Tear-filled goodbyes
Outgoing council bid farewell at the final meeting of this term.
Councillors Mary Lou Eckmeier and Gaynor Levisky, who both are not seeking reelection, caught on to a choked-up Mayor Ivan Brooker – thanking administration and one another for their commitment to the community and their respective roles in shaping the town.
Coun. Jeff Toews, who garnered the most votes out of all councillors in the last election, made a special address to the media – giving a nod to the tireless work of town reporters for connecting the public to the public.
Policing Committee
The next council can expect administration to come back with a report by January with updated terms of reference for a new, updated Protective Services Advisory Committee (policing committee).
If approved by council, the process of recruiting members, including public-at-large appointments by council, would begin.
The revival of the committee is in response to a presentation in September by Susnet Ridge resident Kevin Burns, who is seeking to give more teeth to police, bylaw and the community for protection from and punishment of offenders of noise bylaws from their illegally-modified and disruptive vehicles, including drag racing.
Council passed a resolution in the fall of 2013 to change the committee’s status to inactive.
Commercial in River Heights
Town council unanimously approved a land use re-designation for lands on the eastern side of River Heights Drive, to allow for commercial development.
Shark Fin Ban
Town council officially moved forward a bylaw prohibiting the sale, possession or distribution of shark fin products in the Town of Cochrane, as well as to provide a letter to the federal government supporting a bill to ban shark fin importation.
Coun. Morgan Nagel was the only opponent in moving the bylaw forward, based on a technicality that he maintains is interference by municipal government into federally-governed territory.
Public-at-large
The town appointed two public-at-large members to the Cochrane Library Board to fill vacancies – Cyndie Baum and Lori Eberhardt.
Land sale
The Town of Cochrane is moving forward with the purchase of two portions of land from Rocky View County for market value.
The county and town jointly own these lands. The first parcel, .735 acres, is required for the expansion of the town’s wastewater transfer station project. The second parcel, .08 acres, is required as part of the Griffin Road expansion project, dedicated as roadway.
