M.D. of Taber council meeting briefs from April 8

By Heather Cameron
Taber Times
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

The following are selected briefs from the April 8, 2025 meeting of the M.D. of Taber Council.

Public Engagement Process

M.D. resident Dwayne Leth, who farms south of Taber, appeared before Council to share his concerns about how the borrow pit on the south side Township Road 9-1 between Range Road 160 and 161 does not drain water to the culverts. Instead, Leth explained, water stands in the borrow pit when it is supposed to go to the culvert so it can drain into the north side borrow pit, which would then carry it to Horsefly Lake. Township 9-1, Leth says, is beginning to go to alkali because of the standing water, and he brought the concerns to both Councillor Turcato and Corey Greene, which both explained that the issue is ‘on the books to be fixed.’ Leth was firm, however, in saying that the standing water has been an issue for at least the last 15 to 20 years and needs to be fixed before the problem affects area farmland to the point where it cannot be farmed. Council inquired of Greene if the issue would be mitigated as part of the Horsefly Drainage Project and Greene confirmed it. Council also promised Leth that they would address his concern by finding out the status of where that particular project is on their project list.

Fire Ban Policy

M.D. of Taber Administration brought a Request for Decision memo before Council to rescind the Fire Ban Implementation Policy in conjunction with the recent adoption of the new M.D. of Taber Regional Fire Services Bylaw No. 2013. The memo, Administration explained, states that since the new MDT Bylaw No. 2013 Regional Fire Services was approved on February 25, 2025, the fire ban criteria outlined in the MDT Fire Ban Implementation Policy is no long valid, as the newly established fire ban criteria is included in Bylaw No. 2013 Regional Fire Services, thereby making the Fire Ban Implementation Policy ‘redundant.’ Councillor Claasen ultimately made a motion that the M.D. of Taber cancel the Fire Ban Implementation Policy in conjunction with the recent adoption of the new M.D. of Taber Regional Fire Services Bylaw No. 2013, and the motion was carried.

Vegetation Management Policy 

M.D. of Taber Administration brought a Request for Decision memo before Council regarding a Vegetation Management Policy, stating that changes are being proposed to make the policy clearer and easier to understand. Administration also explained that the purpose of vegetation management is to prevent the spread of weeds from the roadsides into agricultural land, as well as aesthetic and that any points of the policy that were operational in nature were removed from the policy and any points of the policy that are requirements under a provincial act, or under the Environment Code of Practice for Pesticides were also removed. Administration also explained that specific jobs/task details are also outlined through procedural based documents, such as job descriptions and work procedures. The draft policy, Administration stated, was reviewed and discussed at the March 24, 2025, Committee of the Whole Meeting, and Councillor Claasen ultimately made a motion that the Committee recommended the outlined changes to Council for consideration and, and that motion was carried. A motion was ultimately made that the M.D. of Taber adopt the vegetation management policy, and the motion was carried.

Roadside Mowing Policy

M.D. of Taber Administration brought a Request for Decision memo before Council regarding proposed Roadside Mowing Policy 62-014. Administration explained that changes have been made to make the policy clearer and easier to understand, including the removal of policy points that were operational in nature. Administration also stated that the draft Roadside Mowing Policy was reviewed at the March 24, 2025, Committee of the Whole Meeting, and Deputy Reeve DeGroot made the motion that the Committee of the Whole recommend the proposed changes in the Roadside Mowing Policy as outlined to Council for consideration and, and the motion was carried. A motion was ultimately made that the M.D. of Taber adopt proposed Roadside Mowing Policy 62-014, and the motion was carried.