by Colin Smith
Province providing $1 million less to Morinville in capital funding
Morinville’s capital plan will take a significant hit with a drop in Municipal Sustainability Initiative (MSI) funding from the Government of Alberta.
According to a letter from Municipal Affairs Minister Rick McIver to Chief Administrative Officer Stephane Labonne, discussed at the November 9 Town Council meeting, for both 2022 and 2023, every municipality and Metis settlement in the province will receive 40.6 per cent of what it received in 2021.
This reduction derives from the year-over-year change in the MSI capital budget from $1.196 billion to $485 million and aims to ensure the reduced budget will impact every local government equally.
As far as Morinville is concerned, Labonne said the result is a reduction of about $1 million in funds available for capital projects in both 2022 and 2023.
“If we were a punching bag I’d say we’ve taken a lot of hits,” Labonne commented.
Council receives six notices of motion
Deputy Mayor Stephen Dafoe has put forward six notices of motion, which he will move at an upcoming council meeting. The motions are as follows:
That Council direct administration to come back to council before budget deliberations with a report on and options to address vehicles parking in or too close to crosswalks, corners and neighbourhood entrances.
That Council direct administration to include traffic lights at Grandin and 100 Avenue as a 2022 capital project for consideration and/or direction.
That council direct administration to return to council at budget deliberations with some rough costings on addressing road and sidewalk drainage issues in the older neighbourhoods in town.
That council direct administration to return to council with a report on the original and current plan for a second exit out of South Glens and rough costs for an unpaved second exit.
That council directs the Agenda Review Committee to add resident concerns update to the standing list of items for Committee of the Whole meetings.
That council direct administration to return to council with potential schedule and costs for council to do a Myers-Briggs Type Indicator or similar personality profile for council as a proactive measure to help council better understand each other and work together this term.
Closed Session Items
At its November 9 meeting Council went into closed session to deal with three items, in accordance with Section 197(2) of the Municipal Government Act and Division 2 of Part 1 of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act.
These included the Town of Morinville/Sturgeon County Draft Fire Services Agreement, with Fire Chief Brad Boddez in attendance.
Michelle Hay, General Manager, Administrative Services, provided council with a Morinville Leisure Centre lands update and a CUPE Local 2426 bargaining update was presented by Human Resources Manager Trish Pretzlaw.
Council reviews resolutions for upcoming AUMA Conference
Morinville administration has provided council with recommendations on the resolutions put forward for the Alberta Urban Municipalities Association conference, taking place November 17-19 in Edmonton. Of the 19 resolutions, which will be voted on by individual conference attendees, it recommends supporting all but one, an emergent resolution calling for the provincial government to make public health restriction decisions rather than leaving it to municipalities.
