G+P meeting March 8, 2011

G + P Meeting March 8, 2011

Adoption of Agenda:

Councilor Saje added Personnel In Camera

Councilor Gallant added Personnel and Land In Camera

Motion to accept agenda with additions passed unanimously


Delegations: None

Topics for Discussion:

1.Capital Equipment and Project Tendering Update
Maplevue Hall- Tender closes on March 14 apparently there are a minimum of four companies that have looked at it, so quotes are expected.

Councilor Saje wanted to know if the property had been offered for sale with the building left.

Councilor Saje wanted to know if there was an opportunity to buy equipment from the US to take advantage of the dollar. Administration informed council that is where the equipment would originate.

Councilor Saindon requested information on the Train the Trainer program. The municipalities highest-level Equipment Operators are expected to train the other operators; they have never been provided the necessary training in the past to allow them to be certified to train lesser-experienced operators.

Councilor Mitchell stated that funding for the Maplevue hall would come out of Land Reserves to be replaced when the land sells.

Public Works Director Myron Thompson stated that he had miscalculated on the pricing for Graders he did not allow for the snow wing, but with two bids already, he expects the Graders to still be under budget.

Motion to send this issue to the Council Meeting of March 15 passed unanimously.

2.Affordable Housing Update

Lynne Cox presented Council with a copy of the needs assessment that was done by the previous affordable housing committee. She stated that the committee had fulfilled its mandate as laid out at the time. That the committee had not met in a year and was disbanded with one of the Co-chairs no longer being a resident of the Crowsnest Pass:

Councilor Saje, stated that the demographic numbers in the report were based on the 2001 and 2006 census, since then Alberta has gone through a Boom and Bust cycle, so how relevant are the numbers since.

Councilor Gail, spoke about how now options need to be looked at such as trailer courts or bringing in new developers.

Councilor Gallant, raised a number of issues, what defines affordable housing, is there funding available for this, felt Council should discuss further at their next retreat.

Councilor Saindon, felt council needs to determine its involvement including the structure of a new committee

Councilor Mitchell felt it was a great report, where now.

Councilor Londsbury, felt the report was really good but wondered why it sat collecting dust for so long. Mayor Decoux stated that the executive summary had been given to the Task Force.

Motion was made to send to the next council retreat on March 31, passed unanimously

3.Pinkest Town in the West.

Cao Tully informed council that past practice had been not to declare a day to support a particular group because of the sheer volume of groups that would request.

Councilor Mitchell, had no problem with this, felt the group was just looking for support for their effort.

Councilor Saje, Is looking for ways to spur increased community involvement, felt it would be good to look at a policy to address this.

Councilor Gallant, felt it would be good to assist them with awareness and fund raising.

Councilor Gail, agrees with Councilor Saje.

Councilor Saindon, felt that the municipality should publicize the event to assist.

Councilor Londsbury, felt these types of events are a good opportunity to involve the community and unite the different areas together.

Motion to support the initiative was passed unanimously

4.Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast.
Most members of council felt this was a personnel issue and each councilor should decide himself if they wish to attend or not. Motion to support that position was passed unanimously.

Motion to go In Camera: Passed Unanimously.