Council Meeting Highlights: May 13, 2013

 Presentations

BioRefinex Canada Inc.
Chris Thrall, President and CEO of BioRefinex Canada Inc. provided Council with an information update on the Lacombe Biorefinery project.

Government of Canada
Blaine Calkins, Member of Parliament, provided Council with a review of federal/municipal issues including the status of affordable housing; regional projects; regional waste water; national childcare strategies (early childhood development); Canadian Pacific Rail – Highway 2A project; and BioRefinex.

PAMZ & City of Lacombe North Pumping Station
Kevin Warren, Parkland Airshed Management Zone Association (PAMZ), Executive Director, provided Council with a summary of air quality monitoring issues in Lacombe.

Financial Services

2013 Property Tax Rate Bylaw

Council passed a resolution to adopt the amended Bylaw 384, a bylaw for the levying of property taxes within the City of Lacombe, after giving it second and third readings.

Additional growth in Lacombe has resulted in the generation of additional municipal tax revenue. This additional new growth revenue has allowed for a lower than anticipated municipal tax rate increase, while also allowing for additional spending priorities in 2013. Based on amendments to the 2013 Operating Budget the municipal tax rate increase is now 2.3 percent.

Electrical Franchise Agreements Bylaw 388
Council gave first reading to the Electric Distribution System Franchise Agreement Bylaw 388. Council also voted to leave the current franchise fee percentage at 6.2% of the Electric Distribution Service revenues derived from Fortis Alberta’s delivery tariff for electricity delivered within the City of Lacombe. As well, Council consented to the Alberta Utility Commission review for approval of the Electric Distribution System Franchise Agreement without a hearing.

Land use Planning and Development

Bylaw 300.77 - Rezoning

Council gave first reading to Bylaw 300.77. a bylaw to amend the Land Use Bylaw 300 by rezoning lands which are described as Lots 13-west portion of Lot 15, Block 1, Plan 1418S; Lots 29-33, Block 2, Plan 1418S; and Lots 38-39, Block 2, Plan 5227MC from R2 – General Residential District to R1b – Residential – Medium Lot Single Detached Dwellings District.

Council also directed Administration to hold a public hearing in the Council Chambers at City Hall on Monday, June 10, 2013 at 6:30pm to consider Bylaw 300.77.

Lands and Subdivision Development

Off-Site Levy - Bylaw 387

Council gave second reading to the Off-site Levy Bylaw #387, a bylaw that authorizes the City of Lacombe to provide for the imposition and payment of off-site levies, in respect of land that is to be developed or subdivided.

Council and Legislative

Council Sponsorship Policy

Council passed a resolution to approve the revised Council Sponsorship Policy. The policy will allow Council members to consider funding requests throughout the year with no formal deadlines or application process. Each Councillor will receive a $350.00 annual allocation for sponsorship purposes with an expectation that the funds will be used for the public good in the City of Lacombe.

Family and Community Support Services

Parent Link Facility Requirements

Council directed Administration to enter into a 3-5 year lease agreement with Lacombe Parent Link program commencing July 01, 2013- June 30, 2018. The leased spaced will be limited to the Kinsmen Community Use room in the Lacombe Memorial Center, with an annual lease payment of $25,000.00.

 Financial Services

First Quarter Financials
Council passed a resolution to accept the First Quarter Financials as presented.

2013 Property Tax - 145 Parkland Acres

Council approved the cancellation of a portion of the 2013 property taxes in the amount of

$320 for the property described as 145 Parkland Acres.

Infrastructure Services

2013 City Compost System

Council tabled the purchase of an In-Vessel Compost System in the amount of $528,400.00 until fall 2013.

2013 Capital Works Program

Council directed Administration to enter into a contract with M.Pidherney’s Trucking Ltd. for the 2013 Capital Program at an estimated cost of $2,507,187 (+GST). Council also directed Administration to fund the excess cost not currently in the 2013 Capital Budget be allocated from a combination of reserves and available grant funding.

34th Street Upgrade

Council directed Administration to extend the design contract with Stantec Consulting to include the Detailed Design work, as proposed in the document ‘City of Lacombe 34 Street Engineering Change Order #1 – Detailed Design, Landowner Consultation and Tender Preparation’, dated May 7th, 2013.

Water

Intermunicipal Wolf Creek Basin Study

Council passed a resolution to endorse an application to the Regional Collaboration Program for the funding of the Intermunicipal Wolf Creek Basin Study project.

Community and Economic Development Land Use Planning and Development

Public Transit Initiative

Council accepted the Regional Transit Service update as information, and subsequently directed Administration to continue its investigation into the Regional Transit Initiative.

Land Use Planning and Development

Planning Award

Council provided a letter of support, allowing ParioPlan to nominate the Downtown Area Redevelopment & Urban Design Plan for an Alberta Professional Planners Institute (APPI) Award for Planning Excellence and Merit.

Trinity Crossing Outline Plan

Council passed a resolution to adopt the amended Trinity Crossing Outline Plan as presented

Reports

Council reports were received as information.

Council moved In Camera to discuss a land matter.

Council returned to open meeting.

*The next scheduled Regular Council Meeting is on May 27, 2013 at 5 p.m.

*The next scheduled Regular Council Meeting is on June 10, 2013 at 5 p.m.

*The next scheduled Regular Council Meeting is on June 24, 2013 at 5 p.m.

Crime Prevention Week 2013 in Lacombe

Alberta Crime Prevention Week is a great time for us as a City to promote community safety through crime prevention.  Every resident of Lacombe, and all Albertans for that matter, have a role to play in making our communities an even safer place to live, work and raise families.

Crime prevention is different and far more encompassing than the traditional role of police response to crime in that it consists of proactive measures which have the goal of addressing and/or removing factors which contribute to crime. There are a wide range of crime prevention approaches, including:

        • Promoting the well-being of people and encourage positive social behaviour through cultural, social, economic, health, and educational programs and initiatives

        • Assessing (and changing when necessary) the conditions in neighborhoods that influence offending and victimization and the perception of crime

        • Reducing the opportunities for crime; increasing the likelihood of criminals being apprehended, and minimizing the benefits of crime.

The most important message in Crime Prevention Week is that crime prevention is everyone’s business!  We are all affected by crime in some way, either directly or indirectly, as witnesses, victims, or as friends, family members, or neighbors of those who have been victimized. Crime also impacts our taxes and insurance rates.

The police and various levels of government cannot prevent or solve crime on our own. Crime prevention is a responsibility shared by individual citizens, families, neighborhoods, the City, community-based service delivery agencies, the private sector, and all levels of government.

Extensive research has shown repeatedly that an important factor influencing a neighborhood’s crime rate is the willingness of neighbors’ to act for one another’s benefit and one another’s children. It is important for neighbors and communities to get to know each other, as it is easier to identify and solve community challenges together. People who know and look out for each other make a community stronger and make it less likely for criminals to victimize the neighborhood.

 

Enhancing the safety of communities can happen in the everyday actions of people who do things like mentor, volunteer for a local club or sports team, or make a pledge to their neighbors to look out for one another.  Simple things like investing time in our children, visiting our parks and playgrounds, utilizing our recreational facilities and being good citizens can have a huge impact, even though you may never know the difference you’ve made.

In the same way it takes an entire community to raise a child, it takes an entire community working together to prevent crime.

I would encourage the residents of Lacombe to use Crime Prevention Week as a starting point to think about and put into action positive steps and actions that will keep Lacombe the safe and vibrant community where we all feel safe living, working and raising our families.  Get involved, do your part, get to know your neighbors; take simple steps to prevent yourself from becoming a victim of crime.  Exercise common sense and good judgment when it comes to investments, finances and consumer transactions.  Protect your identity and protect your property.  Together, we truly are a tough team to beat!

Inspector T.S. (Steve) Murray

Lacombe Police Service

City Working with BioRefinex to bring International Demonstration Facility to Lacombe

The above image is an architectural concept of the proposed biorefinery to be located at Lacombe, Alberta.

The City of Lacombe and BioRefinex Canada continue to advance the innovative Lacombe Biorefinery, and the project is now even closer to being realized after securing the necessary regulatory and environmental permits from the Alberta Utilities Commission and Alberta Environment and Sustainable Resource Development.

“This facility will be a great asset to our community, and will highlight Lacombe as a center for agricultural and biotechnology innovation,” said Mayor Steve Christie. “We will continue working closely with BioRefinex representatives to bring this project to fruition.”

“We are pleased to have received the regulatory approvals from the provincial government, and we are grateful to the City of Lacombe for its ongoing support,” said Chris Thrall, President and CEO of BioRefinex Canada. “We are now working towards finalizing our financing, and hope to break ground on the project this fall.”

The City of Lacombe and BioRefinex Canada had signed a conditional land sale and purchase agreement for 12.17 acres of land in southeast Lacombe for the construction of the Lacombe Biorefinery. The agreement also contained provisions for the exploration of the application of the BioRefinex technology as an alternate treatment of the City’s various waste materials.

“This underscores the project’s commitment to environmental best practices,” said CAO Norma MacQuarrie. “There is also a provision in this agreement for the City of Lacombe to purchase renewable energy from the project, and an in-kind contribution by BioRefinex for some of this process heat and/or power.”

Once complete, the Lacombe Biorefinery project will serve as the first full demonstration facility for the BioRefinex technology. It will become the showcase for how we can successfully contribute to a sustainable environment by diverting organic waste material from landfills and incinerators and converting them into valuable nutrient and energy products.

Please go to BioRefinex.com for more information on the Lacombe Biorefinery project.