ATHABASCA – A local community group is hoping it'll be able to install a new solar light before summer truly arrives after delays pushed the approval of the project back months.
During the May 20 committee of the whole meeting, Athabasca County councillors once again discussed the North Skeleton Lake Community Association’s (NSLCA) request for a solar light the group says will help improve safety and visibility at night.
“Two years ago, we sent out a question survey to ask people to send in ideas for what they wanted us to do for them,” said Brenda Thomson, social director and country liaison for the NSLCA.
“The solar light got the most votes. The residents adjacent to it said it would provide some additional security to them as well because they’ve noticed people sleeping overnight down there and there’s been some untoward activity.”
Councillors voted to recommend County council approve the sign in a 4-2 vote during the May 20 meeting – Reeve Tracy Holland and Coun. Kelly Chamzuk were opposed, and councillors Camille Wallach, Natasha Kapitaniuk and Gary Cromwell were absent – but final approval won’t happen until the May 29 meeting at the earliest, assuming no further hiccups arise.
After initially directing administration to further look into the request at a Jan. 30 meeting, a motion to reject the solar light was defeated in a 4-4 split vote during the March 27 meeting, leaving the group, and members of council, confused.
“It’s just been like, what is the problem with this? The bureaucracy, I just don’t understand it. It’s been so frustrating,” said Thomson.
“Like they said in the meeting yesterday, why are we beating this, why is it so complicated?’ It’s a simple thing. Why are we the poster child for not going forward with anything anymore.”
After the topic was brought back to the April 24 meeting, a motion to add funding for the project to the budget was defeated and the topic was tabled to the May 20 committee of the whole session.
Inconsistent messaging cited
Thomson said part of the frustration has come from inconsistencies within the county’s messaging, in part due to staff turnover. At one point the request was morphed by a former county infrastructure director into a project the county would pay for — similar to a “Welcome to Wandering River” sign that experienced similar delays — and the current administration had floated the idea of a powered street light instead.
“We would love to have the light in by the summer, but we don’t know where we’re at right now. We thought we were getting it in before freeze-up, that’s what we were promised last year,” said Thomson.
The solar light isn’t the only project that has faced a similar delay; the Wandering River sign followed a similar pattern with the initial proposal getting taken over by the county before councillors finally decided to go with the groups original request.
“Our final decision was that (the Wandering River group) could install it on our property with their funds, and it could be what they wanted. (NSLCA) came to us asking for permission to install a solar light,” said Coun. Ashtin Anderson.
When the topic was tabled to the committee of the whole meeting, Coun. Brian Hall had a motion on the floor to approve the light under the condition NSLCA pay for installation, operation, and maintenance. Anderson questioned her fellow councillors on why they had chosen to kick the topic further down the road knowing it would delay the project.
Coun. Rob Minns said he had concerns about the location of the light installation, and the possibility of a more efficient installation, but was fine with giving the group the green light.
Holland, who voted against the motion to recommend the solar light to county council, said she wanted to see agreements in place, although it was unclear how those would exist before the council granted approval for the project.
