Mayor Larry Henkelman has been nominated by council for the Alberta Urban Municipalities Association (AUMA) Distinguished Service Award. The nominee must have 20 or more years of as an elected official on a municipality’s council. AUMA presents four awards annually and the winners of these awards are presented at the AUMA Annual Convention (Annual General Meeting) or at another time decided by the board of directors.
Lacoka seeks assistance from town
Ponoka and Lacombe will host the lacrosse B division provincials July 13 to 15 and Lacoka Lacrosse Association president Julie Barnes met with councillors to seek some assistance to help pay for the event.
Lacoka Lacrosse has approximately 153 players from ages five to 17 years old, and during lacrosse provincials 24 teams around Alberta will converge on Ponoka and Lacombe to battle it out for provincial gold. Barnes said the cost to pay for arena times, referees, medals and other items can add up fairly quickly.
“We’re hoping the Town of Ponoka is able to assist with other costs,” she said.
She expects a large number of people to camp at the Stampede Grounds and travel between the two towns. Finals are scheduled for July 15 in Lacombe.
Betty Quinlan, director of corporate services, said it would help to have an estimate of expenses to give councillors a chance to consider any contribution.
Barnes will have the information for the next council session, June 26.
Out of scope policy
Councillors have passed an updated version of the management/out of scope policy for the Town of Ponoka. It was last updated Nov. 22, 2005.
CAO Brad Watson said any town employee, who is not in a union is covered under this policy.
“The directors and salaried employees are not eligible for banked time or overtime,” he said. They do however receive an additional five-days off instead of banked time.
Building and development
Included in the information of the town council agenda is the building and development report comparing 2011 to 2012. The information for the second quarter gives information up to May 2012.
The first quarter shows two new dwelling units valued at $335,000 compared to seven in 2011 with a value of $1,355,672. The second quarter has an increase of five new dwelling units at a value of $1,457,000, compared to four dwelling units in 2011 with a value of $2,518,379.
Development officer Betty Jurykoski said it is difficult to compare previous years, as some developments have not yet begun. “What we have is land that is subdivided and sold.”
Commercial development numbers could indicate projects that add to existing properties rather than new development.
Jurykoski said the town works directly with developers to meet the needs of their projects, and she receives one or two enquiries a week.
“There’s a lot of people looking for land but it has to be suitable to their project,” she explained.
For 2012 there was new commercial development at $48,000 for the first quarter and $111,900 for the second. There was also $150,000 for institutional/schools/municipal in the second quarter. Total building and development for this year is $2,126,900.
Red Deer River oil spill
The City of Lacombe recently put out a press release with regard to the Red Deer River oil spill. Lacombe is working with the North Red Deer River Water Services Commission in monitoring the spill. The Town of Blackfalds and Ponoka and Lacombe and Ponoka Counties are also members of the commission.
Watson said the water remains potable. “We’re well monitored and well covered,” he said.