Council was not happy the hear at their regular council meeting on Mon. Sept. 26 that the request to designate the Coronation Water Tower as a Provincial Historic Resource by the Alberta Government Heritage Division was denied.
The letter stated that the tower was evaluated for historial and architectural significance.
“I have determined that the site may possess local or regional importance but does not have province-wide significance,” stated David Link, Assistant Deputy Minister.
Council will not drop the initiative as they disagree with the decision.
Ambulance Radio system
Council did not reach a decision as to whether they wanted to take on the operation of the East Central Ambulance radio communication system that the association is no longer using it.
The local fire departments all utilize the system so council had previously passed a resolution in favour of the proposal pending approval of the other partnering municipalities.
Partners will meet on Oct. 20 to discuss the proposal and it’s operational and fiscal implications.
Partners include Halkirk, Castor, Coronation, Veteran, Consort, the County of Paintearth and Special Areas #4.
There are a number of unknowns stated CAO Sandra Kulyk regarding operating costs such as utilities and insurance.
Parkland Library budget
Taking into consideration the Alberta economy, Coun. Keith Griffiths motioned that a letter be drafted to Parkland Library asking for a budget with a zero per cent increase rather than the 7.7 per cent increase in the proposed 2017 budget as a result of a revised wage and salary grid with incremental increases.
Foundation Board rep
Town Council does not provide council members sitting on boards that do not have a fiscal implication on the town’s budget therefore did not appoint a representative to the Hospital Foundation Board as per their request however Coun. Jackie Brigley volunteered herself to sit on the board.
Coal Coalition
Council will encourage Paintearth Economic Partnership Society (PEPS) to pay the membership to the Coal Assocition of Canada following a meeting attended by Coun. Griffiths and CAO Kulyk including the municipalities of Halkirk, Castor, Coronation, Forestburg, the County of Paintearth and reps from Paintearth Coal Mine and the Coal Association of Canada.
The group discussed the need to educate residents about coal and the misinformation that is being spread including the government’s decision based more on ideology than on scientific fact, lobbying, getting the power plants to actively lobby and demonstrate that Albertans rely on all types of power generation.
Wind, solar and hydro can’t replace the gap that will be created with the loss of coal generated power.
Solar and wind power can’t produce enough to replace the 52 per cent that is being produced by coal generated plants. Something has to fill that gap.
The group will continue to work together on this initiative including developing a Facebook page and structure an educational initiative in the schools.
