By Stu Salkeld, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, East Central Alberta Review
Clive village council decided to bump a major road project estimated at $1.4 million to 2026 after examining the municipality’s five year capital plan. The decisions were made at the March 27 regular meeting of council.
Councillors heard a presentation by village chief administrative officer (CAO) Carla Kenney regarding the capital projects councillors decided are priorities over the next five years.
Kenney stated during her presentation the village is finishing off the sanitary lift station project begun in 2022; it’s projected to be completed this year.
Also on the list was a major project, 47th Street and 49th Ave. from 51st Ave. road re-construction including water and sewer utility lines with an estimated price tag of $1.4 million.
Councillors spent a considerable amount of time discussing this project, including the grant money available and in what year the project should be undertaken.
They finally decided the project would be tentatively placed in 2026. Councillors also seemed hesitant to discuss borrowing money for this project.
Councillors accepted the five year capital plan as information.
Physician concerns
Councillors read an invitation from the Town of Ponoka for a meeting scheduled April 18 in that neighbouring municipality. One topic of the meeting involves concerns with Alberta Health Services (AHS).
Councillors discussed issues they see with health care in the village such as long wait times at walk-in clinics and an apparent shortage of family doctors.
The Clive councillors noted that if a committee is formed to address these and other concerns the village would be willing to participate.
Public Works report
Kenney included a Public Works department report for councillors to read, and noted it’s that time of year for thawing culverts. She also pointed out an eye is being kept on a problematic culvert on Hwy. 12 that saw a lot of water build up around it in 2022.
The CAO also stated some issues arose recently with a back-up well.
“Operational issues when attempting to switch to the back-up well resulted in a high chlorine content in the water reservoir on March 22,” stated Kenney’s report. “Public Works was able to flush the nearest hydrant and dilute the reservoir prior to the water entering the distribution system.”
New boss not same as old boss
The CAO reported she participated in a rural town hall meeting with the provincial government March 23 that included 14,000 participants.
It was stated at the town hall that the new UCP government under Premier Danielle Smith is different than the previous UCP government under Jason Kenney.
It was also stated the provincial government is getting tough on crime.
“Not going to tolerate criminal activity in this province,” Kenney quoted the provincial government as saying. “We’ll keep arresting you and putting you in jail until you change your ways or leave this province.”
Going to the dogs
The CAO reported the village made phone calls to 20 dog owners who had not renewed their canine’s licenses. Cat owners will get called soon, she noted. It was reported the village received one complaint of a cat at large.
Kenney pointed out Clive boasts a canine population of about 200, so only about 10 per cent not renewed wasn’t considered bad.
Police report
Councillors perused the regular report of the Blackfalds RCMP detachment, of which the Village of Clive is included.
It was noted that during the March 14 to March 20 period the Blackfalds detachment received 125 calls for service which included three theft reports, two mischiefs, two break and enters, one theft of motor vehicle, one roadside suspension and 18 motor vehicle collisions.
Mayor Lucy Henry stated she was impressed at the detail of the Blackfalds report, as not all detachments provide such reports to councils.
Private deliberations
During her regular CAO’s report Kenney noted she’d attended a meeting of the Hwy. 12/21 Water Commission that was held in closed session; Kenney stated she couldn’t discuss details of the meeting. However, she added the commission hook-up to the Village of Clive is progressing and is projected for completion in late spring.
