M.D. of Taber Council briefs

Posted on May 18, 2023 by Vauxhall Advance

By Heather Cameron

Vauxhall Advance

Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

The following are selected briefs from the M.D. of Taber Council meeting that took place on April 25.

RCMP Report 

Sergeant Kimmel from the Taber RCMP gave a presentation on police statistics between January and March 2023.

During his presentation, Kimmel stated that during the previous month, the RCMP responded to 173 calls for service, with 141 of those being within the M.D. Kimmel stated that there were also two impaired drivers, 47 9-1-1 hangups, and 33 criminal record and fingerprint checks from the public.

In terms of patrols, Kimmel says, the RCMP did 17 patrols of Enchant, 31 patrols of Grassy Lake, 18 patrols of Hays, and they did three patrols of the Enchant Campground. Kimmel says that all of this was done despite currently having a reduction in service, as administration staff are currently on strike.

Kimmel added that 26 violation tickets, with 13 of those being traffic were written last month within the detachment area. 

Although there has been zero change in persons’ crimes, Kimmel said that property crime is down 63 per cent and also said that there’s been eight fewer instances of break and enter. There’s been one less theft of a vehicle and seven less instances of theft under $5,000. 

Operational Grants for Recreation

Council made motions that the 2023 operational grants for recreation boards towns and villages be distributed in the following amounts per policy.

Enchant Rec. Board: $48,203

Hays Rec Board: $48,203.

Grassy Lake Rec Board: $56,909.

Town of Taber: $202,234.

Town of Vauxhall: $112,112.

Village of Barnwell: $13,798.

 

Council made recommendations that grant amounts be distributed in the following amounts per intermunicipal collaboration framework agreements.

Town of Vauxhall: $8,778.

Village of Barnwell: $13,361.

Council also had in front of them decisions whether or not to approve certain levels of funding for: 

Enchant Cemetery Association: $5,000

Eagle Spirit Nest Community Association: $2,500

Trail 77 Singletrack Association: $5,000

Vauxhall Ag Society: $1,500

Vauxhall Golf and Country Club: $5,000

Taber Exhibition Southwest Senior Pro Rodeo Group: $2,000

All recommendations and decisions were approved.

Motion to Collaborate with Regional Partners for Regional Water Study

After a motion to come out of closed session was made and carried, Coun. Chantel Claasen made a motion to collaborate with regional partners for a regional water study. That motion was unanimously carried.

TCAPS Highlight

Reeve Merrill Harris mentioned that he learned from TCAPS that Victims Services Taber will be moving to the Town and the M.D. will still be serviced by the town TPS until April 2024. Reeve Harris expressed his wish to spend the time between now and then lobbying to see if they can keep TPS as the Victims Services provider instead of having it switch to Coaldale. Council recommended that they wait until after the provincial election to begin lobbying to get Victims Services covered under town police services, as that would fall under the new Public Safety Minister’s responsibilities.

Appointment of New Bylaw Enforcement Officer for M.D. of Taber

Council discussed the recommendation to appoint, per Section 555 of the Municipal Government Act, new Taber Police Service member William Woytowich as municipal Bylaw Enforcement Officer for the M.D. of Taber. Coun. John Turcato ultimately made the motion to appoint Woytowich, which was unanimously carried.

Visits to Lantic Rogers Sugar and Lamb Weston Factories

Council discussed their recent visits to the Lantic Rogers Sugar and Lamb Weston factories and acknowledged that they received information about how good a community partner both companies are to the region. Council also expressed pleasure about the fact that both large corporations have decided that the M.D. of Taber and the Town of Taber are good fits for their companies.