May Newsletter

 I am proud to announce the completion of the new skate park.  In the week since it has been complete it has been described as an ant hill of activity and a fury of excitement.  We have some very talented riders out there, and I would like to thank all who have been involved in the design and planning.
 

June 18 will see the 2nd build day for the Hank Planger Community Playground at St. Michaels School.  While this playground is located on school property, it has been an incredible project that included kids from Canyon in the design process and support from all sectors of the community.  This 2nd phase will include adult/big kid sized outdoor fitness equipment and the adaption of the playground to be more accessible to kids with disabilities.  Last year this project raised 125,000 in 4 months and received matching funds from the Let Them Be Kids organization.  The LTBK group now uses stories and videos from the Pincher project in promotions across the country.  Pretty good bragging rights for all involved!
 

This summer will see the re-development of the Castle View Heights (North Hill) Park.  It will include a hard surface play area for basketball, street hockey or learning to ride bikes or wheel sports.  It can be flooded in the winter for skating, and will be sculpted to collect runoff water that will drain into the collection system.  The landscaping is designed to alleviate some of the drainage concerns of the present park.  The park redesign includes planting beds, new trees, benches, and gathering areas as well as a playground.
 I would like to wish the Dolphin Swim Club happy 50th anniversary.   50 years!  How many meters of competitive swimming is that?  Welcome back Slow Pitch!
 

Council held a special meeting in April to discuss the curling club.  At present the curling club is the owner and operator of the curling facility, which is located on town land through a lease agreement.  The rink was not used last season through a series of technical and legal issues, which resulted in members of the club curling in Ft. MacLeod and Crowsnest Pass.  Last month the club held a fun bonspiel in the MCC Arena as a fundraiser for their building fund.  They raised 10,000.  The town’s spirit of support for the sport was shown through Councils decision to waive the fees for use of the arena for set up and the duration of the event.
 

The high turnout of public at the special meeting and the level of questions, discussion, and participation in the meeting indicates the thirst of the community to be involved in the conversation around development of a new facility.  There is a proposal from the golf and curling expansion committee, which consists of member of both clubs executive, to relocate the rink to the golf course in combination with a golf course expansion to 18 holes. The club house could be shared and year round use increased.  This concept proposes a redesign of the golf course, the new development of a curling rink, the redevelopment of the parking area, possible access on to hi-way 6, possible use of land that would be “freed up” to be used for an expansion of Crestview Lodge.
 

Last June Council approved a request from the Golf Club to access funds from the Golf Course reserve account to use for contracting a consultant to create a concept design that would include a curling rink.  These funds have not been accessed and so far the concept as described above is in “brainstorm” form, as I am paraphrasing from the expansion committee presentations to council and the Recreation Advisory Committee.
Any future planning and redevelopment of the Community Recreation Complex  (the CRC, building more commonly called the golf club house) conversations should include consideration for all uses of the facility, as it is home to Joe’s Gym, Chinook Lanes, and the Squash courts.  A shift from the curling facility being supported by its users to being funded from taxpayers and becoming a public facility is a decision that affects all residents.
 

Summer Projects:  Repair the Retaining wall of the Lebel Mansion, Walkway Improvement from the downtown core to the North East residential sector, Sewer Line Upgrade under Hi-way 6 from Lawrence Ave to the east , Castleview Heights Park, Town Hall renovation project, Update SCADA equipment at Water Treatment Plant (remote oversight equipment),  Arena Roof Repair,
 

Alberta Transportation will be installing the roundabout for the intersection of hi-way 6 and hi-way 507 this summer.  The traffic accommodation plan for the project will include paving a portion of Hunter st.   This change to the intersection has come about though communications with Alberta Transportation expressing our concerns of the safety in the intersection from increased traffic.   Initially the desire was to have a traffic light system installed; however this was not a viable solution in the eyes of AIT.
 

Council has decided to enter into talks with the MD on the formation of an Emergency Services Commission.  A commission is a corporate structure of 2 or more municipalities that provides service within the boundaries of the member municipalities.  It is a separate legal entity from its members and has access to the Provincial capital financing systems similar to a municipality without affecting its members debt limits.  Our present EMS service is run as a committee of Council, with Councillors from the Town and MD participating through an Inter Municipal Agreement.  Concerns over the legal status have been identified, and vulnerabilities exposed in the present structure.  Both Councils have been looking at various governance models that could be used to address the concerns while staying focused on providing a cost effective, service oriented emergency response to our community.
 

The Town has received funding to undertake a Historical Resources Inventory.  This is part of the process for creating a designation and management system for buildings, structures and areas deemed Historically Significant by the community.  We are looking for volunteers who would work with the coordinator, Kootenai Brown Pioneer Village curator Farley Wuth to document historical resource in the town.  A historical resource could be anything from a building to a water tower, an archeological site or burial site.  Once identified and evaluated through a statement of significance, the municipality may designate it as a Municipal Historic Resource, which would allow the land owner to be eligible for grant to assist in preservation of the site.
There are rooms available in Crestview Lodge for independent seniors, please call Crestview Lodge if you would like more information.
 
There is always more things to say than room to say them in!  Happy spring to all!

Assessment Compaint Process Explained

In responce to the Pincher Creek Echo article on the Assesment Notice Audit   I contributed the following article to the newspaper:

Assessment is the process of determining a value of a property for taxation purposes.  It is done by an assessor, Wayne Lamb of Benchmark Assessment for the Town of Pincher Creek, using methods regulated through the Matters Relating to Assessment and Taxation, and legislated through the Municipal Government Act. 

In 2009 there were changes made to the Matters Relating to Assessment Complaint regulations that were implemented in 2010.  The changes were focused on the complaint filing process and the method in which complaints were reviewed.  It created processes consistent throughout the province for addressing complaints.  It also removed a level of appeal resulting in more authority for the Local Assessment Review Board.  

The Local Assessment Review Board and its sister the Composite Assessment Review Board are quasi-judicial tribunals that hold hearings to make decisions about complaints of property holders about their assessment.  Members of the Local Assessment Review Board are appointed by council.  They must successfully complete a training program approved by the Minister to be eligible to sit on a LARB and hear complaints from residents.

Changes were made to the manner in which a resident makes a complaint.  Legislation requires that a complaint must be submitted in the form prescribed in the regulations.   A Local Assessment Review Board that receives a complaint not on the form must dismiss the complaint.  The legislation also identifies information that must be filled out for a complaint to be heard, the timelines for filing complaints and producing a decision after the hearing.

The regulation requires municipalities to communicate the methods for complaints on their Assessment Notices.  It requires the name and contact info for the person with whom a complaint would be filled, a statement as to where complaint forms can be obtained, and a statement indicating the assessed person’s right of access to information concerning their assessment and the process the municipality has to supply that information.

Last year the Province undertook an audit of all assessment notices throughout the province.  This was to ensure that these changes had been made by Municipalities and to provide an opportunity to make recommendations. 

The Town of Pincher Creek’s assessment notices were found to be missing some information required by the updated regulations, for instance, our notices identifies the position “director of corporate services” as the person to file complaints with but does not identify his name and address.  The Town of Pincher Creek will be developing new Assessment Notices to meet these requirements. 
 

Whats Up With the Allies Arts Council of Pincher Creek

I just read that the Allied Art Council has some great classes for this winter/spring season.  I might just have to take up knitting so i can do the "Make a snood like Lady Gaga" class.  

http://pinchercreekarts.com/participate_3.html 

I heard that AAC is doing some painting and face lift projects in the gift shop and looking for roller wielding volunteers.  Call the Allied Arts Council in the Lebel Mansion for info.  

december 2010 newsletter

Hello All, Happy New year and Christmas!

I hope everyone had a chance to stop and enjoy the gifts of the season with their loved ones.  I feel blessed to live in beautiful place filled with passionate people.  As I go through the traditions of the season, I have stopped to appreciate all that makes this little town my home.  Thank you all for all those little things that build community and good will among each other.
 
In November I had the chance to take a Municipal Finance course.   We looked at policies that municipalities should have that would guide administrative action, budgeting procedures,  revenue forecasting, interpreting municipal financial statements, and discussed debt-financing and “pay as you go” strategies.
 
Effective in 2009, Municipalities are required to record and amortize all their tangible capital assets.  Previously capital projects were expensed in the year in which the project occurred.   Over the last few years, all the roads, bridges, water-wastewater systems have had a value determined for their present condition and an amortization expense determined.  Now within our financial statements a line representing amortization is shown, bringing a non cash dimension to the reporting and budgeting.
 
In the operating budget that was passed for 2011, there is 9,278,245 in revenues and 10,281,829 in total expenditures, less 1,005,230 in amortization, for a budgeted surplus of 1,646.  
This budget reflects a 1% increase in tax revenue from residents and properties.  What this means is that the total amount of dollars required by the municipality, through taxation, has increased by 1% over last year, roughly $40,000.  The amount on your tax bill will depend on the value of the property as determined by the assessor, and the mill rate determined by council in the spring.  
 
Councillor Berg, Fire Chief Dave Cox and I met with representatives from Alberta Health Services to discuss the EMS contract to provide ambulance service to the area.  Our 2 year contract is approaching its completion and AHS is interested in negotiating another longer termed one.  It is important for our community to not lose any service that we presently have.  We need to build on the strengths of this service and ensure that it meets the needs of our growing and ageing population.  Having fire, ambulance and rescue integrated to the extent that they are gives us an assurance that we have the emergency services necessary for our community.  We need to make sure that any contract with AHS is workable for Pincher Creek, suits our needs, and ensures the continued success of service.
 
Council met with the MD for our first joint council meeting.  We discussed the condition of the SPCA building, the Community Hall and the process of our Joint Funding to community groups and organizations.  
 
Town council met with the Curling Club executive to hash out what the relationship between the club and the Town might be.  Presently the club and town do not have a lease for the land that the faculty sits upon.  Under the previous agreement, without a lease the faculty’s ownership reverts to the town.  The Towns' insurance will not insure the building for use as a public facility in its present condition.  In the budget passed for 2011 there hasn’t been any money allocated to do any renovations or care of the facility, as the goal has been to get a lease signed with the club that would allow their continued operation of the facility.  
 
At our December meeting, we received a request from the food bank to move their operations from the Napi Building to the old RCMP building on Main Street.  The town owns the building and has had it for sale since the RCMP moved to the new building.  I am interested to hear from all of you about this.
 
It seems that many of the decisions that will be upon us in this term on council have to do with the facilities in our community.   A conversation about the curling club spirals into a debate about golf course expansion which would include a new curling facility.  Conversations about the Library’s plans to remodel spiral into a debate about usage and design of the multi-purpose facility.   Discussion on ambulance services leads to the size of the fire hall and our capacity issues there.  The broader discussion about what facilities we can sustain as a community is interesting.  How should we frame this discussion?
 

Peace and Respect,
Sahra

Council Report november 29

Council Report November 29, 2010

November 15    budget meeting

November 15    Property Review Committee

November 16 PC Watershed Group

November 19 Special Meeting

November 21-26 Alberta Urban Municipalities Association convention in Edmonton

Monday Nov 22 Water Conservation, Efficiency and Productivity Session.  

This session included presentations on various methods for encouraging water conservation from a municipal perspective. Examples from across the country where infrastructure renewal and replacement had been delayed through use of conservation initiatives were championed.   By gaining efficiencies in the water and wastewater systems, and reducing consumption, capacity was increased within the system that enabled growth and development without expansion in the water systems.  There was a workshop on putting together a conservation, efficiency and productivity plan, and how to tie it into other infrastructure and sustainability plans.  The afternoon portion of the session focused on water pricing and the dynamics that influence how municipalities evaluate the value of water.

Tuesday

Met with Alberta Transportation to discuss concerns of traffic safety within pincher creek.  We would like to have the speed limit reduced as you approach the town corporate limits to the north of pincher creek.  We also discussed the timeline on the roundabout for hi-way 507 and 6.

Went to the Women in Government session where Mississauga mayor Hazel McCallion spoke about the changes she has seen over her political career.  Look like a girl, act like a lady, and work like a dog. 

 I went to the Alberta Ageing in place pilot project presentation.   Jasper and city of Edmonton were each selected for a 1 year capacity building projects directed at increasing senior citizens access to non traditional living arrangements.  Some good ideas were shared that i think could be adapted to a small town.  It was announced that the pilot protects program will expand into other communities, i spoke with the program manager expressing pincher creeks interest in working on a rural-small town based project....so i might get all keen on that!

Wednesday

Met with Minister Jablonsky of Seniors and Community Supports at the legislature.  It was helpful to speak with her and clarity how we should proceed with a modernization project at Crestview Lodge.  At this time, it still looks like all the funding is being aimed at increasing capacity, and incorporating a health component to the facilities.  We did stress the need to support the Lodges with funding for modernization, and spoke to some of the decencies’ of the present application process

Session:  Building Resilience in Uncertain Times:  developing accountable attitudes, creating change resilient personality, personal attributes that can embrace change

Lots of Convention Business, Resolutions Session, Key Note Speaker Edward Greenspon, introduction of the Pinkest Town in the West,

Thursday  Convention Business, Resolution Sessions, Key Note Speaker Pinball Clemins.

Session Municipal Finance:  great session!  More to come!

Pincher Creek Echo Council photo

http://www.pinchercreekecho.com/PhotoGallery/PhotoGallery.aspx?abID=2274&pageID=3

Pincher Creek is a "great lifestyle community"

As residents of Pincher Creek we are aware of how great our town is, but increasingly Pincher Creek is gaining accolades  from others.  We were profiled in Alberta Venture in their "5 Great Lifestyle Communities" that highlights some of Alberta's choice places to live work and play. 

http://albertaventure.com/2010/06/five-great-lifestyle-communities

With recreational opportunities ranging from squash to mountain biking, golf to pottery, there is something for everyone.  


The challenge for the Town, and our residents, is how to maintain this level of service, and ensure that the facilities that support these activities are maintained for our continued enjoyment.