Council Meeting Highlights - August 13, 2024

Here are the highlights from the MD Council meeting held last week (August 13th):

𝐓𝐚𝐱 𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐏𝐚𝐲𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐧 (𝐓𝐈𝐏𝐏)
Council passed a Tax Installment Payment Plan (TIPP) Bylaw, enabling landowners to pay their taxes in monthly installments. Council also approved a draft TIPP agreement, application form, and terms and conditions that will govern how the program is administered. Once the program is ready to be rolled out, Administration will notify residents via direct mail, newspaper, and social media.

𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐂𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐤 𝐅𝐢𝐫𝐞 𝐒𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐓
Council approved the installation of a fire suppression T at Strong Creek Park at a cost of $1,100. Installing the fire suppression T on the existing water shack pipeline that serves the park and campground will provide a designated point for firefighters to access water quickly and efficiently during emergencies.

𝐅𝐢𝐫𝐞 𝐆𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐬
Council appointed MD staff members Dianna Butz and Sandra Satchell as additional Fire Guardians for the MD of Peace. The Forest and Prairie Protection Act stipulates that all Fire Permits must be approved by a Fire Guardian.

𝐁𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐃𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲
Council moved to add a business directory to the MD website to support and promote businesses and organizations within MD boundaries. Administration will invite businesses and organizations to submit their information for inclusion in the directory.

𝐑𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐄𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐠𝐲 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐞 𝐓𝐞𝐫𝐦𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐑𝐞𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐌𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐅𝐞𝐞
Council reviewed and approved the Terms of Reference for the Regional Energy Committee, which was formed to promote energy development in the region, with a focus on nuclear development. Council agreed to the committee’s request that all member municipalities contribute $2,000 to support membership and meeting costs. The committee consists of representatives from the MD of Peace, Town of Grimshaw, County of Northern Lights, Town of Peace River, and Northern Sunrise County.

𝐌𝐞𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐌𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐌𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐩𝐚𝐥 𝐀𝐟𝐟𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐬
Council discussed topics to be addressed with the Minister of Municipal Affairs at the Rural Municipalities Conference from November 4-7, 2024. Topics include Intermunicipal Collaboration Frameworks and the Shaftesbury Fire costs.

𝐀𝐥𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐚 𝐌𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐩𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧
Council authorized Reeve Robert Willing to attend the Alberta Municipalities Convention from September 25-27, 2024, in Red Deer.

𝐁𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐧𝐯𝐚𝐥𝐞 𝐖𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧
Council directed administration to award the contract for the Brownvale residential water and wastewater project to NewGen. NewGen submitted the only tender package received in response to the MD’s Request for Tenders.

𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐩𝐚𝐥 𝐃𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐧 𝐑𝐞𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐓𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐏𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐑𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫
Council reviewed correspondence from the Town of Peace River regarding potential gravel pit development along Shaftesbury Trail and directed administration to share the MD of Peace Bylaw 9/2020 Land Use Bylaw Amendment with the Town of Peace River.

𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧
Council reviewed the yearly inspection report from Quantum Recreation on MD playgrounds located at Strong Creek Park, Lac Cardinal Recreation Area, and Brownvale Playground. MD Recreation Staff are addressing potential hazards as outlined in the report, noting that no serious hazards were identified during the inspection.

𝐃𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐎𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐫 𝐁𝐲𝐥𝐚𝐰 𝟔/𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒
Council passed Designated Officer Bylaw 6/2024, which outlines the employees within the MD of Peace who are authorized to carry out specific legislated functions.

𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐥 𝐏𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐲
Council approved amendments to some of the MD’s Personnel Policies in the areas of vacation time, leave of absence, and general housekeeping for clarity. Council also passed a new post-incident and random drug and alcohol testing policy for employees in safety-sensitive positions, such as equipment operators.

𝐀𝐝𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐏𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐬
Council reviewed and approved updates and amendments to the following administrative policies:

ADM-7 Fencing Policy
ADM-8 Meeting Fees, Honorarium & Travel and Subsistence
ADM-9 Municipal Promotion Items
ADM-10 Official Acknowledgement of Bereavement/Illness
ADM-11 Gifts to MD Residents (50th Anniversary and 100th Birthday)
ADM-12 Marquee Tent Rentals
ADM-13 Labour Concerns (reclassified to HR-26)
ADM-15 Lac Cardinal Tables and Chairs

𝐒𝐮𝐛𝐝𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐀𝐩𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐒𝐖 𝟒-𝟖𝟑-𝟐𝟒-𝐖𝟓
Council approved in principle an application to subdivide 11.08 acres from a previously unsubdivided quarter to accommodate a farmstead separation