Delburne waived utility penalties

Utilities stock image
Written by Stu Salkeld

Village council on March 26 passed a resolution waiving all municipal utility penalties until Dec. 31 as a way of offering some financial assistance to those who are suffering aftershocks of the coronavirus pandemic.

Fegan said the village council may consider further actions but no decision has yet been made.

School update

The Village of Delburne council was more than willing to help out its local school dealing with coronavirus fallout, but, at this point, there isn’t much to be done.

The village council heard an update from Delburne School principal Ted Hutchings during their Mar. 24 regular meeting.

Hutchings informed council on how the local school was coping with the provincially ordered closure to slow the spread of coronavirus.

Village CAO Karen Fegan noted councillors were curious to hear how the school was engaging in distance learning to keep kids in class even though they are not currently in a classroom.

Apparently the school allowed students to take home their

Chromebooks so they could use the computers and network to learn at home.

Families were allowed to also come to the school and pick up student belongings.

To keep congestion to a minimum families were asked to drop by on a day connected to their last name.

Fegan stated the council was supportive of the school and offered to help in whatever way possible, but at this time there isn’t much the village can do.

Councillors accepted Hutchings’ report for information.

COVID-19 update

Fegan stated the councillors read a detailed report of what the village is doing to follow provincial and federal guidelines to slow or stop the spread of coronavirus.

Fegan stated the village wants to make sure residents know the municipality is doing its due diligence when it comes to pandemic measures.

She stated some staff are staying at home because they’re feeling unwell.

While there’s no evidence they have coronavirus, Fegan said there’s no reason to take chances.

Mayor Bill Chandler and Fegan recently took part in a teleconference town hall meeting with Members of Parliament Earl Dreeshan and Blaine Calkins, along with representatives of most other central Alberta municipalities.

Fegan said it was a great chance for federal representatives and municipalities to hear what their neighbours are doing during the pandemic.

Fegan stated Delburne residents seem to be coping with coronavirus measures rather well, with people adapting to rules and following them as expected.

Social distancing

Fegan noted that it is very likely, due to provincial rules requiring social distancing of six feet between each person, that the next Village of Delburne council meeting will be held at the community centre April 14 rather than the village office. 

Fegan said there’s much more room at the community centre, making it a bit easier to conduct the meeting.

She also stated residents should note the village office is currently closed to the public to slow or stop the spread of coronavirus. 

Playgrounds have also been closed until further notice.

 

Stu Salkeld, Local Journalism Initiative reporter

ECA Review

About the author

Stu Salkeld

Stu Salkeld, who has upwards of 28 years of experience in the Alberta community newspaper industry, is now covering councils and other news in the Stettler region and has experience working in the area as well.

He has joined the ECA Review as a Local Journalism Initiative Journalist.

Stu earned his two-year diploma in print journalism from SAIT in Calgary from 1993 to ’95 and was raised in Oyen, Alta., one of the communities within the ECA Review’s coverage area.