Planners with Ponoka County are looking at ways to mitigate issues of sewage odors in Bluffton homes.
Companies that collect sewage from county residents have been dumping effluent into a manhole, which sends the waste to be treated in the Bluffton sewage treatment facility. However, nearby owners have been complaining of a strong smell in their homes.
To help look at solutions the county hired ROHI Engineering to provide a cursory review and make recommendations to solve the issue.
After looking at the potential options, two of which involved installing a new manhole, Reeve Paul McLauchlin suggested companies may have to restrict the times they dump the waste.
The cost of installing a new manhole, including supplies, could be approximately $15,000 according to Randall Trites of ROHI Engineering..
CAO Charlie Cutforth added if that doesn’t work, the county may have to look into creating a permanent arrangement with the Town of Rimbey to dump the waste.
Coun. Mark Matejka questioned why the county should be paying for the service when it is something from residents. Cutforth replied he feels it is a service that will be expected of the county by residents.
County to meet with Town of Ponoka on fire services agreement
A meeting between Ponoka County and the Town of Ponoka is set for Monday, Sept. 14 to negotiate a new fire services agreement.
McLauchlin said he requested the meeting to be open to the public and to allow recording secretaries to be present. At the time of publication it was not known if those requests were answered.
No show for tax penalty complaint
Councillors with Ponoka County took no action on a complaint over a tax penalty after a no-show from the resident.
Residents Corrine and Kevin Gross were scheduled to speak with county council Tuesday, Aug. 25 during a regular meeting to discuss the tax penalty of $183.57.
CAO Charlie Cutforth said for the most part there are few tax penalties in the county and there are usually extenuating circumstances why taxes aren’t paid.
“As a new purchaser, under normal circumstances I would take care of that,” said Cutforth.
He said there were some issues with this account, which is why it was brought to council for decision. Initially the taxes of $1,835.65 were unpaid as the municipal address the county received from the family’s purchase of the home was incorrect, said Cutforth.
Once the correct address was found, the Gross family did pay the taxes but protested the penalty. The tax penalty remains unchanged.
Menaik Road paving
The county received a $1.5 million grant to pave five and a half miles of Menaik Road.
Cutforth told council that amount will provide funding for approximately one to one and a half miles of the full project. “We need to come up with $4 million to $4.5 million.”
A deadline is set for 2017 to use the grant money and Cutforth recommended the county start widening the road in the sprint to help prepare for the paving.
Testing out new dust suppression
County planners will be testing out a new dust abatement chemical called MG 30, which is also supposed to help stabilize soil, on Wooddale Road (seven miles) and Baker Road (five miles).
Public works superintendent Herb Schwingel told council that the product is approximately five cents per litre more than the calcium product currently in use. Schwingel added it costs approximately $8,000 per mile to use.
A review by Alberta Transportation suggested the MG 30 also helps keep aggregate in place, added Reeve Paul McLauchlin.
Cutforth said the county will test the product in the spring of 2016.
Road allowance request passes first step
Council passed first reading of a road use allowance after hearing no opposition to a request by Dwayne Robins.
The request is to close half a mile of Range Road 275 south of Township Road 445. Closing and leasing that area of undeveloped road requires approval from Alberta Transportation, which is why council only approved first reading.
Cutforth expects an answer in the next few months.