An Erskine resident has requested a pedestrian crosswalk be placed at Highway 835 and Alberta Avenue within the hamlet’s limits.
Their nine-year-old daughter uses this area on a daily basis to get to school either by bus or walking.
She must cross this roadway to get home from school as the bus only drops off one way at the far north end of the street or only on the other side of the road.
Clearview buses will not give her a ride home as the home they live in is on the wrong side of the highway.
“Every year I sit on my deck watching cars go by at 60 to 70 km per hour in a 50 kilometre per hour zone. One of these days something not nice is going to happen. Help me prevent this.”
“If cars don’t stop for buses with stop signs why would they stop for a nine year old little girl trying to cross a highway?”
Coun. Cheri Nietz concurred that speeding is a common occurrence along that specific roadway.
The county’s bylaw officer did not recommend a crossing at the requested location due to its proximity to Highway 12, a busy stretch.
County administration has made a call to Alberta Transportation on this issue to get their input and expects a response sometime this week.
IDP/ICF time delay request
The County of Stettler has chosen to send out a letter to neighbouring municipalities to garner support for a request to delay Intermunicipal Development Plans (IDP) & Intermunicipal Collaboration Frameworks (ICF) due to the uncertainty of the county’s future revenue streams and currently strained resources.
All municipalities are required to follow this as per the Modernized Municipal Government Act (MGA) by creating ICF and IDP with the municipalities which they share common boundaries.
The recent announcement of plans to provide property tax relief to shallow gas producers, the review of the current assessment model, and the ensuing uncertainty surrounding the future of municipal revenue streams has precipitated questioning the timing of requirements to fulfill the obligation of completing Intermunicipal Development Plans and Intermunicipal Collaboration Frameworks with their regional, geographical neighbors.
“It’s like sending us to a knife fight with a spoon,” said Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) Yvette Cassidy.
“We have been in consultation with our local MLA, Nate Horner regarding the hurdles we are facing. Completing negotiations and committing to service models through IDPs and ICFs is putting the future of our own municipalities at great financial risk, not knowing what the future holds in terms of municipal revenues.”
MLA Nate Horner was in attendance to witness the conversation, hearing loud and clear the issues the county is facing.
He offered support and advocacy at the provincial level specifically on this issue among other concerns brought to the table for discussion.
Emergency management protocol
Lee Hardman, Director of Protective Services & Emergency Management, brought council to the attention of the county’s current emergency management plan and how it is in dire need of updating.
The county received a $5,000 grant from the Alberta Emergency Management Agency to assist with the utilization of a consultant.
In addition to the $5,000, the county had initially budgeted an additional $20,000 for this update to take place.
After brief discussion, council passed a motion to award the plan updating to
The Response Team Inc. of Airdrie, Alta. for $16,380.
Terri Huxley
ECA Review
