Youngstown Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) Emma Garlock discussed the possibility of developing a commercial kitchen in the village hall at the Aug. 2, 2022 council meeting.
The idea stems from a meeting with Hanna administration, Harvest Sky Economic Development and the Special Areas Board regarding the Coal Community Transition Funding (CCTF).
Harvest Sky Manager Mark Nikota explained plans to use the funding to cover the Hanna Lions Hall kitchen into a commercial-grade kitchen rented to businesses or residents in Hanna.
CAO Garlock inquired with Nikota if this opportunity is possible for Youngstown Hall, where he confirmed it would be possible.
Although Youngstown may not be eligible for CCT funding, CAO Garlock will inquire with Nikota to see if the project is eligible for funding before moving forward.
Coun. Kenneth Johnson suggested that if they upgrade the hall, council should consider larger-scale improvements like showers and dressing rooms.
Coun. Debbie Laughlin and CAO Garlock agreed with the suggestion. Council also noted that the hall needs maintenance and repair.
Coun. Laughlin asked Village Foreman Jimmy Mably if he would be able to paint the hall entrance and conduct minor repairs on the walls.
Due to the Malbly’s workload, council decided that Youngstown Hall is not a priority and will proceed with repairs in the future.
Council will await confirmation of funding before moving forward with the project.
Signage
Jennifer Koppe of 818 Studios presented a virtual update regarding the signage project for Youngstown.
Council inquired with Koppe to add signage for areas to help tourists locate services and businesses in the village.
Council inquired if it would be possible to add signage for local businesses. Koppe advised that since these are private businesses, Youngstown should ask to see if they can help cover costs if it exceeds funding.
Koppe advised council that with supply chain issues due to COVID, the cost of materials may be higher than projected.
According to Koppe, the price of cement is considerably higher, so there will not be concrete bases for signage to protect from vehicles hitting them.
Koppe also provided an update from Alberta Transportation regarding the monument sign proposal. It is approved but will require a permit.
Koppe will post a tender to find a contractor. She will also reach out to interested parties regarding the project.
Council is pleased with the project however they are awaiting the results of funding from Western Economic Diversification before moving forward.
MAP report
Correspondence from the office of the Assistant Deputy Minister of Municipal Affairs, Gary Sandberg, thanked Youngstown for completing the Municipal Accountability Program (MAP) report.
In the email, it commended the village for moving forward with addressing the items in a timely manner.
It noted all non-compliant items in the 2021 report were completed to the satisfaction of Minister Ric McIver.
Council accepted the correspondence as information.
Daniel Gonzalez
ECA Review
