Town of Barrhead councillors approved a recommendation by administration that would allow them to move forward with a request for tender for an estimated $1.6 million upgrade to its wastewater facility during their Feb. 13 meeting.
The issue first came to council’s attention in September 2016 after a group of environmental and wastewater experts from Opus Stewart Weir said their study concluded the town needed to make upgrades to its wastewater treatment system.
The company also suggested the town should take steps to improve how it monitores wastewater and its impact on the Paddle River.
The town asked the company to conduct the study after receiving a warning from Alberta Environment in August 2015, after it failed a test designed to check the safety of effluent discharge on aquatic life.
In January, councillors authorized that the mayor and CAO to sign the wastewater treatment facility upgrade project agreement.
Coun. Rod Klumph asked if the upgrades would expand the town’s wastewater capacity.
“It is just to improve our existing facility. It will just allow us to treat the water better before it is released into the Paddle [River],” said chief operating officer Martin Taylor.
Road Rehabilitation
Councillors authorized administration to move forward and request tenders for 50th Avenue and 57th Avenue.
“From 50th Avenue it will go from the corner of the highway or what I like to call A&W corner by the mall and for 57th Avenue it will be from the corner at the museum right up to the entrance of the Ag grounds, curb, gutter and asphalt,” Taylor said.
Alberta Urban Municipalities Association police funding
Councillors voted to accept a letter asking for municipalities asking for the town to participate in a letter from the AUMA for information. The letter was requesting that the town join writing campaign asking the province to revisit its police funding policy. Coun. Leslie Penny was opposed.
“When we accept something as information that means we are doing nothing and I think this is something we should be participating in,” she said.
Currently policing costs are only paid by municipalities with populations greater than 5,000. Small urban municipalities, counties and municipal districts are exempt.
The AUMA is advocating a new model where all municipalities contribute to policing costs.
