| Snow leads county discussion topics |
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| Local Content - Local News |
| Written by production |
| Thursday, 25 February 2010 17:52 |
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It was the single biggest factor impacting last year’s county budget and with the end of winter not yet in sight it could still affect 2010’s bottom line. Looking back on the past year, Reeve Lorne Hickey said snow certainly was the topic of discussion last winter in the County of Lethbridge. The winter season, beginning in late 2008 leading into 2009, impacted the county budget to the tune of just under $600,000. With 1,800 km of roads to clear in the county drifting snow proved to be the biggest challenge for county crews. Even when the snow stopped falling, the wind created more work as roads drifted higher than even the machinery used to dig them out. During the worst of the winter conditions the county had nine plows running almost around the clock. The reeve said it is a huge tribute to the staff, who put in hours of overtime, that the work was completed in a timely manner. “It was a huge effort,” said County Manager Dennis Shigematsu. The county got hit again at the tail end of 2009 but is trying to remain optimistic as it makes its way into spring 2010. “The drifting wasn’t as bad,” said Hickey of December’s snow storms. For the county crew, clearing bus routes are always a priority to students can get to school. Hickey said for both the county and Palliser Regional Schools, safety is the first priority. In an effort to be prepared for future major snow events the county has now established an annual $100,000 budget line item for its snow removal reserve. The plan is to build it up by that much each year in hopes of being prepared for a major event like last winter. “We need the reserve there for another year like that,” said Hickey. Through 2009 the county also completed a couple of road projects including reconstruction of the cheese factory road near Diamond City. “It’s a good value added industry for the county,” said Shigematsu. The county was able to assess some funding for the project under the resource road program. In 2010 the county plans to tackle a couple of more resource road projects including the Country Commodities road and the West Monarch Road. In all the county completed reconstruction of three miles of road this past year and 25 miles of reconditioned and regraveling. It costs $250,000 a mile to reconstructed a road while reconditioning can be completed for about $16,000 a mile. Shigematsu said the reconditioning can extend the life of a road anywhere from three to eight years depending on the type of traffic and the volume of traffic that make use of the road. On the books this year are five more miles of reconstruction and 20 miles of reconditioning. Hickey said the dust control program has been increasing over the last couple of years but dropped off some in 2009. Now the 2010 budget discussions have focused on changing the methodology of the program. In the past the county has provided the program at a 50/50 cost share between land owners and the county up to a specified distance. The past year brought with it a major potable water project with the North County pipeline. The three-phase project began in the fall of 2009 but will be in full swing this year. The county is handling the administration of the project for the water users. Also on the books for this year are water and wastewater projects for Turin, a new water system for Mountain Meadows and new paving of the existing paved portion of the Brown Road. Hickey said over the next couple of years the county has over $16 million in infrastructure projects to complete. On the planning front the county has been working with the Town of Coaldale on a new Intermunicipal Development Plan which will likely serve as a template for similar plans with other area municipalities. The county has also received the final draft of its new Municipal Development Plan which includes a plan for review every five years. Hickey said it will be impacted by Alberta’s land use framework once it is approved. Last year the county and the City of Lethbridge agreed to a cost sharing plan to market the Lethbridge County Airport. The three-year, $250,000 project will be funded 80 per cent by the city and 20 per cent by the county. In 2009 the county also appointed county council members to recreation committees in Coaldale, Nobleford and Picture Butte. “It was a busy year overall,” said Hickey. With 2010 being an election year, Hickey said he has decided he will seek another term on county council come October. “I’ll do one more.” |
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