., both out of Red Deer, Ab. included product not currently approved.
Since further testing would be required to determine if the products could meet county needs, Green recommended sticking the approved product.
While the public works department has experience working with Read on Roads, there was a significant cost difference in the suitable bids.
Council voted to award the contract to Ant Construction Ltd.
The second contract to award the calcium supply for gravel road dust reduction received tenders from Kortech Calcium Services Ltd. of Edmonton, Ab. and Tiger Calcium Services Inc. of Nisku, Ab.
Choosing the more economical bid, council voted to award the contract to Kortech Calcium Services.
Linda Stillinger
ECA Review
