WWTP approved for heat exchanger repairs

Posted on February 26, 2026 by Taber Times

By Cal Braid
Taber Times
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

The following are briefs from the Town of Taber council meeting on Feb. 9.

WWTP approved for heat exchanger repairs

 The Wastewater Treatment Plant HVAC heat exchanger provides fresh air and heat to the plant’s secondary clarifier space, and during a Jan. 2 inspection, staff found the exchanger compromised by holes in it. The unit was shut down and placed out of service.

 Public Works Manager Blake Hranac explained, “In early January of this year, staff inspected one of the HVAC units at the wastewater treatment plant. During their inspection, they found that there was a component that was completely compromised, which is the heat exchanger. And finding this out, staff shut the unit down, and it has been out of service since then while we put this information together for council to make a decision.”

He said there were really only two options going forward: first, to replace the heat exchanger itself at a project cost of $40,000; and second, to replace the entire unit at a cost of $170,000. A third alternative option was that council could ask for more information, and thereby keep the unit temporarily out of service.

 However, “The risk with holes in a heat exchanger is that carbon monoxide (CO) from combustion in the heat exchanger can mix with the air supply and create a CO positive environment in the end use space, potentially creating a hazardous environment for staff,” the agenda said.

 Hranac elaborated, “We can repair the unit for years if other components break down, for far less than the new unit replacement cost as well. We have another unit at the Aquafun Centre that’s almost identical, so we do have the ability to work on both units, swap parts as needed.”

 Coun. Sparks moved that council direct administration to add the heat exchanger replacement to the 2026 capital budget at a cost of $40,000 with funds to come from capital reserves. Council voted all in favour.

Direct Control District 4

 At a Jan. 12 council meeting, members directed the administration to draft options to clarify the standards for the Meadows – or Direct Control District 4 (DC-4). The changes could include but were not limited to basements, garages, and multi-unit developments. The move was initiated to provide options for the decision-making body on all development permit applications within the Meadows.

 Administration reviewed DC-4 and proposed amendments to the bylaw for the district. The amendments would allow for the planning and development department to make decisions on all applications.

 Those would include criteria for multi-unit developments and basements including information requirements, height controls, and setbacks. Additionally, the changes would clarify the notification and decision-making process, meaning notices would be mailed to the adjacent landowners to gain feedback on a discretionary use development and considered in the final decision on a development permit. A public hearing would not be required.

 The agenda said that under the MGA, council can delegate the deciding authority on any Direct Control District. However, “Any decision made by administration could be appealed as per Section 685 (4)(b)of the MGA, but the appeal is limited to whether the development authority followed the directions of council, and if the subdivision and development appeal board finds that the development authority did not follow the directions, it may, in accordance with the directions, substitute its decision for the development authority’s decision. Administration is bound to the direction provided in the Direct Control District when deciding on a development permit.”

 It’s a wordy inclusion that means council’s decision is ultimately the final word, according to Planning and Development Director Hilary Janzen. “There is very little room for the appeal to happen, because council has made that specific decision on that zoning,” she added.

Council carried the changes unanimously.

Arts & Heritage Committee
dissolved

 Council gave first, second, and third and final readings to Bylaw 8-2026, approving all and effectively repealing the Town’s bylaw that required an Arts & Heritage Committee. The committee was established to provide advice to council on matters related to arts and heritage in the community.

 The agenda said, “In recent years, the role of the Arts & Heritage Board has been reduced, with meetings occurring on a quarterly basis and limited advisory activity. At the same time, the Society for Taber Arts and Recreation (STAR) is becoming a primary community organization supporting and coordinating arts-related initiatives in Taber.”

 At the Jan. 26 council meeting, Coun. Antoniuk was appointed as council’s representative to STAR. “With council representation now in place and STAR actively fulfilling an arts advisory and coordination role in Taber, administration has determined that the Town’s existing Arts & Heritage Board is duplicative,” the agenda explained further.

 With the two committees viewed as overlapping, the change wasn’t perceived as a step backward.

Town Christmas bonus policy

 Council approved a standard three-year renewal of the Town’s Christmas bonus policy (C-6). It states that, “Administration is directed to provide a Christmas bonus to full-time and part-time employees each year. Each full-time employee is to receive $100. Each part-time or casual employee is to receive $50. Administration shall establish procedures for this policy and shall be responsible to ensure the spirit and intent of the policy is adhered to.”