Morrin village council decided to become a financial supporter of STARS air ambulance after an in-person presentation by the medical rescue group. The presentation was made at the Sept. 18 regular meeting of council.
Councillors heard a presentation by STARS representative Jackie Sealy, who noted the air rescue society has been operating for 40 years and plays a vital role in medical rescue in Alberta’s rural areas.
She presented information showing residents of Morrin and area benefit from STARS’ work; after her presentation she stated STARS requested the village support it financially to the tune of $1 per capita. Morrin’s population, as of 2021, is 205.
However, councillors agreed STARS plays an important role in rural safety, noting Morrin residents have seen many serious traffic accidents along the two primary highways that border the community.
Councillors unanimously rescinded a previous motion to grant $500 to STARS and then unanimously approved a grant of $1,000 for the service for 2024, with Coun. Lorraine MacArthur noting they plan to include it in 2025’s budget too.
Paving delay
Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) Annette Plachner updated councillors on the delays to paving work in the village. She noted the contractor, Spectre Paving, notified her they will arrive in Morrin to pave by Oct. 1.
Plachner noted during discussion she expected the contractor sooner than that.
Gravel road concerns
Coun. MacArthur stated she wanted to discuss complaints made by Morrin property owners Curt Blaney and Linda Loades in a letter sent to the village; the letter is too long to reproduce here but is available for perusal on the Village of Morrin’s website.
One of the issues mentioned, runoff from the nearby gravel road, was discussed first.
The CAO stated ditches on each side of the nearby gravel road are intended to collect water and won’t be changed. Councillors accepted her report.
The second issue discussed was condition of the gravel road; they discussed which municipality is responsible for maintaining that road, said to be the only gravel road in Morrin.
Plachner stated several years ago both Morrin and Starland County cooperated on maintenance work on the road in question.
Councillors asked the CAO to contact Starland County and ask if they could grade that portion of road to improve it’s performance.
Bylaw officer update
Plachner updated councillors on efforts to find a bylaw officer for Morrin. The CAO stated she’s been unsuccessful so far.
Readers should note the driving force behind this effort was a complaint about aggressive dogs running loose in the village.
Mayor Chris Hall noted he’s had “private bylaw officers” suggested to him; as councillors discussed the lack of options available when it comes to bylaw enforcement services, they asked Hall to bring back more information for them to discuss in the future.
Former library
Councillors discussed village efforts to sell the former public library located on Main Street Morrin; the building is actually a trailer on a public lot. After pondering the help of a real estate agent, councillors decided they’re in no hurry to sell and are happy to rely on the village’s own efforts to sell the property.
It was also noted staff will prepare the trailer for winter to ensure pipes don’t freeze or other damage caused by cold weather.
Rock in the system
The CAO reported village staff had some trouble with the water system recently; a large rock was found in the system. When councillors asked how large the rock was, Plachner made a gesture suggesting it was about as big as a cantaloupe.
Councillors then discussed the possibility the rock was actually an act of vandalism; they pondered possibly installing security cameras in certain areas.
Private deliberations
Councillors decided to move one item of new business, “code of conduct,” into closed session. They already had one item slated for closed session, listed as “council concerns.”
Stu Salkeld
Local Journalism Initiative reporter
ECA Review
