Parking focus continues in Coalhurst

By Nikki Jamieson
Sunny South News

The following are selected briefs from various departmental reports presented during Coalhurst town council’s regular March 5 meeting.

CAO Report

The following excepts are from Shawn Patience’s CAO’s Report.

• Work continues on options for the expansion of Coalhurst’s non-residential tax base, including gathering engineering information and costing for light industrial and commercial expansion opportunities.

• Patience reviewed the Town’s Health and Safety manuals, draft HR manual and all current HR policies ensure the town’s policies are up to date and to eliminate contradictions and duplications. The goal is to have updated HR and HSE Manuals in place as soon as possible. 

• Patience held meetings with different businesses interested in the town: two expressing interest in locating to Coalhurst and one interested in building residential structures.

• The CPO Shared Services agreement with Barons has been completed and Coalhurst will continue to provide service to them for the next three years based on the updated costs and scheduling. 

• The Town is keeping a close eye on the City of Lethbridge’s development of drought management plans, provincial advisories and river system levels to better prepare for an anticipated challenging year for water users. As of Feb. 22, the Oldman Reservoir’s current storage is at 30, per cent, compared to the normal storage level of between 61- 80 per cent for this time of year. 

CPO Report

The following are excerpts from John Herasemluk’s Community Peace Officer Monthly Report:

• Municipal enforcement’s focus during February was the sidewalk snow removal bylaw and dog licensing renewals. Use of the notice stickers had proved to be a great tool for reminding residents to keep their sidewalks clean for pedestrians, with only 15 reminders being needed throughout February.

• During February, all residents that had not renewed their dog license for 2024 received a phone call from Municipal Enforcement to remind them to renew their dog license. The courtesy call helped Identify those who either moved out of town or no longer had a dog. dog owners. 

• Municipal Enforcement will continue their focus on poor parking behaviour such as parking on the wrong side of the road, parked too close to intersections or driveways, and unlawful parking in handicapped stalls. 

• March’s traffic focus will be on seat belts use.

• File type category breakdown. 

• Traffic enforcement: 19

• Animal control: 126

• Unsightly property: 1 

• Sidewalk enforcement: 15 

• Other: 1

• Violation fines issued: 12

Director of Legislative Services Report

The following are excerpts from Karlene Betteridge’s director of Legislative Service Report:

• The department has been assisting with the on-boarding of council committees and discussing ways to improve the coordination of committee efforts with administration and council. 

• As directed by council in February, an Intergovernmental Advocacy Plan will be drafted by Legislative Services based on provided by council at their Feb. 15 Intergovernmental Committee Meeting. 

• Legislative Services is coordinating the details of the new desks for the council chamber. When logistics are confirmed, the desks will arrive within six to eight weeks from the order date. 

• Legislative Services will be developing Guidelines for Report Writing.

Director of Operations report

The following are selected excerpts from Kevin Lewis’s Director of Operations Report:

• Lewis had attended the Building Resiliency to Multi-year drought in Alberta workshop held by the Oldman Watershed Council on Feb. 29, and had planned on attending the Drought Preparedness Telephone Town Hall meeting on March 6.

• He submitted two expressions of interest to the Municipal Climate Change Action Centres Community Energy Conservation Program. One for the community centre to upgrade furnaces for efficiency and change all lighting to LED, and the other for the Public Works Shop to upgrade its furnace for efficiency and change all lighting to LED.

• He will be attending the Alberta Water and Wastewater Operators Seminar taking place from March 11-15. 

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