By Kevin J. Sabo
For the Advance
The County of Paintearth is moving ahead with changes to the Municipal Development Plan.
The long-developing bylaw update passed first reading during the June 1st council meeting.
“It’s a draft of what (we’ve got put together), and right now we are comfortable with the contents in it,” said Director of Community Services Todd Pawsey.
“There is a lot of new directions in there (since the last update) 17 years ago. I think it gives a lot of direction, and freedom for residents. This sets up a good blueprint going forward.”
Deputy Reeve Doreen Blumhagen did have some concerns with some of the wording in the document, particularly around water use.
“Not all County members can access it,” said Blumhagen, despite wording in the document that implies it can be.
“We can’t run a 10-mile (water) line for one resident,” agreed Pawsey, though he did disagree that the wording implied that all residents could be connected.
Since the subsequent readings of the proposed bylaw require a public hearing, the decision was made to leave the draft as is, until after the public gets their say on it. The public hearing for Bylaw 701-21, the Municipal Development Plan Bylaw, will be held at 11 a.m. on June 15th, during the next regularly scheduled council meeting.
Fire Safety Codes
After a review of fire services in the County, particularly in the fire agreement between the County of Paintearth and the Village of Halkirk, it was noted that the County needed to submit a new Quality Management Plan between the two municipalities to the Safety Codes Council of Alberta.
As part of the plan, the County needs to have a fire safety codes on staff.
The addition of the position was discussed during budget deliberations. Emergency Medical Services Operations Manager Lorne Dewart, a qualified fire safety codes officer, has been appointed to the position, in addition to his other duties.
Airport Crack Filling
The Town of Castor has requested County of Paintearth’s support in filling asphalt cracks at the Castor Municipal Airport.
“We hope you will consider this request as a partnership in the maintenance of the airport,” wrote Town of Castor Chief Administrative Officer Christopher Robblee.
The Town of Castor conducts all the snow removal in the winter months, it was noted in the request. Also, with the closure of the Helipad at Castor’s Our Lady of the Rosary Hospital, the airport now supports air ambulance operations for both the Town and County residents.
“I motion that we support this,” said Blumhagen.
The total estimated cost for materials and staff time for the crack-filling at the airport will be approximately $4,300.