More council meetings?
Coun. Morgan Nagel is proposing the next round of mayor and councillors meet three times each month instead of biweekly.
“I don’t think we should be making important decisions haphazardly because we don’t have enough time,” said the first-term councillor, following the presentation of his notice of motion at Monday night’s council meeting.
The motion will be brought back at the next council session on Sept. 11 for consideration.
Nagel devised the motion in response to Cochrane’s unprecedented growth – the foothills municipality is leading the province and is second in the country for growth.
“I’ve felt the pressures (to vote) numerous times,” said Nagel, adding that he feels decisions have been rushed because councillors’ agendas are stacked with several big issues.
According to Lori Craig, interim chief administrative officer, the current biweekly schedule of Cochrane’s council meetings is common for a municipality this size – but more frequent meetings in a less formal capacity, such as shorter meetings or in the form of strategy or info sessions are also not a rarity for similar councils.
Craig said that if the motion passes, the next steps would include administration bringing forward an amendment to the existing procedural bylaw, which “could conceivably be passed by this council, as there is still enough time in this term.”
If the motion is supported by council, Craig said in all likelihood administration would adjust the candidate manual to inform upcoming 2017 election candidates what lies ahead for them.
Borrowing Bylaw
Coun. Morgan Nagel was the only vote against a bridge borrowing bylaw, which was moved forward 3-1 at Monday night council.
“I will support the debt when the deal (on the bridge and road alignment of James Walker Trail) is signed ... I don’t think it’s wise to lock ourselves into a multimillion dollar deal,” said Nagel, adding that by locking in, it “compromises the town’s negotiation position.”
The town will now move forward with borrowing $8 million for a 10-year term at a rate “not to exceed three per cent” – as long as the estimated interest rates remain roughly what they are now at.
Since the matter was last brought before council in July, administration reported that interest rates had climbed to 2.41 per cent from 2.03 per cent.
Council was largely in favour of securing the loan before interest rates rise again.
Nagel said the presumption rates would rise significantly – based on a scenario of as much as two per cent are unrealistic.
The bridge project is estimated at $53.5 million with 68 per cent funded from offsite levies and 32 per funded from the town.
Currently, the town has $10.3 million collected in offsite levies and the north arterial road construction component of the project is slated at $9.5 million.
The borrowing bylaw was brought forward as a financing strategy to secure a low interest rate and to reduce borrowing needs in 2019 – when bridge construction moves forward.
If the rate is higher than three per cent, the town will not proceed with the borrowing.
South land use public hearing
A public hearing for land use redesignation to redesignate a parcel of land along River Heights Drive for potential commercial uses will take place at the Sept. 11 council meeting.
Rivercrest public hearing
Council set another public hearing for Sept. 11, with respect to a land use amendment for Rivercrest Phase One.
The amendment seeks to move the development along of the newly adopted Rivercrest Neighbourhood Plan.
Wastewater Transfer Station Project
Council approved increasing the capital budget for the wastewater transfer station wet well to $6.3 million from $4.9 million, to be funded through offsite levies.
The increase is due to the addition of a new chemical storage and dosing building to deal with the odour and hydrogen sulfide levels along the pipeline corridor earlier than originally anticipated.
It is also due to the addition of a dividing wall within the buried tank itself, in order to allow for better management of peak flows.
The project is included in the town’s Ten Year Capital Financial Strategy.
The scope changes will not result in any impact on utility rates.
Mayor Ivan Brooker and Couns. Tara McFadden and Jeff Toews were absent.
