Sturgeon County Council Meeting Highlights: November 24, 2020

Here are the highlights from the November 24, 2020, Sturgeon County Council Meeting:

• Council received a presentation from Sturgeon Victim Services, which included a proposal for three-year funding in the amount of $6,778 for programs and community support of victims of crime. Council agreed the request would be included as part of the 2021 Budget deliberations taking place later this week.
   
• Appointment of 2021 Fire Guardians
  Council approved the list of staff members put forward as the Fire Guardians for 2021. Fire Guardians are responsible for promoting good fire safety practices including issuance of fire permits. In addition to the staff appointments, Council are also designated Fire Guardians.
   
• Debt Management Policy Amendment
  Council approved recommendations to amend the Debt Management Policy. These amendments clarify the County’s use of debt and debt management, including establishing conditions for the use of operating debt to finance non-County owned assets that benefit the County residents at large, defines debt reporting commitments to improve transparency in the County’s use of debt and debt position.
   
• 2020 Property Tax Write-off
  Council approved Administration to write off $555,665.65 of taxes owing as they are no longer collectable. The tax arrears are for tax rolls owned by 10 separate companies that have filed for protection under the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act. Although the County is listed as a creditor for any companies in receivership due to bankruptcy, municipalities are classified as unsecured creditors and will likely not be able to collect on these accounts.
   
• Amendments to Land Use Bylaw 1385/17 – Miscellaneous Technical Redistrictings
  Council provided second and third reading to Bylaw 1514/20. As part of second reading, the bylaw was amended to remove a property within the ProNorth Industrial park as it is part of a separate land matter. The bylaw addresses properties that were not addressed as part of the previous Land Use Bylaw update.
   
• St. Albert Annexation Report on Negotiations Endorsement
  Council authorized the Chief Administrative Officer to sign the Certificate of the Report on Negotiations, which forms part of the Annexation Report for the land being annexed by the City of St. Albert. This is part of the annexation application required by the Municipal Government Board.
   
• Amendment to Temporary Mandatory Face Coverings Bylaw
  Council gave first reading to a bylaw that amends the expiry date of the Temporary Mandatory Face Coverings Bylaw 1513/20. The bylaw currently expires December 31, 2020, and is proposed to be extended to April 30, 2021. The bylaw also proposes to amend the factors that would trigger the bylaw coming into effect to reflect changes to AHS classifications. The bylaw will come back before Council on December 8, 2020, for second and third reading.
   
• Agricultural Service Board Bylaw
  Council gave second and third reading to a new bylaw that will establish the Agricultural Service Board (ASB). This bylaw was required after a review of Council Committees identified that board and committee terms of reference are to be established by bylaw, not a Council resolution, and that the Board is to be established in a bylaw separate from the County’s Committees Bylaw. The Bylaw does not fundamentally change the purpose, function, or mandate of the ASB.
   
• Agricultural Appeal Board Bylaw
  Council gave second and third reading to a new bylaw that would establish an Agricultural Appeal Board and would include the Agricultural Pest Act Committee, the Soil Conservation Act Appeal Committee, and the Weed Control Act Appeal Committee. The new bylaw is required as these committees have authority under separate legislation from the Municipal Government Act and cannot be included within the Council Committees Bylaw.
   
• Environmental Protection Appeal Board Bylaw
  Council gave second and third reading to a new bylaw that would establish the Environmental Protection Appeal Board, which currently exists as part of the Council Committees Bylaw. As the Appeal Board is established under separate legislation from the Municipal Government Act, it cannot be included within the Council Committee Bylaw. 
   
• Council Committees Bylaw (Repeal and Replacement of Bylaw 1381/16 and Bylaw 1420/18)
  Council gave first reading to Bylaw 1517/20 to establish a new Council Committees Bylaw. This bylaw provides alignment and consistency in the Committee Terms of Reference and includes amendments such as clarification of who is permitted to serve on a committee, role of County staff on committees, and committee appointments.

Next Council Meeting

The next Sturgeon County Council meeting will be held at 9:00 a.m. on December 8, 2020.

2021 Budget Meetings are taking place November 25, 26, and 27, starting at 9:00 a.m. 

View future agendas and past meeting minutes.