By Kevin J. Sabo
For the Advance
Village of Halkirk council has passed Bylaw 2021-02, their Municipal Development Plan Bylaw.
The passing of the bylaw comes after it received first reading during council’s February meeting, and after a public hearing. Under Government of Alberta regulations, all municipalities in the province are required to have a Municipal Development Plan in place by the beginning of April 2021.
The purpose of the Municipal Development Plan is to provide a road map for future development and growth of the community.
As part of the public hearing, community members were able to provide a letter in either support or opposition to the bylaw or schedule an appointment time to speak to council during the hearing, again in either support or opposition.
With no letters received or appointments booked to speak, the public hearing was closed, and the bylaw was proclaimed during the March 10th council meeting, which followed the public hearing.
Generator switch
Council has authorized the expenditure of around $2,000 to replace the generator switch on the community hall.
Since the community hall acts as the village’s Emergency Operations Centre in case of village emergencies, having power via generator into the facility is a requirement.
Village office/shop repairs
Village of Halkirk administration has been in contact with a contractor and estimates that the required work will cost around $50,000.
Work required will be the repair of sagging floors in the office, door repairs, window replacement, new flooring, as well as making the office COVID-19 and Workalone safe. Repairs in the village shop include ceiling and roof repair, repairs to the shop door, and furnace work.
“We will do the repairs, hopefully this spring using (Municipality Sustainability Initiative) grant funding,” said Village Chief Administrative Officer Marcy Renschler via e-mail.
“The building needs to be repaired.”
Trinus
With unexpected, but required, computer system upgrades performed by Trinus Technologies out of Stony Plain, the question came down to how to fund the nearly $4,000 worth of work. After some deliberation council decided to fund the repairs through village reserve funds.
Berry Street
While receiving an initial quote for paving only 70 metres of South Berry Street for $90,000, council is now looking at doing all of Berry Street for an estimated cost of $200,000.
The village received $50,000 from the Red Tape Reduction Grant to go towards the repairs. Other grant sources are being looked into for the full project.
Viability review
Village administration and council have been in contact with Roy Bedford, with Alberta Municipal Affairs regarding the viability review. The tender for the village infrastructure study is up on the Municipal Affairs website, and a few emails from bidders have been received.
As part of the viability review, the plan is to hold a town hall or village-wide conference call sometime in April, so village residents can give the government their input on the process. No plans for the town hall have been solidified, and the format, when it happens, will depend on current health restrictions still in effect.