BARRHEAD - County of Barrhead councillors approved the landfill's 2024 operational and capital budgets, three-year operations, and 10-year capital plans.
The landfill's 2024 proposed operational budget has been pegged at $328,930, with each municipality contributing $103,440. The landfill expects to raise the remaining funds through user tipping fees and the revenue generated by its recycling program.
The 2024 landfill capital budget is set at $75,000, with equal $75,000 grants from the municipalities.
Compared to the 2023 budget, the 2024 version has increased by $18,400 or 21.6 per cent, while the capital budget has decreased substantially from last year's $332,500. The difference is that 2023 saw the landfill purchase a loader.
The Barrhead Regional Landfill is jointly operated and funded by the Barrhead municipalities. The Town of Barrhead councillors approved the operating budget on Nov. 14.
Barrhead Regional Fire Services firefighter pay schedule
Councillors also approved changes to the Barrhead Regional Fire Services (BRFS) pay schedule.
County manager Debbie Oyarzun said the amended pay schedule only impacts BRFS firefighters deployed as part of a provincial or national firefighting effort, such as when local firefighters joined the province's wildfire efforts in Drayton Valley and are retroactive to January 2023. In total, BRFS firefighters and equipment responded to eight calls from the province to help battle wildfires or provide supplemental coverage, totalling over 70 days and 3,115 firefighter hours.
Oyarzun also noted that the joint Barrhead Fire Services Committee recommended that the council approve the amended policy at its Nov. 2 meeting.
"Our current practice is that they are paid at their current rate as if they would if they were called out to a local response," she said.
However, she said often, the result is that BRFS firefighters receive less than those from other municipalities which use the Alberta Wildland Urban Interface Guidelines and its associated pay schedule when their firefighters are deployed to support provincial firefighting efforts.
Oyarzun noted that using the unamended policy, BRFS would be entitled to $79,500 in collective wages, compared to $159,125 if paid to the provincial standard.
After some investigation, the Town of Barrhead, the BFRS' unit of authority, noted that most municipalities pay their firefighters who respond to Alberta wildfire efforts at the provincial standard.
Deputy reeve Marvin Schatz supported the committee's recommendation.
"I don't think Barrhead Regional Fire Services intends to make money on the backs of our volunteers," he said. "If they are willing to fight fires outside our jurisdiction, they should be paid the rate the province is paying us," he said.
Reeve Doug Drozd agreed, asking why this did not come to council's attention sooner.
Oyarzun said, unfortunately, it flew under everyone's radar.
A week later, Town of Barrhead councillors during their Nov. 28 approved similar changes to the fee schedule but made additional changes to the wording in the schedule, to prevent potential confusion that the province was responsible for the extra pay.
CAO Edward LeBlanc said he made the changes in consultation with Oyarzun.
Bylaw enforcement officer bylaw
Councillors also approved the bylaw enforcement officer bylaw, in three straight readings.
Oyarzun said approving the bylaw was one of the last legislative steps needed before the county's new peace officer arrives in mid-December.
