Oct. 25 council town meeting briefs

By Kenyon Stronski

Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

reporter@tabertimes.com

The following are selected department report briefs from the Oct. 25 regular meeting of council.

Over the month of Sept. the Administrative Services department has followed up on various cemetery items, made preparations for council meetings, attended council agenda settings meetings with the CAO, Mayor and Deputy Mayor and arranged for the Mayor’s attendance at various meetings.

The Communications and Projects Coordinator has carries out initiatives as outlined in the 2021 to 2023 communications plan, actively increased engagement on social media by posting current events and upcoming programs and responded to the public’s questions and feedback on social media accounts.

The CAO department attended a farmers market, did a tour of the town, attended various committee, commission and board meetings and held various discussions with all directors.

Human Resources assisted departments with eCompliance, worked with departments with the Penny payroll system through training, and updated the HR contact lists.

Engineering and Public Works had a meeting with ATCO Gas for green technology and future projects, winterized outdoor public washrooms, developed an energy baseline two-year facility power and gas consumption on all major town facilities for modeling, held monthly safety meetings and completed the clean-up, drainage correction and creation of a concrete bunker for scrap metal recycling at the transfer station.

The Water and Wastewater Treatment Facilities had a monthly safety meeting, held monthly site inspections and submitted a water saving tip to the Corn Husk Chronicles.

Planning and Economic Development worked with Canada’s premier food corridor on new online marketing initiative for the region, did ongoing work related to the Meadows of Taber construction, attended council agenda setting meetings and after council review and helped plan and coordinate items for the Taber Pheasant Festival.

The Recreation Department began the small ice installation on Sept. 20, held the last Farmers Market and Backyard BBQ competition, replaced the biggest mulch bed in town with decorative rock and worked with Communities in Bloom as their season ended.

The Fire Department continued inspections on tank storage systems and continues to work with ASCA finishing this month, posted on Facebook to keep the community involved, completed 229 hours of firefighter training and hired a new assistant Fire Chief Amy West who started Sept. 13.

Lastly the Finance department upgraded multiple systems and firmware, renewed multiple licenses and subscriptions and conducted an external security test.

There will be a special meeting of council Nov. 15. Watch for more information in next week’s Times issue.