At last Tuesday’s council meeting, Athabasca County councillor Larry Armfelt (who represents the Baptiste Lake/Island Lake area) said he received an email from a concerned county resident Sept. 7 who alleged people have been dumping material in a pit just off Highway 2, a few kilometres west of Athabasca.
The resident called the site a “hillbilly dump” and claimed in the email that they took a bike ride past the area and witnessed material dumped there that contravened what county manager Gary Buchanan said should be a policy of only dumping dry fill at that location.
Buchanan later said the area in question is “just on Highway 2, just a few miles west of town, on the north side of the road there.” The pit is on private property.
Refrigerators and coolers were allegedly dumped, as well as appliances, which raised environmental concern for the resident, who claimed “there is no control over what is going on there,” adding they “find it hard to believe that Alberta Environment would approve what (council is) allowing to be left there.”
Councillor Kevin Haines said the issue had been brought to the attention of the Athabasca Regional Waste Management Services Commission, but did not say if any action had been taken.
“You and your council have provided the perfect place to dump unwanted material, some of which should be under the control of trained people,” wrote the resident.
Buchanan later suggested it is an Alberta Environment matter and called the site a “hole in the ground that (county residents) have been slowly filling with various bits of dirt and whatnot, but occasionally see as a (dump) site, so they dump waste there, or old pieces of equipment, appliances, that kind of thing.”
“I don’t know who (is dumping the items),” said Buchanan.
Armfelt made a motion, subsequently passed by council, to forward the email to Alberta Environment.
A number of county councillors are unhappy with accessibility issues some county residents are having on Highway 63 while construction is underway.
County councillor Jack Dowhaluk (who represents the Wandering River area) said some residents who live along Highway 63 have found themselves unable to access their private roads due to construction. He acknowledged it’s conceivable they may have been informed through newspaper ads a year ago that the construction would be taking place, but said learning such information through newsprint is a proactive measure many won’t take.
Dowhaluk said he wants there to be better communication between Alberta Transportation and residents who may be impacted by nearby construction.
“I think we have to work a lot closer with (Alberta Transportation),” said Dowhaluk.
He said people shouldn’t have to call Alberta Transportation just to find out when their driveway will become unavailable.
Councillor Larry Armfelt said a contact person should be made available to county residents so they can be best informed, and Reeve David Yurdiga agreed.
Dowhaluk also asked if there is any kind of warranty on the roads and Athabasca County manager Gary Buchanan assured him there normally is.
Council passed a motion to draft a letter to Minister of Transportation Ric McIver, and copied to MLA Jeff Johnson, to request better communication between Alberta Transportation and county residents.
Athabasca County director of corporate services Brian Pysyk sat in on a portion of the meeting to recommend a new Telus phone upgrade for the county administration office, as well as Family and Community Support Services (FCSS), which will soon have a new building next to the county building.
Council authorized a total of up to $38,094.93 before taxes to be spent on the new phone system.
Athabasca County council is still seeking information from the Alberta Energy Corridor (AEC) stemming from what it saw as incomplete financial statements a number of months ago.
County council is a partner of the AEC, an industry/government-funded organization that tries to attract diverse businesses to the Athabasca, Boyle and Wandering River area.
At county council’s meeting last Tuesday, the AEC was brought up briefly, and the AEC’s April report to council was still fresh in councillor Larry Armfelt’s mind.
AEC director Angela Betts presented a report to council in April, but Armfelt wanted more.
Armfelt requested further clarification on AEC membership, and council was subsequently provided with a copy of the AEC’s audited financial statements at the May 30 council meeting, bar the statements from 2011.
Councillor Larry Armfelt told council at the May 30 county council meeting that he was still unclear on who all the AEC members were and whether or not all memberships were paid.
Armfelt reminded county manager Gary Buchanan last Tuesday that he is still hoping to learn who the AEC’s contributors were from 2010 through 2013.
Buchanan said this information has been prepared as an audited statement and will be part of the AEC’s annual general meeting (AGM) package.
The AEC’s AGM will be held on Oct. 8, 2013. It is a public meeting, according to Betts, and the AEC’s regular board meeting will follow.
