Town of Vauxhall from Dec. 16 council briefs

Posted on February 6, 2025 by Taber Times

By Heather Cameron
Taber Times
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

The following are selected briefs from the Town of Vauxhall Council meeting that took place on December 16, 2024.

Bylaw No. 1001-24 Code of Conduct for Members of Council

Council discussed giving three readings to Bylaw No. 1001-24 – Council Code of Conduct, a bylaw that establishes a code governing the conduct of members of Council committees, and other bodies established by Council who are not Councillors.

The memo regarding Bylaw No. 1001-24 Council Code of Conduct established that councilors have a duty to adhere to the code of conduct established by the council and live by the highest standards of conduct, standards that members of the public who elect them are entitled to expect of them. Bylaw No. 1001-24 also establishes that a code of conduct is consistent with the principles of transparent and accountable government.

Councillor Norris made the motion that Council give first reading to Bylaw No. 1001-24 and the motion was carried while Deputy Mayor Forchuk also made the motion that Council give second reading to Bylaw No. 1001-24 and the motion was carried. Following second reading, Council elected to table third reading pending further review of the bylaw. Upon further review of the bylaw, Council established that only minor changes were needed before the Bylaw was ready for third reading.

2025 – 2027 Interim Operating Budget

Clark Holt, Chief Financial Officer for the Town of Raymond who also provides financial services to the Town of Vauxhall, provided Council with handouts full of data pertaining to the 2025-2027 Interim Operating budget. Holt stated that the Town budgets for a ‘zero-balance budget’ – $3 million in, $3 million out, but the numbers show $3 million in, but only $2.5 million out, so the Town is ‘doing good.’ Holt expressed his optimism about the budget and stated that the budget will be fine-tuned in the new year, wrapping it up once it is known what the assessment will be. A motion was made to approve the 2025-2027 Interim Operating Budget, and the motion was carried.

2025-2029 Capital Spending Plan Highlights

Clark Holt, Chief Financial Officer for the Town of Raymond who also provides financial services to the Town of Vauxhall, provided Council with handouts full of data pertaining to the 2025-2029 Capital Spending Plan, stating that when he returns to finalize the Interim Operating Budget, he’ll also finalize the Capital Spending Plan. Holt also invited Council to meet in the new year to discuss the plan and also discuss where their priorities were in terms of spending, emphasizing that the Town has more money to work with now than they originally thought.

Holt also briefly touched upon several projects the town is currently involved in, including the sanitary outflow and the ice arena. As far as the ice arena project goes, Holt explained, the insurance provider did a walkthrough inspection and they noticed some issues, but the engineers also noticed the lack of an Ammonia Room when they were conducting their inspections for the infrastructure master plan. If everything connected to the ice arena and curling club projects were budgeted together, Council established, it would total approximately $2 million at this point. Holt stated that an arena is an ‘important part of the Town’s infrastructure,’ alongside the other important buildings in the town along with structures that handle the water in town.

Holt also emphasized to Council the importance of thinking ahead and invited Council to consider what they would want to budget for 2029. Ultimately, a motion was made to approve 2025-2029 Capital Spending Plan, and the motion was carried.

M.D. of Taber – Notice of Public Hearing

Council discussed how they received a public notice from the M.D. of Taber about a Public Hearing for Bylaw No. 2011, which is a bylaw to adopt a new Land Use Bylaw for the municipality. The public notice stated that anyone who wishes to make a presentation regarding the proposed Bylaw No. 2011 should provide written comments to the M.D. of Taber Administration no later than 12 p.m. on January 7, 2025 and that both verbal and written presentations may be given at the public hearing for Bylaw No. 2011, a hearing that will take place at 1 p.m. on January 14, 2025 in the M.D. of Taber Council Chambers in Taber, Alberta. 

Passenger Rail Service Survey

Council discussed how they received a memo regarding an online survey that was launched in response to the government’s announcement, made on April 29, 2024, about the development of the Passenger Rail Master Plan along with a 15-year delivery plan for passenger rail services connected to municipal-led mass transit systems

Council discussed how the vision is for a passenger rail system in Alberta that includes both public and private involvement, and features commuter rail systems in the Calgary and Edmonton areas that connect downtown to surrounding communities, a rail system that connects Calgary International Airport to Downtown Calgary and the Edmonton International Airport to Downtown Edmonton, regional rail lines between Calgary and Edmonton and the Rocky Mountain Parks, a regional rail line between Calgary and Edmonton with a local transit hub in Red Deer, and rail lines connecting regional communities including Lethbridge, Medicine Hat, Grande Prairie, and Fort McMurray, to Calgary and Edmonton. 

The memo, Council discussed, explained that the online survey was launched to gather input from both individuals and municipalities regarding the future of passenger rail service in Alberta and the survey, which municipalities are encouraged to participate in, can be found at https://www.abmunis.ca/news/have-your-say-passenger-rail-service. 

The survey, the memo states, is only available until December 20, 2024.

Council discussed the importance of doing the survey and accepted the memo.

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