by MorinvilleNews.com Staff
Morinville Town Council will resume regular meetings after the summer break on Tuesday, Aug. 27, at 4 p.m. Below is an overview of what is on the Aug. 27 agenda.
Presentations:
Council is set to receive two scheduled presentations, the first from North Central Alberta Baseball League Commissioner Paul Riopel, and the second from Morinville RCMP Staff Sergeant Darcy McGunigal, the latter of whom will present RCMP 1st Quarter (April-June) statistics, which has seen a general downward trend in crime.
Bylaw Updates
Council is to provide third reading of the Water Utility and Sewer Utility Bylaws, as well as first, second and third reading of its often-altered Procedural Bylaw.
Utilities
With respect to the two Utility Bylaws, as was the case at First and Second Readings, the Bylaw, which has not been significantly updated in a decade, sees changes that bring it in line with provincially-mandated utility standards, implemented new industry best practices and lessons learned from other communities.
Passing the Third Reading would see the town’s two-year-old Stormwater Utility Bylaw repealed due to redundancy and a change in the Utility Bylaw under Section 8, clarifying a Utility Service Line Policy was a Council Policy.
Procedural
With respect to the Procedural Bylaw, a number of Council-requested changes have been added. These include flexibility in scheduling notices of motion to a specific rather than next meeting of Council, as well as the requirement of an overview to ensure all Council members and Administration have a clear understanding of the intent behind the motion.
2025 Budget Kickoff Part 2
Council will also have a discussion on its 2025 Budget kickoff. This budget will be the last this council is involved in this term.
Committee of the Whole
Breaking into the less formal Committee of the Whole, Council has a number of topics for broader discussion, including an update on Automated Traffic Enforcement (ATE), the replacement of the Infrastructure Services Building, and the location of the 2025 Budget meeting.
The ATE report updates Council on changes by the provincial government that would impact Morinville’s program.
On the Infrastructure Services Department building, Admin says the current building was constructed in 1979, is outdated and unable to meet the needs of the town’s increased population, which has grown by about 40% since the last facility expansion in 2009.
The Council report indicates the facility faces several issues, including inadequate workspace, Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) deficiencies, and building condition problems, such as ventilation issues, hazardous material containment challenges, and deteriorating infrastructure.
A long-term plan has been outlined, beginning with the previous Facility Condition Assessment in 2021 and a feasibility study in 2023. Construction is expected to begin in 2027, with occupancy slated for 2029.
To address these issues and accommodate future growth, the town has included the Infrastructure Services Building in its Long-Term Capital and Operational Plans as a debt-funded project. The estimated cost for the new facility has increased from $6 million to $10 million due to rising construction costs. Admin says leveraging debt financing, Morinville aims to lock in costs amid an inflationary environment and spread payments over a 30-year period, ensuring the financial burden is shared across current and future taxpayers.
Closed Session
The closed session is not open to public viewing and is listed as CAO/Council Dialogue – Morinville Leisure Centre Operations. The administration’s justification for the topic being removed from public viewing falls under FOIP Section 17 (Disclosure Harmful Personal Privacy), Section 24 (Advice from Officials), and Section 25 (Disclosure Harmful to Public Body).
MorinvilleNews.com will have key coverage of the Aug. 25 Council meeting later in the week.
