M.D. of Taber council meeting briefs from March 25

Posted on June 12, 2025 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 from March 25.

Protocols, Announcements, and Recognitions

Council discussed that on February 28, the M.D. of Taber Regional Fire Services hosted their Annual Awards banquet celebrating and appreciating the M.D.’s Fire Service Personnel. Reeve Miyanaga explained that 26 awards were presented at that event to the following individuals:

5 Years

Lieutenant Logan Mann – Station 4 MDFD

Lieutenant Jacob Rempel – Station 4 MDFD

Lieutenant Peter Dyck – Station 5 Vauxhall

10 Years

Assistant Chief Ben Klassen – Station 4 MDFD

Lieutenant Jonathan Stober – Station 1 Hays

Lieutenant Eric Unger – Station 2 Grassy Lake

Firefighter Brenda Meier – Station 1 Hays

15 Years

Assistant Chief Rey Kornelsen – Station 2 Grassy Lake

Provincial 12 Year Medals

Firefighter Carl Huvenaars – Station 1 Hays

Captain Ty Thorson – Station 1 Hays

Assistant Chief Rey Kornelsen – Station 2 Grassy Lake

Lieutenant Peter Peters – Station 2 Grassy Lake

Captain Steve Broderson – Station 3 Enchant

Captain Ginger Rose – Station 3 Enchant

Captain George Thiessen – Station 5 Vauxhall

Captain Henry Wall – Station 5 Vauxhall

Firefighter of the Year

Firefighter Ryan Fletcher – Station 1 Hays

Firefighter Tina Peters – Station 2 Grassy Lake

Firefighter Kane McLeod – Station 3 Enchant

Firefighter Annie Knelsen – Stations 4 MDFD & Station 7 Barnwell

Lieutenant Lorenzo Hiebert – Station 5 Vauxhall

Provincial 22 Year Rosette

Chief Terry Rose – Station 3 Enchant

Deputy Chief Kurtis McLeod – Station 3 Enchant

Retirement

Lieutenant Peter Peters – Station 2 Grassy Lake – 15 Years

Firefighter Gordon Hirney – Station 1 Hays – 26 Years

Chief Jim Yaroslawsky – Station 1 Hays – 37 Years

CAO Report Highlights

M.D. of Taber Chief Administrative Officer Arlos Crofts reported to Council regarding the completion of some of the M.D. of Taber’s longstanding projects, including the recently passed Land Use Bylaw, the implementation of a new employee handbook, and also mentioned that digitization of forms is also currently underway while some forms are already published on the M.D. of Taber’s website and fully available for resident use. The Fire Services Bylaw also recently received third reading, Crofts stated. In reference to the digital logistics CAO Crofts mentioned, Reeve Miyanaga made mention of how the M.D added What’sApp to their communications toolbox in 2024, and at present it has 45 followers. Knowing that, Reeve Miyanaga asked if there was anything the M.D. of Taber could do in order to spread the word about the channel and how people can follow and utilize it, as the channel is excellent, but it is not being ‘optimized’ as well as it could be. Councillor Hildebrand suggested that the channel could be useful in sharing matters among the various hamlets in the area and also among the other communities, including the Low German community.

Reeve Miyanaga Report Highlights

In her report to Council, M.D. of Taber Reeve Tamara Miyanaga shared that she had the opportunity to attend the Alberta Sugar Beet Growers 100th AGM on March 5, 2025 and she considered it ‘impressive’ to see all of the growers in attendance. While at the experience, Reeve Miyanaga stated that she had the opportunity to hear Lethbridge City Councillor and historian Belinda Crowson give an overview of the impact that the Alberta Sugar Beet Growers had on Southern Alberta over the last 100 years, including the work that Mr. Burns Wood, who is currently 102 and spoke at the AGM, did for the Association. The event, Reeve Miyanaga emphasized, was ‘quite lovely.’ 

Reeve Miyanaga also made mention of the RMA event and that representatives from the M.D. had opportunity to meet with Minister McIver while there, stating that Deputy Reeve DeGroot deserves kudos for approaching Alberta’s Minister of Transportation and Economic Corridors Devin Dreeshen with his concerns regarding the secondary highways, and it was good that Minister Dreeshen immediately dispatched his staff to communicate with Deputy Reeve DeGroot so that the M.D. of Taber had opportunity to demonstrate their Transportation Master Plan, thereby providing the province with a potential opportunity to model their own plan in a similar fashion.

Deputy Reeve DeGroot Highlights

In his report to Council, Deputy Reeve John DeGroot provided SAEWA updates, saying that the M.D. of Taber has been approached by other municipalities with inquiries about joining with other municipalities to join in building a more regional facility in the south or the west.

Councillor Harris Report Highlights

In his report to Council, Councillor Harris inquired about who would be attending the All-Councils for the Barons-Eureka-Warner FCSS on April 2 in Coaldale, as they need to know for planning reasons.

Deputy Reeve DeGroot also shared that his report to Council highlights all of the things that FCSS is doing in the communities along with the great work that they engage in helping citizens however they can.

In addition to that, Deputy Reeve DeGroot shared that the Stormwater Drainage Committee has an April 1 finish line deadline, but will not quite achieve it. However, Deputy Reeve DeGroot states, the committee will have enough completed that SMRID will be able to have water flowing when they want to have water flowing, and there is also still some clean up to do regarding the flood issue on Township Road 91, but it will be the last thing they do out in the area, as they need to address the canal right-of-ways first.

Councillor Claasen Report Highlights

In her report to Council, Councillor Chantal Claasen first mentioned that she sits on the board for the Southern Alberta Kanadier Association (SAKA), who is a Low German Community, and she will let them know about the What’sApp group.

In addition to that, Councillor Claasen spoke about a recently held Eagle Spirit Nest Association Annual General Meeting where the association reflected on the many events that were held throughout 2024. During that same meeting, Councillor Claasen announced, Lisa Sowinski, who has been the chair of the Association for many years, announced that she was stepping down from the position and Terry Pudo will be taking over the position.

Councillor Hildebrand Report Highlights

In his report to Council, Councillor Brian Hildebrand informed Council that the Handi-bus Association had their AGM recently and during that AGM, they passed a new set of bylaws, one of which reduced the number for quorum. Councillor Hildebrand also mentioned that when the new bus is ordered, it will take approximately 14-18 months for the new bus to arrive after being ordered because it takes time to get manufactured and queued in.

In addition to that, Councillor Hildebrand spoke about how the Highway 3 Water Commission is moving towards ‘reducing the M.D.’s workload’ and getting the Commission more on its own via a hiring process.

In terms of the Highway 3 Twinning Project, Councillor Hildebrand stated, there has been a challenge regarding some of the municipal members on the completed portions of the highway backing off on some of their Twinning Association memberships, but there is still ‘great enthusiasm’ in terms of the uncompleted portions.

At the RMA, Councillor Hildebrand stated, Minister of Energy Brian Jean and Minister of Municipal Affairs Ric McIver also acknowledged the issues that the province is having regarding unpaid taxes and it was ‘positive’ to see multiple ministers acknowledging that issue.