ATHABASCA — Town councillors will welcome three delegations, review an amendment to the utility bylaw, and have a chance to discuss the Athabasca Regional Multiplex Society’s (ARMS) operating budget, an item deferred from the Nov. 7 meeting.
First on the agenda, councillors will hear a from Staff Sgt. Mark Hall on the RCMP statistics for the second quarter of 2023. Hall’s report cites substance abuse reduction and crime reduction as community priorities, and listed several community consultations with Athabasca University and the Social Impact Lab Alberta as outreach and collaboration efforts.
Representatives from Athabasca Employment Services will appear before council to detail the successes of the organization, as well as barriers to employment services. The Athabasca Teen Centre will also give a presentation on the funding difficulties experienced by the centre, and submit an ask for financial assistance.
The town’s utility bylaw is slated for amendments to reflect the 30 per cent rate increase from Aspen Regional Water Services Commission set to come into effect in 2024. The amendments will set the minimum charge per billing cycle at $26.88, up from $25.60, which was set in January 2023. The new rates, if approved, will come into effect Dec. 1, 2023.
Town councillors will also revisit ARMS 2024 operating budget after deferring the agenda item with little discussion Nov. 7. The operating budget comes with a $940,000 requistion for the 2024 fiscal year, as well as an “in principle” five per cent per year increase to the draft operating budget requistions for the next three years.
Stay tuned for updates on town council’s decision’s and more.
